Kayleigh Mathews had two coaches competing for her after losing her battle on The Voice, but the country singer ultimately chose Riley Green over Kelly Clarkson.

The Oct. 13 episode of the NBC singing competition picked up where Team Queen’s battle round had left off, with Mathews and fellow contestant Lillie Kolich performing “Girl Crush.” Their performance earned praise from the coaches, but only one singer could advance as the battle winner.

“I’ve heard this song a lot, y’all. This was my favorite,” Clarkson said in a recap of the performance.

Queen Latifah, 56, also applauded both contestants for delivering “such a beautiful job” before announcing her decision.

“The winner of today’s battle is Lillie,” the singer and actress declared.

Although Kolich won the battle, Mathews wasn’t ready to leave the competition just yet. Both Clarkson and Green saw an opportunity to bring the country singer onto their teams.

Kelly Clarkson and Riley Green Make Their Case

As soon as Latifah announced Kolich as the winner, Clarkson pressed her button to steal Mathews. Green quickly followed suit, turning the moment into a contest between the two coaches.

Clarkson reminded Mathews of the emotional roller coaster she had experienced when she first thought her journey on the show was over.

“Here’s the thing. Remember when you thought you were going home? The feeling you felt when you were like, ‘Oh my God. She picked me,’” Clarkson told her.

Meanwhile, Adam Levine stepped in to physically block Green, adding another layer of playful competition to the exchange.

Green wasn’t deterred. The 37-year-old country singer argued that the other coaches were trying to keep Mathews away from his team because they recognized the threat he posed.

“The reason that Adam stands in front of me, Kelly yells, is because they don’t want you on my team because they know we’re going to win The Voice,” Green said.

Despite the competing pitches, Mathews remained gracious toward both coaches, saying she would be “honored” to work with either of them. However, she had already made up her mind.

“I have to go Team Riley,” she announced.

Her choice left Clarkson collapsing in disappointment as Green secured another country artist for his team.

Why Kayleigh Mathews Chose Team Riley

For Green, Mathews’ decision was a welcome victory, particularly given Clarkson’s reputation as a formidable competitor.

Speaking in a confessional, Green explained why he believed Mathews would be a strong addition to his team. He pointed to her natural connection to country music and her vocal versatility as qualities that could help them explore different musical directions.

Green said Mathews has “country music in her heart” and “so much range that we can go a lot of different places with it.”

He also acknowledged the significance of winning her over from Clarkson, whom he considers his biggest rival when competing for country artists.

“When you can beat Kelly for a country artist, I think she’s my biggest competition in that world, it always feels good,” the singer behind “Jesus Saves” said.

Mathews’ latest decision marks another turn in her The Voice journey. She previously chose Queen Latifah over Green as her coach, making her move to Team Riley a notable shift in allegiance.

With Green now coaching Mathews, the competition continues as the contestants work toward becoming the next champion.

The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC, with new episodes available to stream on Peacock the following day.

Source: Compiled from various sources