The Voice 7 Top 20 – The Live Playoffs Begin!
THE LIVE PLAYOFFS ARE BACK! If you recall, the season 6 playoffs were TAPED and the COACHES chose the Top 12. That, and replacing The Knockouts with MORE DAMN BATTLE ROUNDS were two big mistakes production made last season. The ship has been righted! Ten semi-finalists will sing for YOUR VOTES on Monday and Tuesday. The Top 12 will be revealed on WEDNESDAY.
How do the teams shape up? Gwen Stefani has a VERY marketable team. Her contestants have charted well on iTunes so far. Pharrell likes a challenge, I guess. He’s got a team full of singers with “potential.” Let’s see if he can work some magic. Adam Levine‘s strongest team members include an alt rocker and an offbeat soul singer. Team Blake boasts THREE country crooners, a quirky girl and a versatile R&B singer. Don’t underestimate Blake. He’s got potential winners on his team. Blake and Gwen have the strongest over all teams. Pharrell, oddly gave away some of his best singers in the middle rounds.
Team Adam Levine – #TEAMADAM
THE VOICE 7 — Live Playoffs— Pictured: (l-r) Chris Jamison, Damien Lawson, Adam Levine, Matt McAndrew, Mia Pfirrman, Taylor Phelan — (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
The Team
Damien – Monroe, LA – @iamdamienmusic – Damien has a pretty falsetto and a sweet tone, but nothing extraordinary going on here. He’s favored big bombastic ballads like “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” and “How Do I Live.” If he pulls enough heartstrings, maybe he’ll have a chance. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Chris Jamison – Pittsburgh, PA – @iamchrisjamison – One of my personal favorites. Chris has a fresh and unique R&B sound that could take him far in the competition. I hope he makes the finals. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Matt McAndrew – Barnegat Light, NJ – @mattmcandrew – Matt is solid, but he’s got some strong competition for the quirky guitar player guy – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Mia Pfirrman – Covina, CA – @miapfirrmann – She was montaged in the battles and her audition and knockout rounds revealed some control issues. But she’s got a ton of potential–a big voice with great tone – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Taylor Phelan (Stolen from Team Pharrell) – Dallas, TX – @taylorphelan – I’ve got my eye on Taylor. His song choices, like “Sweater Weather” and “Rather Be” are always interesting. He’s an alt/rock singer with a very unique vibe. Definitely a contender – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Team Blake Shelton – #TEAMBLAKE
THE VOICE 7 — Live Playoffs — Pictured: (l-r) Craig Wayne Boyd, James David Carter, Jessie Pitts, Blake Shelton, Reagan James, Taylor Brashears — (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
The Team
Taylor Brashears – Nashville, TN – @taylorbrashears – In her audition, Taylor showed off her old school country sound with a Loretta Lynn chestnut, and then proved she had the chops to sing with nuance in a countrified “Landslide” during the knockouts. Watch out for this girl – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
James David Carter – Jacksonville, FL – @jdcmusic – James is a pro already, with a radio ready contemporary country sound. I find him a little bland. But with the right songs, he could go far. AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Reagan James – Burleson, TX – @thereaganjames – This R&B singer with a strong quirky pop vibe has a luscious tone and fantastic instincts. She sang both Ed Sheeran’s “Give Me Love” and Blue Cantrell’s “Hit Em Up” style in competition and slayed them both. She’s also from Kelly Clarkson’s hometown. Wins all around. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Jessie Pitts – Birmingham, AL – @jessiepitts724 – Stolen from Team Gwen – She’s your classic The Voice quirky girl, but a little karaoke. I think she’ll be overwhelmed by the stiff competition – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Craig Wayne Boyd (Stolen BACK from Team Gwen) – Nashville, TN – @cwbyall – Stolen from Team Blake – Blake let Craig go to Gwen, and then stole him back. He’s a southern rock singer with an AMAZING voice. A little old fashioned, though. He’ll be a mid-packer if he makes the finals, unless Blake picks some amazing songs. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Team Gwen Stefani – #TEAMGWEN
THE VOICE 7 — Live Playoffs — Pictured: (l-r) Anita Antoinette, Bryana Salaz, Gwen Stefani, Ricky Manning, Ryan Sill, Taylor John Williams — (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
The Team
Anita Antoinette – Kingston, Jamaica /Boston, MA – @anitantoinette – Anita is a talented Reggae singer, but is she versatile enough to go the distance? She’s going to have to mix it up a little to stick around. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Bryana Salaz – San Antonio, TX – @bryanasalaz – Bryana is super-marketable with that Ariana Grande/Demi Lovato vibe she’s got going on. Can a female pop singer win The Voice? I’m not convinced. Singing competitions have typically been an uphill battle for pop girls – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Ryan Sill – Sterling, VA – @ryansill – Ryan has a pure, sweet R&B tenor, but his knockout round had some major pitch issues. I’m not seeing star quality here. I’ll be surprised if he survives the playoffs. AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Taylor John Williams – Portland, OR – @mrtaylorjohn – I don’t get the appeal of this kid at all. To me, he’s a mediocre guitar strummer. But iTunes sales don’t lie. He charts at the top of the pack. So what do I know? He’s cute. He’s quirky. Gwen ultimately made the right decision picking him over more talented contestants – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Ricky Manning (Stolen from Team Pharrell) – Cape Coral, FL – @therickymanning – I’m not convinced Ricky has what it takes to rise from the pack, but his emotional heartfelt performance of “Wrecking Ball” earned him a spot in the Live Playoffs. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Team Pharrell Williams – #TEAMPHARRELL
THE VOICE 7 — Live Playoffs — Pictured: (l-r) DaNica Shirey, Elyjuh Rene, Pharrell Williams, Jean Kelley, Luke Wade, Sugar Joans — (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
The Team
Elyjuh Rene – Long Beach, CA – @elyjuh_rene – Pharrell chose the young and emotionally underdeveloped Elyjuh because he sees “potential.” This kid has beautiful tone and his ad libs are surprising and precise, but his interpretations are all surface. How much can Pharrell actually accomplish with this singer in a a few weeks? He’s a classic case of a talented young artist who needed to stew for a couple of years before auditioning. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
DaNica Shirey – York, PA – @nicashirey – DaNica could totally win The Voice…if it were 1992. Enough said. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Luke Wade – Fort Worth, TX – @lukewademusic – Classic, awesome blue eyed soul singer. But we already have Josh Kaufman, the winner of Season 6, fulfilling that slot quite nicely. Having said that, Luke won’t win, but I hope he makes the finals. I definitely want more. – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Jean Kelley – Atlanta, GA – @jeankelleymusic – Jean brings big theatrical chops to the table. I find her style gratingly over the top. But her highly emotional performance of Sia’s “Chandelier” in the knockouts resonated with fans. Pharrell stole Jean from Gwen. Hopefully he helps her modulate her performances. She is a good singer – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
Sugar Joans (Stolen from Team Gwen) – Los Angeles, CA – @sugarjoans – She sang both Aretha Franklin and Beyonce during the course of the competition. Sugar has a fresh R&B vibe and an amazing instrument. I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t make the finals. I hope Pharrell coaches her to dial back that growl a little! – AUDITION – INTERVIEW – BATTLE ROUND – KNOCKOUT ROUND
