‘The Voice’ recap: Meet your great Top 8

After Monday’s especially strong Top 10 performances, “The Voice” results on Tuesday’s show was sure to bring some sad goodbyes. There was no joy in seeing Rob Taylor, of Team Christina Aguilera, and Deanna Johnson, of Team Adam Levine, leave our midst. But alas, their time had come.

Tuesday night’s results show also brought Reba McEntire, who had served as a recent celebrity advisor to the contestants, singing her song “Going Out Like That” (an appropriate title for the occasion) and Pharrell Williams and Levine each performing alongside their teams.

Bit by bit, Carson Daly revealed which seven singers America had saved, eventually leaving behind only three — Taylor, Johnson and Joshua Davis, also on Levine’s team.

That meant Levine would lose at least one team member. And since he had only two left, if he lost both, he would be out of the race completely. Johnson, who had been rescued from the bottom three and had struggled with nerves throughout the competition, seemed especially vulnerable. But Davis, a strong contender who had had a bad night on Monday, saddled with a song that didn’t quite suit his style and range, appeared safer.

Taylor, judging from his tear-streaked face, seemed to be taking the prospect of elimination the hardest. Still, he delivered a solid performance of “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.” Aguilera paid tribute to his big heart and “special talent,” pointed out that he’d left his own musical aspirations by the wayside to care for his ailing mother, and appealed to America to “give this guy his dream.”

Johnson made her play for the save with “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” delivering one of her strongest performances to date. Levine asked anyone who had struggled with bouts of insecurity to vote her through.

Davis reminded his fans why they liked him with “I Won’t Back Down,” and Levine reminded them that he was a “hard worker” with whom he, personally, felt a “special kinship.”

So who would viewers reward with the Twitter Instant Save? At the end of the commercial break, Davis led with 45% of the vote. Johnson had 31%. Taylor trailed with only 24%.

Davis’ lead was solid enough that, when Daly finally officially announced that he’d earned the save, it was no surprise at all.

That means the Top 8 are Koryn Hawthorne and Sawyer Fredericks, of Team Pharrell; Corey Kent White, Meghan Linsey and Hannah Kirby, of Team Blake Shelton; Kimberly Nichole and India Carney, of Team Christina; and Joshua Davis, of Team Adam.

Next week, they’ll take in advice not only from their own coaches but also from former “Voice” coaches Usher, Gwen Stefani and CeeLo Green, who are returning to help mentor teams Teams Adam, Pharrell and Christina, and Shelton, respectively. (Yes, Stefani will help out both Williams and Aguilera; Shakira has commitments that will prevent her from participating, Daly noted.) That should be fun.