The Voice: Playoffs Part 3 [Episode 19]

 

The Voice Playoffs – Team Usher

Today I have my 11 year old daughter, Annabeth, watching Team Usher’s playoff night so she’s going to help me with the recap. So sit back and relax and we’ll catch you up on the competition!

 

TJ Wilkins – “Tell Me Something Good”

TJ really knows how to work the stage, which is cool to watch. And he seems to have so much fun during the performance.

• Adam – Thinks TJ is very entertaining which makes him a breath of fresh air.
• Shakira – The crowd loves him and she finds him soulful, she really enjoyed it. She called the high note at the end “the ace under his sleeve” which Adam found very adorable.
• Blake – Solid.
• Usher – Thinks TJ killed it.
• Annabeth – “He was good but he’s no Idina Menzel.”
• My two cents – TJ is really entertaining but I don’t find him to be amazing or anything. But we’ll see.

 

Melissa Jimenez – “Halo”

Shallow moment for me, I don’t like her dress. But I do like her voice. And that’s what this is about.

• Adam – Courageous to do this stripped down version. She did a good job even though it wasn’t flawless.
• Shakira – Tough act to follow, Beyonce, but she did a great job laying it all out there.
• Blake – Solid performance. There was a moment that she didn’t have enough breath to reach a note at one particular part.
• Usher – He hopes she’s ready to be so committed every time she gets on the stage.
• Annabeth – “Pheme (goddess of gossip) would be talking about that for days!”
• My two cents – I actually liked MJ’s version of this song better than the original. I thought she was great.

 

Stevie Jo – “The Thrill is Gone”

I happen to love BB King so I’m not usually a fan of people covering his songs.

• Adam – Thinks Stevie Jo did a great job and it’s all about the emotion.
• Shakira –He stuck with some notes too long but other than that, she thought it was great.
• Blake – I love watching Stevie Jo perform because it’s like he’s always sneaking up on a rabbit. But Blake thinks Stevie Jo is the real deal.
• Usher – Thinks Stevie Jo is courageous and connected well with the song.
• Annabeth – “He was wow!”
• My two cents – Stevie Jo has a great voice but his performance is like ‘rocker sings the blues’. It’s odd. I think I’d do better listening to him sing rather than watching him.

 

Bria Kelly – “Wild Horses”

I can’t tell you how much I love this song. But I have only ever liked covers, not the original. How odd is that!

• Adam – Bria is one of his favorites and he’s happy to see her back to the original Bria that they loved during the blinds.
• Shakira – She loves the unique sound of Bria’s voice.
• Blake – The soft moments are just as golden as Usher’s shoes.
• Usher – She made the song her own and applauded her.
• Annabeth – First off, wow. She was great. And second, I think she might have been better with a different song, something out of her comfort zone, maybe.
• My two cents –I thought she was so fantastic! I loved her taking the guitar her dad gave her on stage. Bria can command attention the way few others do. It’s amazing.

 

Josh Kaufman – “It Will Rain”

Love that he’s singing this song for his wife. Josh just comes across as a really genuine kind of guy.

• Adam – He’s so relieved Josh is still in the competition because he really thinks Josh is great.
• Shakira – The high notes just seem effortless.
• Blake –Says Josh is one of Miranda’s favorites.
• Usher – Incredible job. Thinks Josh’s performance has made his final decision very difficult.
• Annabeth – “I hope he stays.”
• My two cents – Again, I like him. But I don’t get the ‘wow’ vibe from Josh.

 

The Decision:

Who I would choose: Bria, Stevie Jo, TJ

Who I think Usher will choose: TJ, Stevie Jo, Josh

Who Usher chose: Bria! Josh! TJ!

I am really looking forward to the live shows. I think they’re going to be incredible! And I think it’s going to be very difficult to send any of them home. They’re all such great singers. There are no duds in the Top 12. Annabeth gets to watch the Top 12 live next week because she’s on vacation, so I’m sure she’ll add her opinions in as well. See you next week!