Great nights of mentoring with both Gene Simmons from KISS and Meghan Trainor. There were a handful of special performances from the night. I am just going to speak about the highlights.
Will Moseley sang Starting Over by Chris Stapleton-- Every performance from Will feels like you're at his concert and this was no exception.
Mia Matthews sang Over You by Miranda Lambert-- This was a perfect song choice from her. She delivered the vocals, the artistry, and the emotion. This was a special moment where she could easily measure up to the other heavy hitter females in this competition-- McKenna, Abi, and Emmy.
Roman Collins sang Roar by Katy Perry-- This was so good! I am so disappointed that he did not advance in the competition. It's truly special how he is making gospel music so front, center, and contemporary. I hope Katy does do this version next time she goes out on tour.
Jack Blocker sang Blinding Lights by The Weeknd-- He totally gives me Phillip Phillips vibes. I LOVE his version of this song. I love how Jack stays so true to himself. He is unapologetic and I love that.
The Top 10
Abi Carter McKenna Faith Reinholt Will Moseley Kayko Kaibrienne Mia Matthews Jack Blocker Emmy Russell Triston Harper Julia Gagnon
Team Legend: Nathan Chester sang Oh Darling! by The Beatles-- Reba says he had her at the beginning. Chance loved his choreography and tone. Dan and Shay said it was his best performance. John agreed and liked his conviction. Wow! Everyone was on their feet, for me, that was a masterclass performance. Nathan is a force to be reckoned with. He has so much passion and you can tell he really wants this. This performance was EVERYTHING!
Team Dan and Shay: Karen Waldrup sang Heart Like a Truck by Lainey Wilson-- Reba said she wanted Karen on her team. Chance loves how she interacts with the crowd and her confidence. Dan and Shay are proud of how she has progressed. There is no denying Karen's voice. I think she has experienced more growth than the majority of the contestants on the show this season.
Team Legend: Kamalei Kawa'a sang No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley-- Reba loves how he conveys strength in his singing. John likes how he is honoring Bob Marley's legacy. I wish John had pushed Kamalei to diversify his song selection more. I think he has a good voice but I feel like I have heard him sing all the same type of song.
Team Dan and Shay: Anya True sang All Too Well by Taylor Swift-- John says it felt like the right song for her and he found her performance compelling. Dan and Shay said it was their fave Anya performance.
Team Legend: Bryan Olesen sang Africa by Toto-- John said he was glad that he used his playoff pass on Bryan cause he deserved it. He said he felt like he was at Bryan's concert. Reba called him the perfect package. Chance said he is 100% a rockstar.
Team Dan and Shay: Olivia Rubini sang I'll Stand by You by The Pretenders-- John said Olivia you are always such a wonderful singer. You were trying to find some rock and roll in your voice but it wasn't the right place for this song. I agree with John, I didn't like how she put those random high parts in there.
Team Legend: Mafe sang Someone Like You by Adele-- Chance said I think she should go to the lives. Shay said you're an amazing singer and should definitely go to the lives. Shay didn't like the melodic changes she made; John disagreed. Great song choice for Mafe! I loved this, she also gets into a place where she does similar song but she is special enough.
Team Day and Shay: Tae Lewis sang Runnin' Outta Moonlight by Randy Hauser-- I thought this performance was good. I think Tae is someone you can count on to always deliver a consistent performance. Chance said he would put Tae on his playoff team. Reba said that everyone wants to hear what Tae is going to do next. Dan and Shay felt he delivered.
Team Legend: Zoe Levert sang Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls-- Chance said it was his favorite performance. Chance said she is so captivating. Dan has loved every performance she has done. Reba said girl toy brought, your voice, your stage presence, your look, absolutely beautiful. John you gotta take her to the lives. John said Zoe is becoming a star before our eyes. She's contender for me, she's unique, she's true to herself. I love Zoe.
Team Dan and Shay: Madison Curbelo sang Landslide by Fleetwood Mac-- Reba said I love your voice, you gave me chills. Chance said I want a copy of that performance, I want to listen to it again. John said what you did up there felt so easy. Shay said I could talk about you all night. I loved that! I was definitely getting Selena vibes but she is also all her own. That was so touching and heartfelt.
My picks for John: Nathan, Mafe, and Zoe
My picks for Dan and Shay: Karen, Tae, and Madison
UPDATE:
The only one I got wrong.... I picked Mafe, John picked Bryan who I do think it actually talented. The rest I got totally right, 5/6!
Team Chance: Maddi Jane sang New Rules by Dua Lipa versus Kamalei Kawa sang All of Me by John Legend-- Dan and Shay said that this was two very different performances in the best kind of way. I agree, Maddi's performance was rhythmic and catchy. Kamalei offered an emotional performance and you could tell he was really feeling the song. John is often critical of people singing his song but said that he was really into Kamalei's version and reminded them that he still has a steal. Reba said Chance is on his own with this choice because she thought both of them were good. I think even though I am a Maddi fan, the stronger performance here was Kamalei. Chance chose Maddi, and Kamalei was stolen by Reba and John and picked John.
Team Legend: Gene Taylor sang I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing by Aerosmith versus Mafe sang Almost is Never Enough by Ariana Grande-- Gene is technically such a sound artist but this is a tough song to sing. Dan and Shay talked about what a great singer Gene is from a technical standpoint. Chance said Mafe did not sound like Mafe, she sounded like herself. Something I notice about Mafe is that she has great vocal control. I love how she sounds and her confidence really exudes. John chose Mafe.
Team Dan and Shay: Karen Waldrup sang Georgia Rain by Trisha Yearwood versus Ducote Talmage-- Both of these artists have experienced some growth but I think I would need to lean towards Ducote. John continues to like Ducote's rasp, and he thought Karen's performance was beautiful. Reba loves the texture in Ducote's voice; Reba loved Karen's performance. Chance said that was Ducote's best performance to date; he thought Karen sounded like Celine Dion. Dan and Shay chose Karen to move forward.
Team Reba: Justin and Jeremy Garcia sang You Are the Reason by Calum Scott versus Zeya Rae sang River by Bishop Briggs-- I think I would need to go with Justin and Jeremy. Chance said Zeya lacked confidence at points. John connected more with Zeya. Reba thought Justin and Jeremy did a wonderful job. She picked the brothers because she wanted something different on her team. Reba chose Justin and Jeremy.
Team Chance: Alyssa Crosby sang I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues by Elton John versus Rletto sang Stay by Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber-- Loved Alyssa, this song was not the best pick for me, but I loved her. I think she is such a grounded artist. Rletto was so good. He literally took an upbeat song and turned it into a slow jam. It sounded like a brand new song but at the same time, Kid Laroi and Justin would love it. Dan said one of the best knockout performances of the day by you Alyssa; Rletto always bringing the heat with that arrangement. Shay said I believed every word you said. Reba said she was proud of Alyssa and would go with her because of her growth. Chance said Rletto you showed a mastery of the song. Alyssa you did great from top to bottom. Chance chose Rletto.
Team Legend: Zoe Levert sang Cowboy Take Me Away by The Dixie Chicks versus Jackie Romeo sang Love on the Brain by Rihanna-- Both of them sounded amazing. I think I would need to go with Zoe, what she channeled was amazing. Chance said Zoe you are going to be a star, Jackie you sang the mess out of that song. Dan said Jackie you have a powerful voice and such control. Dan said Zoe you nailed your range, you remind me of Taylor Swift, you're unapologetically yourself. John said Jackie, you embraced the energy of the song, it was in control the way you handled the dynamics. Zoe, we're continuing to see you grow and you're an underdog that keeps rising to the occasion. John chose Zoe, and Reba stole Jackie.
My recap: Kamalei is coming up in this competition, Mafe is holding strong, RLETTO is a star, and Zoe is turning into a star.
In a MAJOR upset, Julia Gagnon made it into the Top 20 and sent my Top 10 face prediction Hailey Mia home! I am shocked! Even tonight, Julia's performance of Fantasia's, I Believe, was shaky and had pitch issues throughout.
The Top 24 was narrowed down to 20, and Blake Proehl, Hailey Mia, KBlocks, and Elleigh Marie were all sent packing. Tomorrow night, the Top 14 will be revealed, the Top 10 will be from America's votes, and then the judges will pick four wildcards.
I will say after hearing everyone, I need to say that I am throwing my support behind McKenna Faith Breinholt to make the Top 10. She closed the show on Day One last week when Tori Kelly mentored. I also want to add how talented a songwriter and musician Kayko is. His voice needs a lot of work but he is someone who is uber talented.
Team Reba: Asher HaVon sang Unbreak My Heart by Toni Braxton versus Tae Lewis sang Nothin' on You by Cody Johnson-- Asher sounded amazing, I love how he sang the song the way a man would sing it. The tone of his voice is incredible, the runs he did at the end, and the way he improvised and made the song his own is proof that he should continue in this competition. Tae's performance was so soulful. I can see him being on the radio and being a country star right now. Chance said it was one of the best performances he has seen on The Voice. Dan and Shay said Asher's runs were intentional, Tae stepped up. John said Asher was regal and his low notes were sang with so much power. He said Tae sang the hell out of that. John promised a spot for whoever did not get chosen. Reba voiced how proud she is of both of them. Reba chose Asher and everyone tried to steal Tae!! Tae chose Dan and Shay.
Team Dan and Shay: Olivia Rubini sang Tiny Dancer by Elton John versus Frank Garcia sang El Triste-- I think it's hard to sing in Spanish with a song that is not particularly well known. I think Olivia is the stronger vocalist, but I think this was the wrong song for her. I would have liked to have seen her sing something more contemporary like a Tate McRae or Olivia Rodrigo. John compliments the richness of Frank's voice and the range of Olivia's. Dan and Shay said Frank blew them away and Olivia came such a long way from rehearsals. Dan and Shay chose Olivia.
Team Legend: Nathan Chester sang Fooled Around and Fell in Love by Elvin Bishop versus Val T. Webb sang Sweet Love by Anita Baker-- Nathan is a throwback to another time. I just love the ease of his voice and the songs he chooses for himself, he knows who he is as an artist. I think Val is great, seasoned pro, and strong voice, but I am leaning more towards Nathan, I am just more excited with his vocal and the total package. Dan and Shay loved the way Nathan got into the performance and there was something that moved them about his performance. John loved the high's of Val's performance. With Nathan, there was something cinematic about his performance, like he was living in another time and bringing that character to life. John chose Nathan.
Team Chance: Dani Stacy sang Jaded by Miley Cyrus versus Serenity Arce sang Unfaithful by Rihanna-- Loved Dani's performance, song choice was great for her, and she made the song her own. She didn't do it exactly the way Miley does which was great, but she has some of that rasp that Miley does. It seemed that Serenity struggled a little through that. Chance said Dani you are a talented vocalist and I loved your passion on stage. Serenity you took a lot of risks, but compared to other performances, this was not as solid. Chance chose Serenity because she is passionate and was willing to go for it with her performance.
Team Reba: Ashley Bryant sang Heads Carolina, Tails California by Jo Dee Messina versus Josh Sanders sang Wild as Her by Corey Kent-- Josh gave an awesome performance. I loved it, I feel like he took all the feedback Reba and Keith Urban gave him. I felt that performance. Ashley was great too! I feel like she has grown quite a bit in this competition. Chance said cool performance to Ashley, but I wanted more risks. Josh you took all the risks, he's leaning more toward Josh. Shay said Josh that last note was absolute fire. Dan and Shay would give the edge to Josh. John loved the cry in Ashley's voice; Josh, you stuck the landing with that note at the end. Reba said I love you both, thanks for taking the journey. Reba chose Josh.
Team Dan and Shay: Anya True sang Runaway by Aurora versus Kyle Schuesler sang Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur-- I have to be honest, the song Anya chose did not resonate with me at all. I enjoy her as an artist and vocalist but I was not moved by that performance. I dislike the song choice but I think Kyle is a little stronger as a vocalist and understands his identity as an artist a little better than Anya. John liked Anya's tone; Kyle your voice has a magical and powerful quality. He would go with Kyle. Chance said Kyle I get excited to see you perform; Anya I really like your voice, so delicate. He'd lean towards Anya. Dan and Shay said that they needed more time. They chose Anya. Chance stole Kyle.
Who did I love from tonight?
Asher, Tae, Nathan, and Kyle. Serenity is talented but fell a little for me tonight.
