‘The Voice: Battle of Champions’ Semifinals Live Recap: Who Was Eliminated?

Monday, April 13, marked the semifinals for The Voice: Battle of Champions.

It’s been a wild season, which pitted three champion-level coaches—Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and John Legend—against each other for the first time. There have been countless incredible performances, surprising moments and unforgettable twists since the start of the season, with even more promised as we move into this week’s two-night season finale event, beginning with tonight’s semifinal showcase of the top nine singers.

Who was eliminated during last week’s Knockout Rounds?

Last week’s episode cut the playing field down from 12 contestants to the top nine, with the final Knockout Rounds indeed knocking out plenty of the competition. For these performances, the contestants were tasked with picking their own tune—as opposed to the Battle Rounds, where the coaches chose the music for them—which gave them both an advantage and a disadvantage.

For Team Adam, Jared Shoemaker went against Jaali Boyd, with the former coming out on top thanks to his strong country vocals. Grace Humphries vs. KJ Willis was the battle for Team Legend, with the latter securing his spot in the semifinals. And finally, Jonah Mayor took on Mikenley Brown, with Brown edging out Mayor to remain on Team Kelly.

You can read our full live recap of last week’s episode here!

Who won the first All-Star Showdown?

After the three final Knockout Round performances finished, the show treated viewers to their first-ever All-Star Showdown. This proved to be an important addition, as whichever coach won the showdown would earn an extra finalist in the finale, giving them an undeniable edge.

For the special segment, the coaches each brought back members of their previous teams, including multiple past winners. They then pit them against the other teams’ singers in head-to-head performances, making matches that have never been seen on the show. The matchups included: Girl Named Tom vs. Renzo, Maelyn vs. Jordan Smith and Jake Hoot vs. Javier Colón.

The aforementioned Green was brought in as the judge for the round, so there was no concern around any favoritism from the current coaches. While many of the battles were tight, Green ultimately selected a final winner.

ALL-STAR SHOWDOWN WINNER: Team Kelly

Who are the top nine contestants?

There’s been plenty of shakeups this season with “steals” and “saves,” making the teams as dynamic as ever. All three coaches were set to go into the semifinals with truly talented trios. See how they stack up below!

Team Kelly

Liv Ciara
JW Griffin
Mikenley Brown

Team Adam

Alexia Jayy
Jeremy Keith
Jared Shoemaker

Team Legend

Lucas West
Syd Millevoi
KJ Willis

What’re the rules for the semifinals?

For the semifinals, the studio audience was tasked with voting for the winners who’d move on to the finale. The program confirmed that the crowd in attendance for the taping was made up of a special selection of “The Voice superfans” and select alumni from the previous seasons.

KJ Willis

Willis (Team Legend) kicked off the show with the first performance of the semifinals, singing Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.” In his behind-the-scenes footage, Willis credited his parents with his love of music. Legend also appeared, noting that the song was chosen for Willis because it wasn’t quite gospel—Willis’s usual wheelhouse—but was similar enough to highlight his abilities.

Levine told Willis that he had “grown on” him since the Blind Auditions, while Clarkson said his performance was “one hell of a start” to the show. Legend agreed with his fellow coaches, applauding how Willis was “growing” in his confidence.

Mikenley Brown

Brown (Team Kelly) was the second to hit the stage, opening up in her behind-the-scenes footage about how much the show had allowed her to share more of herself. Clarkson coached her through a soulful rendition of “I’m Not the Only One” by Sam Smith, which the coach noted would show off her “head voice” while reigning in her “runs.”

Legend said it was “easily” her “best performance” of the entire season, and Levine added that it was “really, really beautiful.” Clarkson was pleased with the performance, applauding the choices Brown made in the song and adding that she “always looks cool.”

Jeremy Keith

Keith (Team Adam) selected Baby Face’s “Whip Appeal” for his semifinals performance, crediting the singer with inspiring him to pursue music in the first place. Levine loved the unique song choice, noting in behind-the-scenes footage that 1990s-style R&B was making a “comeback” in recent years.

Clarkson applauded how “easy” Keith made the performance look, loving how “humble” and “effortless” his voice sounded. Legend said it was his “favorite” performance of Keith’s from the season, and he especially enjoyed his passion. Levine agreed, adding that Keith accomplished “exactly what [he] came here to do.”

Syd Millevoi

According to her coach in the behind-the-scenes footage, Millevoi’s (Team Legend) biggest obstacle to getting to the finale would be connecting with the audience, citing feedback from Clarkson the previous week. A stripped-down, acoustic version of “Into You” by Ariana Grande was the song of choice for her semifinals performance, with Legend looking to showcase her “charisma” and “star power.”

Levine was impressed by Millevoi’s range and excited to see her passion finally come through. Clarkson joked that she was still holding a grudge for not securing Millevoi on her team during the Blind Auditions. Meanwhile, Legend loved how “soulful” she was, and how she “embraced the energy” of the tune.

Jared Shoemaker

Shoemaker (Team Adam) opted to sing “Soul Shine” by The Allman Brothers Band, stating in behind-the-scenes footage that it was the song he had wanted to perform on the show from the very beginning. Levine helped the contestant alter the tune to fit his voice, taking his “sincere and heartfelt” tone to the next level.

Clarkson was excited by Shoemaker’s choice of song, happy to see his “strategy” when it came to showing them something different. Legend said the performance was “compelling,” thanking the contestant for introducing him to the song. Levine called Shoemaker “iconic,” declaring that he’s already a “star.”

Liv Ciara

Ciara (Team Kelly) celebrated her parents in the behind-the-scenes footage, introducing her coach to her mother before they began practice. The contestant chose to perform a slowed-down, piano-only rendition of “What a Feeling (Flashdance)” by Irene Cara for her semifinals performance, which moved Clarkson to tears during their pre-show practice.

The entire audience gave the 16-year-old singer a standing ovation following her song. Legend called it a “superstar performance,” while Levine said that, if they were to call it right then, she’d “win The Voice.” Clarkson applauded not only her singing skills but also her producing abilities, reminding her fellow coaches that the version of the song she sang was entirely Ciara’s idea.

Alexia Jayy

Jayy (Team Adam) opted to sing Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man (the Way I Love You)” for her semifinals song, stating that she connected to the tune because it reminded her of the endless love she had for her children. In their behind-the-scenes footage, Levine called Jayy’s tone “soulful” and said she had a “magical gift,” adding that she’s “one of the most spectacular singers” he’s heard in his entire life.

Jayy received a standing ovation for her performance, with Clarkson saying she had been looking forward to this specific song for “so long.” Legend seconded Clarkson’s thoughts, calling her “elegant and cool at the same time.” Levine was proud of his team member’s showing, applauding her “larger than life” persona.

JW Griffin

Griffin (Team Kelly) chose “Angel Flying Too Close To the Ground” by Willie Nelson, which his coach thought was a brilliant choice. Still, Clarkson instructed the contestant on a few ways to improve his performance. Griffin was excited about his one-on-one time with the coach, given her history in country music.

Legend loved that the performance gave them a chance to enjoy the “texture” of his voice, while Levine said that he “can’t wait” for Griffin to release a record. Meanwhile, Clarkson noted that she “always comes back” to his voice, loving how “raw” his performances are.

Lucas West

West (Team Legend) was the final performer to take to the stage before voting commenced, and chose to sing “Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney for his semifinals showcase. West noted that he wanted to dedicate the song to everyone in his life who had supported his journey thus far, and Legend felt the tune was “right for the moment.”

Levine enjoyed the way West approached the song, particularly his choice to play the piano live. Clarkson said that the contestant could absolutely play stadium shows in the future. Legend said that his team member was the “whole package,” and teased that he wanted to hear his songwriting in the future based on his ability to play music live.

Who made it to The Voice: Battle of Champions finale?

After the top nine contestants performed, the audience in attendance—which was made up of superfans and alumni of the show—was prompted to vote for their favorite singers. There were four spots open in the finale, with one for Team Adam and one for Team Legend, while Team Kelly had two spots thanks to her All-Star Showdown victory from the previous episode.

For Team Adam, the finalist was Alexia Jayy.

For Team Legend, the finalist was Lucas West.

And for Team Kelly, the two finalists were Liv Ciara and Mikenley Brown.

When is the finale of The Voice: Battle of Champions?

The season finale of The Voice: Battle of Champions will air on NBC tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14, at 9 p.m. ET, and we’ll be right back here to recap everything live for you!