The Voice continued last night with performances from Adam and Cee-Lo’s teams as well as results from last week’s episode. Even though I’m sure The Voice will eventually start to capitalize on what they have going on by giving the results a whole episode, I much prefer this format. So, who made it through?
Results – Team Christina
Only two artists from each team would make it through – one chosen by voters and one chosen by Christina. Christina was obviously very emotional about having to send two of her girls home. The voting public selected Beverly McLellan to go through, which made me very happy. Beverly is exactly the kind of person The Voice needed – talented, but too old/weird/whatever for the American Idol set.
I figured Christina would choose Frenchie, since she was clearly the strongest singer of the three. But the other two girls are younger and more marketable, and even on a show called “The Voice” I thought it might count for something. Christina didn’t let me down, though – the woman has pipes, and she knows when other people do too. She selected Frenchie, and now her team seems to epitomize the show’s concept – two women who really can belt it, but wouldn’t fit in on Idol. Also, now we can call them “Team Bald”.
Results – Team Blake
I felt pretty confident that Dia would be saved by America from Blake’s team, since she’s adorable and talented and would win lots of votes. Last week I said that I wanted to see Patrick move on as well, but I thought there was a chance that Blake would select Jared Blake instead.
So….WHAT? He chose Xenia? I was shocked. Her performance was by far the weakest of the group, and I just don’t think she’s ready for a competition like this. She was so nervous it was physically painful to watch her, and I don’t think Blake can offer her the amount of guidance and experience she needs to reach the level other performers are already on. What a bizarre choice.
Tori and Taylor Thompson (Team Cee-Lo) – Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
This was a surprising song choice, considering how contemporary Christina and Blake’s choices were last week. It was also a lot to learn for the sisters, and I wasn’t sure they’d be able to pull it off. I actually would have chosen “Candy Man” by Christina Aguilera, or maybe something by Destiny’s Child. Tori and Taylor did OK, in their adorable hats and unflattering dresses, but they didn’t blow me away. The fact is that as delightful as these girls are together, alone their voices are not very strong.
Casey Weston (Team Adam) – Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
I love this song and I thought it was a great choice for Casey who is one of my favorite performers on Adam’s team. I really dug everything about the performance, from the way other musicians were grouped on the stage, to the way Casey was styled. And her vocals were good too. There’s a raspy quality to her voice that I really enjoy, and I think she has a lot of potential.
Vicci Martinez (Team Cee-Lo) – Jolene
Another great song! Vicci is one of the most memorable artists from the early rounds, and I had high hopes for her. Luckily, the girl didn’t disappoint. The performance was on a professional level. She sang beautifully, with passion and strength but also with a lot of control. She looked fantastic. She didn’t hide behind her guitar and she captivated the audience. It was fantastic.
Devon Barley (Team Adam) – Stop and Stare
I originally liked Devon, but this performance felt pretty off to me. In fact, it was very off. He’s adorable, but he kind of choked. It was a bit painful. I wish the coaches had been more critical when reviewing the performance.
“Team Cee-Lo” – Everyday People
Watching Cee-Lo socialize with his team, which consisted of lounging about in robes and getting massages, was hilarious. I don’t want to live in a world where that doesn’t happen. As for the performance, well it was just delightful. Honestly, how freakin’ fun was that? I could not love Cee-Lo more. Who else would dress a bunch of kids up in 70s garb and make them sing “Everyday People”? I loved it, and everyone sounded great except for that one poor country dude.
Nakia (Team Cee-Lo) – Sex on Fire
Nakia was another very memorable performer, but I was a bit surprised by the song selection. I was only slightly familiar with the song, but I thought it was a really strong performance. Nakia is definitely someone I want to see continue on.
Jeff Jenkins (Team Adam) – Jesus Take The Wheel
This song was written by a hometown dude! I actually used to hate it, but it’s kind of grown on me. You also can’t deny the power of Jeff’s emotional connection to the song. I’m kind of on the fence about the performance, though. It was a decent rendition, but I kind of expected better vocally from Jeff.
“Team Adam” – With a Little Help From My Friends
I liked how genuine Adam seemed when he spent time with his team. Do I believe that they’re his friends and he’ll stay in touch with them? No, not really. But he does seem to really care about them. The group performance was really well-done, I thought.
Curtis Grimes (Team Cee-Lo) – Addicted to Love
Curtis’s performance isn’t really my thing, but beyond that I also thought it just wasn’t on the same level as some of the other performances from Team Cee-Lo. The song choice wasn’t great, since it’s sort of repetitive, but it was also just kind of a boring performance.
Javier Colon (Team Adam) – Angel
Javier is another really strong, memorable performer from the original auditions, and I liked how Adam worked with him. Javier does have a habit of over-singing, and Adam is helping him curb that. To be honest, the song choice wasn’t my favorite. I’m kind of sick of that song and I don’t think it showcased Javier as well as something else might have. That said, I really, really like Javier’s voice and enjoyed the performance despite not loving the song.
So who should stay and who should go? I feel like it’s quite obvious for Cee-Lo’s team – Vicci and Nakia were by far the best. It’s a bit of a tougher call for Adam’s team, though. I definitely want to see Casey move on, but I’m a bit torn between Jeff and Javier. They’re both great singers with a lot of potential, but neither one is a hands-down favorite for me.
What did you think of the episode? Were you happy with the results from last week? Any predictions as to who will move on from this group?
