When the spirit of Snoop Dogg’s mom grabs hold, you better listen.
In years past, Coaches on The Voice have only had the length of a song to decide whether they want an Artist on their Team, based on a totally Blind Audition. The Blinds are designed to reduce a person only to their voice, without any of the character, physicality, or stage presence they bring to the performance. But for the first time in 26 seasons, Coaches will have a chance to pick up Artists after their Blind Audition song, courtesy of the Coach Replay.
As explained by host Carson Daly during the Season 26 premiere, the Coach Replay gives Coaches a late opportunity to snatch up Artists they missed during the Blind Audition. After the Artist’s song is over, even if nobody turns, the Coaches all turn around to meet the Artist and learn a little bit about them. Sometimes, that brief interaction is enough to change a Coach’s mind, and the Coach Replay lets them do something about it.
Viewers didn’t have to wait long to see how the Coach Replays would play out. Reba McEntire used hers to grab Kendall Eugene after his Blind Audition, and on Monday night, Snoop Dogg just used another.
Gail Bliss Performs The SteelDrivers’ “If It Hadn’t Been for Love” Durning The Voice Season 26 Blind Auditions
Gail Bliss performs onstage during Season 26 Episode 2 of The Voice. Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC
Gail Bliss, a 61-year-old flight attendant from Little River, South Carolina, is the oldest Artist on the show this season. She grew up singing with her dad and sister at their home in southern Oregon. Bliss’ father was a musician himself and had a chance, at 30 years old, to work with RCA records. He turned down that opportunity in favor of raising a family, but the seeds of song were planted and bloomed in his daughter, who has been pursuing music for decades.
“In 1994, I was cast as Patsy Cline, and I was touring in a theatrical show called A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline. I was spunky, pure grit and determination, I led that band just like Patsy Cline did. I played that role for 30 years.”
For her 60th birthday, Bliss set out to do six “epic things,” laid out in an ambitious list which includes retiring the Patsy Cline show, a huge birthday bash, visiting New Zealand, sailing the Bahamas, attending an Ohio State University Homecoming game, and auditioning for The Voice. Bliss had already checked off five of those goals, with only one left. “I’m here at The Voice,” she said. “If I don’t do this now, when the heck am I going to do it?”
For her Blind Audition, Bliss performed “If It Hadn’t Been for Love” by The SteelDrivers, conjuring a gravelly, country-blues style. Within the first few bars, Coach Snoop was grooving in his chair, then the dancing gave way to turmoil as his hand hovered hesitantly over his big red button. He almost turned, he clearly wanted to turn, but he didn’t. By the looks of it, he started beating himself up as soon as the song ended. Still, Bliss was all smiles as she introduced herself to the Coaches.
“If nothing else, I want to inspire the older folks to keep dreaming, keep living, keep having fun. That’s where I’m coming from,” Bliss said.
“Gail, I’m so glad you came out on this show,” McEntire said. “That is very important for people to dream big and go for it, and I could just kick my butt for not turning.”
Snoop, meanwhile, was still going through it.
“The spirit of my mother is in me right now. My mother’s sister’s name was Gail, which was one of my favorite aunties. You couldn’t see me, but I had my hand like this [hovering over the button] the whole way,” Snoop said. “But they added a piece to the puzzle this year, called the Coach’s Replay. So, for example, if I was to push this red button right now, you would be on my Team.”
And push the button he did, immediately adding Gail Bliss to Team Snoop.
“I was going to push, but I didn’t because I was waiting on Reba. I knew if Reba pushed, I would lose,” Snoop said. “She has stage presence; she had a look about herself that looked like she was a damn superstar.”
