The Voice 10: Ranking the Top 10 Finalists

THE VOICE -- "Live Top 11" Episode 1014B -- Pictured: (l-r) Paxton Ingram, Adam Wakefield, Mary Sarah, Bryan Bautista, Alisan Porter, Daniel Passino, Shalyah Fearing, Hannah Huston, Nick Hagelin, Laith Al-Saadi -- (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)

Hey. I just updated The Voice schedule. Click Here! The Top 8 semifinal round will save 3 singers and eliminate two. The remaining 3 contestants will sing for the fourth spot in the finals. A little less of a bloodbath than last season’s loss of 5 singers in one go.

This coming week, the Top 10 will sing for your votes, and one will be eliminated on Tuesday. Also on this week’s results show, Season 8 winner Sawyer Fredericks returns to perform his new song “4 Pockets” from his upcoming album A Good Storm. Joe Jonas and DNCE will also perform.

On with this week’s power list! The men rise to the top, as they always do. Christina Aguilera’s quest to “break the girl curse” is looking doubtful. Let’s see how the singers from her team, and her fellow coaches, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Pharrell Williams stack up this week.

1. Laith Al-Saadi – Team Adam – I said last week that Alisan Porter would eventually move out of first place and this is the week. But it’s not Adam Wakefield who takes her place. Laith closed the show with a powerful and bluesey performance of Make it Rain. The singer is a contender.
2. Adam Wakefield – Team Blake – Adam didn’t stop the show with his “Lights” performance last week, but it was a typically solid performance from the southern fried singer. He and Laith could be battling it out for the crown in the end. Team Blake or Team Adam wins again! Yay!
3. Alisan Porter – Team Christina – Prays to the competition reality show gods that the dated “Stay with Me Baby” will be put to rest after Alisan’s performance. She wasn’t feeling the song, which basically has the protagonist begging and grovelling for her lover to return To make the song her own, Alisan became the actress she once was to transform the song into  musical theater. She still sang the hell out of it, but it wasn’t one of her stronger weeks. If Christina wants to break the “girl curse” she might try handing Alisan a relevant song.
4. Paxton Ingram – Team Blake –  When Blake hits on a formula that works for a contestant, he tends to stick with it until the end. After Paxton’s spectacular success on the charts last week, I wonder if we haven’t seen the end of Gospel Paxton. In any case, I think the pint-sized singer (c’mon, he is adorable) will be good until the Top 8 blood bath at the semi-finals, at which point, he may or may not get to sing for the wildcard.
5. Mary Sarah – Team Blake – I don’t think the song choices for Mary have highlighted her musical gifts as well as they could. She’s at her best singing retro tinged covers. But I have a feeling Blake and Mary are working to break her as a viable modern country singer. Her performances have been bland since the lives began. But she’s also been safe, and last week she charted 2nd on iTunes right behind Paxton. Blake is doing something right.
6. Hannah Huston – Team Pharrell – Crossed fingers that Hannah Huston is able to slip into the Final Four. She’s my favorite singer right now. Her unique tone and the way she phrases a song makes her a standout. But I’m not convinced America agrees with me. She’s got to stop that weird hand fluttering. It’s distracting!
7. Shalyah Fearing – Team Adam –  Sixteen year old Shalyah is slightly underbaked. Adam should be coaching her on how to control her vocals, but that does not seem to be happening. She’ll make it to the bloodbath, but unless she steps up with flawless performances, she won’t survive.
8. Bryan Bautista – Team Christina – Arguably, Bryan’s jazzy interpretation of “Just The Way You Are” was kind of messy. I also don’t see the point of retro-fying a contemporary classic.  Like he did earlier in the competition, Bryan needs to prove he’s a contemporary artist. He’s lost steam since the beginning of the lives. Maybe it’s time for Bryan to break out a gospel song! I’m only half kidding
9. Nick Hagelin – Team Christina –  A sweet backstory in absence of serious vocal chops will only carry a singer so far. Unless Nick drags his son on stage for his next performance, he could be in danger next week.
10. Daniel Passino – Team Pharrell – Corny McCornyston should be in the bottom two next week, and then leave the competition. Maybe. If Nick and Daniel face off? Daniel is technically a good singer, but is an ad lib robot.  Nick is a weaker singer, but when chooses the right song, he connects emotionally to the audience. Hm.

About mj santilli 34858 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!