Spoiler alert! This story discusses the Live Shows Y2K Week on The Voice Season 30, which aired November 9. Episodes are available to stream the day after they air with a Peacock subscription.
The Voice has been airing on the 2026 TV schedule for a hot minute, but Live Shows are finally underway in Season 30 of NBC’s long-running singing competition. This week they were paying tribute to the hits of the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Yes, it was Y2K week, and veteran coach Adam Levine, who I should note won Season 29 with Alexia Jayy, and The Voice newbie Queen Latifah saw their combined six singers take on songs by Aerosmith, Britney Spears, *NSYNC, Bon Jovi, Avril Lavigne, and even fellow coach Kelly Clarkson, each demonstrating the talent that has kept them in the competition until now.
The Top 13 of the season – the coaches’ picks plus fan-voted Kyle Davis, Team Kelly’s 61-year-old singer – kicked of the night by performing a version of “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back”) by the Backstreet Boys that made me want to get up and dance.
It wasn’t until everyone had sung their hearts out that I got mad about the fact that being on the West Coast (in Los Angeles) means that voting is already closed by the time the live shows air. Seriously, I watch this show religiously, and I'm not able to keep a deserving singer from going home? Bummer. People actively not voting for the contestant I think should go through? Yeah, I can get big mad.
Viewers Eliminated A Talented Team Queen Singer After The First Week Of Live Shows
One of the most noticeable aspects of the Live Shows is just how fast the episodes can breeze by. While showcasing six singers in rehearsal before their performances, which now includes band members and back-up singers, it only left room for their coach and one other to give feedback while the East Coast viewers were voting.
A fun fact about me is that I love a great Britney Spears cover that puts a spin on her songs that we all know so well. One of my favorites is the slowed down, deeply pained version of “Baby One More Time” from the Scottish rock band Travis. So, when Team Queen’s Lillie Kolich took on the Crossroads star’s 1999 hit “(You Drive Me) Crazy,” I got excited to hear what she was going to do with it. Her sultry take on the otherwise upbeat dance track felt interesting and new and full of swag, and really made Lillie stand out for me.
That’s why I was really surprised, and definitely unnerved, when she was eliminated from the reality competition. She delivered a performance that stood out for being something different that could showcase her artistry. As someone unafraid of putting her own stamp on a classic, I was excited to see what choices she would make moving forward and am now disappointed that I won’t get that chance. What happened with the votes y'all?
Team Queen Is Down To Mia Knight And Big Country As The Live Shows Continue
Look, I don’t want to take anything away from Queen Latifah’s two remaining singers. It took a lot of guts for Mia Knight to take on the Kelly Clarkson song “Miss Independent” in front of the O.G. American Idol winner herself. It’s not an easy song, but she handled the pressure to deliver with ease. Then, there was BigCountry, who had the liveliest performance of the night, rocking out to Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” with his big voice and big personality never letting the stage effects overpower him.
We have one more round of Y2K Week, as we get to hear Team Kelly and Team Riley duke it out before one of those singers is cut. Once the Season 30 winner is crowned in December, Keke Palmer will be taking on hosting duties for Season 31’s The Voice: Celebrity. Until then, keep tuning in to NBC on Mondays (and if you're like me not voting) to see how this all plays out.
