The Voice Season 14 Recap: Top 12 Performance Live Blog (VIDEO)

THE VOICE -- "Live Top 12" Episode 1415A -- Pictured: Kyla Jade -- (Photo by: Tyler Golden/NBC)

The Voice season 14 Top 12 contestants from  Team Adam Levine, Team Blake Shelton, Team Alicia Keys and Team Kelly Clarkson perform live tonight for YOUR VOTES.  We are live blogging every performance. Carson Daly returns as host.

The Voice Season 14 Song Spoilers – What Will the Top 12 Sing?

In order to vote, download The Voice Official App to your smartphone, head over to nbc.com/voicevotetv, stream and/or download an artists song from iTunes. Also, XFinity cable customers can vote through their set top box. Check this link for more information.

Opening segment starts with a montage of the top 12 saying music tells their stories, defines them, and their stories are just beginning.  Tonight’s theme is the top 12 singing songs that have a personal story to them.

Rayshun Lamar kicks it off from Team Adam.  “When Love Takes Over”

He likes this song because when he’s on stage something takes over.  Adam says this song embodies Rayshun’s big upbeat spirt and it embodies him.  Rayshun dedicates the song to his partner.  He sounds like he is going flat, not a great beginning.  He is moving around the stage comfortably and interacting with the audience.  So far none of the flash of his Playoff performance. He is bringing some energy into it but this still doesn’t sound good to me.  The song repeats a lot and doesn’t really give him a chance to show off til the very end.  He opens up at the end and starts really dancing and now Adam is on his feet.  EH that was not that good.  Carson says the room is electrified and all four coaches on their feet.  Did they hear something different than me?

Alicia says there is something about him that is so electric.  She says his passion takes over him, it’s hard to jump around sing.  Adam says Rayshun continues to amp it up more every time he performs.  He says Rayshun just became the front runner because he was the best performer so far.  Um, he was the only performer so far.

The four finalists will each debut an original single on the finale.  Yay!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkpOGw1aKJE

Kaleb Lee from Team Kelly is up next.  “Amazed”

Kelly asks if his son is proud of him.  Kaleb says he picked this song because he thought it was his wedding song but it really wasn’t.  He doesn’t know what was.  The bench he proposed to his wife on ended up at his wedding.  The song is dedicated to his wife.  Kelly likes the raspy texture of his voice.  Oh Kaleb isn’t playing the guitar for this performance, he wants it be unmasked. It’s just him, the microphone and a single guitar.  Stripped down so you can hear his voice.  He sounds a little off too maybe it’s the nerves or the band.  This is off key a bit.  He kicks it up a notch towards the end and drums come in, but this doesn’t have a lot of energy.  Kelly is singing along.  This was just okay.  Kelly is on her feet…

Blake says he feels regretful.  Blake and Adam banter…  Blake said that the performance was amazing and he should bring back his hair from his wedding pictures.  Kelly says she’s a fan of Kaleb, loves the texture of his voice.  He’s authentic country that she grew up with.  Talking about the bench that showed up at his wedding from the proposal.  Kelly said he got tripped up but it’s okay because it was an emotional song for him.  EH two not so good so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3sDsJoFbkw

Team Alicia’s Jackie Foster takes the stage! “Toxic”

Alicia says she’s super excited about this song and she’s excited that it’s Jackie’s bands arrangement.  Jackie says the song is daring and this arrangement was a stepping stone for her band.  Jackie is dedicated to the song to her band.  The lyrics connect with her because she’s been attracted to bad boys.  Alicia says Jackie is powerful, she’s between Pink and No Doubt.  She has really dressed the part, with leather jacket, boots,  and all.  Very different arrangement, that may or may not connect with the audience. She’s a little hard to hear on the lower parts, but has better volume in higher parts.  She’s interacting with the audience, comfortable on the stage.  She hits some big notes at the end, and then ends tender.  Kelly and Alicia on their feet.  That was better than the first two performances, but that arrangement was not that impressive.

Kelly says she’s dumb.  She says she feels like that was Sandy D’s moment at the end of Grease, it was sexy and cool, punk and rock and roll.  Comment about her boots.  Alicia says she was excited about this song, this is who Jackie is as an artist.  Perfect cross section of everything Jackie is, energy… killer… she nailed it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfN0MEpgO3U

Spensha Baker from Team Blake sings 4th.  “On My Knees”

Spensha is grateful to be here.  She picked a huge song by an iconic country singer and she wants to do it justice.  Blake says she’s somebody who tells a story and she has a beautiful voice and that is what matters in country music.   She grew up listening to country and gospel.  The song tells the story about how she feels about music.  This song is stripped down and so far she is staying true to the melody.  This is pretty good, she is putting emotion into it.  So far the best of the night, easily.  She doesn’t oversing it and that was beautiful.  Four coach standing ovation.  I really enjoyed that!

Adam says it’s really rare that has a singer has it all, can sing beautifully on key with intention and a soulfulness that you can’t teach.  He says she has it all.  Huge fan.  Blake tells her she’s one of his favorites he’s ever had to work with, he can see the growth, she’s pushing her nerves to the end of her performance and now the audience can hear her delivery.  Says country music fan base heard that authenticity in her voice.

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

Christiana Danielle from Team Alicia up next, “Say Something”

Christiana says the longer she stays here the more she realizes that this is what she’s meant to do.  She doesn’t fear anymore.  Alicia says she was coaches pick because with each performance she is continuously elevated. Christiana says everyone has experience a toxic relationship that they have to walk away from and that’s where she was when the song came out.  She’s going to be vulnerable, she’s scared.  I love her lower register.  This is really stripped down, dark lighting, and a real chance for just her voice to shine.  She’s getting choked up as she sings, and is really feeling the song.  This is a powerful performance, simple yet emotional.  Her tone is so different, I liked that a lot.  Her nerves definitely showed though. Kelly and Alicia on their feet.

Kelly says she’s a fan of Christiana.  Her low tones are so magical, she doesn’t know any other singer that has that right now.  She’s blessed to listen to her.  Alicia tells her that she’s taken by her, she keeps showing the audience all these dimensions that she has inside of her.  There’s not another person in the world who sounds like her.  She’s so powerful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ9FKv7TA_c

Up next is Team Kelly’s D.R. King.  “White Flag”

D.R. was picked by Kelly because she can give anything to him.  Kelly says he has a crazy range but he’s capable of bringing it down.  The song has meaning to him where he is with music and he was able to get out of Cleveland and experience the world because of his music.  Kelly says he’s unstoppable.  This is an interesting choice for him, but so far the song isn’t doing much for his range.  This is kind of boring and the arrangement is not doing him any favors.  He does have a chance to show his range towards the end but this arrangement is a mess.  Meh… not good.  Alicia and Kelly standing.

Blake says there are so many different sounds to his voice.  He has so many layers of what’s he capable of doing and he displays them when gets on stage.  Kelly says he’s an amazing vocalist, she wants to hear his record.  He’s so different from everyone else, and it’s effortless.

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

Team Adam’s Sharane Calister takes the stage.  “In my Blood”

Sharon’s seperation from her twin sister is how she was able to focus on music.  She picked the song because it’s touching and powerful, and it has a message of survival.  Her family reaching out to her keeps her going.  Adam says she’s one of the more believable singers she’s ever had.  He tells her she’s so good.  Sharane is wearing all red and the staging is all red lighting.  The beginning is pretty average but the first chorus she kicks it up a notch and really shakes off the nerves.  She’s on her knees, hits a few bum notes too.  The contestants are struggling a bit with keys tonight.  She does some interesting runs at the end.  That was just okay.  Adam and Alicia are standing.

Alicia says there’s something so special about Sharane, she has a power and a sadness, beautiful resilience that comes through with her.  She’s rooting for her.  Adam says it’s hard to figure out what leads to success.  Adam says you can have all the skill and talent in the world but not have the ability that she has to get people to come with her on the journey and to get people to believe what she is saying.  She has it all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T_hw6oqvDA

Pryor Baird from Team Blake is up.  “Pickin’ Wildflowers”

Blake says Pryor is the first blues/rock/country he’s ever had on his team.  Pryor grew up growing hunting and fishing, and they used their imaginations and they would go out and pick wildflowers.  The wildflowers he picked for his girlfriend Andrea remind him of this song.  Pryor says nailing the song will be a challenge.  Upbeat songs are always a bit of a risk.  He’s playing guitar.  This song is a good choice for his voice, but I’m not a fan of this.  He’s rocking out on the guitar.  It’s a bit shouty…   I don’t like this at all.  He sounded like he was screaming most of the time.  But all four coaches up on their feet again, so maybe it sounds different live.

Kelly says every time he sings she wants to go out with her man.  He reminds her of Texas bars, ache, soulful rock.  Blake says Pryor is to a song like a bulldozer is to trees.  He reinvents the song and jumbles up all the words.  He loves the passion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv8WMhJzj7s

Brynn Cartelli from Team Kelly’s turn.  “Up to the Mountain”

They remind us that Brynn is the youngest artist in the competition.  Brynn says the story of this song is her Mom and her family’s support, those who support her inspire her.  Brynn mentions Kelly’s version of the song.. I wouldn’t have done that…  Kelly says she can tell a story just with her tone, it’s rare and impressive in a 15 year old.  She is doing a respectable job but she has hit some bad notes, but Brynn has peeps so she will sail through.  The middle to the end is much better than the opening.  Strong ending.  That was decent.  Four coach standing ovation and they tell us yet again that’s she is the youngest at 15 in the competition.

Alicia tells her she’s proud of her following her day dream.  She has a capacity about her that is from another planet, she’s interested in learning more about her.  Kelly is constantly shocked by her.  She has the craziest, eclectic taste in music and she nails all of it.  And did you know she’s only 15???  America loves her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csBV6wa0Sj0

Up next, Jackie Verna from Team Adam.  “I’m With You”

So apparently Adam heard Jackie’s song choice on the radio and he could imagine her singing it so he picked her to move forward.  Interesting… He mentions that Cassadee covered the song in her season.  Singing this song is going to take Jackie back to when she was 7.  The song is about being alone and feeling lost, and she looked to music to find who she was.  Adam asks her if she knows how good she is?  She should be a frontrunner.  She looks so pretty.  Not sure about a country singer singing a pop song, but she sounds okay.  Her voice has such a twang to it, but she can really belt parts of it.  Part of that was really good.  Kelly and Adam standing.

Blake gives them props for mentioning Cassadee.  Jackie’s voice is different than Cassadee’s and she came from a  country angle with that song.  He loves how direct she is and uses such purpose.  She’s a great singer.  Adam says he chose her last week because of her explosiveness in her growth.  Tonight she proved, that she can rise to the challenge.  Says it’s a hard record to reproduce.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8QYQYIUTec

Britton Buchanan is up next from Team Alicia.  “Small Town”

Britton is singing a song that has never been done on the show.  Alicia says he has a really,funny, incredible personality that is endearing.  He has a shot to win this thing!  Britton says he grew up in a small town so he can relate to it.  He now has no chaperones and he can binge  watch the Office and not feel bad about it.  He’s playing the guitar, and already playing to the audience.  But this is just not that good.  It’s hard song to sing, but he has peeps too so he’s probably fine.  He sounds almost like’s he is talking instead of singing.  A few big notes but overall not that impressive.  Again, I don’t like it and he gets a four coach standing oviation.  LOL I’m clearly hearing something different.

Kelly says he’s an amazing vocalist and the coolest person ever.  He’s an old soul.  He was born to be on stage.  Alicia thanks Blake for blocking Adam.  Alicia says he doesn’t need this stage, he doesn’t need anybody else.  His destiny is to be here.  She can feel America rooting for him in that way, because he belongs here.  She’s so excited for him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU7Jy15sw_c

Team Blake’s Kyla Jade closes the show.  “One Night Only”

Wow Kyla is singing a Jennifer Hudson song.  Kyla says says that singing this song is important because she sang background for Jennifer Hudson.  Blake says it’s a full circle moment for Kyla, this gives her a chance to not be in the background anymore.  Her talent is undeniable.  JHud gives her support! Just Kyla and the piano to start.   This is really good.  She is completely owning the rest of them.  Slaying this song with sass and attitude.  The coaches are all up on their feet, most of them through the majority of the performance.   She destroyed that in a good way.

Blake is the only one to give comments due to time.  Blake says welcome to the front of the stage!  You are owning it, America loves you.  This is exciting!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QfLyll0TYg

That is all for tonight!  Kyla was easily the best, and some good performances from a few.  Some not so good ones as well. MJ back with you tomorrow for the results.

About Dana Meyers 27 Articles
I have a Masters degree in Human Resources & work in that field. I like to travel, read, decorate my house, play board games and spoil my three dogs and two grown daughters. I've been an American Idol fan since the first season and have watched The Voice since season 6.