Riley Green completed his team of 12 acts on The Voice and made his first elimination decision in the same Oct. 6 episode.
The country singer paired Brandy Neelly against sister duo Ferryn & Brinkley to open season 30’s Battle Rounds.
“It’s gonna be painful for me either way,” Green said, according to Entertainment Weekly, as he considered which act to keep.
Carly Pearce joined Green as his Battle advisor, helping the artists prepare. “I think what they did in this room was pretty special, and they just gotta sell it,” she told him after rehearsal, according to NBC.
Kelly Clarkson Gave the Sisters a Slight Edge
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The three singers performed Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart,” earning praise from Kelly Clarkson for the blend of country, soul and rock in their version.
“Brandy, it’s hard to compete when you got harmony, but you shined through,” Clarkson told Neelly, according to TV Insider. She favored Ferryn & Brinkley slightly, citing how closely their voices fit together.
Adam Levine praised the three-part harmonies, while Queen Latifah complimented Neelly’s fiery performance. Both declined to recommend a winner.
Green said the finished performance exceeded what he had heard during their acoustic rehearsal. He praised the energy and attitude all three brought to the song.
Neelly’s Audition Came With a Birthday Cake Connection
During her Blind Audition, which aired Oct. 5, Neelly turned Green’s and Latifah’s chairs with Jo Dee Messina’s “Lesson in Leavin’.” The 31-year-old Nashville singer also runs a baking business.
She showed Green a photograph of a birthday cake his team had once hired her to make. Levine urged her to consider Latifah’s team, arguing that she could stand out there while facing more country competition on Green’s roster, according to Country Living.
Green offered to bake Neelly a cake if she chose him, and she joined his team. As he considered the Battle result, he jokingly counted that baking connection among her advantages.
The Sisters Brought Years of Stage Experience
Ferryn & Brinkley, from Sevierville, Tennessee, earned a four-chair turn with the Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved” before choosing Green as their coach.
Brinkley joined the cast of Country Tonite in Pigeon Forge in 2019, when she was 10. She had been performing for her family since age four and already hoped to become part of a country duo with Ferryn.
Dollywood featured the sisters in its spring entertainment lineup at DreamMore Resort and Spa and HeartSong Lodge & Resort, where they were scheduled to sing country favorites.
Green Sent Ferryn & Brinkley to Cut Week
When host Carson Daly pressed for a decision, Green selected Ferryn & Brinkley, pointing to their status as the season’s only duo.
Green said the sisters’ individual talent gave him confidence in their prospects, calling them an act that “could be a real contender on The Voice.” He also praised Neelly’s talent and said he had enjoyed working with her.
None of the other coaches used a Steal on Neelly, making her the first artist eliminated during this season’s Battles. Each coach has one Steal available during the round.
During Cut Week, each coach will send two acts directly to the Live Shows, then choose one more from the five remaining on the team. A viewer vote will add a 13th act to the 12 selected by the coaches.
The Battles continue Monday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with the episode streaming the following day on Peacock.