Gabrielle Zabosky & Frankie Torres’ “Shocking” Battle Sparks “Really Tricky” Steal
These two besties delivered an incredible performance during the Battles on The Voice.
Every Coach on The Voice has their own musical preferences which inevitably bleed into the teams they construct. The consequence is that they soon end up pitting similarly talented Artists against one another as soon as the Battles begin. That was the situation when Gabrielle Zabosky and Frankie Torres took the stage for the last Battle of the night on Tuesday.
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Both on Team Gwen, 24-year-old Torres and 25-year-old Zabosky became fast friends behind the scenes. They met and connected during the Blinds, and they’ve been hanging out, going bowling and watching movies, blowing off steam between bouts of intense competition pressure. All of that bonding turned out to be preparation for the ultimate test of friendship on the Battles stage. Suddenly, they had another welcome excuse to hang out, but it was bittersweet because it meant one way or another, one of them was about to leave Team Gwen.
Zabosky and Torres each locked in a 4-Chair Turn during the Blinds, setting the stage for what was sure to be one of the toughest decisions in the competition so far. By the time the duo finished rehearsing their song selection, a modified arrangement of “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS, Stefani realized the corner she had backed herself into.
“Wow, that was so good. I’m screwed, like, absolutely screwed,” Stefani said. “I had no idea that they would be so perfectly matched.”
The Voice Team Gwen Coach Battle: Gabrielle Zabosky vs. Frankie Torres
Gabrielle Zabosky and Frankie Torres perform during Season 26 Episode 8 of The Voice Photo: Casey Durkin/NBC
Torres began the Battle song low and slow, joined by supporting vocalization from Zabosky. They nailed a couple of early harmonies before belting the song as much at one another as at the Coaches and the audience. It was clear that each gave the song everything they had, and there was hardly a missed beat. They shined together from up on that stage, but perhaps one of them shined just a little bit brighter.
“That was awesome. I love that song; I love that choice,” said Michael Bublé. “The song is deep and rich and beautiful and shockingly rocking, and you guys just stepped up and killed it.” Bublé heaped praise on both Artists for their restraint as much as for their vocal power, for each leaving space where the other could shine.
“I was thoroughly impressed. I really appreciated how it was not about trying to outdo, as much as it was to complement. I just want to commend you ladies on singing a song at a high level, and making the decision hard on Gwen to choose,” Snoop Dogg said.
“Frankie, I love your tone, I love where you are in your register. Gabrielle, I love the high parts, you remind me so much of Barbra Jean on the Reba show. If I had to choose, I think I’d go with Gabrielle,” Reba McEntire offered.
And then there was Coach Gwen Stefani, faced with a seemingly impossible choice. “Frankie, I love that you’re doing this rock thing, which is just rare these days, especially for a girl. You sounded absolutely beautiful, and it was incredible. With Gabrielle, in rehearsals it was all about getting her to get out of her own way. You are really good, and I want you to let loose and just do it,” Stefani said.
After a brief deliberation, Stefani announced Zabosky as the winner of the Battle, moving her onto the Knockout rounds for Team Gwen. “Gabrielle really stepped it up and she’s super talented. I think the more confident she gets, we’re going to see more vocal ability. I had to go with Gabrielle,” Stefani said.
Torres, meanwhile, was saying her goodbyes and receiving some last-minute encouragement from the Coaches. She was about to walk away for good when Reba hit her Steal button, adding Torres to Team Reba.
“I did a little play there, because I did say Gabrielle so you’d go with Gabrielle, so I could have Frankie,” McEntire told Stefani, “Either way, I was going to Steal. I loved her tone, her stage presence; I just loved her voice, and that’s why I had to use my Steal for Frankie.”
