The Voice offered up a very unsurprising results show last week as the two singers I (and many others) predicted to go home did. Vedo and Garrett Gardner are gone, leaving Shakira and Usher each down one team member. Will the two new coaches continue to get decimated, leaving us with an all-Adam Levine and Blake Shelton Top 6? It seems possible.
But first we have to see how the Top 10 on The Voice perform. Hopefully Christina Milian will finally make herself useful and tamper with the air-conditioning so Usher will have to take his clothes off again, because that was pretty fun last week.
Tonight also finds the advisers coming back, with Cee Lo Green stepping in for Joel Madden on Team Shakira. You can’t keep that man down, though I’m guessing could if you got him on his back like a turtle.
This is The Voice live blog!
“Love Somebody” by Maroon 5
We kick off tonight’s show with Adam Levine promoting his band’s new album. This show knows how to help its coaches. Everyone is dressed all in white as the backdrop is splashed with blue. Maroon 5 really knows how to make catchy pop songs. It’s hard to believe it’s been more than nine years since they started. I still remember the music video for “This Love.” Good times.
Blake Shelton, an Oklahoma native, lets us know his family is OK given all the tornado damage today, though he’s certainly distracted and was on his phone up until the live show. I hate to bring this up, but I wonder if this disaster will affect voting. After all, the tornadoes are hitting in the heart of Blake Shelton territory.
Holly Tucker: “How Great Thou Art,” a Christian hymn
Last week proved that performing first is a bad place to be, especially if the eliminations continue to mimic the performance order of season 3 like last week. But the combination of country and this overtly religious gospel song is bound to get a lot of votes.
Her voice is great, but I’m definitely not a fan of the song choice. Like all of Blake’s country music picks, this one instantly alienates a certain group of viewers. However, I’m sure all the people who already support Team Blake will be on board with this.
Judith Hill: “The Way You Make Me Feel” by Michael Jackson
Enough already, we get it, Judith used to sing with Michael Jackson. Judith gets upset when people think she’s taking advantage of Michael. Wow, that is ironic on SOOOOOOO many levels, given the recent allegations by Wade Robson about how Michael took advantage of him.
The performance is just what you’d expect. She sings more of the actual melody than in recent weeks, which I appreciate, although there’s plenty of her weird, jazzy, cabaret-style. But I still don’t give a crap about her as a singer or her whole style. It’s the kind of thing where I get why the professional singers coaching this show obsess over her, but it’s not for us regular folks. I’m also sick and tired of everyone acting like Michael Jackson is some noble hero and legend who was 100 percent perfect.
The Swon Brothers: “How Country Feels by Randy Houser
Oh goodie, another country song by some singer I’ve never heard of. It’s classic Swon Brothers, with Zach doing all the heavy lifting and Colton coming in for the second verse, making me wish he’d just stand in the background. Then Carson Daly asks them about the Oklahoma tornadoes since that’s their home state. They’re good and fun, but I wouldn’t go as far as Blake Shelton to call them “great artists.”
Amber Carrington: “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson
Finally, a singer I like doing a song I love. The performance is just OK for me, until she hits her big notes towards the end and nails it, especially with the wind machine. I think the band was a little too much, but it was solid. I still think she’s Adam Levine’s best chance to win, despite what he thinks about Judith Hill. I also think it’s awesome how all the coaches speak about Kelly Clarkson as one of the best singers in music. It’s hard to believe she’s the same girl who got her start on American Idol.
Sasha Allen: “Next to Me” by Emeli Sande
Shakira’s advice during the rehearsals is that, at the end, Sasha should just do something spectacular. Could she be any LESS helpful? The performance is odd because I don’t know if it’s a technical issue, but she sounds very soft, like she’s being drowned out by the band. From what I can hear, it’s fun and awesome, and like the coaches, I’m happy to see her doing something up-tempo and current.
Josiah Hawley: “Clocks” by Coldplay
Usher and Pharell Williams try to push Josiah, vocally, since he has one of the more limited ranges on the show. He does a perfectly OK job. He’s not flashy or amazing, but he’s solid and reliable. He’s like The Swon Brothers, only instead of having country music be his hook, it’s his hotness. The problem for him is that, especially on The Voice, looks aren’t as important as performances. The coaches all agree that it was fine, but not at the same level as his performance last week.
Danielle Bradbery: “Heads Carolina, Tails California” by Jo Dee Messina
Come on, Blake Shelton, even Nashville adds a different style, like The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey,” on occasion. And that series is ACTUALLY all about country music. During rehearsals Blake calls Danielle his “retirement,” and I think he’s only half-joking. The song is young and fun, and I think I’m actually starting to see what Blake sees in her. She’s like a refreshing glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day. I suppose I’ll jump on the bandwagon and predict that she’s going to win, because she probably is.
Kris Thomas: “Adorn” by Miguel
I hope he jumps across the stage and plants his crotch right in some chick’s face. Apparently that’s what you’re supposed to do while singing this song. Cee Lo Green tries to teach him how to woo the ladies, with very little success. He does his falsetto and sings it perfectly fine, but he just doesn’t have the moves to pull this kind of thing off. Shakira goes on a filibuster to defend him, probably because she knows her team is in trouble.
In the useless Christina Milian segment, Sasha Allen promises that her team’s performance tomorrow with Shakira will be “a-mah-zing,” which makes me love her. I’m just gonna assume this means she’s a fan of Happy Endings.
Sarah Simmons: “Mamma Knows Best” by Jessie J
I have no idea who the hell this woman is, but I’m in love with her. After countless ballads and emotional songs, Sarah is rocking out this week. She’s got 18 tons of attitude and oozes sultry sexuality and intense power. She has a few moments to show off how great her voice is, but this is the kind of woman I want to see every week. It kicks so much ass, and this is basically her coming out party as a real performer. I hope she keeps this up and doesn’t return to ethereal ballads next week.
Michelle Chamuel: “Just Give Me a Reason” by Pink
This is why I love this woman. I never know what I’m going to get, but I know it’s going to be phenomenal. From wild, entertaining performances to solemn ones like “True Colors,” she does a wide range of things. This is in the middle of those extremes, with powerful, emotional vocals that she belts out with the best of them. She’s not just theatrical, she also has the vocal chops to back it up. There’s something special about her, something that is universal, something that people relate to and identify with. She’s the outcast, the outsider, the rebel, the loner, the freak, the weirdo, the goth kid, the Juno. She’s the people who AREN’T on shows like this.
Anyway, before I devolve into erecting a statue to Michelle, that’s it for The Voice. Tomorrow at 9pm two people will go home. I’ll hold off on predictions until I see the iTunes charts, but I think Kris and Holly could definitely be in trouble, as could Judith, Sasha and Josiah.
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(Image and videos courtesy of NBC)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
