‘The Voice’ recap: Teams Blake and Christina take it live

“The Voice” took Season 10 live on Monday night, with Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton’s teams taking the stage. The proceedings kicked off with the usual flurry of pre-taped coach pronouncements about the pressure being on, but this season the Live Playoffs also brought an added twist: Each of the four coaches would be allowed to supplement his or her current team of five with one other previously eliminated contestant — and this “comeback” artist could be plucked from any team.

Aguilera brought back Nick Hagelin, formerly on Pharrell Willams’ team, the handsome ballet dancer turned singer with the incredibly adorable son. Shelton summoned to the stage his own erstwhile team member and fellow Okie Justin Whisnant. Twelve singers performing — six from each team — on the two-hour show made it a rather breathless affair.

It also meant that the cuts would be deep this week. After Teams Pharrell and Adam perform on Tuesday night, the audience will vote through only two members of each team. (The results will roll in on Wednesday.) Then each coach will be allowed to choose one additional singer to “save,” and voila — we will have our top 12.

Here’s how Monday night’s performances played out:

Paxton Ingram (Team Blake): After showing Shelton how to do the whip and the nae nae during rehearsal, this former backup dancer showed off his moves (including his distinctive hair-rattling head shake) as he tackled Calvin Harris & Disciples’ “How Deep Is Your Love.” The coaches admired Ingram’s ability to entertain, work the stage and look like he was having fun. Shelton suggested that the show had never had a contestant who had commanded the stage as well as Ingram and expressed confidence that he would move on.

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Ryan Quinn (Team Christina): An early Team Adam favorite picked up by Aguilera during the knockouts after he failed to show Levine he could connect emotionally with a song (and perhaps, an audience), Quinn shed his eyeglasses and some of his inhibitions and brought all four coaches to their feet with his rendition of Sam Smith’s “I’m Not the Only One.” Williams called the performance “tender” and “awesome” and said anyone who didn’t “give it up” for Quinn after a such a performance would have to be considered “a hater.” Levine credited Aguilera with cracking “the code” that unlocked Quinn.

Katie Basden (Team Blake): Formerly of Team Adam, Basden sought to show she was the “biggest, rangiest singer on show right now,” as Shelton put it, with Trisha Yearwood’s “Georgia Rain.” Williams called her a “great storyteller” who had just “gained a lot of fans.” Her old coach, Levine, said he felt as if she were “already a big country star who’s on her third record.” And Shelton positioned Basden as “the future of country” and said he felt “really good about going into next week.”

Kata Hay (Team Christina): This redheaded soul-country-blending spitfire, who, it somehow was not surprising to learn, is a “five-time international yodeling champion,” kicked into overdrive on Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” So much fun to watch. Williams called the performance “super spirited.” Levine commended Hay on her “sass” and compared the performance to an “exorcism.” And Aguilera rolled out words like “fiery” and “power” and “exciting.” “The way you move people is so special,” Aguilera said.

Nick Hagelin (Team Christina): Aguilera said she brought back Hagelin because he was a “cool guy,” and then she helped him heat up the stage with his rendition of Rihanna’s “Stay.” Williams, Hagelin’s former coach, told him he deserved to have been brought back and called Aguilera a vocal “wizard.” Levine said Hagelin was still in the “process of really improving a lot” and that he didn’t know where the “ceiling” was for him. Aguilera called Hagelin “amazing” and said they had been “destined to be together.”

Joe Maye (Team Blake): Stolen from Team Christina (he’s the guy who did the memorable duet with Aguilera during the blinds), Maye brought his usual effervescence and enthusiasm to the Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Runnin,’” dancing around the stage with admirable energy. Aguilera said he’d regained his fire. Shelton called the performance “incredible” and said he’d been blown away. “Dude, you got me thinking — we have a shot to win this thing,” Shelton told Maye.

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Adam Wakefield (Team Blake): This coach fave aimed to “stick to the game plan” and “deliver a great story” with Willie Nelson and Ray Charles’ “Seven Spanish Angels.” Levine went nuts for it, telling Wakefield he was his “favorite right now in this competition” and commending him on his ability to entertain and tell a story with his voice in a way that “transcends.” “I personally believe that that is the essence of what this show is about,” Levine said, declaring himself to be a “huge, huge fan.” Shelton told Wakefield that the “soulful thing” he had was rare and “precious,” adding that he believed Wakefield had “a hell of a future in country music.”

Tamar Davis (Team Christina): Vocally ambitious and imperfectly executed, Davis’s rendition of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” impressed the coaches regardless of its flaws. Williams called the performance “precise,” compared Davis’ range to a “rainbow,” and told her she had “like, a vocal elevator in there.” “You are definitely anointed,” he said. Shelton said it had been Davis’s “best performance … so far.” Aguilera called the performance “super challenging” and “joyful to listen to.” “You need to move on” in the competition, she told Davis.

Mary Sarah (Team Blake): This young, blond country singer (a total Team Blake type) may have aimed too low — at least key-wise — with Lynn Anderson’s “(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden,” her grandma’s favorite song. Aguilera called the performance “super solid,” and both she and Levine noted that Mary Sarah had hit her stride once she hit the higher notes at the end. Shelton redirected viewers’ attention to Mary Sarah’s track record and country appeal. “You’re definitely one of the fan favorites on the show,” he said, citing the feedback on his “Twitter feed” and adding that she had a heart that was “100% country.” “When she opens her mouth and sings, no question that there’s a hillbilly down inside there,” Shelton said, adding that he expected to see her remain in the competition. Calling all country-music fans …

Bryan Bautista (Team Christina): The sexy singing usher, formerly of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, and Season 9 returnee persevered through some early struggles with Zayn’s “Pillowtalk” and triumphed, earning a standing ovation from the coaches. Williams called the performance “stratospheric.” Levine said Bautista had “murdered” the song. Shelton noted that he was not only talented, but also “smooth.” And Aguilera said that, while Bautista’s talent may have startled the other coaches, it didn’t surprise her. Even during the blinds, she said, “I knew you were something special.”

Justin Whisnant (Team Blake): Shelton’s “comeback artist” tackled Travis Tritt’s “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares),” showing off a voice that Shelton said appreciatively was “rough” around the edges and “so Oklahoma.” Williams said he’d sung with “passion and feeling.” Shelton complimented Whisnant’s pitch and strength and said he’d done Tritt justice and Oklahoma proud.

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Alisan Porter (Team Christina): The season front-runner slayed with Janis Joplin’s “Cry Baby.” In response, Shelton and Aguilera stood and cheered. Williams and Levine didn’t even bother. Levine said he was “not surprised at all” by “how miraculous that was.” “I said it like a million years ago,” the Maroon 5 singer said of the former child star. “That’s the winner of the show.” Aguilera, though, was going nuts. “That was insane,” she said. “I am so in love right now with what you just did on that stage.” Porter’s range, delivery and accuracy “every single time” made her deserving of going “the entire way and then some,” her coach said.

On Tuesday, Teams Adam and Pharrell perform, although after Porter’s performances, one may well wonder why anyone else even bothers.