‘The Voice’ recap: Battles bring future stars, dragon-slappers

The third night of battle rounds on “The Voice” brought more happiness and heartbreak for this season’s talented batch of singers. There were surprising selections, startling steals and sad so longs. In other words, it was business as usual as herds thinned and the teams began to take more solid shape.

Here’s how it all broke down:

Damien vs. Kelli Douglas (Team Adam): Adam Levine paired Damien, a TSA worker and LAX shooting-incident survivor, and Douglas, a comely single mom, on the soul classic “Knock on Wood,” urging them to have fun with it. “People who enjoy themselves up there” are the ones who have the most success, Levine told them during rehearsal. Guest mentor Stevie Nicks expressed a fervent hope that both singers would stay, but during the battle itself, Damien was far the more comfortable performer. Blake Shelton called him “explosive” and Douglas “smooth,” saying it might come down to taste. Pharrell Williams, too, had kind words for both. Gwen Stefani, however, said she’d been distracted by Douglas’ “body,” and also thought the female contestant had been “overpowered a little bit” by her male rival. Levine’s choice seemed clear: Damien, who the coach later said “became immersed in the song and didn’t question himself for one second.” No one moved to steal Douglas.

Jessie Pitts vs. Ryan Sill (Team Gwen): Stefani teamed 18-year-old Pitts and 20-year-old Sill on Ellie Goulding’s “I Need Your Love,” explaining that both had similar pop-music interests and that their voices, while different, would likely blend well. Pitts, whose “sparkle” Stefani singled out for praise, seemed to have the advantage going in, especially since Stefani and her guest mentor/husband Gavin Rossdale, had advised Sill to work on his “boy-bandish moves” and get more “comfortable in his body.” During the battle the singers displayed great chemistry, and the coaches didn’t reach consensus on who had won. Shelton said that, while Sill’s pitch-perfect voice “just cuts through like a razor,” Pitts, with her “unique” tone might have taken it. Williams and Levine thought Sill had won. Stefani, saying both singers had touched her heart and inspired her, ultimately chose Sill. But it all worked out OK for Pitts, anyway: Shelton stole her. “You’re so unique,” he told her. “I think you can win this....”

Blessing Offor vs. Katriz Trinidad (Team Pharrell): By assigning Stevie Wonder’s “Do I Do” to Offor – 25, from New York City, blind, already accomplished and a four-chair turn – and Trinidad, a San Diego 15-year-old who turned three chairs, Williams seemed to be setting Offor up for the win. The song and Stevie Wonder vibe could not have been more solidly in Offor’s wheelhouse. In fact, both singers performed beautifully. Stefani called both “shocking for different reasons.” Trinidad, she said, looked like a “porcelain doll” but had a “bold, acrobatic voice,” while Offor had a tone that was “so rich and thick and effortless and natural and really incredible.” Williams said each had risen to the occasion, but ultimately, and perhaps surprisingly, chose Trinidad, saying she had “a lot of potential.” Both Levine – who noted that Trinidad’s wife’s name, Behati, means “blessing” -- and Stefani moved to steal, but Levine reassured Offor that he knew exactly what to do with his voice, and captured him for his team.

Ethan Butler vs. Matt McAndrew (Team Adam): These two twentysomething singers brought their own vibe – and guitars -- to Coldplay’s “Yellow,” and let their voices blend. McAndrew, though, had stood out from the start. Shelton complimented the competitors on getting “lost in the moment,” which he noted was hard to do during the battle rounds. “You guys could be a duo,” he told them. Williams thought it was an even match, whereas Stefani seemed to be leaning in McAndrew’s direction. Levine’s choice may have been predetermined. He chose McAndrew, whose talent he later called “ridiculous” and “special.” “This guy could be a big deal,” he predicted.

Bree Fondacaro vs. Taylor Brashears (Team Blake): In his one pairing of the night, Shelton pitted smoky-voiced Fondacaro, for whom he had been the only coach to turn, against old-school country singer Brashears, who had turned three chairs during the blinds, assigning them Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good,” in hopes that it would let each of the singers show “some attitude.” “This could be a showstopper,” one of the members of guest mentor band Little Big Town predicted. But it wasn’t. It seemed to lack a certain something, but Brashears emerged in better shape. Both Williams and Levine thought the country singer had won, with Stefani abstaining because she hated the fact that they’d changed the song’s original melody. “Bree gets lost in herself when she’s performing and Taylor gets lost in the song,” Shelton said, delivering his verdict. “Because of that, moving forward, the winner of this battle is Taylor.” Fondacaro headed hom.

DaNica Shirey vs. Toia Jones (Team Pharrell): The final battle of the evening featured two big voices giving Beyonce’s “Halo” a pretty thorough working over. The rehearsals had elicited tears, hugs, breakthroughs, declarations about new beginnings. The battle itself was pure power. Shelton called it “like a 10 the whole time.” “Trying to do a Beyonce song,” Levine said, was “literally like trying to slay a dragon. You slayed the dragon and then slapped it in the face to make sure it knew it was dead. That was bonkers. There were two winners up there.” There were, in fact. After Williams chose Shirey to move forward on Team Pharrell, both Levine and Stefani moved to steal Jones. She picked Levine, who had pressed his button first and had also, she recalled, pushed it for her during the blinds.

That leaves Stefani as the only coach left with an option to steal heading into the final battle rounds tonight.