And then there were 10! The Voice 5 Top 10 will perform tonight at 9/8c PM (redundant clip show at 8!), Here’s how I rank the remaining contestants.
I full expect many of you to disagree and look forward to you giving me the buisness in comments. So, fire away!
10 Kat Robideaux – Team Cee Lo – Social media saved Kat last week. But she’s been barely squeaking by. It doesn’t seem to matter what she does on stage. Viewers appear to be rejecting her particular brand of quirk. There’s something about Kat that’s icy. Her eccentricities come off as calculating and odd, rather than endearing. Unless she and Cee Lo cook up something special, she’s going bye bye this week.
9. Austin Jenckes – Team Blake – Austin’s dead daddy may have to be incorporated back into his video package. The country gambit didn’t pay off in the iTunes charts. He didn’t even make the Top 100 and only charted ahead of Josh Logan and Jonny Gray who were both eliminated. His best bet is to keep it simple and pull the heartstrings. Emotional ballads are the way to go.
8. Tessanne Chin – Team Adam – Alas. I fear Tessanne is going the way of technically proficient, big voiced singers before her, such as Judith Hill and Amanda Brown, who had tons of buzz initially, but then failed to connect with viewers. She may be destined to be a mid-packer
7. James Wolpert – I ranked James at #1 last week, but the caveat for staying on top was to continue to choose songs that resonate with the public, as “A Case of You” did. James’ The Voice journey is following a hit and miss pattern. Two weeks ago he delivered a screechy “I Want to Know What Love Is.” If it had been left to America, James might have been in trouble. I loved his Killers cover, but I appear to be in the minority. So, James drops significantly in the rankings this week. The good news–it’s early enough in the competition, James could turn it around.
6. Will Champlin – Will had the pimp spot last week and delivered an emotional performance of “Demons.” I’m still not giving him high marks yet, because I don’t think he’s quite caught on past a small, but loyal band of supporters.
5. Ray Boudreaux – Ray has struggled in the competition, but he made a comeback with a tender, stripped back performance of “All of Me.” Blake basically said, more or less, that he’s found the formula for Ray and will be sticking to it. Which is what Blake does with his artists. Ray may be back to stay.
4. Cole Vosbury – Cole is sneaky, sneaky. If he continues to surprise the audience with inventive song choices that highlight his soulful tenor, he could be in this for the long haul. Possible dark horse.
3. Caroline Pennell – Caroline’s performance of the upbeat Avicii song “Wake Me Up” didn’t propel the quirky singer to the top of the charts. Nevertheless, the good will and fanbase she’s amassed so far is enough, I think, to keep her at the top of list.
2. Matthew Schuler – Matthew and Christina struck gold with a version of the oft-covered “Hallelujah.” Matthew has something special going on vocally, and in his passionate delivery. I’ll be very surprised if he doesn’t make it all the way to the final.
1. Jacquie Lee – The young 16 year old singer’s consistency earns her a place at the top of the list this week. No matter what she sings, or when she sings it, Jackie’s music tops the iTunes charts. A winner week in and week out, she is connecting with audiences in a major way.
