Spoiler alert! This story discusses the October 27 episode of The Voice, which can be streamed with a Peacock subscription.
Emotions ran high on the most recent episode of The Voice Season 28 to hit the 2025 TV schedule, with the Battle round wrapping up in the first hour and the remaining artists kicking off Knockouts in the second. There was a lot of excitement in the air, to be sure, but the evening took a more solturn when one contestant’s performance brought Reba McEntire to tears over the recent loss of her stepson Brandon Blackstock to cancer.
Team Reba member Aubrey Nicole chose to sing Martina McBride’s “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” in honor of her father, who is a cancer survivor, and her performance took a toll on The Voice coaches — particularly Reba McEntire. When it was the queen of country’s turn to give feedback to the 19-year-old artist, she got choked up and was unable to speak at first.
Snoop Dogg — who had said he wasn’t familiar with the song but was touched all the same due to losing multiple loved ones to cancer — brought Reba McEntire a pack of tissues, after which she told Aubrey Nicole:
I do know this song. Martina’s a good friend of mine. I lost my oldest son, because he did not win with cancer. So that was a real reminder that life goes on. And we sing songs about it so we can remember the ones that are around us that we love so much and that we lean on at times like this.
Brandon Blackstock was Reba McEntire’s stepson, as she married his father Narvel when Brandon was a teenager. She didn’t mention Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband by name, but she also referred to Blackstock as her “oldest son” when she paid tribute to him following his death.
After a long, private battle with cancer, Brandon Blackstock died August 7 at age 48. Both Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson — who is filming The Voice Season 29 concurrently with this one — reportedly missed some taping days, though that hasn’t been obvious from what we’ve seen on Season 28.
Carson Daly said everyone on The Voice knew Brandon Blackstock, and both of the beloved coaches had the full support of the show during this difficult time.
It was really no surprise after the emotions that Aubrey Nicole was able to convey through her song that she was the winner of her Knockout, advancing to the Season 28 Playoffs. You can see the performance for yourself below:
All of the coaches were in tears afterward, and Reba McEntire acknowledged how the mood had shifted, saying:
It’s supposed to be a fun show, I know. But boy, that’s what country music does. It just brings out all the emotions and the stories, and it’ll grab you.
It’s really heartbreaking that so many of us can relate to having a loved one battle cancer. As sad as it was to see Reba McEntire overcome with the loss of her son, it was also beautiful to see so many people brought together by the music.
Tune in for the next night of Knockouts, as The Voice continues at 8 p.m. ET next Monday, November 3, on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.