The LIVE SHOWS begin tonight on The Voice! The Top 16 will battle it out for YOUR VOTES in a two part performance show.
America will choose two of the team members, the mentor will choose one.
On Wednesday, the Top 12 will be revealed! Sir Mac will be hosting that Live blog, by the way, while I handle American Idol.
Ahhhh! So happy all that knock out battling stuff was done. I was soooo bored by the end. Tonight was a big improvement. Less contrived, scripted, coaches ramble, and MORE SINGING.
The best performances tonight go to, in order of my preference, Michelle Chamuel’s “True Colors”, Amber Carrington’s “Stay” and Judith Hill’s “Feeling Good.”
Michelle has become my favorite. She’s quirky without being affected. She’s utterly unique, but in a completely organic way. There isn’t an inauthentic bone in her body. She completely inhabits the song that she sings. She’s a true performer and a GEM. Love her.
Amber is more than just a big voice. She’s versatile and can phrase as song in a way that makes it totally her own. She makes intelligent, well thought out choice in the way she chooses those phrases. I hope Adam keeps choosing unexpected and interesting songs for her to sing.
I rolled my eyes when I learned Judith would be singing “Feeling Good” but her take on the song was refreshing. And who knew that was possible at this point, with so many covers of the classic song floating around? Judith crafts beautiful performances.
Usher is a contradiction. How are his song picks so boring while his coaching is so imaginative? Choosing the over-sung “I Have Nothing” for Cathia and the lethal “Against All Odds” leads me to believe that they aren’t his favorite team members. “Starlight” is an interesting song to pick, but not for Josiah. That tune was WAY too big for him. But if Usher takes Josiah under his wing, he’ll be lip syncing and playing fake pianos just like Justin Beiber, so I suppose it doesn’t matter. Poor Cathia. What a dog of a song. She’s never been comfortable outside of her native Spanish. I suspect she’ll be going home on Wednesday. But Usher is just GOOD TV with his boxing exercises and encouraging Michelle to sing to herself in the mirror. Genius stuff.
On Team Adam, Amber and Judith are pretty safe, I’d say. It’s either Sarah or Caroline going home and it will probably come down to which Adam is willing to save. I’d send Caroline home. She’s the most inconsistent and unformed of the 4 women on his team.
Team Adam and Team Usher take the stage tonight. Tonight’s performances will be STRIPPED DOWN, so we can concentrate on the voice.
Team Usher gets ready for their group number at a boxing studio. A real one–not the fake one constructed in The Voice studio. The contestants are sparring with Usher to prepare for their performance of “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparrow. He’s got them singing, breathing and exercising at the same time. And then they perform. Josiah continues to be a horrible singer, and Michele continues to be awesome! The performance is a easy-listening-lite, but it’s not too shabby.
Amber Carrington – Team Adam – “Stay” by Rihanna – Adam sees Amber infusing country into whatever she does. Amber says “Stay” is very different from anything she’s ever done. Amber is mainly a country singer, but she has that Carrie Underwood-like big voice, that allows her to cross genres. The performance is beautiful and nuanced. This gal has a major set of pipes. Wow. Adam gives her a standing ovation. Blake thinks she set the bar really high. Usher calls it a remarkable performance. Shakira thinks she has something really special to offer. Adam notes that he was the only coach to turn around for her. “You had me for every second of that performance,” he says. – 1-877-553-3701 or Sprint text 1 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
Christina Milian REALLY GETS ON MY NERVES. Just had to say that.
Josiah Hawley – “Starlight” by Muse – Team Usher – Usher has helped him approach the music differently, says Josiah. Usher made a “few calls” to clear this song. Josiah’s rehearsal doesn’t sound good. And he’s right, it is about breath control. AND hitting those notes. I thought these performances were supposed to be stripped down? Josiah has a full rock band behind him and he’s playing electric guitar. He’s a limited vocalist. The beauty of this song is that soaring falsetto. But he’s shouty on the top notes, and just under the pitch. He fares better in his midrange. Usher gives HIS guy a standing o. “You rocked it.” says Sharkira. She dubs it his best performance. It was honest, she says. Adam thought Usher did a great job mentoring Josiah. Blake thought it was haunting and energetic. “The world is going to lose a male model. I guess I’m going to have to step in,” says Blake. Ha. Ha. Usher compliments him for taking his notes. “It was the opportunity to see the incredible heart throb that you are.” – 1-877-553-3702 or Sprint text 2 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
Sarah Simmons – Team Adam – “Angel” by Sara McLaughlin – It’s always been Sarah’s go to song to sing. She’s going to dedicate it to a friend who died in a tragic accident. Adam tells her to hit the notes with elegance and purpose. She’s already crying in rehearsal. There’s some pitchy stuff here, but does it matter? Her performance is dripping with emotion. She swings effortlessly from a sweet, clear tone, to raspy urgency. A perfect song choice for her! She slides around the notes with ease. Blake calls it amazing, beautiful, angelic. Usher said the Sarah that he knew eventually came out. Shakira lapses into Spanish, she’s so excited. She felt the connection to the song, and that’s all she cares about. Adam has never heard the room so quiet. “You are one of the most incredible singers to listen to I’ve ever heard,” he says. – 1-877-553-3703 or Sprint text 3 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
Samantha Guthrie and Al Roker from The Today Show are pimping their big summer concert series and tomorrow, it will be a THE VOICE EXTRAVAGANZA.
Cathia – Team Usher – “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston – REALLY USHER? “Think of the song as a waltz,” says Usher who gets up to waltz with her! Interesting. Still, this song has been covered EVERYWHERE. I’m kinda tired of it. She doesn’t possess the pure vocal power to make the performance work. Her cover comes off as competent karaoke. It’s not a song that’s going to separate her from the pack. Shakira is still rooting for her, even though she’s not on her team anymore. She disagrees with the song choice. Whitney is setting the bar too high for Cathia. I agree. Was Blake daydreaming through that performance? It’s like Carson woke him up. He mumbles something about pop music and how it sounded OK to him. Usher believes in her talent, and that she could have knocked it out of the par, but it admits maybe it wasn’t the best. – 1-877-553-3704 or Sprint text 4 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
Christina Milian is with Team Adam blah blah blah blah. It’s Judith Hill’s Birthday.
Adam Levine and Usher duet on “Superstition.” ANOTHER SONG I NEVER WANT TO HEAR ON MY TV AGAIN. Adam plays guitar,they stand side by side and trade off lyrics. There’s some bizarre Rorschach test going on behind them on the screen. Eh.
Caroline Glaser – Team Adam – “The A Team’ By Ed Sheeran – She withdrew from college for this opportunity. The challenge is to find a big moment in the song, since she is NOT a powerhouse singer. A PERFECT song choice for Caroline, who has often gotten lost among the powerhouse voiced in this competition. Her quirky style is highlighted as well as it can be here. She has no big moments, but I can’t see that she ever will. She needs to use her tone and unique phrasing to impress. Blake loved it, even though he doesn’t know the song. Usher calls it “soothing.” Admires her control. Thinks America will vote for her. Adam says she captured out attention, and that’s what matters. 1-877-553-3705 or Sprint text 5 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
Vedo – “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins.- Seriously Usher. ARE YOU KIDDING? Usher is a gifted, uncoventional coach. But these songs he’s choosing for his team? THEY SUCK. I don’t understand why Usher didn’t give him a contemporary R&B song? This treacly Phil Collins song is doing Vedo no favors. I haven’t heard this song sung well on a singing competition yet, and this is no exception. Vedo is stuck up in his upper register, mostly, where he sounds really unpleasant. Shakira says “the audience loved you.” and leaves it at that. Adam wishes he was on his team. “You did an amazing job.” Usher babbles some nonsense. He 100% liked it. I guess. 1-877-553-3706 or Sprint text 6 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
Adam Levine’s family owns a clothing store? He’s helping his team with some outfits in a fillerific video package. The Team Adam girls sing “Shake It Out” by Florence + The Machine. Solid.
Michelle Chamuel – Team Usher – “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper – Michelle cries describing the meaning of the song. The lyrics hit close to home. Usher has her sing to herself in the mirror. He wants the idea of the song to sink in for her. She pulls out her earpiece. Is she having an issue? She sings in a vulnerable, breaking voice, holding back the power. It’s effective. In the second verse she brings more force. I’m feeling this. This girl is something special. She doesn’t have a technically beautiful voice, but she uses it as a true instrument. She knows how to inhabit a song, bring it to life. Shakira says she revealed her true, authentic colors. Adam feels like she had a break out moment. Blake points to his team, “That’s the thing to do.” Usher also feels it was a break out moment. She listens to her instincts, he says. 1-877-553-3707 or Sprint text 7 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
Judith Hill – Team Adam – “Feeling Good” – She’s got the pimp spot. No surprise there. “Feeling Good” is another one of those over sung songs forever popping up on talent competitions. I’m sure she’ll kill it. But still. Adam is attempting to minimize her front runner status. Too late! Her styling pays homage to her Japanese side. She looks beautiful. The arrangement is changed up enough, she’s making it her own. Her adlibs are jazzy, off the beat. This is pretty amazing. She finishes with a giant note. She’s so going to make the final. Blake calls her a “freaking Diva” but in the best possible way, of course! “Man, why didn’t I fight harder!”says Usher. Adam loved the way she played with the audience. Cool is the only word he can think of. 1-877-553-3708 or Sprint text 8 to 8642 or Download the song from iTunes
