Joe Henley’s place on Riley Green’s team was uncertain heading into The Voice’s November 2 Cut Week episode. The 19-year-old from Grand Bay, Alabama, was among five artists competing for the final spot on Green’s roster. A performance of Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” gave him a chance to make his case.
The episode required each coach to narrow a seven-member team to three artists. Green first advanced Cade Mower, 35, of Bluffdale, Utah, and the sister duo Ferryn and Brinkley Wright, ages 20 and 18, from Sevierville, Tennessee. Henley and four other singers were left to compete for Green’s remaining place.
Henley said in a pre-performance clip that he had never sung outside a church. During the song, his delivery prompted a strong response from the coaching panel: all four coaches stood when he finished. Kelly Clarkson reacted before the performance was over, and Green praised Henley’s take on Whitley’s phrasing while noting that he made the song his own. Green then chose Henley for the final spot on his team.
A different route for McElroy
Anna McElroy, a 26-year-old country singer from Mobile, faced a less uncertain Cut Week. Clarkson named her among the first two artists she advanced, along with 15-year-old Koumba Diallo of Delano, California. Clarkson’s third selection was 13-year-old Brianna Cameron of Union, New Jersey.
McElroy said she was honored by Clarkson’s trust. The coach explained that McElroy’s preparation and performance had earned the decision. The article identifies McElroy’s earlier performance on the show as a cover of Maren Morris’s “80s Mercedes.”
The Live Shows take shape
Henley and McElroy were among the 12 contestants coaches advanced from the November 2 episode. The 13th place in the Live Shows lineup had not yet been settled: viewers were due to vote for one of the artists eliminated during Cut Week to return.
The Live Shows were scheduled to begin the following week. The next episode was set for Monday, November 9, at 8 p.m. Central on NBC, with streaming on Peacock the day after broadcast.
For Henley, the episode turned a high-pressure final performance into a place on Green’s team. McElroy’s route reflected the confidence she had earned from Clarkson earlier in the process. Both singers were set to continue into the live stage of the competition, while the final lineup awaited the audience’s vote.
