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Another country is joining The Voice franchise. TV2 decided to bring back Idol Norge earlier this year and now, they are premiering a new series. The coaches are: Hanne Sørvaag, singer-songwriter with a lot of successful singles who took part at last year's Melodi Gran Prix; Magne Furuholmen, former member of the Norwegian band A-ha who has also became a renowned painter in recent years; Sondre Lerche, singer, guitarist and songwriter; and finally Yosef Wolde-Mariam, half part of the Norwegian band Madcom. In the following weeks, this four musicians will audition hopefuls and then we'll move on to the battles ... This is The Voice!

Recap after the JUMP ...
Opening with the 4 coaches singing Coldplay's "Viva la vida"

Week 1

Omar Mohamed Ahmed
John Legend - Used to love U

We have a voice here! It seems the mentors are waiting for Yosef to choose him and he’s really thinking about it. Omar’s closer to his style, so I think they are giving him the chance to pick him and I think that’s the only reason why they didn’t push their buttons. Finally Yosef does so and he’ll be perfect for Omar!
Team: Yosef

Frid Nordheim
Gnarks Barkley - Crazy

I think we've not seen this before in any other country. Frid is the wife of another contestant, who we'll see after her, Odd Nordheim. She has a very powerful voice, she has to control it a little bit more though. She seemed nervous at the begining and Yosef was seen doubting about pushing or not the button. Finally, Magne is the first one to push it but also Hanne does so. She has to chose a team now and girl power is her motto!
Team: Hanne

Odd Nordheim
Kings of Leon - Sex on fire

The other part of the Nordheim couple is here! It seems he's having it easier for qualifying than Frid. I think he has a more trained voice than his wife and deserves it more to advance to the battles. Finally all the coaches decide to push the button and are trying to have him in their team (making Frid being a little bit jelous about Hanne) But he has the last word, and after listeing the promises hey made he decides to choose Yosef!
Team: Yosef

Martin Halla
Keane - Somewhere only we know

He really has a special tone and I’d have done the same thing Magne did. Push the button first! Sondre pushes it soon too ... His voice makes me think he is a little bit nervous but it’s something that can be fixed! Lovely voice! Even Sondre is telling him that!
Team: Magne

Elisabeth Vatndal
Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera - Moves like Jagger

Elisabeth auditioned for Idol Norge earlier this year, she's the first Idol contestant back, expect to see a lot more! She has chosen a very energic song and I’m sure she can get it right! Yosef pushed the button right away without having any doubts. She really has rythm and a sweet/energic voice, although at times she's lacking the power. Hanne and Magne couldn’t wait more and want her too! Not Sondre! It seems she was litlle bit nervous. And she finally made her decission and choose Yosef!
Team: Yosef

Aleksander Walmann
Ed Sheeran - The A-team

Button Pushed! He has a very sweet and special voice, full of feelings. It may be a little bit trembling at times but it has a very nice colour plus he's singing a great version of an Ed Sheeran song! Even better than his! I totally loved this one, and think he deserve to go far. First Sondre, then Hanne, Magne and finally Yosef pushed it and seem to be enjoying a lot his performance. Who’ll he choose ? Well, Hanne even dare to tell him he’s super hot but he finally chose Sondre! I think Sondre's style would be the best for him! (my fav of the night!)
Team: Sondre

Aina Beate A. Gundersen
Dixie Chicks - Not ready to make nice

A sweet voice, at the begining I was thinking this version was going to be very similar to the Dixie Chicks original, but nope. She really has an unique voice, even having some long ‘s’ at the end of some sentences.. She seems a little bit dissapointed at the end of the song, because it seems none of the coaches is choosing her.. I’m dissapointed about this too! But wait! Hehehe! Now she’s really surprised, ‘cause in the last secon Hanne pushed her button! And she’s in! Hanne’s team for her!
Team: Hanne

Hans Petter Hammersmack
John Legend – Ordinary People

You know I’m also posting about the Flemish version of The Voice and I have to admit, I’m seeing more interesting voices here and I was expecting this, because I’ve always been a fan of Norwegian singers. And here we have another example. He has a really interesting voice and I think that with the adecuate songs, he could make the audience feeling flow! I’d have chosen him, like the rest of the coaches did. He finally chose Sondre!
Team: Sondre

Week 2

Suzana Costa Johansen
Kaizers Orchestra - Hjerteknuser (Heartbreaker)

I’m not sure she has a very special voice to advance one more step in the show. Her voice is trembling more than others, althoug it sounds kinda sweet. But she has ‘knus Hannes hjertet’ (break her heart, in a good way) and she’ll try to fix it joining Hanne’s team!
Team: Hanne

Anna-Lisa Kumordzie
Withney Houston - Queen of the world

Anna-Lisa is giving this song a rocky twits and well, her voice is good, but not very special for me. She has a very average voice and sometimes it can be a little out of tune. I wouldn’t pick her but Yosef and Hanne has done so. She really has skills, but trying to find something new, with personality.. I don’t know.. Anyway, now is time for her to choose!! And Yosef will be her mentor!
Team: Yosef

Knut Anders Sørum
Katy Perry - Firework

Knut Anders Sørum was the Norwegian Eurovision entry in 2004 (he wasn’t very succesful back in the day, placing in the last position)! He's definitely improved these years because he has made a quite good performance of Firework (not as the one I heard before at The Voice van Vlaanderen). The three male coaches are with him, and now he has to chose one of them. And... Magne’s team has yet another member!!
Team: Magne

Monika Blomeid
Adele - Someone like you

This is one of my fave songs! Wow! I’m sure I’d have pushed the button even before Magne. She has a very uniqe and intimate tone but I think the other coaches are thinking she still has a lot to show in the chorus part. She sings it without imitating Adele and finally Sondre and Yosef surrender to her voice too. After the typical speeches trying to convince her to go with them, she finally chooses Magne!
Team: Magne

Thomas Holm
Frank Sinatra - Somewhere over the rainbow

Thomas has chosen a very famouse ballad and I think it'll be really hard for him to do a good job cause it’s such a well known classic. He has a powerful voice but it's sometimes little forced, not 100% natural I mean, like if he was trying to imitate Frank Sinatra. Anyway I like it, so maybe I’d choose him. Sondre and Yosef pick him and he finally goes with Sondre.
Team: Sondre

Yvonne Walderhaug
James Morrison - You give me something

She really has something interesting but not as much as others. She can sing quite ok, it's sweet but more average, so I’d have my doubts to push the button.. Anyway, Magne pushed it in the last second!
Team: Magne

Deborah Antiteo
Beyoncé - Halo

Having the typical problems when a singer sings in a low tone, she's saving the performance when the song grows.She’s not trying to be Beyonce, that for sure, and her voice has an average sound, but it’s quite good. I feel her a little bit low in some parts, so maybe I wouldn't have pushed the button. But Sondre doesn't think the same and in the last second (again) he pushes it!
Team: Sondre
Marius Beck
Manic Street Preachers - If you tolerate this then your children will be next

Dunno why, but I just have to admit that Norwegian artists have a special style that totally captivates me. He has a voice I really like, although it’s not perfect, but it has this thing I’ve always dream about, a "next to a perfect voice", I cannot explain to the rest. If I was in a coaches seat, no doubts I’d surely push the bottom. Finally, also all of them push it too. And after they all try to convince him to go and join their teams, he finally chooses Magne!
Team: Magne

Week 3

Heidi Blåsmo Frantzen
Madcom - Beggin'

A powerful voice is opening the show this week. This song will bring a lot of memories to one of the coaches (Yosef, Madcom member). This woman has a really energic voice, but maybe a little monotonous. It seems the judges are enjoying it, but none of them is pushing the button! But well, in the last second Magne pushes it! I think I wouldn't have pushed it!
Team: Magne

Cindy Kvinlaug
Dolly Parton - Jolene

Country music is very popular in Norway, and that's the case with this particular song. Cindy's voice fits the song well. She has nice voice, but I don’t think it's enough for me to push the button. But Hanne thinks it is ....
Team: Hanne

Anette Vedvik
David Guetta feat. Sia - Titanium

I've to admit I love this song, so that helps me a little deciding. This version is totally perfect! Her voice has a great tone at times, and I think I’d push the button really soon. This is a beautiful talented girl, and though she still has to improve, that was a good start. All the coaches have pushed their buttons, so if I was her, I’d choose Hanne or Sondre, because I think they are the closer ones, style-wise, to her. Sondre even more.
Team: Sondre

Ruben Gundersen
Cindy Lauper - Time after time

The first male voice of the night, and at the moment, he's the best for me. It seems I’m liking all of them, but I really cannot watch the ones that have been cut, so they are all indeed kinda good. He has a very unique voice, that covers you with charm and sweetness. He deserves to go through, and luckily he didn't have to wait too much until Magne pushes the button!
Team: Magne

Tone-Yvonne Hansen
Rihanna - Only girl in the world

She's performing this in a ballad style. I love when these disco songs are performed in a slow way, it makes me notice how beautiful the lyrics and feelings in these songs are, cause otherwise, when listening to the original version, I’d have never knew what they were talking about. She has attitude, she shows her feelings, and she’s really charming. She did sounded a little bit out of tune at the beginning, but I think Hanne, doesn’t really mind those things ...
Team: Hanne

Tini Mykland
Joni Mitchell - Both sides now

Tini has a sweet voice but I think she’s a little more average than the others. She has a very pretty look, her voice shows a lot of emotion. Anyway, Magne likes her a lot, Yosef doubts about pushing it or not and finally he doesn't.

Team: Magne

Martin Diesen
Natasha Bedingfield - Soulmate

He says nothing special for me at the beginning but when the chorus arrives, it changes it all. It’s true that he’s voice is average, but he has something I like. I’d have had doubts about pushing the button. A voice as average as his can be succesful cause he's cute, he's got a very comercial style.
Team: Hanne

Leif Anders Wentzel
Aloe Blacc - I need a dollar

In the first few seconds, all three male coaches pushed their buttons, Hanne waited a little bit more to push hers. He has a rocky, funky voice that I'm sure Yosef would like a lot. The others really didn’t even need to try to convince him, because it seems he has already stated that he wanted to join Yosef's team.
Team: Yosef

Week 4

Mari Kjølstad
Whitney Houston - How will I know

She has a very powerful nice voice. But it doesn't tells me much. It's quite good, she is on tune almost all the performance but doens't have anything new. It's very average. Maybe that's why none of the coaches have pushed the button yet. At the last opportunity, Yosef pushes it!
Team: Yosef

Elisabeth Kristensen
Amanda Marshall - Let it rain

That's what I was talking about! It fills me with feelings! I love the changes she made to the chorus, giving the song even more passion and that's what made Hanne fall in love with her voice! I'm sure I'd do the same. Once watching her, I think she has to improve her body expression, but they have time to work with the coaches! Great done Elisabeth!
Team: Hanne

Silje Løvaas
Lady Gaga - Poker face

Interesting version of Lady Gaga's song, she's at the piano! She has the ability of playing so good with her voice and she's also charming the crowd with it. And she made a totally new version of this world known song, making us not think about Lady Gaga at all! All the coaches see her potential, starting with Yosef and ending with Sondre, they all pushed their buttons to watch her on stage. Yosef couldn't help hugging her. So after all of them had praised her, she finally choses her hugger: Yosef.
Team: Yosef

Hege Øversveen
Gavin DeGraw - I don't want to be

Hege has a nice voice, with a rocky sound and lot of strength but I'm missing something there. So, sorry, I wouldn't push my button. But two of the coaches pick her, Yosef and Hanne. They both think she'd be worthy in their teams, so finally she decies to join Hanne, because, she is songwritter like her and I suppose she wanna learn a little bit more about that!
Team: Hanne

Kjell Ove V Knudsen
Coldplay - Fix you

Her voice sounds sweet and at the same time it's full of energy but knowing how to controll it! He is performing a great version of my fave Coldplay song, and I’m not missing anything. I’m enjoying it as much as the original, and that’s a good sign! I’d push the button earlier than anyone! Magne seems not to have many doubts, being the first. And in the last notes Sondre decides to do the same! Kjell thinks a little and chooses Magne’s team!
Team: Magne

Vegar Leirvik Nesset
Bruce Springsteen – Born to run

The song is not the best option. Anyway, he has a powerful rocky voice, although it doesn’t says me much. For me, there is a lack of originality at it, so I wouldn’t push it! Sondre does though and it’s strange. And as he is the only one!
Team: Sondre

Andrew Hill
Ryan Adams – Two

I like his style a lot and he’s doing a very nice performance. This is one of the boy’s that must be at Sondre’s team instead of Vegar, it fits better with him! And yeah! As I thought! Sondre is the one pushing it first! Will anyone else do the same? Not this time, so the best option for him, Sondre’s team! And it’s good for Sondre, because he's the one with the fewer members.
Team: Sondre

Erika Lucero
Amy Winehouse – You know I’m no good

Erika's got a beautiful soulish voiceand this song fits her very well. Hanne and Yosef are the first to notice she has a lot of potential. As Hanne said, she has a voice that can be a mix between Tina Turner’s and Elvis’s. It reminds a little to Amy’s too. She's a very nice colour! Sondre is also with them! Now she has to choose one and Yosef will be the one! Maybe the best option! I would have doubted between him and Hanne!
Team: Yosef

Week 5


Kristiania
Coldplay – Viva la Vida

First duo of the season, the guy is playing guitar too. She has a very peculiar voice that called the attention of the 4 coaches real soon! She’s making the song totally new. I like them a lot! It’s the anthem of the coaches, and I think the crowd is enjoying it more that ever. I’d choose them with no doubts! I think they are getting far in this show! After talking about the beautiful combination of their voices and so on, they have to choose, and I think it’d be Sondre or Hanne.. Magne maybe.. and finally after a little talk between both of them.. It is Magne!
Team: Magne

Adele Erichsen
Alicia Keys - Try sleeping with a broken heart

I think I’ve never heard this song before! It’s starting really good. She’s doing ok, I like her voice a lot and it seems Sondre does too. I think she has even more potential inside her, but she can’t show it with this song! It seems Sondre will be the only one chosing her and I’m glad!! I can’t wait for the battles to arrive!
Team: Sondre

Pål Olsen
U2 – Stuck in a moment

Pål is playing guitar and though he’s voice it’s very average, he's doing ok. When he gets to the chorus I start to like him a little bit more and he keeps doing it better and better as the song goes on. Very nice ending. But I think I wouldn’t have pushed my button. Yosef has picked him very soon and Hanne seems to like him too, cause she's pushed it too!
Team: Yosef

Ingvild Nagel-Dahl
Lady Antebellum – Need you now

I’m not sure she has chosen the best song for a blind audition. She has a good voice but I think it’s kind of agressive with this song. Maybe a rockier one would have been better. Anyway Hanne has pushed her button (I wouldn’t), so she won’t have so many problems to proceed to the next phase of the show!
Team: Hanne

Vigdis Wisur
Brandy Carlile – The story

She's got a really pretty kid. She’s starting ok, a little low, although I don’t ge so much the change of tune. The original is better at that. The second part, is kind ok, although I still feel something wrong about it. Maybe it's because I’m very used to the original. Her vibratto is a little too much. Finally Sondre pushes the button. He seemed to like it, although it seems he didn’t know the song.
Team: Sondre

Veronica Stokkmo
Dumdum Boys – Englefjes (Angel face)

She's got a lovely voice. This girl could do very well at Sondre’s team. Maybe also at Hanne’s. It seems Sondre is the only one that pushes the button, so it’s perfect for her! The song is very peaceful, and her pretty voice makes it even more peaceful! So very well done!
Team: Sondre

Ida Hanevold
Adele – Turning tables

Just when it started, I would've pushed my button! This is the style I like, and her voice fits very well with it. It has strengh when the song needs it, and in the lower parts she is showing a lot of restraint. I think she’s doing a very nice vocal perfomance, and I’d choose her to be on my team. Sondre and Hanne, and finally Yosef pick her. I hope she choose one of the 2 first, because I don’t think she fits so much with Yosef. They all thank her for her beautiful voice, and finally she chooses to be at Sondre’s team! The best option for her!
Team: Sondre

Paul Allen
The Beatles – Drive my car

He has a clear voice, that seems to be very powerful, but for me doesn’t says anything special. He did it well, but I wouldn’t push my button in this one, I prefer other styles. Anyway he has done really good, because all the coaches pushed it. They seems to enjoy him a lot. And finally he chooses Yosef's team.
Team: Yosef

Week 6


Ole Alexander Mæland
Vamp – Månenmannen (The man of the moon)

He has a rocky voice that fits very well with this style, so I think he wouldn’t have many problems in being chosen. I’d chose him I think, it’s good to have a variety of styles in your team sometimes. Hanne is enjoying a lot what he's doing. I dunno why I thought Magne would have chosen him, not Hanne, but anyway good for both of them!
Team: Hanne

Marianne Pentha
David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland – When love takes over

 This is really interesting! All the coaches pick her. Her mother is in tears. Great voice, she has my vote too! She’s almost in tears too! I think Marianne is the one receiving the most beautiful words of the night! It’s a pity I don't understand it all. But she finally decides to choose Magne.
Team: Magne

Inge Andreas Jacobsen
James Morrison – Get to you

Hanne is the first to push her button! He’s singing really well, plus he's playing guitar, I like his style a lot. He’s got a very pop style, which can fit well with Magne and Sondre, who picks him too. So after begging for him he says that it was Magne team what he had in mind, but he choses Sondre’s. Poor Hanne!! By the way! He’s Ole Alexander’s cousin.
Team: Sondre

Eli van der Eyden
Donkeyboy – Ambitions

My fave Donkeyboy song! And even better, she’s making a slow version of it! I think, even without listen the rest, she’s going to be my favorite tonight! She is a must at Sondre's team! He pushes his button, as well as Magne.
Team: Sondre

Christina Elnæs
Jessie J. – Price Tag

Although he’s having a little problem with her entonation, I like her voice so much! She's got a very comercial style, and Hanne is the very first to push the button. She seems to have no doubts about it! I think I finally wouldn’t have pushed it. She started very well but I was not sure at the end of the song. Anyway, Hanne would like to work with her!
Team: Hanne

Jørgen Fagerbekk
Robbie Williams – Feel

He’s making the song sound quite original but he’s changing notes so often in the same words it sounds a little strange sometimes. It could be original, mayb, but not for me. I think I wouldn’t do the same that Yosef and Sondre did.
Team: Yosef

Birgitte Einarsen
Adele – Set fire to the rain

Her name is familiar to me, cause she's compited in the MGP twice, once in 2003 and once in 2006. She chose a great song, and she has a great voice, but I’m not sure she has this it thing I have in mind when I listen to this song. Again, it may be because I have listened to this song so many times and for me, it’s so difficult to do it better than Adele. I know she’s not trying that, she’s just giving the song her own style, but I dunno. She does it very well, but not convincing enough for me. But Magne, Hanne and Sondre think it is! And she finally join Magne’s team, without having many doubts!
Team: Magne

Kari Anne Eikenes
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful

I love when a singer is able to perform a song in a totally new way! It totally means that is more than a karaoke version. She has a great voice! Yosef is the first to push it. The rest are still thinking, but it seems no one else is pushing it finally. No problem, I’m mostly sure that I’d do the same than Yosef! Great done!
Team: Yosef

Week 7


Kathrine Fugllien
Green Day – Wake me up when september ends

Kathrine is performing this song almost perfectly. I like her voice a lot, it’s really sweet! It reminds me, maybe just a little to my favorite Monika Blomeid. Magne picks her, so she's going to be Monika's team partner. I just hope she won’t battle against her, it would be a pity! Anyway, I totally would have chosen her also!
Team: Magne

Håvard Gryting
Gavin DeGraw – I don’t wanna be

Hanne’s atention is caught almost immediately, she pushes her button and all the other coaches follow her. He’s doing good, he has a great stage presence, even his outfit reminds me a little to  Gavin. I think he should choose Hanne but he finally goes for Yosef ...
Team: Yosef

Bård Leite
Chris Cornell – You know my name

He’s having some problems with the higher notes but he has a very powerful voice anyway. Hanne finally chooses to push the button, and after the long note, Yosef and Magne do the same thing. I think I wouldn’t have chosen him. He has a good look but there are better voices than his.
Team: Hanne

Kenneth Vilstrand
The September When – Cries like a baby

Not liking his voice at the begining, he doesn't seem to be improving. For me he has chosen a  boring song. His voice is not anything new, and I wouldn’t have pushed the botton. Hanne need more acts on her team, and this time he had luck, because none of the others has pushed it!
Team: Hanne

Shaun Bartlett
Eurythmics – Sweet dreams are made of this

I dunno why three of the coaches pushed their buttons so fast. Maybe because of the guitar, maybe because of the song. I really don't know cause I don’t think it was good enough. It seems they are all liking him a lot. Not me this time. I can’t see anything special. I dunno why they all get up of their chairs. Overpraising ...
Team: Magne

Knut Arve Eilefsen
Hellbillies – Det finaste eg veit

He's got a really interesting voice which sounds really beautiful at this song. He has delivered a very good performance oand I’m glad he’s going to proceed to the next stage. He finally needs to choose between Yosef and Hanne, and I’m sure he’ll choose Hanne! Well, guess I was wrong. Sometimes it seems that they are all chosing Yosef. Just my imagination I guess.
Team: Yosef

Kristian Andre Kvael
Thom Hell – Over you

I've never heard this song before but his voice is sounding amazing for me. He has a LOVELY tone. Very sweety, very charmig. This is exactly the type of music I'd listen on my iPod. No doubts! One of Hanne's best decissions!
Team: Hanne

Ida Glomnes
Madrugada - Majesty

A girl is closing the blind auditions! Honestly, they've been much better than the boys so far. She’s got an ok voice but nothing special. She's really static, she hasn't surprised me at all. I wouldn’t have picked her. Sondre does it at the last second, maybe he needs her for filler ...
Team: Sondre
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