Dia Malai and Valarie Harding wowed the audience and The Voice coaches with their Battle performance of a popular Jazmine Sullivan song, but only one could win.
The two singers from Team John Legend sang “Bust Your Windows,” one of Sullivan’s first songs to break her into mainstream popularity, and the coaches were vastly impressed.
Blake Shelton, who recently revealed he would not be back for 'The Voice' after this season, said that he didn't want to get on either singer's bad side after hearing them sing that song.
But he seemed to side with Harding’s version of the performance.
Camila Cabello said she hadn’t heard that song before, but also called it “explosive” as well as “sassy.”
"Valarie, technically you have more of a mastery of your voice. Your runs are so clean. And Dia, your face and your movement was conveying the movement of the song. You're exciting to watch," Cabello said, adding that if it were up to her, she would pick Dia to win.
Gwen Stefani thought both singers were amazing, but also sided with Dia’s version of the performance.
“But at the same time, Valarie, you really know your voice. It’s very comfortable for you, you really know who you are as a singer,” Stefani said. “The problem was that when Dia came out, she had this attitude and she was looking at the audience like, ‘I’m about ready to show you who I am.’ You’re a really budding entertainer.”
Legend complimented both singers on embracing different aspects of the song.
He said that while Malai embraced more of the emotionality and character of the song, he couldn’t pass up the fact that Harding was, in his view, a more consistent powerhouse singer. In the end, he chose Harding.
Viewers were also split on the two women, with one commenter writing on YouTube, "WOW, Valarie opened up and delivered some great runs but excellent control from Dia! Experience won here."
Another wrote, “Both these ladies did a very great job with this great song choice. But I definitely would’ve gone with Dia. She just seemed more believable with this song and she also seems to have more control over her voice.”
But another viewer thought Harding won easily, writing, "dia is a great performer but vocally valarie is another level [sic]."
Another viewer summed everyone’s feelings, writing, “They’re both amazing but Dia was just stealing the show for me even if [Valarie] was a little more technically perfect. Dia has emazing vocals and stage performance skills. She electrifies you and makes you feel everything!”
