The Voice 9 Blind Auditions #5 – Live Blog and VIDEOS

Click for tonight’s SONG SPOILERS with iTunes links

Hey guys! I’m back, subbing in for MJ tonight for The Voice. THIS IS THE VOICE. LIVE BLOG. #colormestoked.
Don’t forget to sound off in the comments!

Are you Team Gwen, Team Adam, Team Pharrell, or Team Blake? Is this the most talented season ever? So many questions raised! Tonight, the blind auditions come to an end. Each judge has only two spots left. What is this polo shirt that Adam chose for tonight? LOL. Bruh.

Dustin Christensen – Downtown Train by Tom Waits/Rod Stewart – Download from iTunes
He’s legally blind in his right eye, and they didn’t find out until he was in the second grade. He’s 35. He does a lot of studio work, but really wants a recording contract. He hopes to be on Team Adam. He’s got a solid classic rock voice. Blake says he sounds like Neil Diamond. Yeah, kinda. Blake turns first, followed quickly by Adam and Gwen, then Pharrell. Four chair turn. I mean, he’s good, but… last two spot good? I dunno. Seems like a nice guy though. Gwen says she relates to him and can hear his talent, and everyone will root for him. Adam says he thinks there were moments that could have been improved upon. Pharrell says he sang with a lot of heart, and name drops John Mellancamp. Blake brings up Neil Diamond again, and everyone loves Neil Diamond of course. Blake says he’s the same person as Dustin. Blake has a section of the crowd holding up Blake faces on a stick. Nice gimmick. Adam goes over and steals three of the masks, and does an “I’m a stupid idiot. Vote for me.” Dustin ends up picking Blake, probably because Adam looked like a spoiled brat. TEAM BLAKE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nruxkb1EGCM

Bernadine Joseph- Hey Mama
She grew up in Haiti, and she moved to America when she was nine. She was bullied a lot. Her dream coach is Pharrell. She hopes to make Haiti proud. She picked a song with a weird vibe, and has a lot of speaky sections. She’s a little flat in parts. I can understand why no one turns around for her. A lot of potential, but she needs a vocal coach to put her on point. Gwen also heard tuning issues, but thinks she’s adorable. Pharrell hopes she uses today as a lesson, and she should choose a song that allows her to show all the colors of her voice.

Dustin Monk – Bright Lights by Gary Clark Jr. – Download from iTunes
From Jacksonville, FL. He was in a band for 7 years. He’s now a barber. He sounds rockish. Adam turns first. That’s a good fit. I like him more than Dustin. Blake turns second. Gwen and Pharrell don’t turn. Adam says there is brilliance in his voice. Blake makes a joke about Dustin being the whole cob. Dustin picks Adam. Adam and Dustin have tattoos. Blake thinks thats why Dustin chose Adam. Or, maybe because Adam is stylistically closest to who he is as an artist? TEAM ADAM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f-cEouT8Ts

Chase Kerby – The Scientist by Coldplay – Download from iTunes
From Oklahoma City. He works at a candy store. World famous, apparently. His mom thinks the girls come to the store to see Chase. LOL. He’s been in 3 bands, one of them opened for All American Rejects on a tour. I still remember Kaitlyn Epperly’s cover of this on American Idol. It’s a good song choice for Chase. He’s got a really easy, pretty voice. Not a lot of stage presence. Gwen is the first to turn. Gwen is the only chair that turned. Adam says he loves that song. Blake says Chase is with the person he should be with. Gwen says his voice is really special. Chase has a box of Candy for Gwen, and Gwen gives him a T-Shirt. TEAM GWEN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFzf4D6skAg

Dawson Daugherty- Problem by Ariana Grande
Dawson loves to surf. He represented his school in the state championships… for surfing? That’s a thing? Man, I live in the wrong state. He leads worship for his church. He built a well in Mozambique. He’s got a Justin Bieber voice. Pharrell should turn for him. That seemed short. No one turned. I would have turned for him. #unpopularopinion? Adam heard the youth in his voice, and felt inexperience. Gwen didn’t like the song choice. Pharrell enjoyed the breathy quality in his voice, but needed him to commit to the interesting choices he made in the chorus. He encourages him to reaudition. Blake says they have to feel like he’s in control.

Shelby Brown – Stars by Grace and the Nocturnals – Download from iTunes
She sings at a bowling alley. She won a karaoke contest. She’s definitely one of the more “raw talent” auditioneers. She hopes to countrify the song, and hopes to be on Team Blake. She looks a bit like a young Adele. Everyone turns around about the same time, but I think the order was Blake, Adam, Gwen, and Pharrell. They all needed to see her hit the big “Stars” note, I suppose. She kills the high notes. It sounds weird “countrified”. She’s got talent, but I would have just chosen a country song for her. She gambled, and it paid off. Standing O from the judges. Shelby cries. She’s 16. Somewhere, Randy Jackson is feeling like that’s his cue. “SHE’S 16, YO!”. Adam said the brilliant moments were so brilliant that he wants to give her his final spot. Gwen says she sounds more experienced than her age. Gwen asks her what her dreams are, and Shelby says she’s a country singer. Blake gets excited. Pharrell says that she deserves to have four chairs turn around. Blake pledges to buy her version on Itunes. Adam makes a joke about Blake listening to Ghostbusters 2 music. LOL. And… COMMERCIAL BREAK! After the break, Shelby chooses TEAM ADAM. Wow. Blake didn’t see it coming. Adam’s team is full now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m2Q1XcrPfk

We now have a Team Adam retrospective. LOL. All the people he’s picked. He’s got Jordan Smith. That’s all I need to know.

Amy Vachal – Dream a Little Dream of Me – Download from iTunes
Her dad was in a Grateful Dead cover band. She likes to paint. She walks really awkwardly in heels. I’m guessing she doesn’t wear heels a lot. She gigs at open mics. She accompanies herself on guitar. She has a really cool tone. She needs to be on Team Gwen or Pharrell. All three remaining judges turn around for her. She sounds really cool. My favorite singer of the night? Definitely. Standing O from the three that turned. Adam says he would have turned around for her, and that she could win. Gwen compares her to Pocahontas and an angel. Gwen is really pitching hard for her. Pharrell asks her what genre. Amy says she’s interested in blurring lines. She wants to make a new hybrid. Pharrell would like to aid her in that journey. Blake calls her a superstar. He compares her to Colbie Calliat and Norah Jones. Amy picks TEAM PHARRELL. I’m not surprised. Good pairing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNfevm-_Q_0

Blaine Mitchell – Drops of Jupiter by Train – Download from iTunes
Country is in his heart, but he loves alternative rock. So he’s doing Drops Of Jupiter? LOL. He wanted to play MLB, but he blew out his knee. He also sings country songs at a bar to make money. It’ll be weird for him to perform without his brother, who shares a band with him. Odd stage presence. It’s an OK voice. Pretty late into the song, Blake finally turns around. Then Gwen. I wasn’t blown away. I wouldn’t have turned. Gwen loved his dynamics. Blake actually knows the place that Blaine performs. Blake is “up for that too” and “the world’s changing”. Does Blake have something he needs to tell us? LOL. Gwen’s just “another girl in the world”. Blaine joins TEAM BLAKE.. Blake’s team is now full.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW-IZ71ztuQ

Now a Team Blake retrospective.

Summer Schappell – Strawberry Wine by Deanna Carter – Download from iTunes
Her grandparents have raised her because her mom struggles with addiction. She’s opened for Little Big Town, Leann Rimes, and Josh Turner. She recorded an album in Nashville. Her grandparents are the reason she’s still singing today. I like her voice. I’m sure Blake wishes he still had a spot left. She also has more stage presence than others seen tonight. I’m surprised it took so long for Gwen to turn around. Pharrell turns around right at the last second. Adam says her voice has pixie dust on it. Gwen says she has a really beautiful voice. She picks TEAM GWEN. Gwen’s team is now full. Gwen has a country artist!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmjDLa7xDzg

Now for a Team Gwen retrospective.

Caroline Burns- A Thousand Years
She’s really short. She posts a lot of youtube videos and has a band. She thinks Adam is cute. She sang the national anthem at a NASCAR race. Pharrell is the only one left to turn around. She has a cool voice, but not a lot of control over it. I might take a chance on her and turn anyway. Pharrell doesn’t turn though. Poor girl. Pharrell didn’t turn because there’s a voice on his team already close to her. Pharrell encourages her to please come back and reaudition. I mean, really, she should be able to. Only one judge was able to turn for her.

A Team Pharrell montage. Then a montage of failed singers. A rocker. A Country Singer. A Teen With A Guitar. None of them good enough.

Sydney Rhame – Photograph by Ed Sheeran – Download from iTunes

She teaches guitar lessons to kids. Her dad is her roadie. Her dad has MS. Interesting voice, and choices. Man Pharrell loves to wait. He should have turned a lot quicker. It was clear that this girl can sing. Adam and Blake stand in their chairs and turn around, I guess as their symbolic way of showing they would have turned. TEAM PHARRELL is full.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5_Xw96mP9U

Next week is the battle rounds!

We get a few previews. Brad Paisley is working with Blake, John Fogerty is working with Adam, Missy Elliot is working with Pharrell, and Selina Gomez is working with Gwen.

Join MJ next week for more THE VOICE! BATTLE ROUNDS!

I had a huge blast live blogging with you guys tonight. I hope you enjoyed it as well. Sound off in the comments. Who was your favorite tonight?