I loved how both The Voice and The X Factor chose to open their final performances shows with tributes to the Sandy Hook School Victims and their families. Both performances were extremely touching and seriously brought tears to my eyes. On The Voice the mentors and the top 20 sang Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah.
On The X Factor, Simon Cowell gave a brief message before the top 12 performed You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson.
Let's discuss The Voice.......
I do not agree with Cassadee Pope winning; I like her and nothing against her but her voice was not as strong and consistent throughout this season as Nicholas and Terry's voices were. Nick, to me, grew leaps and bounds from the beginning. I am a fan now; he's Marvin Gaye and Barry White, his voice is soul music. He's committed to every performance, and his passion is so evident. Terry is someone that, the moment I heard him sing Baba O' Riley by The Who on The Blind Auditions, I knew we had found our winner. He's my winner, and not just because of his voice, but because of his spirit. Terry knows he's good, but he is humble, and let's face it, authentic rock voices don't come around all the time. Terry is a diamond in the rough, I didn't vote for the wrong person in him. The public chose the wrong member of Team Blake.
Back to The X Factor:
A song they sang before:
Carly Rose Sonenclar sang Feeling Good by Nina Simone (Michael Buble)-- She sang this on her first audition. Simon felt she sang it better the second time around. Britney seemed pretty confident that Carly has this competition in the bag. I liked this performance, but it was a bit too stylized for me.
Tate Stevens sang Everything Goes by Randy Houser-- Demi felt that he turned it into a stadium performance, and that's what made it different this time than last time. Simon agreed with Demi and talked about how authentic Tate is and how he's maintained his integrity throughout. He congratulated L.A., and said this was an unlikely pairing, but you've done a really good job with him. I couldn't agree more; Tate deserves this, he deserves to be a star.
Fifth Harmony sang Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding-- L.A. said you were the underdogs and you are the ones to beat. Brit thought it was the right song choice. Demi feels they've worked hard and deserve to have people call for them. Simon likes the fact that they are the underdogs; I like it too. You know what I like even more? I like when the underdog wins.
Duets:
Carly Rose Sonenclar sang How Do I Live with Leann Rimes-- Out of the three duets, this was the weakest unfortunately.
Tate Stevens sang Pontoon with Little Big Town-- Tate looked and sounded like a natural.
Fifth Harmony sang Give Your Heart a Break with Demi Lovato-- Simon called it pop perfection.
New Song:
Carly Rose Sonenclar sang Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley-- L.A. questioned whether or not this was a $5 million performance. Simon said she looked great and sounded beautiful. Britney said that song alone was worth $5 million, get out your check book Simon. Sorry Brit, but for me, I was bored at the beginning and middle, it did liven up at the end, and I will give her that.
Tate Stevens sang Tomorrow by Chris Young-- Demi said she is sad that this is the last time she is going to hear him and that he's so talented. Simon said Tate has represented this category so well and that he has a feeling that a year from now, we'll be hearing about Tate's record sales. L.A. said he's always proud of him. I thought this was a great performance, he's definitely in this to the end.
Fifth Harmony sang Let it Be by The Beatles-- L.A. called it a beautiful performance, and said they did the song justice. Brit felt they've come a long way. Demi is proud of how they've evolved and grown. Simon said they deserve to be here, and I completely agree. That final performance blew me away.
Who is your pick to win The X Factor? Mine is Tate or Fifth Harmony
Do you agree with Cassadee Pope winning The Voice? Will you miss Christina and Cee Lo? Or not given it any thought yet?
Showing posts with label Terry McDermott. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terry McDermott. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Reality Recap: The X Factor and The Voice
Contestant's Choice
Tate Stevens sang Bonfire by Craig Morgan-- He performed it well, but I didn't care for the song. Britney didn't think it was his best, Demi disagreed. I kind of agree with both of them because I did not think it was the right song for him, but he did a good job with it. L.A. said it was the most fun he has had since doing the show.
Carly Rose Sonenclar sang Your Song by Elton John-- L.A. thought she did things with the song that have never been done before. Demi thought it was predictable, but loved the R&B side of her voice. Simon said it was a beautiful version of a fantastic song, but not her best performance. I agree with all the judges, but again, didn't think it was necessarily the best song for her.
Emblem3 sang Baby I Love Your Way by Peter Frampton-- L.A. loved the song and saw them as recording artist for the first time. Britney thinks they've grown so much throughout the show. Demi praised it as well and compared it to their first audition and Simon agreed with Demi. I like how their personality showed in the song, but again, didn't like the song choice.
Fifth Harmony sang Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding-- Their performance of Anytime You Need A Friend was one of my favorite performances of this season, top three for sure. I love them. L.A. called it their best vocal performance, inventive, and he said he was proud of them. Britney loved everything about it, and called it magical and full of girl power. Demi said that they pulled out that sparkle that they needed. Simon agreed that "anything could happen," and I do too.
The Song I Need to get into the Finals
Tate Stevens sang Fall by Clay Walker-- Demi said he deserves all these good things and he is so talented. Simon liked the song choice, and said he has as much likelihood of going back to his old job as he does of flying to the moon tomorrow night. L.A. loves Tate for his consistency, and wished him the best of luck. This was a great song choice as Simon said, I remembered a woman singing this song, and was reminded that Kimberley Locke from American Idol had a number one on the American Dance Charts with this song.
Carly Rose Sonenclar sang Imagine by John Lennon-- L.A. liked her artistic capability and the fact that she played the piano. Demi thought it was amazing and she took a risk. Simon said there was too much going on and it made a beautiful song fussy. He said he didn't like the arrangement and said it was overcomplicated. Britney feels she should be competing with the biggest stars in the world. I actually agree with Simon, and another which he said that was really smart--- she sang those big notes, but the song didn't need that.
Emblem3 sang Hey Jude by The Beatles-- This is an awesome song choice by Simon, ingenious! It totally paid off too; unbelievable performance. L.A. said I thought this was presumptuous and I was going to tear you to shreds for thinking you are teen heartthrobs like The Beatles and you are. Britney told them to take a bow. Simon said you guys have steel in your eyes and nailed it on both songs; you were fantastic.
Fifth Harmony sang Impossible by Shontelle-- Amazing, I could see them putting so much passion into their vocals and the performance. L.A. found their song choice lazy. I totally do not agree with L.A. Britney said she would be surprised if they are in it next week. Demi said there aren't a lot of people supporting them so their fans need to support them. Simon said I hope and pray America gets behind you because I know you were one of the strongest acts tonight.
I loved both groups, I kind of hope one of the solo artists is going home. I don't think Carly Rose had as strong a night as everyone thinks.
Just wanted to comment that regardless of Trevin Hunte being voted off The Voice, I think he has quite the future ahead of him. The best on performance night was Terry McDermott's Let It Be; that guy can sing. He joins Cassadee Pope and Nicholas David in the finals.
Tate Stevens sang Bonfire by Craig Morgan-- He performed it well, but I didn't care for the song. Britney didn't think it was his best, Demi disagreed. I kind of agree with both of them because I did not think it was the right song for him, but he did a good job with it. L.A. said it was the most fun he has had since doing the show.
Carly Rose Sonenclar sang Your Song by Elton John-- L.A. thought she did things with the song that have never been done before. Demi thought it was predictable, but loved the R&B side of her voice. Simon said it was a beautiful version of a fantastic song, but not her best performance. I agree with all the judges, but again, didn't think it was necessarily the best song for her.
Emblem3 sang Baby I Love Your Way by Peter Frampton-- L.A. loved the song and saw them as recording artist for the first time. Britney thinks they've grown so much throughout the show. Demi praised it as well and compared it to their first audition and Simon agreed with Demi. I like how their personality showed in the song, but again, didn't like the song choice.
Fifth Harmony sang Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding-- Their performance of Anytime You Need A Friend was one of my favorite performances of this season, top three for sure. I love them. L.A. called it their best vocal performance, inventive, and he said he was proud of them. Britney loved everything about it, and called it magical and full of girl power. Demi said that they pulled out that sparkle that they needed. Simon agreed that "anything could happen," and I do too.
The Song I Need to get into the Finals
Tate Stevens sang Fall by Clay Walker-- Demi said he deserves all these good things and he is so talented. Simon liked the song choice, and said he has as much likelihood of going back to his old job as he does of flying to the moon tomorrow night. L.A. loves Tate for his consistency, and wished him the best of luck. This was a great song choice as Simon said, I remembered a woman singing this song, and was reminded that Kimberley Locke from American Idol had a number one on the American Dance Charts with this song.
Carly Rose Sonenclar sang Imagine by John Lennon-- L.A. liked her artistic capability and the fact that she played the piano. Demi thought it was amazing and she took a risk. Simon said there was too much going on and it made a beautiful song fussy. He said he didn't like the arrangement and said it was overcomplicated. Britney feels she should be competing with the biggest stars in the world. I actually agree with Simon, and another which he said that was really smart--- she sang those big notes, but the song didn't need that.
Emblem3 sang Hey Jude by The Beatles-- This is an awesome song choice by Simon, ingenious! It totally paid off too; unbelievable performance. L.A. said I thought this was presumptuous and I was going to tear you to shreds for thinking you are teen heartthrobs like The Beatles and you are. Britney told them to take a bow. Simon said you guys have steel in your eyes and nailed it on both songs; you were fantastic.
Fifth Harmony sang Impossible by Shontelle-- Amazing, I could see them putting so much passion into their vocals and the performance. L.A. found their song choice lazy. I totally do not agree with L.A. Britney said she would be surprised if they are in it next week. Demi said there aren't a lot of people supporting them so their fans need to support them. Simon said I hope and pray America gets behind you because I know you were one of the strongest acts tonight.
I loved both groups, I kind of hope one of the solo artists is going home. I don't think Carly Rose had as strong a night as everyone thinks.
Just wanted to comment that regardless of Trevin Hunte being voted off The Voice, I think he has quite the future ahead of him. The best on performance night was Terry McDermott's Let It Be; that guy can sing. He joins Cassadee Pope and Nicholas David in the finals.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Reality Recap: The Voice and The X Factor
Surprises this week on my reality shows:
On The Voice, Adam lost the rest of his team, Amanda Brown and Melanie Martinez, making this a two man race in the finals. It's Cee Lo Green versus Blake Shelton. Cee Lo boasts young soul singer Trevin Hunte and guy from another time with the distinct voice, Nicholas David. Blake's team is not shabby with authentic Scottish rocker Terry McDermott and pop rock star with a pretty face Cassadee Pope. So, I am completely unsure of who will win this thing, each artist is so strong in their own right. Potentially, any one of them could release a great album with the right song writers, songs, and producers.
On The X Factor, Cece Frey and Diamond White participated in the Pepsi Challenge (where the public votes for every aspect of each artist's performance from their song down to their outfit and the stage), but it wasn't enough to win them votes. For Demi, it meant the end of the competition for her, her final contestant was voted off. Four acts remain, two of Simon's groups Emblem3 and Fifth Harmony, Tate Stevens from L.A.'s Team, and Carly Rose Sonenclar from Britney's Team. Each remaining act is definitely in it to win it. Fifth Harmony was improved leaps and bounds every single week. Their save me song this week, Anytime You Need A Friend, by Mariah Carey was the most stunning performance by them to date. There was so much passion in the performance that it begged the question, how could you not save them? Emblem3 will continue to receive loads of votes from teenage and college girls; they also have a real likeability, you want them to do well. I think Demi saying that they are much like The Jonas Brothers was pretty wrong. Emblem3 sounds different, stylistically, they're unique. Tate Stevens is the family man with tons of heart and a golden voice. He's been in cruise control for the majority of this competition. Some think the only person who can beat him is Carly Rose. Carly Rose is amazing, when she sings, I don't believe it because she's so young and yet she has so much poise, maturity, and passion when she sings these songs that you have no choice but to believe her. It's Fifth Hamony and Emblem3's competition to win and it's Tate and Carly Rose's competition to lose. I have a feeling that we'll be seeing more than just the winner after this competition is over.
On The Voice, Adam lost the rest of his team, Amanda Brown and Melanie Martinez, making this a two man race in the finals. It's Cee Lo Green versus Blake Shelton. Cee Lo boasts young soul singer Trevin Hunte and guy from another time with the distinct voice, Nicholas David. Blake's team is not shabby with authentic Scottish rocker Terry McDermott and pop rock star with a pretty face Cassadee Pope. So, I am completely unsure of who will win this thing, each artist is so strong in their own right. Potentially, any one of them could release a great album with the right song writers, songs, and producers.
On The X Factor, Cece Frey and Diamond White participated in the Pepsi Challenge (where the public votes for every aspect of each artist's performance from their song down to their outfit and the stage), but it wasn't enough to win them votes. For Demi, it meant the end of the competition for her, her final contestant was voted off. Four acts remain, two of Simon's groups Emblem3 and Fifth Harmony, Tate Stevens from L.A.'s Team, and Carly Rose Sonenclar from Britney's Team. Each remaining act is definitely in it to win it. Fifth Harmony was improved leaps and bounds every single week. Their save me song this week, Anytime You Need A Friend, by Mariah Carey was the most stunning performance by them to date. There was so much passion in the performance that it begged the question, how could you not save them? Emblem3 will continue to receive loads of votes from teenage and college girls; they also have a real likeability, you want them to do well. I think Demi saying that they are much like The Jonas Brothers was pretty wrong. Emblem3 sounds different, stylistically, they're unique. Tate Stevens is the family man with tons of heart and a golden voice. He's been in cruise control for the majority of this competition. Some think the only person who can beat him is Carly Rose. Carly Rose is amazing, when she sings, I don't believe it because she's so young and yet she has so much poise, maturity, and passion when she sings these songs that you have no choice but to believe her. It's Fifth Hamony and Emblem3's competition to win and it's Tate and Carly Rose's competition to lose. I have a feeling that we'll be seeing more than just the winner after this competition is over.
Monday, November 19, 2012
The Voice Season 3: Top 10-- Best episode ever of The Voice?
Something happened tonight when I was watching The Voice. I realized that for the high production value that The X Factor has, they don't possess the talent to go along with it. I think that every act on that show should take lessons from these ten. Somehow, there's a part of me that wishes that every single one of them could be awarded some type of prize for their talent. Each one has something special, and I could not label any performance weak.
Sylvia Yacoub sang Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys-- Cee Lo thought it was a great song choice and loved her increasing confidence. Adam said he was actually pretty blown away. Blake said spot on, and Christina thought she was on fire. This was a great song for Sylvia to sing, it showcased her vocals well.
Terry McDermott sang Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams-- Cee Lo said you're genuinely everything I love about rock n' roll. Adam said, I get mad when I watch you cause I really wanted you on my team and Blake stole you. Blake thanked Terry for choosing him as his coach. I believe that Terry is born to be a rocker. He just lives, bleeds, and sweats rock n' roll.
Melanie Martinez sang Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes-- Blake said he'd love to be able to work with Melanie. Christina and Cee Lo both thought it was cool (Cee Lo: ubber cool). Adam said she dazzled everyone. I like the risk she took singing this, it was so strong, and I liked the phraseology.
Cody Belew sang Crazy in Love by Beyonce-- Adam said you're cocky and awesome in the best way. Christina said he worked it like a true diva, and Cee Lo said Cody brings him so much joy. Cody is just a pleasure to watch because he was born to have an audience, born to be on stage, and to feel comfortable doing it all. Not the strongest vocally, but his performance skills compensate.
Bryan Keith sang New York State of Mind by Billy Joel-- Blake felt that Bryan's attitude was like Michael Buble and that he is becoming a big fan. Christina felt the song was a perfect fit. Cee Lo said he has a man's voice, and Adam felt he made the song his own. Bryan felt every lyric and every note. This performance was so sincere and not only did he connect with the song, he made me connect with the song.
Amanda Brown sang Stars by Grace Potter-- Blake said I didn't know that song but that performance is how I wanted to be introduced to it. Christina praised how emotional it was. Cee Lo said you impressed me again, I'll always feel like I discovered you, but I could never be selfish with a voice like yours. Adam felt happy that Blake said what he said. Amanda is definitely back in this, her vocals and her emotion drew me in to the point that I was in another place when I was listening to her.
Nicholas David sang Lean on Me by Bill Withers-- Adam said bravo my friend. Blake said this might be the best episode of The Voice that we've ever had. Watching you tonight was like watching a legend. Christina said that was so good for my soul, genius song choice Cee Lo, home run. Cee Lo said I heard the voice of a generation, an immaculate impassioned performance. I felt like a child in the presence of my maker. Nicholas just surprises me every week because initially I didn't even like him. He has grown on me because he is just so sincere and committed to everything he does.
Trevin Hunte sang Scream by Usher-- Adam said, Trevin, you can sing the dictionary. Cee Lo said, I will ride and die with you Trevin, you're risk paid off. I enjoyed getting to see Trevin have fun and act like an 18 year old. His talent remains.
Cassadee Pope sang Over You by Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton-- Christina said she felt the sincerity. Cee Lo said your voice was so flawless tonight. Adam said this style suited you, it felt really good. Blake said that Cassadee looks like a true artist. I have to agree with Adam and Christina; this performance was beautiful on Cassadee.
Dez Duron sang Feelin' Good by Nina Simone/ Michael Buble-- Cee Lo said he loved it, wonderful rendition, I'm impressed. Blake said, we all know you're a star, congratulations on figuring out where you fit musically. Christina said, you dug deep. I was floored when I heard Dez sing, I just didn't think he had all that. He totally put that performance away in the first phrase of the song. This was so powerful.
Who do you think is most vulnerable for eliminations? Who is a shoe in for the elite eight? Leave your opinions in the comments.
Sylvia Yacoub sang Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys-- Cee Lo thought it was a great song choice and loved her increasing confidence. Adam said he was actually pretty blown away. Blake said spot on, and Christina thought she was on fire. This was a great song for Sylvia to sing, it showcased her vocals well.
Terry McDermott sang Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams-- Cee Lo said you're genuinely everything I love about rock n' roll. Adam said, I get mad when I watch you cause I really wanted you on my team and Blake stole you. Blake thanked Terry for choosing him as his coach. I believe that Terry is born to be a rocker. He just lives, bleeds, and sweats rock n' roll.
Melanie Martinez sang Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes-- Blake said he'd love to be able to work with Melanie. Christina and Cee Lo both thought it was cool (Cee Lo: ubber cool). Adam said she dazzled everyone. I like the risk she took singing this, it was so strong, and I liked the phraseology.
Cody Belew sang Crazy in Love by Beyonce-- Adam said you're cocky and awesome in the best way. Christina said he worked it like a true diva, and Cee Lo said Cody brings him so much joy. Cody is just a pleasure to watch because he was born to have an audience, born to be on stage, and to feel comfortable doing it all. Not the strongest vocally, but his performance skills compensate.
Bryan Keith sang New York State of Mind by Billy Joel-- Blake felt that Bryan's attitude was like Michael Buble and that he is becoming a big fan. Christina felt the song was a perfect fit. Cee Lo said he has a man's voice, and Adam felt he made the song his own. Bryan felt every lyric and every note. This performance was so sincere and not only did he connect with the song, he made me connect with the song.
Amanda Brown sang Stars by Grace Potter-- Blake said I didn't know that song but that performance is how I wanted to be introduced to it. Christina praised how emotional it was. Cee Lo said you impressed me again, I'll always feel like I discovered you, but I could never be selfish with a voice like yours. Adam felt happy that Blake said what he said. Amanda is definitely back in this, her vocals and her emotion drew me in to the point that I was in another place when I was listening to her.
Nicholas David sang Lean on Me by Bill Withers-- Adam said bravo my friend. Blake said this might be the best episode of The Voice that we've ever had. Watching you tonight was like watching a legend. Christina said that was so good for my soul, genius song choice Cee Lo, home run. Cee Lo said I heard the voice of a generation, an immaculate impassioned performance. I felt like a child in the presence of my maker. Nicholas just surprises me every week because initially I didn't even like him. He has grown on me because he is just so sincere and committed to everything he does.
Trevin Hunte sang Scream by Usher-- Adam said, Trevin, you can sing the dictionary. Cee Lo said, I will ride and die with you Trevin, you're risk paid off. I enjoyed getting to see Trevin have fun and act like an 18 year old. His talent remains.
Cassadee Pope sang Over You by Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton-- Christina said she felt the sincerity. Cee Lo said your voice was so flawless tonight. Adam said this style suited you, it felt really good. Blake said that Cassadee looks like a true artist. I have to agree with Adam and Christina; this performance was beautiful on Cassadee.
Dez Duron sang Feelin' Good by Nina Simone/ Michael Buble-- Cee Lo said he loved it, wonderful rendition, I'm impressed. Blake said, we all know you're a star, congratulations on figuring out where you fit musically. Christina said, you dug deep. I was floored when I heard Dez sing, I just didn't think he had all that. He totally put that performance away in the first phrase of the song. This was so powerful.
Who do you think is most vulnerable for eliminations? Who is a shoe in for the elite eight? Leave your opinions in the comments.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Reality Round Up-- Dancing With the Stars All Stars and The Voice Edition
For many viewers of Dancing With The Stars, week eight was one they had been waiting for, Kirstie and Maks were voted off. It wasn't that we didn't enjoy them, I know I did. They provided entertainment, comic relief, and a whole lot of chemistry. The other couple to be voted off during this double elimination week was Gilles and Peta much to the chagrin of female fans everywhere. For the past six weeks Gilles was near or at the top of the leader board, he lit up the ballroom every time he took the stage, but for the past two weeks Gilles seemed overconfident, with every reason to be, yet he also seemed uninspired when he danced.
Think about the remaining couples in the competition-- Melissa and Tony, Shawn and Derek, Kelly and Val, Emmitt and Cheryl, and Apolo and Karina. They dance every week like they're dancing for their lives, dancing for the last time, and dancing with enough passion and fire to burn the floor. The two couples that were eliminated perhaps possessed that at one time or another during this competition, especially in the case of Gilles and Peta, but somewhere along the way, the fire went out.
Please come back later in the week when I will recap my favorite performances!
This week the Top 12 (3 members from each team) performed to secure their spot in the Top 10.
So at the end of this week of performances the two eliminated contestants were Michaela Paige from Team Blake who sang Blow Me (One Last Kiss) by Pink! and Adriana Louise from Team Christina who sang Good Girl by Carrie Underwood.
Michaela was a little bit of a surprise to me, I expected her to advance over Melanie Martinez from Team Adam. Michaela to me is a better vocalist with just a little bit more appeal I think.
I wanted to mention some of my favorite performances this week:
Amanda Brown from Team Adam was edgy and when does she not take a vocal risk? She does it every single week, singing something that the audience assumes is totally outside of her comfort zone. Then something happens, she opens her mouth, starts singing, and all of sudden you're not just mesmerized, but convinced that this woman can sing and conquer any song. This week was no exception, her performance of Spectrum by Florence and the Machine was like perfectly executed vocal acrobatics, her vocals absolutely took off and soared in spots.
Bryan Keith from Team Adam absolutely had a moment this week that I just didn't expect him to have. He sang Amy Winehouse's Back to Black like a modern day Sinatra; the crooner style works well for him because he has such a cool sound to his voice. There was a new found rasp in his voice and there was an ease with the way he phrased things within the song. He's the most consistent person on Adam's Team right now, so I am going back to Bryan.
There's something about eighteen year old Trevin Hunte from Team Cee Lo that I just never tire of. This week it was his effortlessness on the vocal on When a Man Loves a Woman. I loved Adam's comments saying that Trevin's voice is a gift from God and it would be a travesty if he weren't here. Cee Lo was humbled by his voice and called Trevin an angel of some sort. The sound is heavenly and Trevin is always trying to get better, you can evidently see the effort he puts into every performance.
It could have been really cheesy (i.e. Cody Belew and Sylvia Yacoub's performances this week) but Nicholas David's rendition of Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News was so cool. Nicholas is so unique, but it's not weird, it's so sincere and genuine. This is really who he is.
My final favorite performance is this Top 12 was Terry McDermott's performance of More Than a Feeling by Journey. I've been wondering how is it possible for someone to lead a competition and be a favorite for so long? I've figured out that you just have to be Terry McDermott and have an amazingly authentic rock voice. The judges are so blown away that they have trouble making comments. Cee Lo: damn good! Impressive. Adam: Do you realize how good Terry is? Holy crap, that was so good!
Think about the remaining couples in the competition-- Melissa and Tony, Shawn and Derek, Kelly and Val, Emmitt and Cheryl, and Apolo and Karina. They dance every week like they're dancing for their lives, dancing for the last time, and dancing with enough passion and fire to burn the floor. The two couples that were eliminated perhaps possessed that at one time or another during this competition, especially in the case of Gilles and Peta, but somewhere along the way, the fire went out.
Please come back later in the week when I will recap my favorite performances!
This week the Top 12 (3 members from each team) performed to secure their spot in the Top 10.
So at the end of this week of performances the two eliminated contestants were Michaela Paige from Team Blake who sang Blow Me (One Last Kiss) by Pink! and Adriana Louise from Team Christina who sang Good Girl by Carrie Underwood.
Michaela was a little bit of a surprise to me, I expected her to advance over Melanie Martinez from Team Adam. Michaela to me is a better vocalist with just a little bit more appeal I think.
I wanted to mention some of my favorite performances this week:
Amanda Brown from Team Adam was edgy and when does she not take a vocal risk? She does it every single week, singing something that the audience assumes is totally outside of her comfort zone. Then something happens, she opens her mouth, starts singing, and all of sudden you're not just mesmerized, but convinced that this woman can sing and conquer any song. This week was no exception, her performance of Spectrum by Florence and the Machine was like perfectly executed vocal acrobatics, her vocals absolutely took off and soared in spots.
Bryan Keith from Team Adam absolutely had a moment this week that I just didn't expect him to have. He sang Amy Winehouse's Back to Black like a modern day Sinatra; the crooner style works well for him because he has such a cool sound to his voice. There was a new found rasp in his voice and there was an ease with the way he phrased things within the song. He's the most consistent person on Adam's Team right now, so I am going back to Bryan.
There's something about eighteen year old Trevin Hunte from Team Cee Lo that I just never tire of. This week it was his effortlessness on the vocal on When a Man Loves a Woman. I loved Adam's comments saying that Trevin's voice is a gift from God and it would be a travesty if he weren't here. Cee Lo was humbled by his voice and called Trevin an angel of some sort. The sound is heavenly and Trevin is always trying to get better, you can evidently see the effort he puts into every performance.
It could have been really cheesy (i.e. Cody Belew and Sylvia Yacoub's performances this week) but Nicholas David's rendition of Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News was so cool. Nicholas is so unique, but it's not weird, it's so sincere and genuine. This is really who he is.
My final favorite performance is this Top 12 was Terry McDermott's performance of More Than a Feeling by Journey. I've been wondering how is it possible for someone to lead a competition and be a favorite for so long? I've figured out that you just have to be Terry McDermott and have an amazingly authentic rock voice. The judges are so blown away that they have trouble making comments. Cee Lo: damn good! Impressive. Adam: Do you realize how good Terry is? Holy crap, that was so good!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Voice Season 3: The Live Shows Begin! (Part 1)
Monday began the live shows of Season 3 of The Voice. Team Adam and Team Blake took to the stage and gave it their best shot to prove that they belong in the top 12. If I am doing my math right, that means two artists from each team are going home. I believe the top two vote getters from each team automatically advance and then each coach will pick one of the three remaining contestants on their team to save. So with all that in mind, here's my predictions on the artists going home.
Team Adam:
Joselyn Rivera sang Give Your Heart A Break by Demi Lovato-- I think the passion is there, but I don't think this was the best song or best vocal for her. To me, she will not automatically advance.
Team Blake:
Terry McDermott sang Don't Stop Believing by Queen-- Christina talked about Terry's voice being easy on the ears, that's completely true. Each time that Terry begins to sing, I know it's going to be good. I hear the first note and I want to listen to the next one and the next one. Cee Lo said it was effortless and timeless, and he should automatically advance.
Team Adam:
Melanie Martinez sang Hit The Road Jack by Ray Charles-- Like the coaches commented, I too like that Melanie doesn't look to fit in, but sometimes, her performances are a little bit too weird. I thought what she did was too ambitious and in parts, pitchy. Adam is mesmerized by her, so he might save her, but I don't believe she will automatically advance.
Team Blake:
Liz Davis sang Independence Day by Martina McBride-- Blake felt that Liz did a great job and he obviously feels she is ready to be a country artist if her brought her to this point. I did hear that there were some pitchy points, but overall this was a strong performance. Blake may have to save her if he wants her to move forward.
Team Blake:
Cassadee Pope sang My Happy Ending by Avril Lavigne-- Cassadee was actually pretty fierce; I thought this was a great song choice for her. Cee Lo felt that her verbratto gave her vulnerability. Adam wanted to see more of her identity. Blake disagreed and added that he thinks Cassadee will be around for a while, and she does pop/ rock really well. Dare I say, she may be the other person from Team Blake to advance based on popularity.
Team Adam:
Bryan Keith sang Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls-- Blake thought it was a great performance but told him to watch his lower register. Christina said he owned the performance and told him to keep up his passion. Adam found his performance comforting, and said the crowd loves you, and I love you. I cannot help but agree with Adam, Bryan is a singer who manages to draw me in no matter what he is singing, and he makes me care about it. I think he's a sure thing to automatically advance.
Team Blake:
Michaela Paige sang Everybody Talks by Neon Trees-- Cee Lo called it the best performance of the night. Adam thought the song was perfect for her, and hoped it wasn't Blake's idea cause he hates it when Blake is right, but it was Blake's idea. Blake has a soft spot for Michaela and he may save her.
Team Blake:
Julio Cesar Castillo sang El Rey-- This was without question, a beautiful performance, but will America understand that? Julio was true to himself and gave a passionate performance. Blake said that Julio made him feel without Blake being able to understand the words. I really think that third spot, Blake's save, is going to be a three way fight to finish, between Liz, Michaela, and Julio.
Team Adam:
Loren Allred sang Around the World by Lisa Stanfield-- I think Loren has been the biggest surprise in terms of full out improving every time that she sings. I do not think she will automatically advance, but I think Adam will consider saving her. Cee Lo called her performance jazzy, smooth, and sexy, and Adam thought she did an amazing job.
Team Adam:
Amanda Brown sang Dream On by Aerosmith-- Christina said, get it girl! Adam said that Amanda's performance was the actual best performance of the night. Amanda just shocks me every time, I didn't think this was the right song for her, boy did she prove me wrong. She can sing anything. She's the only sure thing to advance in this competition.
Team Adam, who I think is moving forward:
Bryan Keith, Amanda Brown, and Melanie Martinez
Team Blake, who I think is moving forward:
Terry McDermott, Cassadee Pope, and Michaela Paige
Team Adam:
Joselyn Rivera sang Give Your Heart A Break by Demi Lovato-- I think the passion is there, but I don't think this was the best song or best vocal for her. To me, she will not automatically advance.
Team Blake:
Terry McDermott sang Don't Stop Believing by Queen-- Christina talked about Terry's voice being easy on the ears, that's completely true. Each time that Terry begins to sing, I know it's going to be good. I hear the first note and I want to listen to the next one and the next one. Cee Lo said it was effortless and timeless, and he should automatically advance.
Team Adam:
Melanie Martinez sang Hit The Road Jack by Ray Charles-- Like the coaches commented, I too like that Melanie doesn't look to fit in, but sometimes, her performances are a little bit too weird. I thought what she did was too ambitious and in parts, pitchy. Adam is mesmerized by her, so he might save her, but I don't believe she will automatically advance.
Team Blake:
Liz Davis sang Independence Day by Martina McBride-- Blake felt that Liz did a great job and he obviously feels she is ready to be a country artist if her brought her to this point. I did hear that there were some pitchy points, but overall this was a strong performance. Blake may have to save her if he wants her to move forward.
Team Blake:
Cassadee Pope sang My Happy Ending by Avril Lavigne-- Cassadee was actually pretty fierce; I thought this was a great song choice for her. Cee Lo felt that her verbratto gave her vulnerability. Adam wanted to see more of her identity. Blake disagreed and added that he thinks Cassadee will be around for a while, and she does pop/ rock really well. Dare I say, she may be the other person from Team Blake to advance based on popularity.
Team Adam:
Bryan Keith sang Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls-- Blake thought it was a great performance but told him to watch his lower register. Christina said he owned the performance and told him to keep up his passion. Adam found his performance comforting, and said the crowd loves you, and I love you. I cannot help but agree with Adam, Bryan is a singer who manages to draw me in no matter what he is singing, and he makes me care about it. I think he's a sure thing to automatically advance.
Team Blake:
Michaela Paige sang Everybody Talks by Neon Trees-- Cee Lo called it the best performance of the night. Adam thought the song was perfect for her, and hoped it wasn't Blake's idea cause he hates it when Blake is right, but it was Blake's idea. Blake has a soft spot for Michaela and he may save her.
Team Blake:
Julio Cesar Castillo sang El Rey-- This was without question, a beautiful performance, but will America understand that? Julio was true to himself and gave a passionate performance. Blake said that Julio made him feel without Blake being able to understand the words. I really think that third spot, Blake's save, is going to be a three way fight to finish, between Liz, Michaela, and Julio.
Team Adam:
Loren Allred sang Around the World by Lisa Stanfield-- I think Loren has been the biggest surprise in terms of full out improving every time that she sings. I do not think she will automatically advance, but I think Adam will consider saving her. Cee Lo called her performance jazzy, smooth, and sexy, and Adam thought she did an amazing job.
Team Adam:
Amanda Brown sang Dream On by Aerosmith-- Christina said, get it girl! Adam said that Amanda's performance was the actual best performance of the night. Amanda just shocks me every time, I didn't think this was the right song for her, boy did she prove me wrong. She can sing anything. She's the only sure thing to advance in this competition.
Team Adam, who I think is moving forward:
Bryan Keith, Amanda Brown, and Melanie Martinez
Team Blake, who I think is moving forward:
Terry McDermott, Cassadee Pope, and Michaela Paige
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Voice Season 3: The Knockout Round
This season on The Voice because "the steal" was added, another round was added to the competition overall. The "Knockout Round" is when a mentor chooses two people from his or her own team to go up against each other. The difference from the Battle Round is that they are not singing the same song in a duet of sorts; they are singing a song of their own choosing in a solo performance. The mentor then deliberates, chooses who he or she wants to move on to the live shows and the other contestant is immediately eliminated.
Team Adam:
Joselyn Rivera singing Love on Top by Beyonce vs. Kayla Nevarez singing Shark in the Water by VV Brown-- Kayla sang an unfamiliar song and played it safe with her vocals and Joselyn sang a well known but difficult song and took a risk. My choice is Joselyn.
Knockout goes to: Joselyn Rivera
Joe Kirkland singing Mean by Taylor Swift vs. Bryan Keith singing Everything I Do I Do it For You by Bryan Adams-- Adam talked about Bryan's emotional connection with the audience; it's really unparalleled, there aren't many people who have that this year. Joe made a valiant effort, but this was a no contest, for me, and Adam.
Knockout goes to: Bryan Keith
Amanda Brown singing Paris Ohh La La by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals vs. Michelle Brooks Thompson singing Spotlight by Jennifer Hudson-- Christina called them both singer's singers. Adam questioned who he could be the better coach for and he picked Amanda Brown. To me, Michelle is a great singer, but Amanda has the passion to win this entire competition. I would pick Amanda.
Knockout goes to: Amanda Brown
Loren Allred singing You Know I'm No Good by Amy Winehouse vs. Nicole Nelson singing If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys--Nicole was stronger for sure in my opinion, but all the coaches were saying that Loren had a breakout performance which I don't exactly understand. Christina even went as far as asking Loren, where have you been all my life in this competition? Adam believed either lady could win the competition, noting that Nicole has impressed him since the beginning, whereas, Loren surprised him. I would go with Nicole because she's consistent.
Knockout goes to: Loren Allred
Melanie Martinez singing Bulletproof by La Roux vs. Sam James singing Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn-- The coaches were split on this decision. Blake said he'd probably pick Sam, and Christina liked the haunting sound of Melanie. I like Melanie's sense of individuality, but I would go with Sam. Adam didn't agree.
Knockout goes to: Melanie Martinez
Team Cee Lo:
Avery Wilson singing Yeah (3x's) by Chris Brown vs. Cody Belew singing Jolene by Dolly Parton-- Before I knew what they were singing and before they started singing, Avery Wilson was my favorite to win this knockout all the way. After they sang, I knew Avery had lost his chance. Cee Lo said, ultimately, Cody came out stronger. This was such a wasted opportunity for Avery.
Knockout goes to: Cody Belew
Mackenzie Bourg singing Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen vs. Daniel Rosa singing Back to December by Taylor Swift-- I think Adam was the only one really paying attention during this performance. Adam said it was engaging, magical, and revealing of Daniel's new found confidence. I did like Mackenzie, but I found this to be too forced. I am disappointed and surprised that Daniel didn't win out here.
Knockout goes to: Mackenzie Bourg
Terisa Griffin singing Saving All My Love For You by Whitney Houston vs. Trevin Hunte singing Against All Odds by Phil Collins-- They were both amazing; they're natural talents. Christina said that Trevin's talent is God given (it most certainly is!). Cee Lo called his voice: grace, and said Terisa's rendition of the song was beautiful. Wow, I would've been happy with either one, but Trevin, as Terisa acknowledged, has something special.
Knockout goes to: Trevin Hunte
Mycle Wastman singing Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by George Michael vs. Nicholas David singing Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae-- Mycle's voice is great, but nothing more than ordinary. Nicholas has something special; there wasn't another choice.
Knockout goes to: Nicholas David
Caitlin Michele singing Bring Me to Life by Evanesence vs. Diego Val singing Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz-- I was torn on this knockout because Caitlin picked the perfect song for her voice. Diego's personality sold his performance. The song had lots of attitude.
Knockout goes to: Diego Val
Team Christina:
Devyn DeLoera singing I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston vs. Laura Vivas singing I Need To Know by Marc Anthony-- Well, Laura's performance was a complete and utter mess. Devyn's song may have been ambitious, but at least it was realistic. Ultimately, Christina's connection with Devyn helped her make a choice.
Knockout goes to: Devyn DeLoera
Adriana Louise singing Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson vs. Celica Westbrook singing Never Say Never by Justin Bieber-- Celica has definitely grown in this competition, and her song selection was actually quite smart. Adriana has a mature voice that could make her the best singer on Team Christina.
Knockout goes to: Adriana Louise
Alessandra Guercio singing Take a Bow by Rihanna vs. Dez Duron singing Stuck on You by Lionel Richie-- Adam said that Alessandra has grown since they first saw her. I completely agree with that; she's someone that we could potentially see on Broadway in a few years. Christina felt more comfortable going forward with Dez and chose him instead. This was a decision I was actually pretty torn on. The fact that Alessandra has grown in each round should mean something. I say Dez is going to have a hard time going forward if her doesn't step it up. And I say that because I like him.
Knockout goes to: Dez Duron
Chevonne singing Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol vs. De'Borah singing You Found Me by The Fray-- Both made amazing song selections, and both have stage presence that's unparalleled in this competition, it's really something you cannot buy. What it came down to was the voice, and De'Borah had the stronger one.
Knockout goes to: De'Borah
Sylvia Yacoub singing Fighter by Christina Aguilera vs. Aquile singing Grenade by Bruno Mars-- Anyone who knows anything about music knows that singing a Bruno Mars ballad is ambitious. He has a big voice, and it's full of emotion. Aquile did a solid job, but he didn't kick butt. Sylvia won because Aquile faltered, had he done better this round, he would have had a real shot at winning.
Knockout goes to: Sylvia Yacoub
Team Blake:
Gracia Harrison singing I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith vs. Liz Davis singing Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert-- I've liked both of these country ladies since their blind auditions, but clearly Liz has several things going for her: maturity, she knows who she is as an artist, and her voice was a little bit stronger. I wholeheartedly agree with Blake moving forward with Liz.
Knockout goes to: Liz Davis
Rudy Parris singing Forever by Chris Brown vs. Terry McDermott singing Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney-- Rudy actually surprised me because he showed up to play, his version of Chris Brown's Forever was impressive. Terry is just incredible though; there's no denying that he's the real deal. Terry would have had to self destruct to lose this battle.
Knockout goes to: Terry McDermott
Collin McLoughlin singing Break Even by The Script vs. Michaela Paige singing Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar-- Blake felt there was good and bad in both performances which I do agree with. No one really impressed me or did anything impressive. Michaela sounded manic though singing Battlefield which is one of my favorite songs of all time. The coaches were split down the middle in their thoughts as was I. Blake felt there was something special about Michaela and seemed to choose her on intuition.
Knockout goes to: Michaela Paige
Julio Castillo singing Somebody to Love by Justin Bieber vs. MarissaAnn singing Lady Marmalade by Patti LaBelle-- Julio can really blow but he seemed disengaged throughout the performance. It's like he was using his voice but he had no stage presence. MarissaAnn was extremely engaged, but somehow this song did nothing for me. Blake felt that MarissaAnn didn't do enough to sway him, and he had already put in so much time with Julio that he had to go with him.
Knockout goes to: Julio Castillo
Cassadee Pope singing Payphone by Adam Levine vs. Suzanna Coffel singing Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley-- Cassadee has a great rock voice, maybe not the right song for her, but a strong performance nonetheless. Suzanna's performance was just too laid back to be considered.
Knockout goes to: Cassadee Pope
Team Adam:
Joselyn Rivera singing Love on Top by Beyonce vs. Kayla Nevarez singing Shark in the Water by VV Brown-- Kayla sang an unfamiliar song and played it safe with her vocals and Joselyn sang a well known but difficult song and took a risk. My choice is Joselyn.
Knockout goes to: Joselyn Rivera
Joe Kirkland singing Mean by Taylor Swift vs. Bryan Keith singing Everything I Do I Do it For You by Bryan Adams-- Adam talked about Bryan's emotional connection with the audience; it's really unparalleled, there aren't many people who have that this year. Joe made a valiant effort, but this was a no contest, for me, and Adam.
Knockout goes to: Bryan Keith
Amanda Brown singing Paris Ohh La La by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals vs. Michelle Brooks Thompson singing Spotlight by Jennifer Hudson-- Christina called them both singer's singers. Adam questioned who he could be the better coach for and he picked Amanda Brown. To me, Michelle is a great singer, but Amanda has the passion to win this entire competition. I would pick Amanda.
Knockout goes to: Amanda Brown
Loren Allred singing You Know I'm No Good by Amy Winehouse vs. Nicole Nelson singing If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys--Nicole was stronger for sure in my opinion, but all the coaches were saying that Loren had a breakout performance which I don't exactly understand. Christina even went as far as asking Loren, where have you been all my life in this competition? Adam believed either lady could win the competition, noting that Nicole has impressed him since the beginning, whereas, Loren surprised him. I would go with Nicole because she's consistent.
Knockout goes to: Loren Allred
Melanie Martinez singing Bulletproof by La Roux vs. Sam James singing Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn-- The coaches were split on this decision. Blake said he'd probably pick Sam, and Christina liked the haunting sound of Melanie. I like Melanie's sense of individuality, but I would go with Sam. Adam didn't agree.
Knockout goes to: Melanie Martinez
Team Cee Lo:
Avery Wilson singing Yeah (3x's) by Chris Brown vs. Cody Belew singing Jolene by Dolly Parton-- Before I knew what they were singing and before they started singing, Avery Wilson was my favorite to win this knockout all the way. After they sang, I knew Avery had lost his chance. Cee Lo said, ultimately, Cody came out stronger. This was such a wasted opportunity for Avery.
Knockout goes to: Cody Belew
Mackenzie Bourg singing Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen vs. Daniel Rosa singing Back to December by Taylor Swift-- I think Adam was the only one really paying attention during this performance. Adam said it was engaging, magical, and revealing of Daniel's new found confidence. I did like Mackenzie, but I found this to be too forced. I am disappointed and surprised that Daniel didn't win out here.
Knockout goes to: Mackenzie Bourg
Terisa Griffin singing Saving All My Love For You by Whitney Houston vs. Trevin Hunte singing Against All Odds by Phil Collins-- They were both amazing; they're natural talents. Christina said that Trevin's talent is God given (it most certainly is!). Cee Lo called his voice: grace, and said Terisa's rendition of the song was beautiful. Wow, I would've been happy with either one, but Trevin, as Terisa acknowledged, has something special.
Knockout goes to: Trevin Hunte
Mycle Wastman singing Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by George Michael vs. Nicholas David singing Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae-- Mycle's voice is great, but nothing more than ordinary. Nicholas has something special; there wasn't another choice.
Knockout goes to: Nicholas David
Caitlin Michele singing Bring Me to Life by Evanesence vs. Diego Val singing Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz-- I was torn on this knockout because Caitlin picked the perfect song for her voice. Diego's personality sold his performance. The song had lots of attitude.
Knockout goes to: Diego Val
Team Christina:
Devyn DeLoera singing I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston vs. Laura Vivas singing I Need To Know by Marc Anthony-- Well, Laura's performance was a complete and utter mess. Devyn's song may have been ambitious, but at least it was realistic. Ultimately, Christina's connection with Devyn helped her make a choice.
Knockout goes to: Devyn DeLoera
Adriana Louise singing Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson vs. Celica Westbrook singing Never Say Never by Justin Bieber-- Celica has definitely grown in this competition, and her song selection was actually quite smart. Adriana has a mature voice that could make her the best singer on Team Christina.
Knockout goes to: Adriana Louise
Alessandra Guercio singing Take a Bow by Rihanna vs. Dez Duron singing Stuck on You by Lionel Richie-- Adam said that Alessandra has grown since they first saw her. I completely agree with that; she's someone that we could potentially see on Broadway in a few years. Christina felt more comfortable going forward with Dez and chose him instead. This was a decision I was actually pretty torn on. The fact that Alessandra has grown in each round should mean something. I say Dez is going to have a hard time going forward if her doesn't step it up. And I say that because I like him.
Knockout goes to: Dez Duron
Chevonne singing Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol vs. De'Borah singing You Found Me by The Fray-- Both made amazing song selections, and both have stage presence that's unparalleled in this competition, it's really something you cannot buy. What it came down to was the voice, and De'Borah had the stronger one.
Knockout goes to: De'Borah
Sylvia Yacoub singing Fighter by Christina Aguilera vs. Aquile singing Grenade by Bruno Mars-- Anyone who knows anything about music knows that singing a Bruno Mars ballad is ambitious. He has a big voice, and it's full of emotion. Aquile did a solid job, but he didn't kick butt. Sylvia won because Aquile faltered, had he done better this round, he would have had a real shot at winning.
Knockout goes to: Sylvia Yacoub
Team Blake:
Gracia Harrison singing I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith vs. Liz Davis singing Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert-- I've liked both of these country ladies since their blind auditions, but clearly Liz has several things going for her: maturity, she knows who she is as an artist, and her voice was a little bit stronger. I wholeheartedly agree with Blake moving forward with Liz.
Knockout goes to: Liz Davis
Rudy Parris singing Forever by Chris Brown vs. Terry McDermott singing Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney-- Rudy actually surprised me because he showed up to play, his version of Chris Brown's Forever was impressive. Terry is just incredible though; there's no denying that he's the real deal. Terry would have had to self destruct to lose this battle.
Knockout goes to: Terry McDermott
Collin McLoughlin singing Break Even by The Script vs. Michaela Paige singing Love is a Battlefield by Pat Benatar-- Blake felt there was good and bad in both performances which I do agree with. No one really impressed me or did anything impressive. Michaela sounded manic though singing Battlefield which is one of my favorite songs of all time. The coaches were split down the middle in their thoughts as was I. Blake felt there was something special about Michaela and seemed to choose her on intuition.
Knockout goes to: Michaela Paige
Julio Castillo singing Somebody to Love by Justin Bieber vs. MarissaAnn singing Lady Marmalade by Patti LaBelle-- Julio can really blow but he seemed disengaged throughout the performance. It's like he was using his voice but he had no stage presence. MarissaAnn was extremely engaged, but somehow this song did nothing for me. Blake felt that MarissaAnn didn't do enough to sway him, and he had already put in so much time with Julio that he had to go with him.
Knockout goes to: Julio Castillo
Cassadee Pope singing Payphone by Adam Levine vs. Suzanna Coffel singing Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley-- Cassadee has a great rock voice, maybe not the right song for her, but a strong performance nonetheless. Suzanna's performance was just too laid back to be considered.
Knockout goes to: Cassadee Pope
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
The Voice Season 3: The Battle Rounds Begin with an Awesome New Twist
First impressions from the battle rounds of season three: ridiculously impressive. There were contestants that had skills that I did not know they had. Those who I did know had skills rose to the occasion. Truthfully, there were not that many people who deserved to go home or were easy to say goodbye to.
The steal was also introduced. I think this is a great new nuance to the game that's been added. Each judge can get up to two steals. How can a steal happen you ask? When a judge eliminates a contestant in the battle round, that contestant is available to be stolen by the three remaining judges. If more than one judge elects to steal, the contestant can choose which team they want to be on.
Team Blake had the first battle and Blake enlisted the help of Michael Buble to help him with his team.
The first battle was between Scottish rocker Terry McDermott and Country man Casey Muessigmann. The song chosen was Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas-- Although Casey did step up, he sounded better than his blind audition; Terry came out with tons of confidence. The judges were thoroughly impressed by both men, but ultimately this battle went to Terry and I couldn't agree more. Blake said, the thing about you Terry is that you just know who you are as an artist.
Battle goes to: Terry McDermott
Battle two was between soulful Bryan Keith and College drop-out with tons of talent Collin McLoughlin from Team Adam who chose the song Santeria by Sublime and asked Mary J. Blige to sit in-- First thing is first, I did not thing this song did either one of these young men justice. This was an off song choice by Adam, I like the song, and I like Sublime, but this wasn't the right sound for either one of them. These two could not be more different from one another; Collin came out with tons of energy and eagerness, Bryan was more relaxed and more confident. Adam ended up choosing Bryan, but Collin received two steals from Cee Lo and Blake and chose to join Team Blake.
Battle goes to: Bryan Keith
Collin McLoughlin stolen by Blake
Cee Lo's Team had battle three between Peruvian rocker Diego Val and Youtube sensation JR Aquino. Cee Lo chose a great rock song in Jesse's Girl by Rick Springfield and had Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas to advise the contestants; this song highlighted both singers in a great way-- Cee Lo chose Diego, and I was one of those people who initially doubted Diego; I didn't even think he would know the words. He showed so much potential though, and JR who was labeled as strong came across as boring in this performance.
Battle goes to: Diego Val
Christina Aguilera's team had the expertise of Billy Jo Armstrong from Green Day to help them with their battle. The first battle of Team X-Tina was between African refugee Nelly's Echo and former church singer and misfit De'Borah-- At first I thought Christina's song choice of Message in a Bottle by Sting was a little bit off, but when I heard what both of these artists brought to the song in terms of interpreting it in their own style, I was impressed. I actually liked the sound that Nelly's Echo brought to the song, but De'borah took it to another level with her style. I will say I am surprised that once De'borah was chosen by Christina that Nelly's Echo was not picked up by another judge because I do believe there was potential there. All the judges felt though that De'borah was the clear winner, and I must agree.
Battle goes to: De'borah
Blake had an all country battle with mother/ daughter duo 2 Steel Girls and yodeler Gracia Harrison. It's something that hadn't been done on The Voice before and I loved it because both artists came out strong and ready, especially being that the song choice was Sin Wagon by The Dixie Chicks-- Christina said it was entertaining and it definitely was! Both sides battled and battled well, but Gracia brought this sexy level of confidence that was unmatched by the mother/ daughter duo, and as a result Blake said goodbye to 2 Steel Girls. Gracia is someone that I think has a serious untapped talent, and I hope Blake is able to take her to the country charts because her voice is like a lost piece of art.
Battle goes to: Gracia Harrison
The final battle of the show was a battle for all ages and featured two amazing soul singers from New York from Team Cee Lo. It was between sophisticated club singer Amanda Brown and 18 year old phenom Trevin Hunte. They sang Vision of Love by Mariah Carey-- The judges were wondering at the end, just why did Cee Lo pit two amazing singers against one another, and Cee Lo had the same explanation I did. He had no idea how good Amanda Brown was, he underestimated her experience and her voice. Obviously, he saw some potential being that he was the only judge to turn his chair in the blind auditions; he discovered a diamond in the rough. Following the well fought, well matched battle, Adam said the whole thing was just crazy and that whoever did not get chosen by Cee Lo, he was going to try and steal for his team. Blake said Amanda was hot when she walked out onto the stage and remained that way throughout the performance, but by the end, he found himself attracted to Trevin as well, because, he took a woman's song and just performed it amazingly well. Christina said, this battle proved there was just too much talent for one team. Cee Lo said he wanted to continue with Trevin and be there for his journey. All three judges pushed the "steal button" and made their case to Amanda Brown. Amanda said she needed to take a risk, go against the grain, and she decided to choose Adam. I think this will be a good for her, and although I chose Trevin, I will try and steal Amanda for my personal team as well. Both of them are complete stars!
Battle goes to: Trevin Hunte
Amanda Brown stolen by Adam
The steal was also introduced. I think this is a great new nuance to the game that's been added. Each judge can get up to two steals. How can a steal happen you ask? When a judge eliminates a contestant in the battle round, that contestant is available to be stolen by the three remaining judges. If more than one judge elects to steal, the contestant can choose which team they want to be on.
Team Blake had the first battle and Blake enlisted the help of Michael Buble to help him with his team.
The first battle was between Scottish rocker Terry McDermott and Country man Casey Muessigmann. The song chosen was Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas-- Although Casey did step up, he sounded better than his blind audition; Terry came out with tons of confidence. The judges were thoroughly impressed by both men, but ultimately this battle went to Terry and I couldn't agree more. Blake said, the thing about you Terry is that you just know who you are as an artist.
Battle goes to: Terry McDermott
Battle two was between soulful Bryan Keith and College drop-out with tons of talent Collin McLoughlin from Team Adam who chose the song Santeria by Sublime and asked Mary J. Blige to sit in-- First thing is first, I did not thing this song did either one of these young men justice. This was an off song choice by Adam, I like the song, and I like Sublime, but this wasn't the right sound for either one of them. These two could not be more different from one another; Collin came out with tons of energy and eagerness, Bryan was more relaxed and more confident. Adam ended up choosing Bryan, but Collin received two steals from Cee Lo and Blake and chose to join Team Blake.
Battle goes to: Bryan Keith
Collin McLoughlin stolen by Blake
Cee Lo's Team had battle three between Peruvian rocker Diego Val and Youtube sensation JR Aquino. Cee Lo chose a great rock song in Jesse's Girl by Rick Springfield and had Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas to advise the contestants; this song highlighted both singers in a great way-- Cee Lo chose Diego, and I was one of those people who initially doubted Diego; I didn't even think he would know the words. He showed so much potential though, and JR who was labeled as strong came across as boring in this performance.
Battle goes to: Diego Val
Christina Aguilera's team had the expertise of Billy Jo Armstrong from Green Day to help them with their battle. The first battle of Team X-Tina was between African refugee Nelly's Echo and former church singer and misfit De'Borah-- At first I thought Christina's song choice of Message in a Bottle by Sting was a little bit off, but when I heard what both of these artists brought to the song in terms of interpreting it in their own style, I was impressed. I actually liked the sound that Nelly's Echo brought to the song, but De'borah took it to another level with her style. I will say I am surprised that once De'borah was chosen by Christina that Nelly's Echo was not picked up by another judge because I do believe there was potential there. All the judges felt though that De'borah was the clear winner, and I must agree.
Battle goes to: De'borah
Blake had an all country battle with mother/ daughter duo 2 Steel Girls and yodeler Gracia Harrison. It's something that hadn't been done on The Voice before and I loved it because both artists came out strong and ready, especially being that the song choice was Sin Wagon by The Dixie Chicks-- Christina said it was entertaining and it definitely was! Both sides battled and battled well, but Gracia brought this sexy level of confidence that was unmatched by the mother/ daughter duo, and as a result Blake said goodbye to 2 Steel Girls. Gracia is someone that I think has a serious untapped talent, and I hope Blake is able to take her to the country charts because her voice is like a lost piece of art.
Battle goes to: Gracia Harrison
The final battle of the show was a battle for all ages and featured two amazing soul singers from New York from Team Cee Lo. It was between sophisticated club singer Amanda Brown and 18 year old phenom Trevin Hunte. They sang Vision of Love by Mariah Carey-- The judges were wondering at the end, just why did Cee Lo pit two amazing singers against one another, and Cee Lo had the same explanation I did. He had no idea how good Amanda Brown was, he underestimated her experience and her voice. Obviously, he saw some potential being that he was the only judge to turn his chair in the blind auditions; he discovered a diamond in the rough. Following the well fought, well matched battle, Adam said the whole thing was just crazy and that whoever did not get chosen by Cee Lo, he was going to try and steal for his team. Blake said Amanda was hot when she walked out onto the stage and remained that way throughout the performance, but by the end, he found himself attracted to Trevin as well, because, he took a woman's song and just performed it amazingly well. Christina said, this battle proved there was just too much talent for one team. Cee Lo said he wanted to continue with Trevin and be there for his journey. All three judges pushed the "steal button" and made their case to Amanda Brown. Amanda said she needed to take a risk, go against the grain, and she decided to choose Adam. I think this will be a good for her, and although I chose Trevin, I will try and steal Amanda for my personal team as well. Both of them are complete stars!
Battle goes to: Trevin Hunte
Amanda Brown stolen by Adam
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