The Voice’s Team Reba headed into the season 24 Playoffs down one member.
Coach Reba McEntire began the Monday, November 27, episode by revealing that contestant Tom Nitti had made an offscreen exit from the show. “I have wonderfully talented people, but Tom had to leave for personal reasons, so I only have five artists tonight,” McEntire, 68, told cameras.
Despite Nitti’s absence, Team Reba competitors Ruby Leigh, Jordan Rainer, Jacquie Roar, Noah Spencer and Ms. Monét took to the stage to amaze the coaches and viewers with their singing talents. “My team is gonna light the stage on fire,” McEntire continued. “You better watch.”
After five show-stopping performances, McEntire ultimately chose Rainer, Roar and Leigh to move on as her final three for The Voice’s Top 12 live show. Later in the episode, coach Gwen Stefani narrowed down her team of vocalists to contestants BIAS, Kara Tenae and Tanner Massey.
McEntire had Nitti’s back from the very beginning of the season as she was the only coach to turn her chair during his blind audition, during which he performed “Sign, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder. “Something in my gut said, ‘Turn your chair around,’ I did, and I’m just thrilled to pieces you’re gonna be on my team,” she told him, later mocking fellow coaches Stefani, 54, John Legend and Niall Horan for not picking Nitti.
Throughout his time on The Voice, Nitti won his Battle Round against teammate Dylan Carter with his rendition of “’Til You Can’t” by Cody Johnson. “I thought it was absolutely marvelous,” McEntire said of the pair’s performance. “Even though your style of singing is so different, it complemented each other. It was just magical to me.” Nitti also earned a standing ovation from Stefani during the season’s Knockouts.
Nitti, who earned a standing ovation from Stefani during the season’s Knockouts, was part of McEntire’s debut team. Earlier this year, it was announced that McEntire would replace longtime coach Blake Shelton after he announced his departure from the NBC series. “There’s a new Coach in town!” she captioned a May Instagram post featuring the show’s iconic red chair. “See you all this Fall!”
McEntire previously appeared on season 1 of The Voice as a Battle Round adviser and again in season 8 as a Top 12 adviser. Last season, she took on the role of Mega Mentor during the Knockouts episodes.
After making her official coaching debut, the Reba alum shut down rumors that she wasn’t enjoying her time on The Voice after she struggled to recruit members for her team. “We’re having a blast,” McEntire told Extra on October 9. “It’s a competition, it’s [a] fun rivalry, but we have the best time on that show. And what blows me away is the amount of talent [that] keeps coming on. We’re in season 24 and the talent is unbelievable. I hope everybody watches.”
The Voice airs on NBC Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
