By Erica
I have often wished for access to the NBC East Coast feed during The Voice live performances, but this season, I’ve wished I had access to it for the entire show. Especially when Tamara tweets to me about a particular performance, and I have to wait three hours to see if she is wrong or not.
I don’t usually purple pen my own writer, but I just have to for this episode. I am LOVING this episode an could not wait for Erica’s recap. She was in the middle of a huge storm and I had to pray to the Virgin de Gualupe twice. I am not exaggerating. I PRAYED TWICE and lit my candle. And it worked. I love you Valentina!
The streak continues, because if she’s wrong, I don’t want to be right. Half hour in, I had to go get a fleece blanket because I have an overabundance of goosebumps! I’m also foregoing the alcohol so I don’t miss a note. They are killing me this week as we have a two hour episode tonight, an hour on Tuesday, and a FINAL hour on Wednesday. It’s intense, but I was glad to find out that Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s are only an hour. Sometimes the 2 hour episodes make me antsy. I do love that they tossed in a very lighthearted moment. If you ever wondered what the coaches do in the downtimes between performances? Apparently at least Adam grabs a microphone and sings things like “Bust a Move” with Miley and Jennifer spontaneously singing backup. Blake just grabbed his phone and recorded it. I MUST BE IN THAT AUDIENCE SOMEDAY.
If you’ve only been reading the recap so far, now is a GREAT time to catch up and join us for the live performances starting next week!
If you have only been reading the recap, you are likely a sociopath who does not like Jesus.
Each coach is starting out with a team of six. Those of you who are better at math than I am might be thinking, but wait, Erica, each coach kept four artists and had a steal. Isn’t that five? I CAN’T BELIEVE I FORGOT ABOUT THE COMEBACK ARTISTS. They are also having all the artists in a particular team perform one right after the other, rather than mixing it all up. Tonight we get the pleasure of Team Jennifer and Team Blake, and the eliminations happen tonight. No steals, no comebacks and they have to cut the team in half.
Are we all mentally retarded or is this the first time the comeback person was actually back in the game? I think before they just got to participate in the end?
TEAM JENNIFER
Davon Fleming “I’m Changing” from Dreamgirls
Hannah Mrozak “Learn To Let Go” by Kesha
Lucas Holliday “The Beautiful Ones” by Prince & The Revolution (Comeback artist)
Shi’Ann Jones “Tattooed Heart” by Ariana Grande
Chris Weaver “California Soul” by Marlena Shaw
Noah Mac “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins (Stolen in the Battles)
In my head I might have waffled between really liking Jennifer Hudson being on the show and not being sure about her being on the show. It doesn’t really matter, because Her. Team. Is. FANTASTIC. They didn’t leave just their hearts on that stage, but their guts, sweat, blood, and first, yet to be conceived children. At their eliminations, it is no wonder that Jennifer needed a Kleenex and a deep breath so she didn’t go into the ugly cry. I might go into the ugly cry. I am devastated that two of my favorites went home tonight. Folks, I’m sad to announce that there is no more Chris Weaver. It is bittersweet that we got to hear Lucas perform one more time, and a Prince song was perfect for this quite doesn’t fit but yet you love him artist. I’m worried that he will give up and go back to the Dollar Store clerking job. I’m not surprised Hannah wasn’t picked. She was good, but the others just were better.
Lucas Holliday leaving after that Prince performance as the worst thing to ever happen. I nee more Lucas! Turn this on full screen and tell me I am wrong, Shi’Ann is not going to win this shit, I’m sorry. She will be out at the next opportunity.
As for the three moving on, I can’t be mad. I’ve not been a Shi’Ann fan, but she’s a 4 chair turn AND I even enjoyed her performance tonight. Davon, the first performance of the night, gave me the usual head to toe goosebumps. He was so good, ADAM came up to him afterward to tell him again he did great. ADAM ISN’T HIS COACH. Where Davon gave goosebumps, Noah made my jaw drop. He was a total surprise. It takes some serious balls to walk in and tell your coach that you already have your own arrangement of the song. This song is so distinctively Phil Collins (and always makes me want to watch Miami Vice). Noah OWNED it. The kid has talent, and certainly has made me take notice of him now.
Noah could win be cause he has that panty dropping thing. I mean you know when he is legal. Is he legal? Even if he doesn’t win he will be a famous actor.
TEAM BLAKE
Red Marlow “Chiseled in Stone” by Vern Gosdin
Chloe Kohanski “Time after Time” by Cyndi Lauper
Natalie Stovall “Callin’ Baton Rouge” by Garth Brooks
Esera Tuaolo “How Do I Live” by LeeAnn Rimes
Mitchell Lee “Heaven” by Bryan Adams
Keisha Renee “Love Can Build a Bridge” by the Judds
I don’t think Blake’s decision making this round was as tough as Jennifer’s. Don’t count Blake out yet. You only need one artist to capture the viewer’s interest and heart, and he has LEGIONS of country fans who are tied into him via social media. I was surprised that Esera Tuaolo and Mitchell Lee didn’t rise to the occasion, especially Esera. I’m not sure it was the best song choice, or perhaps a lower key. He was a little pitchy, and he can’t afford to be at this stage. Mitchell was ok, but he didn’t make me take notice and I LOVE Bryan Adams. He didn’t even make me hate it. I was indifferent, and I think that is the kiss of death. I was surprised to see Natalie Stovall though, and she gave one of my favorite performances of the night. He grabbed her back from the Playoffs, weeks ago! He made sure she performed with her fiddle, and that bow was smokin’! I could see the horse hairs flying. Embarrassing to admit, but I clapped afterward. She was clearly having fun up there. If the any of the three had made one little flub, she would be moving on.
The fiddle chick was stupid.
Red Marlow was still solidly in his classic country wheelhouse. I didn’t recognize the song, but it was a tear jerker type that makes you want to grab the whiskey. Smart choice as Blake can appeal to his own fan base for votes. I love that when he comes on, Miley’s accent gets thicker. Keisha did VERY well on a classic Judds song that EVERYONE knows. Her performance is especially impressive when you compare it to the original, which is a DUET. (I think it is harder for someone to sing a song meant to be a duet as a soloist). As much as I love Red, in terms of Team Blake I think I am Chloe Kohanski all the way. HOT DAMN. Last week, Landslide, and now Time after Time. Chloe BRILLIANTLY kept close to the original arrangement. You might think it is odd to say that is brilliant when I just complimented Noah for doing his own arrangement to a song, but in the end, it is all about how it feels on stage. Chloe’s voice is lower than Cyndi’s, but every note was perfect. She also has a similar “crackiness” to her voice that Cyndi has, and nothing showcases that aspect for Cyndi more than Time after Time (unless it is True Colors. But I think Time after Time is better suited for Chloe) I was REALLY impressed with Chloe’s confidence in rehearsals. She TURNED HER BACK to Blake to address and work with the band directly. Kind of gave me a little “girl power” thrill.
I hope it comes down to Chloe and Davon in the end. I’d be thrilled with either. I picked Davon in the blinds as the for sure winner. But Chloe is really growing on me.
Looking forward to see what Teams Miley and Adam are bringing to the table. Loving Miley’s outfit that looks straight out of Godmama Dolly’s closet!
Oh, if you have Watch What Happens Live from last Thursday on, with Rosie O’Donnell and Joy Behar, take a look at the drag queens that came on for a contest. “Whoopi Goldberg” was CHRIS WEAVER aka Nedra!!!
Sorry for jacking your awesome recap a bit but I have replayed the show three times now am may be a little drunk.
xo
Part of the reason I wish I could see this on the East Coast feed is that I think it would be funny for a blog entry to be a cut and paste of us messaging each other real time, drinking.
Purple pen away. I love it. Although you are clearly drunk now if you think the fiddle chick was stupid. Her blissful (Adam’s words) fun with that song was so fitting with a Garth Brooks song. That dude has fun on stage. As a violinist from 5th grade to 12th – she was great! THAT WOULD BE SO FUCKING HARD, and she didn’t do a single screech either vocally or instrumentally.
I wouldn’t be too heated at the final two you suggest.. but I think Miley has a hard core awesome three. Adam (the rocker dude), Janice (bald chick), and Ashland (I can’t tell you what anyone else sang in their Blinds off the top of my head – but can tell you she sang You are My Sunshine. Her other three are strong enough to be on the team if one of those three biffs it.
Adam has Jon Mero, who I want to see go far because he followed me on Twitter. Ha!
xo.
Érica, great job on the recap and TT your purple pen makes me laugh. Together a spot on, highly entertaining blog. However I loved fiddle girl. She brought the energy up and was fun to watch.
I too am stuck waiting for West Coast feed so I feel your pain. If it means that TT has more purple for her pen I’m okay with the delay!
Davon blew the roof off the venue with I’m Changing! I adored Lucas and was excited to see him get another chance but bad song choice and performance got him again. He had no business f’kng with Prince. He has the range but not the persona to pull it off. Never liked Shi’ann. Don’t like her tone, too alto and it’s flat to me. Jennifer loves her for some reason. Noah just got on my radar with that Phil Collins rendition. Fantastic. Hated Chris over the top performance of California Soul. He tried to hard to make it gospel-ly. Hannah was goid but unfortunately she followed Davon. Blake’s team is lukewarm so he has work to do starting with telling Chloe to wear less makeup so she can open her eyes when singing!Red is again country deliciousness. Escera never reached the note who was searching for so I knew his Uber was waiting. Mitchell bored me to death with his karaoke performance of a great song, love Bryan Adams. Keisha was good with and emotional song and the fiddler chick had fun but was a little too Minnie Pearl for me. YOUR RECAPS GIVE ME LIFE? Thanks
I loved The Beautiful Ones. It was great! Takes guts to sing a song like that and I think he nailed it. Sad he’s not moving on.
I love these recaps & The Voice so much because it is such a beautiful and healthy distraction! Thank you so much for giving this show some love and attention.