The Voice returned tonight after their huge cut. Last week, the competition eliminated 12 of their contestants – leaving just 12 singers to fight for the title. Tonight, all 12 of the remaining artists got to perform for the coaches and the audience, as they hoped to impress and earn a spot for themselves in next week’s Live Rounds.
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani‘s romance has been the main attraction when it comes to watching The Voice once these two came out as a couple, and although they kept things pretty low-key on their debut live show, it seems like these two coaches are feeling a little more comfortable about showing PDA in front of viewers.
So, the live audience got a treat (not the tv audience though) when Gwen came dancing in then ran directly to Shelton for a big hug. The country singer immediately picked her up and swung her around making the audience make that ‘awwww’ sound showing their approval. Seems that most people in America are glad to see Shelton happy and away from Miranda Lambert, who definitely was quite a wet blanket for him.
So here is a recap of tonight’s performances:
Braiden Sunshine
Team Gwen
“Renegade” by Styx
The first performance of the night was from 15-year-old Braiden Sunshine. During rehearsals, he struggled to embrace his inner rock star and had Gwen trying to coax it out of him.
Braiden once again took the stage with his naturally curly hair completely straightened. Overall, he performed much better than he did last week, which isn’t saying much. I didn’t really like the song choice for him, as it felt somewhat forced at times.
Amy Vachal
Team Adam
“Hotline Bling” by Drake
If you haven’t heard this Drake song enough on the radio, don’t worry The Voice has got you covered. However, Amy does take a jazzy spin on the R&B, rhythmic hit.
Her performance was completely stripped down, with just Amy and her electric guitar for the majority of the song. I actually really liked it, as she was able to showcase her soft, delicate tone. Needless to say, Amy’s version of the song was so different that I wasn’t even mad to hear the song for the millionth time today.
During Amy’s critiques, there was a particularly funny moment, as Blake claims his new girlfriend and fellow mentor Gwen Stefani sang the song to him before (referring to her stint on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon).
Mark Hood
Team Pharrell
“Against All Odds” by Phil Collins
Mark decided he wanted to take on a ballad, so he could show his genuine emotions to the audience. Considering last week he had one of the flashiest, performance-heavy acts, this is a big change for the singer.
He has strong enough vocals to carry out the song; however, I thought his overall performance was mediocre and quite boring. The crowd seemed to disagree, though, as Mark earned himself a huge applause.
Emily Ann Roberts
Team Blake
“Blame It On Your Heart” by Patti Loveless
Last week Emily hit number 2 on the iTunes country chart and has definitely proven she is a strong contender this season. Emily has a unique tone to her voice, which was highlighted in her performance.
She almost looked like a very young Taylor Swift on stage. The only real critique I have for her is that she could improve her stage presence a bit.
Korin Bukowski
Team Gwen
“Titanium” by Sia
While it may not be an Adele song, “Titanium” is about the next hardest thing for a singer to successfully cover. However, quirky Korin evidently identifies with the lyrics and decides to take it on. In addition to coaching her singing, Gwen employs her glam squad to give Korin a platinum blond do.
Overall, Korin does well with the powerful song. She was able to reach all of the high notes and do various runs. Personally, I don’t find her voice to be very original; therefore I have a hard time believing she will make it all the way.
Barrett Baber
Team Blake
“Right Here Waiting” by Richard Marx
Blake and Barrett decided to strip away all of the visuals and opt for a song that would allow Barrett’s vocals to speak for themselves.
He sounded good and seemed to embrace the emotions behind the lyrics, but his voice just doesn’t stand out to me, and I don’t think he has that particular “it” factor needed to win.
Madi Davis
Team Pharrell
“Who Will Save Your Soul” by Jewel
Madi has one of the – if not, the best voices in the competition. She decided to play around with the classic song and infused a reggae vibe into it.
The young artist has that “it” factor that many contestants seem to lack this season. Her performance was fun, dynamic while still being complex enough to show her abilities and range.
Jeffrey Austin
Team Gwen
“Let It Go” by James Bay
Soul and pop singer Jeffrey Austin decided to take on the song “Let It Go,” which was literally a match made in heaven for his voice. To be honest, I didn’t realize how unique his voice was until I heard him rehearsing the song with Gwen.
He definitely had the most dynamic performance of the night. He has such a strong voice, but also knows how to evoke a more delicate quality as well. Jeffrey definitely won me over this time around!
Additionally, Gwen unleashed her glam squad on Jeffrey, as he donned vibrant red hair during his performance.
Shelby Brown
Team Adam
“In Color” by Jamey Johnson
Shelby, who is the only country artist not on Team Blake, struggled with her confidence during her rehearsals. Unfortunately, she had a hard time controlling her overwhelming emotions but tries to push on for her performance.
Fortunately, Shelby was able to rid her nerves and did awesome during her performance. Although not necessarily the most unique, Shelby’s voice is one of the strongest in the whole competition.
Evan McKeel
Team Pharrell
“This Is It” by Michael Jackson
Evan revealed that he was feeling insecure last week, and it seemed to play out in terms of his stage performance. Thus, this week he pledged to his coach that he was going to bring a more confident, authentic persona.
Although he embraced the whole stage, it still felt awkward to me. In addition, his vocals sounded quite scattered at times. I don’t think it was the right song choice for him, unfortunately.
Jordan Smith
Team Adam
“Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Selah
Jordan decided to show off his raw and vulnerable side, by performing a classic gospel hymn.
Once again, Jordan demonstrated his range and accuracy. Personally, I found his performance a bit boring, but he still proved he has one of the best voices in the competition. Nonetheless, he got a standing ovation from the audience and all four coaches.
Afterwards, the coaches commended his performance, claiming it felt like a gift that the world so desperately needed after the recent tragedies.
Zach Seabaugh
Team Blake
“My Love” by Little Texas
Zach surprised audiences with his Elvis-like dance moves last week, so this week Blake and him decided to slow things down. Blake says he hopes it will show Zach’s “romantic side.” While Zach claims he wants to “touch the hearts of America.”
Unfortunately, it was his high energy and dance moves that made him stand out last week – not his vocals. Thus, relying mainly on his vocals this week, his performance fell flat and didn’t have the special quality it had previously.
Next:
Tomorrow, the Top 12 artists face the next round of eliminations. In addition, coach Adam Levine performs with R. City. You can catch The Voice tomorrow November 17, at 8 on NBC.