The live shows begin tonight! Twelve contestants from Team Christina and Team Adam compete. Tomorrow night, Six will be in danger. Christina and Blake will save 2 after they sing for their lives. 4 contestants will be sent home.
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Download Tonight’s Performances from iTunes
Get ready for LIVE performances.
The Voice is clearly anticipating a coming battle with the X Factor, as the NBC show ups its production values for the 2nd season. Dancers and a huge band accompany the performers, and in many cases overwhelm them. I would say use the dancers sparingly, and FOR GOD SAKES TURN DOWN THE BAND. It was like the battle rounds all over again for some of the contestants, except this time the singers went head to head with the band.
It’ll be interesting to watch the race in the fall when The Voice and X Factor compete with what will be essentially very similar shows.
WHAT THE HELL IS ON CEE LO’S HEAD.
Christina says she couldn’t be more proud of her diverse team. Blake says it’s not going to be easy to compete against Christina.
Cee Lo wants his team to be admirers of tonight’s performances. Cee Lo is wearing a black wig. He looks so funny. Adam also thinks his team should study the competition
Jermaine Paul – Team Blake – “Livin’ On Prayer” by Bon Jovi – 33 year old background singer for Alicia Keys. WHOA BANDZILLA. Jermaine is screaming to be heard over the band. Not a lot of finesse in this performance. Shouty and frenetic. Not a good song choice for him at all-didn’t show off his soulful side one little bit. DIAL BACK THE BAND. Jermaine says his first live performance was surreal and fast. Christina: She liked the way he worked the stage, but didn’t like the song choice. Blake: Wants him to enjoy it. People love you. He expects “Livin'” to be Top 10 on iTunes (Hm. I don’t – 1-866-856-8301 Text 1 to 9 to 97979
Chris Mann – Team Christina – “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkle – Pop Opera singing Ex Glee Warbler – Christina told him not to be afraid to add some “frills”. This is nice, but generic. Josh Groban but….not. He ‘s got a strong, pretty tenor and throws in some big notes for good measure. He’s obviously been well trained. Cee Lo: Thought it was a wonderful performance. Adam: Loved that he didn’t sing a typical opera tune (uhm. I bet I could go out on You Tube and find a slew of pop opera versions of BOTW) Christina: It was so beautiful and so heartfelt. You made it your own. – 1-866-856-8302 Text 2 to 97979
Raelynn – Team Blake – “Wake Up Call” by Maroon 5 – 17 year old country singer. – What the hell? Raelynn is flopping around the stage, slurring her words. I can’t make out the lyrics at all. May Blake gave her a little nip out of his bottle? Now she’s shifted into some scary gutteral scream. Horrid. Adam has this total WTF? look on his face while he watches her. Christina: You’re a sassy little thing. I was impressed. Adam: You broke my heart twice…first when you didn’t pick me, second when you did our song so darn good. (WUT???) Blake: You’re representing the new sound of country music. Everybody at the ACM’s was talking about her. It’s official. I’ve entered some weird alternate universe. 1-866-856-8303 Text 3 to 97979
Moses Stone – Team Christina – “Stronger/Power ” by Kanye West – Hip Hop MC – Moses gets the X Factor treatment with a floor full of DANCERS. He’s a decent singer and a very good entertainer. He’s got lots of charisma. – Cee Lo: It was a nice choice. I appreciate you stage presence. I like your style. Adam: You know how to entertain people. Thinks he has more potential as a singer than a rapper. Blake: Thinks Christina is already making a difference. Singing is what the show is about. Christina: You make me so excited. Christina thinks he’ll never need auto tune. You do it all. She thinks there is a place for everything. 1-866-856-8304 Text 4 to 97979
Betty White in the house. She’s punking teenagers for NBC. And hitting on Blake Shelton.
Naia Kete – Team Blake – “Turning Tables” by Adele – Street performer – Blake suggests that Naia NOT turn it into a Reggae joint. And based on the little clip of her singing it that way…he’s right. Instead, she starts off alone with her acoustic guitar. It only strays away from the original arrangement to allow Naia to do her thing. Blake gave her great advice. Her vocals are front and center–she doesn’t have a traditionally strong voice, but she knows how to deliver a song. I like her tone. Christina: It was cool. She wished she had done the reggae thing. It wasn’t perfect. Blake: It was important for her to prove she was more than reggae. Thinks she did that. (I agree. She proved she’s got some versatility. She’s not a perfect singer, but she’s got style). 1-866-856-8305 Text 5 to 97979
Lindsey Paveo – Team Christina – “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Goyet – 22 year old coffee shop singer – She and Christina decide to give the song a “dub step/trip hop feel” . Lindsey performs in front of a troupe of disturbing mimes. Eep. She’s got a fantastic tone, but I agree with Adam. I was waiting for her to ramp up the power on the chorus. Definitely pitchy in spots, but her interesting tone and phrasing make up for it. I bet she records fantastically. Those dudes in the clown suits freaked me out. He wanted feel more power in the chorus. Christina: You came up with the arrangement–you bring your own unique style. You stand alone in a category all your own. 1-866-856-8306 Text 6 to 97979
Jordis Unga – Team Blake – “Alone” by Heart – She admits she has a lot to prove after the battle rounds. Jordis is so insecure. Geez the band is SO LOUD TURN IT DOWN. I have to be honest, I’m just not hearing the Jordis I loved on Rockstar:Inxs. She’s so shrill on the high notes, her timing is bad (the band isn’t helping) and is still giving off an air of desperation. Cee Lo: Enjoyed the staging, those high notes signified you vocal talent. Blake: That was the opposite of playing it safe. Amazing. 1-866-856-8307 Text 7 to 97979
Sera Hill – Team Christina – “Find Your Love” by Drake – Sang with Xtina on stage – This chick has swagger. She’s a decent singer albiet pitchy in spots. But it doesn’t matter. She’s a good performer, she ‘s got charisma. Autotune will fix the rest. I see pop star potential in this girl. 3 words: Hot Shirtless Guys (dancers) Blake: He can’t get over the “male strippers on the stage.” Christina: You look like a diva in training. You looked like you owned it up there. Great job. 1-866-856-8308 Text 8 to 97979
Erin Willett – Team Blake – “Living For the City” by Stevie Wonder – Her dad (whom we met earlier) recently died of cancer. Erin wanted her performance to be on par with a huge awards show production, and she gets a tableau of dancers behind her. Easily the strongest vocal performance of the night. She’s got an amazing set of pipes. She’ also got a very confident stage presence. Honestly, I barely remember her from the earlier rounds. She’s good tonight. Cee Lo: Commends her on her strength in the face of her loss. Great performance, great staging. Blake: That was the best vocal performance of the night. That is a fact. 1-866-856-8309 Text 9 to 97979
Ashley De La Rosa – Team Christina – “Right Through You” by Alanis Morissette – 17 year old newbie – Ashley sees herself as a rocker, but Christina has confidence she can tackle a pop song. And she is pretty impressive here, for the most part. Overwhelmed by the band in parts, but that’s been the story of tonight. She didnt quite deliver the Alanis-style angst the song requires, but she dove into the performance without holding back. I’ll give her that. She’s got potential. Adam: You’re the most improved. Tonight we saw a woman. My opinion has changed. Christina: You really “You’re only 17” meme in full force with Ashely. 1-866-856-8310 Text 10 to 97979
Charlotte Sometimes – Team Blake – “Misery Business” by Paramour – 23 year old-once had a major record deal. – Blake thinks she has a chance to win the whole thing. Really admires her musicality. He thinks they are a lot alike. She wants to prove that she can re-arrange songs. Charlotte has great dynamics and phrasing. A very dramatic performance–she knows how to use her voice. She’s singing with the band, rather than fighting against it. One of my favorite performances of the night. Adam: That was great. You have such a unique voice. There was some pitch stuff. Christina: I wasn’t expecting that. You’re good at extending the high notes. Blake: She’s a true artist. He didn’t hear any pitch problems. 1-866-856-8311 Text 11 to 97979
Jesse Campbell – Team Christina – “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong – 42 year old singer from Chicago – Christina says Jesse can sing the phone book. Urgh. Christina tells him he’s holding back. WOW. I don’t remember this guy being so good. Dude’s got solid jazz chops. Really wonderful, unexpected phrasing. I have heard that song dozens of times, but I’ve never heard it quite like that. And it’s not as if he changed up the arrangement–it’s his way with a musical phrase that Cee L0: Your voice is almost as beautiful as my hair. I love your voice: Adam: You’re the dude to beat, he wants his team to know. Christina: Wonderful. Aren’t you glad you have the only sober coach up here? (hm) Why is Christina giving Adam a hard time before he even opens his mouth? Paranoid! 1-866-856-8312 Text 12 to 97979
