"Terrible decision" — The Voice fans criticize Michael Bublé for pairing Mark Shiiba with Edward Preble

Season 26 of The Voice released its latest episode on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. The lineup of singers on the second night of the Battles was diverse, as they competed for a spot in the upcoming stages of the competition.

The coaches pitted two of their 14 acts against each other in a head-to-head face-off, reserving the better singer on their team while bidding farewell to the other. The eliminated singer would have to leave the show unless another coach decided to press their Steal button and bring the artist over to their team.

In the latest segment of The Voice, coach Michael Bublé paired Edward Preble with Mark Shiiba to battle on Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World. After much deliberation, Michael saved Edward, bringing Mark's journey on the show to an end. Mark left the competition series since none of the other coaches pressed their Steal button for him.

The Voice fans were unimpressed by the outcome of the battle. They took to X to criticize Michael for pairing two singers who sang completely different genres. They were upset to see Mark get eliminated, claiming he had potential he could not display.

"I think Bublé made a terrible decision to pair those two and have Mark sing that song. His voice is so right for rock ‘n’ roll. This just goes to show you Bublés inexperience as a judge," a fan wrote.

"I like Mark's voice and tone. It is so different and unique. I would pick him," another fan commented.

"Exactly… Mark made my eyes cry, not the “easy” pick. Bubble took the easy way out," a netizen tweeted.

Many fans of The Voice called out Michael for making Mark battle Edward, citing the incompatibility of their voices.

"Buble did Mark a disservice by paring him with Edward. Mark is a rocker through and through. Shame," a user reacted.

"iight Buble. Don’t piss me off. Letting Mark go was stupid. He was the better singer. #TheVoice and the fact no one saved him is crazy!" a person commented.

"I think Mark and Edward was a bad matchup," another fan wrote.

At the same time, some fans of The Voice were critical of Michael's decision to eliminate Mark and keep Edward.

"Michael Buble must have seen the guy in the grey suit and must have been thinking, ‘Twin, where have you been?” " a user tweeted.

"Mr. @MichaelBuble; I’m looking for different, sublime. Mark sang the Great Louie Armstrong, in his own special way, with his distinct voice, why let him go? I’m certain Mark can sing any genre," another person reacted.

"These coaches are killing me with some of these choices. Mark should have absolutely made it through, not the kid with the fake voice," one netizen commented.

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"The vocals put me into a trance" — The Voice coach Snoop Dogg reacts to Mark Shiiba and Edward Preble's Battles performance

Michael Bublé challenged himself by pairing two singers with distinctly different singing styles in the latest episode of The Voice. While Edward Preble sang tracks from the bygone era, dressed in suits to pay homage to the same, Mark Shiiba performed songs from the mid-century, channeling a more modern vibe.

The Voice coach stated that whoever could make him "feel the most" while singing Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World, would be declared the winner. The duo surprised the coaches with their interpretations of the song, which differed dramatically.

Coach Snoop Dogg was captivated by their vocals, and said:

"As I closed my eyes, the vocals put me into a trance. I was going places with how you made your own."

Coach Reba McEntire chimed in, applauding Edward and Mark for blending their different looks, styles, and vocals to make their performance "great." She said she would choose Mark as the Battle's winner because it was "just so refreshing to hear something totally out of the box."

Coach Gwen Stefani praised Mark, impressed by his "unusual" yet "captivating" voice. She claimed he sounded "vintage in its own way." While commenting on Edward's vocals, The Voice coach said he did a "great job just really getting into it on stage." She confessed she would "lean toward Edward" because he pricked her curiosity.

After much deliberation, Michael crowned Edward the winner of the Battle. He explained he chose Edward because he had "a lot of potential" and knew how to carry himself.

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The Voice season 26 airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 pm ET exclusively on NBC.