Queen Latifah has locked in her three artists for Season 30’s live shows, but her final decision has left fans debating whether one of the team’s strongest vocalists deserved another chance.
The competition on The Voice took a dramatic turn during Season 30’s first-ever Cut Week on November 2, 2026. With the live shows approaching, coaches had to make some of their toughest decisions yet — and Queen Latifah’s final selection for Team Queen is already giving viewers plenty to discuss.
TV Insider+1
Queen sent Mia Knight and BigCountry directly through to the live shows, leaving five artists to compete for the final place on her team. After hearing their performances, she chose Lillie Kolich — meaning Destinee Monroe, Alt Bloom, Chari and Bryan Jaymes were eliminated from the competition at this stage.
Parade+1
The decision was especially painful for fans who had been impressed by Destinee Monroe’s vocal range and stage presence. Some viewers may see the result as a missed opportunity, while others will argue that coaches have to make difficult choices based on the performances in front of them that night.
Importantly, although the decision has sparked debate, it is more accurate to describe the reaction as disappointment and disagreement over the lineup than to claim that all fans consider the choice a mistake.
Why Destinee Monroe’s elimination stands out
Destinee’s journey makes the decision particularly striking. Queen had previously used her one Battle-round Steal to bring Monroe onto Team Queen after she lost her Battle on Adam Levine’s team. That gave her another opportunity to prove herself — and her Cut Week performance became one of the moments viewers were talking about.
For Cut Week, Monroe performed David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” TVLine’s recap praised the performance, describing how it gathered momentum as it progressed and highlighting the distinctive quality of her vocals. The outlet gave her performance an A, placing her among the most positively reviewed members of Team Queen that night.
That makes her departure a talking point: she had already impressed Queen enough to earn a second chance earlier in the season, and she delivered a performance that received strong critical praise. Yet praise from reviewers does not necessarily mean a contestant will be the coach’s final choice. The decision ultimately came down to which singer Queen believed should advance.
Lillie Kolich gets the final spot
Queen ultimately selected Lillie Kolich, who performed “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure. TVLine praised Kolich’s emotionally expressive delivery and vocal control, while other coverage reported that Queen was proud of the singer’s ability to make the song her own.
Kolich’s selection was not without merit. The performance gave her an opportunity to show a softer, more expressive side while still demonstrating vocal strength. Queen’s decision suggests she saw something in Kolich that she wanted to develop further during the live shows.
Still, choosing Kolich meant that Monroe, Chari, Alt Bloom and Bryan Jaymes would not be advancing with Team Queen. The outcome illustrates the difficult trade-off at the heart of Cut Week: a singer can deliver a strong performance and still go home when only one place remains.
Queen’s first two picks were already decided
Before the remaining artists performed, Queen had already sent two contestants directly to the live shows.
-
Mia Knight: The 16-year-old singer was Queen’s First-In pick during the Blind Auditions. Queen explained that she had been confident in Knight from the beginning, praising how experienced the young vocalist sounded.
TV Insider
- BigCountry: Queen also advanced BigCountry, saying she saw more to his artistry than any single musical category could capture
Those choices left five artists competing for the last available place. With such a limited number of spots, even singers who had built momentum earlier in the competition were vulnerable.
The format itself is a major reason the decisions feel so severe. Cut Week replaced the traditional Knockouts and reduced the remaining 28 artists to 12 in one episode, with one additional artist to be selected through America’s vote.
Could Destinee Monroe still return?
There is still one important twist. Although Destinee was eliminated from Queen’s team during Cut Week, her journey may not be completely over. Season 30 is allowing viewers to vote for one of the 16 artists eliminated during Cut Week to claim the additional 13th place in the live shows. That result is due to be revealed on November 9.
That gives fans who want to see Monroe again a reason to pay attention to the voting process. Her performance earned positive reviews, but whether she returns will depend on the audience vote rather than Queen’s team selection.
The live shows begin November 9, when the competition will move into its next phase. Until then, the debate over Queen’s decision highlights just how difficult this new format can be for both contestants and viewers.
Was Queen Latifah right to choose Lillie Kolich?
Queen’s final selection has created a compelling debate: should coaches prioritise the singer who delivers the strongest performance that night, or the artist they believe has the greatest potential for the live shows?
Monroe received strong praise for “Space Oddity,” while Kolich also impressed with her own performance. There is no objective way to prove that one choice was definitively wrong — but it is easy to understand why viewers who connected with Monroe’s voice are disappointed.
