The Television Critics Association is holding it’s annual winter tour in Los Angeles. It was NBC network day on Friday. You can read my Smash update HERE.
Here are a few highlights from The Voice panel. Coaches Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green plus host Carson Daly were on hand to take reporter questions.
The Voice Announces 8 Celebrity Advisers!
- Christina: “This year, we are diving more into critiquing. … You see us more in depth in the coaching process. I think this year you’re going to see it more. Last year we were all finding our own comfort zone.”
- Adam: “There’s a different between critical and willfully just mean. There’s a constructive way to tell someone they weren’t as good as they could have been,” Adam Levine said. “Telling someone they were terrible doesn’t get us anywhere.”
- Adam: “The talent level is so high there aren’t too many God-awful performances even if someone has an off night. It made our jobs really difficult because everybody was really, really good.”
- Blake (on his celeb mentors, wife Miranda Lambert and pal Kelly Clarkson: “…both survived reality television shows. I just wanted somebody who could talk to them about what they’re going through. … And also they’re both really hot.”
- Christina: “[The Voice] really gives artists that aren’t so mainstream or commercially approachable [a chance]. It’s about taking it back to the real heart of music. We all are [drawn to packages]. But then again there’s that raw talent that draws you in.”
- Adam: “I trust the show more than I trust the record industry at this point. I’m really passionate about this show being a new avenue [for new artists].”
- There is a rapper on Christina’s team
- Adam on The Voice alum’s poorly-selling albums, “We can’t control everything that happens in the record industry. You got to set it free at a certain point. You can’t be there for every step of the way. I would like to see people be as successful as possible.”
- Carson: “Those albums are arguably better than those in the top 50, so it’s all perspective. The music that [season one contestants] put out, I would take that to a music street fight any day.”
- The Voice will kick off its second season with all four judges performing a Prince medley.
A couple of thoughts: The Idol judges have said they’ll dish out more critiques this year, but for both Idol and The Voice, I’ll believe it when I see it. I don’t think the members of either panel can stomach dishing the tough love.
Adam dodged the record sales question. I think there were real issues around how Javier and Dia were managed post show. Not to mention how there was so much focus on the famous coaches, it was easy to forget the winners once the cameras were turned off.
The panelists were shown a clip of the Prince medley, and the reactions were pretty lulzy. Tim Goodman from THR tweeted, “Man, Prince is gonna be pissed about this clip…’That is how it’s done!’ – Carson Daly. No, actually, it’s done how Prince does it.
The Insider’s Jarrett Wiselman tweeted, “#TheVoice coaches clearly employ the Spice Girls’ style rules when it comes to expressing your individuality through fashion #YoullSee”
Also there were various Christina boob jokes sprinkled throughout the commentary. Andy Dehnart from Reality Blurred tweeted, “The Voice season two will apparently feature two new judges, thanks to Christina Aguilera’s absurdly low-cut clothing.” Xtina sure likes to show off the girls!
The new season of The Voice premieres Sunday, Feb. 5 on NBC after the Super Bowl.
