The Voice Recap: The Live Shows Top 12

 

I’m not sure what the difference was in the artists’ minds between the Playoff shows and the Live show, but I saw a lot more nerves in the Live Show. Wow. But I was really impressed. There were some seriously powerful performances. I voted. Did you? Two go home during Tuesday night’s results show…..

Bria Kelly – Team Usher – Rolling In The Deep

Bria is a great way to start off a show. She’s a little powerhouse. And if you want to start a show with a bang, Bria’s the one to get the job done! No nerves. No fear. Just fantastic.

Shakira – Shakira loves it when Bria is fierce and shows the world what she’s made of.
Blake – He likes her rock edge.
Adam – He wishes Bria had done the song in a higher key because he loves where the song, itself, goes when it’s in the higher key. But he applauded that she changed it up a bit to make it her own.
Usher – Thinks she killed it.

My two cents – I thought Bria did a wonderful job with the vocals. But I wasn’t crazy with the performance itself. She started the song at the top of the stairs with her guitar. Walked down the stairs. THEN began playing. It distracted me. I kept thinking to myself, when’s she going to start playing. She was half way through the song before she played a note. But I loved the vocals!

 

Delvin Choice – Team Adam – Unchained Melody

Do you see the look on this girl’s face in the picture? How adorable is that? So cute! Like’s Delvin is already a bonafide rock star. Backtracking, I loved hearing Adam sing the song during Delvin’s rehearsal…..Oh wait, I’m supposed to be writing about Delvin, right? Whoops! Got lost in the Adam love.

Shakira – Finds his voice so silky that she was able to lose herself in the song and forget about technique.
Usher – He enjoyed the song and the way Delvin put a big more of a happy sound to it.
Blake – “You sang the crap out of” that song.
Adam – He had the goosebumps moment.

My two cents – Okay, so Delvin did a great job hitting “that note”. You know the one I’m talking about, THE big, high note of the song that everyone waits for. And he sang the song well. But unlike everyone else on the planet, I find Unchained Melody a boring song. And Devin didn’t make it any better for me. But that’s just me.

 

Dani Moz – Team Shakira – Just Give Me A Reason

Okay, we’re back to coving Pink songs. Pink is like a goddess to me so I have a rough time listening to other people sing her songs.

Adam – He and Shakira got into it (politely) a bit because Adam suggested that Dani was a little too powerful through the song and wished there was more dynamic. Shakira said that Dani did build the power throughout the song rather than just being straight power all the way through. Different ears hear different things, apparently.
Usher – Didn’t get to talk.
Blake – Liked that she picked her moment to give the power note.
Shakira – She used all her talking time to praise Dani’s range and her power and the dynamics.

My two cents – Eh.

 

Audra McLaughlin – Team Blake – Angel of the Morning

No nerves on this girl. She got out there and did her thing….and she did it well!

Usher – “That was fantastic!” and “I have to pee if I hold a note that long.” Adam – He loved it; he’s a fan of Audra.
Shakira – Didn’t get to talk.
Blake – He thinks she’s not going to be using her schooling as a medical assistant in her future because she’s such a great country singer.

My two cents – Having grown up with that song and hearing it over and over and over throughout my childhood, I think I can definitively say that Audra was WAY better than the original. She knocked it out of the park!

 

TJ Wilkins – Team Usher – Waiting On The World To Change

TJ looked so dapper on stage. I really wish I liked his performances more because I really like him. He comes across as a great guy and he has a great voice. But I just didn’t like what he did with the song.

Adam – No talking. ☹
Shakira – “You are extraordinary!”
Blake – “I thought you were incredible.”
Usher – A breakthrough moment for TJ
My two cents – I said it all. TJ’s a great singer but I didn’t like that performance.

 

Christina Grimmie – Team Adam – Dark Horse

I think this song really showcased all of Christina’s best features, as if it was just made for her. During rehearsals, Adam coached her through some rough spots in her performance, breathing and control and all that. And she took those suggestions and ran with them!

Shakira – “Give it up for the tiny people!” She’s impressed with Christina’s range.
Usher – Thinks she gave a performance that really shows people what kind of artist she will be in the future. (Mind you, he wasn’t supposed to talk but snuck that comment in after Adam gave his comments.)
Blake – “100% proof that dynamite comes in small packages.”
Adam – He continues to be impressed and amazed with what she’s capable of. He compared it to a VMA performance.

My two cents – She could be such a star. Love her! Oh, and I loved her shoes!!!

 

Sisaundra Lewis – Team Blake – Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Blake cautioned her about going overboard during rehearsal. Thankfully, she took his advice because Sisaundra can go overboard very easily. I actually think it was her most restrained performance to date.

Adam – He appreciated her restraint.
Shakira – No talking for the tiny person.
Usher – “Does it get any better than this?” He compared her to Patti Labelle.
Blake – He wants her to really enjoy what’s happening to her and hopes she’s taking in how much they all love her voice.

My two cents – I think this was, by far, her best performance. I like her when she’s controlled, not over the top.

 

Kristen Merlin – Team Shakira – Stay

Did that happen?! Did that really just happen?! Man that sucked! Kristen’s mike went out about two-thirds of the way through her performance – a beautiful, understated country ballad that she was really killing! And then….silence. Clearly Kristen thought it was her ear piece that failed because she tore that thing out of her ear with force! But no, it was the mike. But never the less, she continued to sing like nothing happened until someone from back stage brought her a new mike. And wow. Impressive. And all four coaches gave her a standing ovation.

Adam – He loved the ice water in her veins by not giving in to the technical difficulties.
Usher – He loved seeing the different side of Kristen, that it was like having an intimate moment with her voice.
Blake – Thinks she sounded incredible.
Shakira – So moving and heartfelt.

My two cents – Kristen has such a lovely voice. I don’t think we’ve seen that enough from her. So I think Shakira was right to pick a ballad for her.

 

Kat Perkins – Team Adam – Magic Man

Apparently Heart is Kat’s favorite band ever. And she certainly did them justice.
Shakira – No talking.
Usher – He believes Kat has what it takes to be on the radio right now.
Blake – Is amazed that she used to be a nanny because she’s just a rock star.
Adam – She’s mindblowing.

My two cents – I loved that she was interacting with the guitarists. She looked like the frontwoman in a band. I totally buy it. And it gave more dimension to the performance.

 

Jake Worthington – Team Blake – Anymore

There were some nerves going on with Jake’s performance at the beginning. And since this is the first time I’ve seen him get nervous so I’m going to chalk it up to a one-time event. He said he got choked up when he saw his Mama in the audience.

Adam –
Shakira – Thinks he may just be the most endearing contestant on the show.
Usher –
Blake – Pitch perfect cowboy.

My two cents – Awwwww! That’s all. Just awwwww!

 

Tess Boyer – Team Shakira – I’ll Be There For You

I admit that it scared me when I heard Tess was doing a Bon Jovi song. But I have to give it to her, it wasn’t bad!

Adam – No talking for Adam. ☹
Usher – “We, as a collective, celebrate you.”
Shakira – She praised Tess’ growth and said she nailed it.
Blake – Thinks Tess is the Team Shakira artist to beat.

My two cents – It’s odd hearing this out of someone other than Jon’s mouth. But Tess held her own for sure.

 

Josh Kauffman – Team Usher – Stay With Me

The corrections Usher gave during rehearsal were more about presence and performance than about the vocals. I’m unfamiliar with this song so to me it was new and different.

Adam – Admits that he’s stupid to have let Josh go from his team. (Hey, audience, stop clapping off beat!)
Shakira – She’s a fan.
Blake – Thinks Josh is the person to beat on Team Usher.
Usher – Thinks Josh completely commanded the entire room. (I agree.)

My two cents – Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Okay, so that’s that. Eliminations on Tuesday nights from now on. Who stays? Who goes? Who killed it tonight? Who buried it? See you tomorrow!