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The Voice Of Ireland is back! After a good first series, the spinning chairs are back as are the err... warring coaches, battle rounds and live shows. However, one person who isn't back is Brian Kennedy who allegedly couldn't return due to 'scheduling issues'. Nothing to do with the fact that he was a little bit of a rubbish coach then? On the bright side, UK R&B star Jamelia is stepping into his shoes, providing a bit of eye candy for the guys to balance Bressie who the female viewers are once again probably going to go crazy for. And Kian and Sharon are back too, the former no doubt to provide his own form of um...know it allness (is that a word)? Nah, I reckon Series 2 may trump the pilot season so here's to more talent, more spinning of chairs and more ridiculously overdramatic vocal boxing matches!

Recap and videos after the JUMP...


Show 1

Keith Hanley - Sings 'Listen' by Beyoncé - No - Keith Hanley is a support worker whose big passion is music. Vocally, he reminds me a little bit of Ben Kelly but slightly more nasally and although it's brave of him to sing something as vocally demanding as Beyoncé, I don't think he does as great a job singing the song, I would probably agree with Kian surprisingly in thinking that it sort of felt a bit monotonous. Jamelia and Bressie both press their buttons for him leaving him to choose between the R & B superstar and the reigning champion coach. Plenty of banter already between the coaches with Jamelia trying to twist his arm, asking him if he likes Beyoncé before stating that she's her friend (she isn't really). It works as Keith ends up going for Jamelia as his coach, well he does have a relatively R & B style voice so I can see her being a better coach for him genre wise than Bressie.- VIDEO

Amy Cooney - 'Wings' by Little Mix - No - Interesting choice of song, it's quite a teeny bopper style track but it's interesting to see it being performed by someone with a slightly richer vocal tone. I don't know whether I like it or not, it seems a little bit too powerful for the song to the extent that at times she sounds like she is shouting the lyrics of the song, sadly as it goes on, it all goes a little bit pear-shaped and she begins to hit more and more bum notes. The coaches all agree as nobody turns round for Amy, she's disappointed but having previously told Kathryn that she'd like to lick Bressie, she gets excited to see her crush even if he hadn't turned for her. She gets a hug off him, I suppose that's just the same as getting through to the Battle Rounds.  - VIDEO

Roisin Carlin - 'Boyfriend' by Justin Bieber - Yes - This is brilliant, I despise this song/Justin Bieber's voice but she totally adds something different to it, she gives it a little bit of attitude and sings it with some swag, she reminds me a little bit of Cher Lloyd vocally, minus the rapping (thankfully). Obviously the fact that she has changed the gender references in the song is going to make it sound a little bit different anyway but there is an edge to her interpretation of the track that doesn't come across in the original so much. I really like Roisin, she's refreshingly different and not like the normal soundalike Britney and Christina singers that usually dominate these types of talent show, all four coaches turn around for her, they're obviously really impressed by Roisin's ability to inject her own style into the song. She chooses to go with Jamelia, obviously a popular choice as Jamelia is the only coach to have anyone in her team already. - VIDEO

Gary Tighe -'Wayfaring Stranger' by Johnny Cash/Various Artists - No - Gary goes for a relatively well known folk song from America which has been performed by loads of different artists, notably Johnny Cash and Eva Cassidy. Maybe the song itself doesn't help but there is literally no spark to his performance, it's just a really dull, forgettable performance which is technically good but completely fails to connect with me on any level whatsoever. Sharon seems to get it however as she turns around for him and as nobody else tries to challenge her, she becomes the second coach to gain a member for their team with Gary being the first coach to join Team Corr, I think she could be a really good coach for him actually, she works well with folk style singers and I think he will be exactly her type of performer.  - VIDEO
 
Alison Saul Bracken - 'Fallin' by Alicia Keys - No - American-born Alison previously auditioned for the show last year but failed to make the battle rounds as nobody turned around for her, her audition must not have been televised because I don't remember her. She says that although she was a beauty queen in her younger years when she lived in America, she would love to work more in the music industry. She gets off to a pretty promising start with a decent stab at the absolutely massive opening line but I don't like how she interprets the song as it goes on, it just sort of goes nowhere and her soft tone doesn't stand out on the soulful R & B track, I like her little ad lib at the end saying 'You can still press your button' and she has a great personality but I would really liked to have seen her singing something that let her show that she wouldn't get boring too quickly, sadly Alison gets another knockback. - VIDEO
  
Dylan Powell - 'House Of The Rising Sun' by The Animals - Yes - It's a little bit rough towards the beginning of the song but Dylan quickly gets into his stride with the song, he sounds really edgy on the track, almost adding a Britpop dimension to the blues rock song, although I wasn't sure about his rendition of the track at the start, I actually think it's a really interesting way to interpret the track and I have every confidence that he will be a really interesting competitor in the latter stages of the competition. Jamelia is the first to turn her chair around for him and until the very last second, it looks like she may be the only coach interested until Kian makes a last minute decision and also turns his chair around. However, Jamelia turns on the charm and it looks like Kian's last minute decision wasn't worth it after all because Dylan decides to go for Jamelia. - VIDEO

Fiona McCourt - 'Black And Gold' by Sam Sparro - Yes - This is a really sultry, quirky performance, her tone is gorgeous, sort of quirky indie pop with a bluesy edge, something between Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Stine in Alphabeat, I'm really impressed with this song, there are a few pitch issues at times but it's a great rendition of a really great pop song overall, as it goes into the chorus, I like it even more, her voice is easily one of the most interesting if not the most interesting so far and I'm really impressed by how she interprets the track, Sharon is the only coach to turn around for Fiona but I don't think it's much to worry about as I can see Sharon working really well with her, hopefully taking her far in the competition. - VIDEO

Joey McAleer - 'Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' by U2 - Yes - Joey is a member of a gospel choir in Dublin but he would like to try and build himself a solo career away from the choir so hopes to be able to impress with his rendition of the U2 track. I do quite like this performance, I wasn't expecting to be impressed by him but his falsetto is surprisingly good and I think he'll do a great job further in the competition if he can keep this up. Kian is the only coach to turn around for him but I think Kian will work well for him because he has quite a similar voice to some of Kian's acts from last year such as Liam Geddes meaning I can see Kian being able to mentor him effectively, I'm surprised by how good Joey was. - VIDEO
 
Sharon Osigwe - 'Band Of Gold' by Freda Payne - No - Sharon has gathered quite a lot of musical experience having performed as part of an R & B girlband and having also performed in a Motown tribute show, suggesting that there is one coach who has most definitely got the credentials to be the perfect coach for her...R & B girl Jamelia of course. It's incredibly disappointing when she opens her mouth and doesn't sing in tune, it's sounds really pitchy and incredibly old-fashioned, I don't like the song to start with but her rendition of it isn't good, it's just a poor rendition of the song sadly. None of the coaches turn around for her unsurprisingly and all four say that although they thought there was something there, they just didn't feel like she showed off the best her voice has to offer during the performance, I would agree but I'm sure she can improve and go somewhere with a little bit of vocal training. Maybe next year. - VIDEO

Eimear Bradley - 'Black Heart' by Stooshe - No - Again, I thought this was going to be so much better than it turns out to be, she's singing from too deep in her throat, her voice sounds strained, even on the notes that aren't that particularly high, it's not just a bad vocal habit to be in but it really doesn't work well with this song. I don't like her tone, it sounds too harsh and there isn't really any real soul in her rendition of the song which is a shame, I really like the original but her rendition of the song isn't cutting it for me, or for the coaches either clearly as not a single coach turns around, Jamelia gives her the most constructive advice telling her that she needs to work on her breathing and where she sings from as it could potentially have an adverse effect on her voice, I hope she listens to the coaches and possibly comes back when she is more prepared. - VIDEO

Mark Guildea - 'Living For The City' by Stevie Wonder - No - Mark was encouraged to audition for the programme by his fifteen-year-old daughter who didn't want her dad's talent to go unnoticed. He has a good voice to be fair, there is a definite rock edge to his vocals along with the funk style but he feels a little bit old-fashioned for the competition and I think it may be a struggle to go down a contemporary route with him, personally, I just don't feel like he is the right sort of competitor especially when there are so many other interesting and more current acts such as Roisin who I believe would be a big threat to Mark. Kian and Sharon turn around for him but Bressie and Jamelia don't. Mark decides to go for Sharon who he believes may suit his style better, however Kian calls her Sneaky Corr as she leaves it to the last minute to turn for Mark.  - VIDEO

Michelle Cunningham - 'Read All About It Part III' by Emeli Sandé - Yes - Wow, a really unexpected song choice, I never ever hear this song, it's rarely performed (that was a joke, it's as widespread as the cold). However, Michelle does a great rendition of the track and really adds her own spin to it, there is a certain element of blues to her voice but she still manages to set herself apart from Emeli with her rendition of it, the fact that she plays it on her guitar really adds an interesting element to her arrangement of the track, the judges seem to like it with Bressie and Kian turning around for her, Sharon suggests that she maybe let nerves get the better of her but Bressie rebukes her claims and says that she was brilliant and totally gave the song her own spin. She seems to be impressed with Bressie's compliments and goes with the reigning champion coach, the first act to join his team. - VIDEO

Sinead O'Brien - 'Rumour Has It' by Adele - Yes - Sinead definitely has the look for the show, she looks like a viable pop star most definitely but let's not forget that this is all about the voice so that is the important thing to assess. She says that she has been anticipating her moment on the show since before she turned 18 but she was determined to apply as soon as she turned 18. Her rendition of an Adele track is different to most other covers of the song she reckons. I'm not so sure at the start, she sounds a little bit copycat to be perfectly honest but she quickly hits her stride as she injects her bluesy tone into the song which gives it a great edge, however, the coaches definitely take their time, with Jamelia hitting her button just before the end, sharply followed by her three colleagues giving Sinead a full house of Yesses! Then the real competition starts as the coaches argue over who would be the best mentor to Sinead, of course with each of them saying why they believe they most deserve it and with Bressie managing to insert a dig at Kian saying that he came last in the first series! Sinead really struggles to choose but finally decides to go with Team Bressie! - VIDEO

Show 2

Gerard McLoughlin - 'So Sick' by Ne-Yo - No - Gerard lived in a house with his mum and all of his brothers and sisters when he was younger and always wanted to be famous so he could buy his mother a house. He's going to sing 'So Sick' by Ne-Yo which is a big urban track to be covering, he gets off to a really good start, his vocals are very strong and he has a great tone however as the song goes on, he really loses it on the big note and it sort of goes all a little bit off-tune. I don't know, I think if it had been based purely on the first half of the song, I would be more impressed but his slight veer off pitch in the middle of the song puts me off the performance slightly. Sharon turns around for him but the other coaches, Kian, Jamelia and as his mum calls him, Breslie, don't turn around for Gerard. However, both Jamelia and Breslie (I'll quit it in a while, I promise) believe that he can definitely progress a lot in the competition with some work on getting the big notes under control. Gerard does a pretty good job and joins Team Sharon.  - VIDEO

Michael Barayuga - 'Billionaire' by Travie McCoy feat. Bruno Mars - No - Michael used to sing when he was younger but he gave up when his voice broke infront of all his peers and he ended up being laughed at. He hopes taking part in this show can give him back his confidence. Well, he's not awful but he's not exactly brilliant either, he's just a little bit average in my opinion, his tone is a little bit unusual and he sings out of tune on a number of occasions but he does have something really likeable about him and I suppose there is some sort of energy to his performance. What it really lacks is the swag that the song really needs and for me, this is why none of the judges turn around, it's all a little bit forgettable and I feel like although he could be good with some coaching, he's not quite ready at this stage - VIDEO

Wayne Beatty - 'Wonderful World' by James Morrison - Yes - Wayne has auditioned alongside his little brother Barry who he filled in an application form on his behalf when he was applying for the show himself. Wayne has always been big into music and he really wants to do something to launch himself in the industry. He has quite a good voice, he certainly has soul and I really like how he adds his own vocals to the song rather than trying to copy James' raspy tone, that says that he is going to be his own artist rather than trying to copy other people. I have to admit that I'm really impressed, I wasn't expecting to be a big fan of his voice as he looked on first impression like he was going to be more of a folk rocker than an urban artist but I'm glad I didn't judge on first impression as that was an unexpected triumph. All of the coaches bar Bressie turn round with Bressie saying that he would have liked him to sing with a bit more raspiness, so you would basically like him to do a carbon copy of the original Bressie? There's quite a lot of arguing between the coaches tonight with all four of the coaches disputing with each other and Jamelia accusing Bressie of wanting 'another Pat'. Fair play, that was quite a feisty comeback from the urban songstress. After all that fighting, Wayne goes for Jamelia as his coach making himself the fourth artist to join Team Jamelia. - VIDEO

Barry Beatty - 'Ordinary People' by John Legend - Yes - Barry is Wayne's younger brother and was signed up for the show by his brother because he himself isn't very confident, until it comes to singing on the stage when he flourishes apparently. He's going down a route that isn't dissimilar to his brother by singing an urban track also, John Legend's anthemic 'Ordinary People' and I must admit that once again, I'm really surprised by his vocal performance. He has such a great urban tone far beyond what you would expect and clearly the judges are pretty impressed as Jamelia is singing along and appears to have fallen for Barry. Both her and Sharon turn around for him whilst the boys choose not to with Kian saying that it went completely off track in the chorus, really? I didn't notice that. Anyway, Barry informs the other judges that he is Wayne's brother stating that both of them agreed on which coach they would most like to choose and he vowed that if Bressie or Jamelia turned for him then he would pick one of them. With Jamelia turning around, he decides to go for her, joining his brother in her team. So I guess that means they're now rivals, the question is will Jamelia pit them against each other in the Battle Rounds? - VIDEO

Aaron Deery - 'When Love Takes Over' by David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland - No - Aaron who has musical theatre experience through his current theatrical training is hoping that he can cross over into pop with his take on this David Guetta and Kelly Rowland song. Unfortunately, although he has a good voice, the musical theatre element of his voice doesn't fit with the song and it sounds a little bit proper and over-rehearsed, he is a great singer and he would be brilliant in the musical theatre business but in terms of selling records, I don't think he has a conventional sound and it won't fit with the whole idea of this show, I have to agree with the judges that although he has a great musical theatre voice, he doesn't really have anywhere to go in this competition on the whole, there's nothing for the judges to work with as he really belongs on an Andrew Lloyd Webber style talent search. Great personality however and as I said, he belongs on the stage, but in musicals! - VIDEO

Ciara Cox - 'Cowboy Casanova' by Carrie Underwood - Yes - Ciara sells boilers for a living but she is hoping to make it musically so she can avoid the daily grind and do something with her passion for singing. She says that her mother encouraged her to go for this because she would have jumped at the chance to go for a show like this if it had been around in her time and she wants to be able to take advantage of any opportunities available to her. She's singing a country song which actually seems a bit unexpected as her look is very indie pop quirky girl, she reminds me a little bit of Robyn vocally. However, she definitely did the right thing picking that song choice as she a really powerful country voice and can definitely keep up with Carrie Underwood on that track. I really enjoyed the performance, it maybe wasn't the best of the night but it was very good and she definitely connected with the song well, only Sharon turns around for her but it doesn't matter as she's delighted to be picked and with Sharon mentoring her, she could definitely go very far.  - VIDEO

Eimer Sheridan - 'Promise This' by Cheryl Cole - Yes - Eimer has quite an emotional story behind singing as she was introduced to music by her older brother who sadly passed away and whose death discouraged her from singing. However, she wishes to try out for The Voice hoping that she can carry on his memory and the influence he had on her life. Wow, I love this arrangement of the song, it's most likely influenced by the Adele live lounge cover but thankfully Emer doesn't try to copy her and sings with her own beautiful tone, because of the stripped back nature of the cover, it seems even more raw and emotional and the judges can feel it as their faces say it all, they can feel how emotional this performance is. Astoundingly however, not one of the coaches turns around for her, they honestly need to go and get a hearing check as Emer was not only worthy of going through but was easily one of the best so far, she had the vocals as well as the emotional connection and she really should have been going through to the next stage of the competition. The coaches don't really help the matter by more or less admitting that they should have turned around for her, I hope she does go for it again as her talent is too good to waste.  - VIDEO

Mairead Conlon - 'In The Ghetto' by Elvis Presley - Yes - It says a lot about someone's interpretation of a song when you actually struggle to recognize the original, it took a good few seconds for me to realize what she was even singing and that is very much to her credit as the totally and most definitely gave the song a Mairead twist, it was very contemporary and very effective. Mairead says that she auditioned for the show as unlike her sister and brother who are both successful academically, all she has ever been interested in making a living with has been music, it's always been her passion and she wants to be able to make it in the music business. I have to hand it to her, this was an incredible vocal performance. Sharon and Bressie turn around for Mairead with both praising her for giving a very unique and individualistic performance, she isn't sure who to choose but she finally decides to go for Bressie making her the third act to go for him so far, also the third female to join his team, he definitely seems to have an eye for the ladies. - VIDEO

Jonny Warren - 'Dancing In The Dark' by Bruce Springsteen - No - Jonny has a really good voice, he is the perfect acoustic style folk singer but the major flaw in this performance is the style he performs it in, he does absolutely nothing to show off the extent of his vocal talent, it gets to one point then stays there, he never once lets loose when it seems like he most definitely would be capable of that. I'm a fan of The Boss and this is an anthemic song so it's a bit of a missed opportunity for him not to really let loose and show us what he's all about. None of the judges turn around but they all agree that he was very talented, he just didn't give it as much 'oomph' as he could have! - VIDEO

Terri O'Reilly - 'Diamonds' by Rihanna - Yes - Terri is from Strabane, County Tyrone and is singing Rihanna's recent hit 'Diamonds' for the judges. Vocally, this is a very strong performance, in fact I would consider it to be on par with the original if I'm being honest, I would like her to give it a bit more oomph but she definitely has the emotional connection with the song and to that extent, I really can't fault her for that. She is a brilliant singer and I imagine that she will be one of the big contenders for the crown if she can sing to this standard for the rest of the competition. All four judges end up going for her but they really leave it a bit last minute and nearly give the poor girl's family and friends a heart attack when not one but four coaches end up spinning around for her. Once again, plenty of tension between the coaches to vye for Terri to join their team but despite saying at the start that if she gets a choice, she would most definitely choose Jamelia as she's a fan of her as a singer, she ends up falling for Bressie and becoming his fourth female, and fourth contestant to join his team. Poor Kian is raging as he seems to be unable to get anyone to pick him, well to be fair Kian, you were a bit of an ass last year. - VIDEO

Ray Scully - 'It's A Man's Man's World' by James Brown - Yes - The show is on a roll tonight with it's standard of talent, this guy is incredible, he reminds me a little bit of Ray La Montagne but with a bit more rasp to his voice. I have to say, I really respect him for going for something that has been covered plenty of times on talent shows before, most notably by Karise Eden from The Voice Of Australia. However, his performance has something slightly different about it, there's a rocky edge to his voice, something that when he lets loose, which he thankfully does, absolutely blows the roof off the auditorium, metaphorically speaking of course, not physically, that would be disconcerting. I was expecting to see Bressie turning around straight away but he doesn't, and begins to kick himself afterwards whilst Kian laps it up, reminding Bressie of his mistake in not turning around for Ray, with both girls not turning around either, Ray is all Kian's, hopefully he does a good job in coaching him as Ray is a big contender in my eyes, I really expect him to go far as long as the song choices are good for him, another great audition, I hope the next few are just as good. - VIDEO

Kiera Dignam - 'Don't Let Go (Love)' by En Vogue - No - Kiera has some showbiz connections as her father is Christy Dignam, the lead singer of Irish rock band Aslan, who I really like, however, in a twist, her dad isn't exactly the show's biggest fan and publicly criticized it last year as a format, also aiming a bit of criticism at Bressie. Let's hope that his daughter's appearance on the show will convince him to change his mind, her voice is alright, it's a little bit non-standout to be perfectly honest and though I love the original, Kiera's cover doesn't do an awful lot for me personally speaking and none of the coaches can be convinced to turn their chairs around sadly, with all four giving her some good constructive criticism telling her that they felt she would have been better choosing a song that wasn't quite as big as she wasn't really able to compete with the raspy, soulful vocals of the original artists En Vogue. It was okay but definitely not as good as the other competitors on the show tonight so I think it was the right thing for them not to put her through, maybe she can try again next year. - VIDEO

Jennifer Healy - 'I'll Be There' by The Jackson Five - Yes - Jennifer is studying music at college at the moment however she doesn't believe that this will give her any sort of advantage as she is feeling a bit nervous about her moment on the stage. She's singing this really well but her vocals remind me a bit of Ailbhe Hasson who sang this song in last year's Blind Auditions but with Sinead Fox, one of my favourites from last year's phrasing. However, once she lets loose, she totally wows me, her falsetto reminds me of one Leona Lewis who you may vaguely remember from winning The X Factor? Or from her numerous successful singles? Anyway, let's not get carried away with ourselves but Jennifer totally won me over with that performance, it was absolutely fantastic and she thoroughly deserves to go far in the competition after that vocally and emotionally rich performance. Kian chooses to go for her but none of the other judges do so she's Team Kian! - VIDEO

Show 3

Ben Tighe - 'California Gurls' by Katy Perry - Yes - Ben is hoping to do well on the show to put a rough twelve months behind him after the breakup of his marriage. He says that he's just hoping for even one coach to turn around for him, saying for purely shallow reasons, he'd quite like to be in Team Sharon as he thinks she's gorgeous! Wow, I was not expecting that at all, his vocals are very mature and gritty and he is doing an amazing cover of this track, he totally transforms the pop track into something much more sophisticated, he has a gritty exterior to his voice with a very soulful feel on the side, I really enjoyed Ben's performance, Jamelia turns around for him and falls in love with his smooth vocals but none of the other judges do, meaning it's Team Jamelia for him! - VIDEO

Niamh Collins - 'You Oughta Know' by Alanis Morissette - Yes - Mum of one Niamh raises her eight year old daughter as well as singing on the side but she'd ultimately love to pursue a career in the music industry. She says if he was to have any coach, she'd most like to have Bressie as her coach, adding that 'he's my man'. I really like this song, it's probably my favourite track by Alanis to be perfectly honest and this is a very good interpretation of the track, she reminds me a little bit of Grace Potter to be honest, there's a real grit to her voice, which comes out for real in the chorus, I absolutely loved this performance, I have no idea why the coaches don't seem to be turning as she's nailing the most important part of the track, maybe not as good as the original but it was still an amazing performance so I really feel like Niamh deserved to get through, if you compare her to some of the first few acts not to get through, she's in a totally different league, why she wasn't pick, we'll never know. - VIDEO

Andrew Mann - 'Payphone' by Maroon 5 feat. Wilz Khalifa - Yes - Andrew has the typical indie rocker look about him, he has a very cool indie folk style and he's hoping to impress the coaches with his performance today. Wow, the standard of the show is so high tonight, another incredible vocal coming from Andrew here, he totally strips the song down until it's just him singing the song in its' purest form, it's raw, emotional and vocally superb. I love how he interprets the song, it doesn't sound like a pop/rap track, it sounds like a raw, gritty indie track that Andrew devised himself. The arrangement does his voice so many favours too as you can hear everything, his husky tone, his pretty impressive upper range, even the odd bit of falsetto, it's a pretty great combination as he is so much more than the standard indie rocker I expected him to be, Andrew is definitely my favourite male so far and it seems that the coaches agree as all four turn around for him, he goes for Bressie. - VIDEO

Roger Boyd - 'Blaze Of Glory' by Bon Jovi - No - Roger may seem familiar to anyone who saw The X Factor last year, the Portrush native was on the show and impressed judges with his rendition of a Meatloaf classic. He's hoping that The Voice may give him the serious music success he had been hoping for, although if it doesn't work out, he can always go for as career in showbiz as he's already got me laughing with his hopes that 'Wee Ma Corr' might turn around for him. Well, he certainly has a powerful voice but for me, the big problem is he's singing out of his nose and it all feels a bit too wannabe rocker for me. I love Roger's personality but I think he needs to work on making his voice a little bit less karaoke rock, he has a good voice he just needs to work on making it a great voice. I really enjoyed his personality, I'm sure the judges would have too if any of them chose him. - VIDEO

Kelly McDonagh Mongan - 'I Have Nothing' by Whitney Houston - Yes - Kelly definitely isn't the typical talent show contestant, she has a very, let's say risqué style which definitely adds an interesting element to her as a perfomer, especially considering how sweet and light her vocals are, she has such an incredible tone. I never expected to see someone with such an incredible voice, that seems in such contrast to her image but I love it and it perfectly epitomizes what this show is all about. It feels like nobody is going to go for her, it takes a while before any of them show signs of pressing their button but eventually Kian decides to take a punt and turns around and he, like all four of the coaches is a bit shocked to see her image compared to her voice. I really hope that she manages to change the perception people have of anyone who dresses differently or has a different style. I'm really excited to see how she will fare in the rest of this competition. - VIDEO

Jennifer Lyons - 'Skyscraper' by Demi Lovato - Yes - Jennifer believes that singing is her medium of expressing her emotions and dealing with what is going on in her life. She says that she tends to get quite nervous so she is worried that she may not be able to hold it together for the audition. Well, this is pretty brilliant, she is singing a really emotional song but her voice is actually much more interesting than the typical pop female, she has a Dolores O'Riordan esque tone, her voice emits passion, emotion and a unique husky tone. She blew me away with this performance, it was so raw, and her emotion matched the original song, but furthermore her tone is so unique, I absolutely adore this performance, I'm so glad that Sharon and Kian turn around for her. She is unsure of who to go with, being overwhelmed at two of the judges turning around for her but she finally decides to pick Sharon! - VIDEO

Tina Mulrooney - 'All I Want Is You' by U2 - Yes - Tina is singing and playing harp tonight, now that is what I call multitasking, if I recall correctly, the last act on The Voice to play a harp in her performances was Iris Kroes who won The Voice Of Holland last year, is it a sign? Unfortunately not, although she does a great job on the song, the judges cannot be persuaded to turn around for her, I'm not sure why, again I feel like she was very good vocally, perhaps a little bit lacking in the emotion because she was singing the song so technically well that it kind of took away from the song's emotional value slightly. All the same, I do think she deserved to get through. Oh well, there's always next year. - VIDEO

Siobhan McKenna - 'Firework' by Katy Perry - Yes - Siobhan was on the show last year, she got through to the Battle Rounds as part of Team Kian where she was sensationally eliminated in a pretty bad pairing where two of Kian's strongest were forced to go head to head. Anyway, she's hoping she can try to improve upon last year and make it even further this series as she prepares to reaudition, she's taking a punt by going for something far more poppy than the soulful songs she tackled last year but I wouldn't think that it will make much of a difference, she has an incredible voice, at least one of the judges is bound to go for her, Kian will probably try again if he recognizes her voice which I'm sure he will. ...And look how wrong I was, what were the judges thinking? Siobhan was amazing, maybe it wasn't quite as soulful as last year and I do take Bressie's comment about the song cheapening her voice as a good point but at the end of the day, she was an amazing performer and an even better vocalist and there's no way she should have been rejected, although, in saying that, considering that tonight alone, three strong singers have been rejected and a few much weaker acts are already through, I can't say I'm surprised. I hope they do a Callbacks round now as Siobhan deserves to be through! - VIDEO

Shane McLaughlin - 'Fake' by The Frames - Yes - Shane is a member of a band and has written and recorded his own material as part of the band, however he hopes that he can try and pursue a solo career also as he is fully dedicated to music and thinks The Voice would be a great stepping stone for him. I have to say, I'm not surprised to see him singing something a bit less well known as I had the feeling that he might be an indie rocker and I love his quirky vocals, he sounds very reminiscent of other Irish indie bands like The Frames and Two Door Cinema Club from up north and I'm looking forward to seeing what he sings in the Battle Rounds. Although Kian's past with indie acts is patchy (*cough* Elliot Canavan Doyle), maybe he will do something unexpected and pull out a trump card with Shane? If he gets the right mentoring, Shane could go all the way, let's just hope this happens. - VIDEO

Eoin Dixon Murphy - 'Grenade' by Bruno Mars - No - Eoin is currently doing a course at university but he'd love to do something with music considering how he has been involved in musical theatre from a young age. An okay start with this song but this particular Bruno Mars track really begins to challenge the singers in the chorus, and just as I thought, he kind of falls apart, his vocals are a bit disappointing after a certain point but Bressie and Sharon turn for him anyway, I don't know, I feel like it's giving a bit of a mixed message when the likes of Siobhan who couldn't have sang any better were put through and then Eoin who, whilst having a nice voice, didn't do himself any justice with his performance, gets through with two coaches vyeing for him. He goes for Bressie, Kian is the only one who comments on his vocals, saying that he needed to be smooth and it was nowhere near good enough to merit getting through in his books. I wasn't impressed and sort of can see where Kian is coming from but you never know, maybe he will surprise me in the Battles. - VIDEO

Darragh McGann - 'Too Late For Hallelujah' by Boyzone/Aslan - No - I don't really know this song very well, I vaguely recognize it as being an Aslan single, according to Wikipedia, originally recorded by Boyzone but apart from that, I can't say I'm much of an expert on the song in general. Darragh definitely has a powerful voice, it's very technically impressive but I do wonder if he is sort of falling into the trap that Tina did, in putting so much into the vocals to the point that it's taking away from the emotion of the song itself. There's no denying that he has quite a talent but does it really strike me as a potential chart hit? No, to be honest, his voice is incredible for what it is but it's unfortunately not what the music industry is looking for at the moment, this opera influenced style does sell but it's only really the big names like Kathryn Jenkins who end up gaining mainstream success. He reveals that he originally used to sing to overcome the bullying he was subjected to as a child which moves the judges, it's a pity the emotion didn't come across as strongly in his performance, he is a very talent and down to earth man and I hope he does return next year and succeeds! - VIDEO

Aoife McLoughlin - 'Bang Bang, My Baby Shot Me Down' by Nancy Sinatra - Yes - Aoife's song choice really intrigues me, I love the original song but it always goes one way or another when someone else sings it, they either nail the vocals and the whole emotion and ambiance of the song or it ends up sounding like a really dreary track when the original is not dreary or dull at all. Thankfully, from the offset, it's clear that Aoife's cover will certainly be the former. She does an amazing job in singing this song, it's not an easy song to do justice to but her bluesy, unique tone is amazing on the song and I love the way she captures the emotion of the song, this is possibly one of my favourite performances this series so far, it's so raw and so impressive and I think Aoife may be one to watch in the competition now as she's certainly an intriguing vocalist, what a great performance from her there, I'm glad that she got three coaches to turn around for her and I think she made a good decision choosing Sharon to be her coach as I think they could actually work really well together, good job from Aoife there! - VIDEO

Karl Sheridan - 'The Blower's Daughter' by Damien Rice - Yes - Karl says that he has an unusual voice, not the typical tone that you would expect anyone to come out with and reveals that he hopes that the judges can appreciate this when he auditions. He has set himself quite the task with this song, the emotion is maybe not too hard to pull off as long as your style isn't too robotic but the vocals can be tricky to do justice to and to be honest, to a certain extent, Karl does sort of falter on the vocals. His tone is good but I don't think his falsetto quite works on the parts of the song he sings it in, Damien Rice's voice isn't quite as high pitched in those parts of the original and it does feel like he's overdoing it a little in that respect. With that said, there is no denying that he has a lot of talent and I can definitely see him going far in the competition if he gets the right songs. His mother and father are in tears at the performance and both Sharon and Kian hit their buttons, after a long delibiration, Karl decides to go against his original thoughts of joining Team Sharon and becomes another addition to Kian's team! - VIDEO

Show 4

Andy MacUnfraidh - 'Somebody That I Used To Know' by Gotye feat. Kimbra - No - Busker Andy has travelled all over the world as a street artist, however, he says that the audience he faces for 'The Voice' is very different to his normal audience, who tend to be people in the streets he plays in. He hopes that his experience will help him when performing in front of the coaches. His voice is very good, he definitely has a lot of talent, but I found him a little bit dull, I feel like the initial verse was a little bit expressionless and lacking in tone and his lower register was quite weak. However, he sang the chorus brilliantly and his upper range was really strong so to that extent, he did a good job, that said, I, like three of the coaches feel like the problems he encountered in the verses took away from the chorus and would not have turned. Fortunately, Kian turned around for him. - VIDEO

Jennifer Fada Muza - 'How We Do' by Rita Ora - No - Jennifer originally comes from Nigeria but she now lives in Cork, she would like to make her mark on the competition with her R & B styled vocals. As soon as she reveals what she is singing, my reaction is 'Oh No' because it's definitely not a track that I feel shows off anyone's vocals and Rita herself isn't exactly the greatest of singers. Sadly, as she begins to sing, it becomes clear that my fears have come true as she isn't able to show off her vocal potential fully because it's a dance song, not one that really shows off how good a singer someone is. Jennifer is definitely talented but for me, it just was a shame that she chose a poor song because she would have probably got through if she sang something a bit more stripped back. The judges agree, telling her that she has a lot of talent but she picked a bad song to show off her vocals, with Jamelia adding that she absolutely hates the song. It's a pity as she is a good singer but Jennifer goes home without a place in the next round. - VIDEO

Bob Mc Quaid - 'You Don't Know Me' by Ray Charles - No - Bob is currently studying at university as his parents wanted him to pursue another career alongside the music side of things in case singing doesn't work out for him. He says that he is enjoying his course but he knows that at some point he will have to choose between the two. He hopes auditioning for 'The Voice' will make the decision a little bit easier for him. Before I write anything else, there is absolutely no denying that he has talent and that his voice is impressive. That said, I really didn't feel anything from the performance, he did have emotion, his vocals were very strong but for me, he lacked a connection with the song all the same and I just felt that he could have given the song a little bit more because it felt a little lackluster overall, Sharon and Kian are both really impressed and they both turn their chairs for him with Bob opting to go for Sharon, becoming the eighth person to join Team Sharon. - VIDEO

Gina Mc Nulty - 'Stronger' by Kelly Clarkson - Yes - Gina is into a genre that is often quite underrepresented on The Voice, that genre being rap. She says that she got into rap through some of her friends but she will also be singing in order not to alienate the coaches. She has quite a nasally singing voice but there is something good about it also, I can't put my finger on it but I do enjoy her rendition of the song, there's something attractive about her tone. However, it really turns up a pace once she raps because it completely adds a different element to the song, the track feels so much fresher when she adds her own rap to it and I really enjoy it. I'm especially disappointed when nobody opts to go for her because I thought she deserved to get through but for some reason, more original females tend not to be getting through this year whilst a few generic male contestants have got through. I hope Gina re-auditions next year. - VIDEO

Mark Mc Laughlin - 'Freefallin' by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - No - Mark is feeling especially nervous about his audition today because the song he is singing has a deep personal meaning for him. With that in mind, he feels like he needs to really deliver to the best of his ability. He certainly has a good tone, I do enjoy listening to his relatively gritty, husky tone but for me, it sounds a little bit forced and unnatural which does put me off the song. Sharon and Kian both turn around for Mark but the other two don't, although both praise him for a powerful and impressive performance. I have to admit that I'm blown away when he reveals that the deep personal meaning he was talking about is that his father died last week and he wasn't going to go for the audition but his mother told him that his father would want him to. Sharon gets very emotional at the thought of him losing his father so recently and tells him that he's an inspiration. He goes for Team Sharon. - VIDEO

Tommy Mc Nulty - 'Blue Skies' (Original song) - Yes - Tommy is taking a risk by choosing to sing his own song, obviously the big risk is that the coaches will not know the song so may have trouble connecting with the emotion of the song. He reminds me a lot of Jack Johnson with his voice and he definitely has significant songwriting talent because the song sounds like it could be a chart track instantly. None of the coaches appear to turn for him until the end when Jamelia pulls a sly one, turning her chair almost too late, with Kian accusing her of copying his technique. Tommy is a really good singer and I definitely would have turned my chair for him, I'm glad that he is through as he definitely deserved it. - VIDEO

Kirilee Dermot - 'I'd Rather Go Blind' by Etta James - Yes - Kirilee is originally from Essex, but grew up in Wales before moving to Ireland fourteen years ago, to say that he accent is an interesting mix of all three areas is an understatement. The mother of two is in a Beyoncé tribute band in the evenings but she hopes to be able to make a mark in the music industry and really get a chance to show everyone what she's got. Well, whatever she has, I like it anyway. Her voice is very bluesy and she adds so much emotion to the song, the old style jazz vocals are definitely very impressive and she makes an instant impact when Jamelia turns her chair, followed swiftly by Bressie and finally by Kian, who once again, leaves it until the end before choosing to express his interest in having her on his team. There is lots of friction between the coaches with them all sniping at each other in order to get Kirilee to choose them. Jamelia tells her not to be phased by Bressie's looks which winds up her fellow coach. After a lot of fighting, Kirilee announces that she initially wanted to choose Bressie and she is going to stick to her guns and opt for Bressie. - VIDEO

Tolu Olatoye - 'Halo' by Beyoncé - No - Tolu is the only member of her family to sing but she feels under pressure as she woke up and her voice was almost gone, she fears that having lost her voice, she may have lost her opportunity in the spotlight. As soon as she begins to sing, it's clear that her voice isn't in the state for her to be singing Beyoncé and she really struggles with the high notes due to her throat being really bad. Sadly, none of the coaches turn telling her that she probably shouldn't have tried for the audition when she woke up and she had lost her voice. However, they all tell her to give her voice a rest and say that there is something there, it was purely marred by the fact that she had lost her voice. - VIDEO

Niamh O'Neill - 'I Wish I Was a Punkrocker' by Sandi Thom - Yes - Niamh has a superb folk tone, she has a really brilliant voice and I love this song, she sings the song with a really quirky, refined tone and impresses me. Although I would have liked for her to give the song a bit more oomph, she definitely did a great job and can be proud of herself for doing a solid job and a great song. Kian was also rather impressed and said that he commends her for how well she coped with singing the song with little in the way of backing, she has a superb voice and I really hope that she gets far in the competition with that voice, Kian better not mess up with her like he did with some of his strongest contestants last year *cough* Elliot and Christina *cough*. - VIDEO

Thomas Kane Byrne - 'Picking Up The Pieces' by Paloma Faith - No - Thomas is a fashionista as well as being a music enthusiast, he has quite a quirky sense of style and is currently studying a Drama course, joking with Kathryn that he is quite a subtle, backward person really. Vocally, this is a little bit disappointing as his singing is so much weaker than his strong personality, when I say weak, he has quite a naturally powerful voice but his tone sounds harsh and put on and the way he sings the upper range sounds uncomfortable. To be honest, I think if he were to continue singing the way he is, he could damage his voice as it doesn't sound like it is coming from a comfortable place, it sounds like he is singing through his throat and almost forcing the notes, he's not a bad singer but I don't think he has picked up good vocal habits. None of the judges turn, believing that he isn't quite good enough but he does make them laugh when he rather matter of factly tells Sharon that he wouldn't like her golden trousers. - VIDEO

David Merriman - 'Wicked Game' by Chris Isaak - Yes - David has previously been a musician in the 90's when he was part of a band but he gave up when the band struggled to find mainstream success and he lost heart. He eventually found love across in America where he met his wife and has moved back to Ireland along with his family, including his children. Today, he hopes he can try and regain his confidence in his musical ability by impressing the judges. And impress he does, his voice is really strong, I do love that song anyway but he seems to make the track sound even stronger and although I was a little bit unsure of whether he would sound a little bit generic acoustic on the song, he has a surprisingly bluesy tone and I'm really blown away by the emotion that he injects into the performance. All four judges turn around for David and rave about his performance, he reveals that because he moved to America, he is really thinking of who was known in the industry before he emigrated, that being Bressie and Sharon, he does however admit that he hated the guts of Westlife and Boyzone when they first started out because of how much success they managed to gain without as much creative input into their material as the band he was in, to Kian's bemusement. He decides to go for Bressie. - VIDEO

Peter Smith - 'High And Dry' by Radiohead - Yes - Peter has had a bit of televisual fame before having appeared on both Irish Popstars and Popstars: The Rivals where he reached the top ten to be out in One True Voice, eventually joining boyband Phixx, made up of the five who missed out on being part of the boyband, ironically subsequently lasting longer than One True Voice themselves. However, he is now married with a baby daughter and he wants to give breaking into the industry another go. Before he goes out, his daughter has a slight accident and falls meaning that Peter really is on the emotional edge as he prepares to audition. It must affect his performance as although his vocals are okay, he makes absolutely no impact with the song. He was a little bit lost in the moment and didn't really connect with the song whatsoever. Sadly, I must agree that although Pete seems like a great guy, he didn't do enough to get through. - VIDEO

Niamh Armstrong - 'I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free' by Nina Simone -- Yes - Single mother Niamh is very nervous about her audition as although she has always been into music, she feels a little bit nervous about performing in front of the audience. She's singing an old style soul track by Nina Simone and although I feel like she lacks a really clear soul voice, I think she has a really good control of her voice and she definitely gives it her all, I think her delivery is strong. Jamelia leaves it until near the end but she does turn, informing her that always intended to turn around for her but wished not to give the others an opportunity to also try and take her so left it until later in the song. Niamh is through to the next round and she's delighted as Jamelia was the one coach she really wanted to be mentored by. - VIDEO

Show 5

John Gaughan - 'Someone Like You' by Adele - Yes - John is a student who is currently studying for his leaving cert as well as continuing on with his music at the same time. He really wants to have a career in the music business because he has always been into music and would love to be able to pursue a career in the music industry. This is one of those songs that is often sang and it's not very often that someone manages to sing it as well as Adele, John's rendition of the song definitely doesn't measure up to the original but it is a pretty good performance of the song. He manages to form a tight emotional connection with the song and I rally enjoyed listening to his audition, John manages to get three of the coaches to turn around for him, with Bressie the only coach not to turn around for him. John decides to for Sharon, making him her tenth artist. - VIDEO

Jasmine Kavanagh - 'Blue Jeans' by Lana Del Rey - Yes - Jasmine has a really great voice, I don't love Lana Del Rey but there is something captivating about her songs and I have to say that Jasmine is doing an amazing job. Her bluesy voice fits perfectly onto this song and gives it a really nice edge, it sounds better than the original which isn't a comment often bandied about. I don't think that her falsetto was as strong as her bluesy tone and sort of detracted from the overall feel of the performances. That said, I think Jasmine was one of the stronger contestants so far and she at least had a unique identity, I personally believe that she deserved to go through based on that performance, I hope she re-auditions next year as I have a feeling that the coaches will live to regret not putting her through to the next round. - VIDEO

Alexandra Miller - 'Skyfall' by Adele - Alexandra was raised in the South of France but as her father is Irish, she has been living in Ireland for some time and is hoping to give The Voice a go in the hope that her passion for music can amount to something. Her father believes that she is a really talented individual and he hopes that she will get through today because he wants her talent to be recognized. Alexandra has a really sexy voice, it's so bluesy and contemporary but also so powerful, Bressie turns his chair around almost instantly and let's not pretend, he is pretty impressed by the aesthetics as well as the voice, she's definitely an attractive girl and her tone is brilliant. She is such a powerful vocalist as well, it's no surprise that all four coaches turn around for her and pretty soon, chaos is amok amongst the coaches. Sharon and Jamelia are arguing, Kian and Bressie are arguing, Bressie and Jamelia are arguing. Poor Alexandra doesn't know where to look. However, she eventually decides to go with the coach she had a feeling she might like to be coached by which was Jamelia! - VIDEO

Caithlin Mogatedi James - 'I'm Going Down' by Rose Royce/Mary J. Blige - No - Caithlin is hoping to convince at least one of the coaches to turn around for her with her rendition of 'I'm Going Down', a song perhaps best known for the Mary J Blige cover of it, more so than the original. Caithlin has a pretty good voice, I don't think she's the best contestant we have hear so far, nor do I think that her rendition of the song is as good as I was hoping it would be. She can sing, but I think she gave herself a tough task when she chose to sing this song because you need to have a very powerful soul voice and although there is some R & B evident in her tone, I don't think her rendition of the track is strong enough vocally to get anyone to turn around. I'm right as all four coaches decide not to turn their chairs around, although they all believe that she has a nice voice and think she could definitely get through in a future series with a bit of practice. It's a no for Caithlin. - VIDEO

 Philip Kennedy - 'We Are Young' by Fun. feat. Janelle Monae - No - Philip is a school teacher but he would ideally love to win a recording contract as he is massively into his music. His voice is definitely strong, there is no doubting that but I really don't like the way he sings the song. To me, it comes across as really over emphasized  and would be more suited to musical theatre than to the record industry. He isn't vocally bad but I think he sort of dragged all emotional meaning of the song out of it by singing it in such an overdramatic way, I wish he had just sang the song as it was because he is certainly a good singer but his style is a little too musical theatre for my liking, however Kian decides to pick Philip, I do appreciate his talent but I think better artists have been rejected. - VIDEO

Beena Day - 'Man In The Mirror' by Michael Jackson - Yes - Beena is singing this Michael Jackson classic, her vocals are really strong, she has a pretty edgy voice, although there is a soulful feel to her voice, she also can really hit the big notes and has a rocky edge to her voice. I really like Beena based in this audition, I can see her going far in this show if she is able to perform to this standard. What's this? Nobody turned around? This is getting a little bit ridiculous to be honest, far too many good acts are being rejected whilst slightly dull acts have got through, I don't know why the judges have been so hard to please. - VIDEO

Velvin Lamont - 'Signed, Sealed Delivered (I'm Yours)' by Stevie Wonder - No - American born Velvin is married and living in Ireland but he is hoping that his soulful voice will be able to persuade at least one of the coaches to turn around for him. To be fair to him, as soon as he begins to sing, he manages to get the audience on side with his smooth voice and great performance skills. He is a very confident stage performer and he really works the crowd, although his vocals are quite good, I find them a tad generic for my liking and would have liked to have seen him doing something a bit more original purely because it did come across a little to similar to the original. There's nothing wrong for staying faithful to the original song but it just felt like Velvin was a little bit like a Stevie Wonder tribute artist rather than an artist in his own right. That doesn't seem to put Kian or Bressie off as both of them turn around for him. Jamelia says that she didn't feel the soul from the performance, I do get her point to be honest. Bressie tells Velvin that it's his birthday. He decides to go for birthday boy Bressie (for he's a jolly good fellow)! - VIDEO

Derek Power - 'Where The Streets Have No Name' by U2 - Yes - Derek is a professional singer in a U2 tribute band, where he is of course the front-man, the unforgettable Bono. He loves doing it but would like to become his own artist, to step out of Bono's shadow and become Derek so to speak and he believes that The Voice offers him that opportunity. I'm a bit disappointed at the song choice, surely the last thing a Bono tribute artist would wish to sing is a U2 track because the comparisons will be there. He's a great singer, he sounds exactly like Bono and even has the same style of performance skills as the U2 front-man but it is all a bit too much like Bono. After all, this is 'The Voice' and I don't think any of them want to find someone who is singing a U2 song exactly like Bono. That said, he is really talented and I believe that he could be really good if he steps away from the Bono comparisons, a good job overall. Kian is the only one to turn around, let's hope he does a good job with Derek. - VIDEO

Jack Patrick Healy - 'Mr. Bojangles' by Jerry Jeff Walker/Sammy Davis Jr. - No - Jack is a nice guy but this performance is doing him no favours to be honest, he has an okay voice but he has no charisma and the song was a bit of an odd choice, it just made him fade into the background and I feel like he struggled with the higher notes, there were a few pitchy moments. He may be able to get through if he re-auditions next year as he has talent but he just needed to find the right song for his voice which I feel wasn't that track. - VIDEO

Jennifer Moore - 'Suitcase' by Emeli Sandé - Yes - Jennifer is quite a nervous person generally and she is feeling very nervous about performing in front of the coaches but hope that her voice will be able to hold up for the duration of her performance. She has a very nice voice, it's powerful yet quite angelic and sweet, I don't think that her tone is the best I have heard but she's certainly deserved of a place in the Battle Rounds and I'm glad that Jamelia turned around for her because she's a great singer and all she needs is a bit more confidence and maybe a little bit of refinement in terms of singing the lower parts of the song with a little bit more control, however, apart from that, I think Jennifer is another competitor and I can see her going far in the competition if Jamelia manages to pick really strong songs for her. - VIDEO

Patrick Lacken - 'Hero' by Mariah Carey - No - Patrick takes the brave/foolish (circle as appropriate) decision to sing a portion of the song in Spanish. There's nothing wrong with singing parts of the song in another language but his pronunciation of the Spanish part of the song was pretty poor unfortunately. He should have just sang the full thing in English as the English parts weren't bad but the fact that he was really struggling to pronounce most of the Spanish section detracted from the overall performance. It wasn't a great performance. None of the judges turn although Jamelia says she would have turned only she wasn't sure about the Spanish bit, which she for some reason thought was Irish. Sharon says it was the Spanish section of the song that let him down and I believe that she is correct with that assessment. - VIDEO

Dean Anthony - 'Red' by Daniel Merriweather - Yes - Dean has an amazing tone, it's probably the best male vocal of the night, possibly of the series in my opinion. That song has so many layers to it and it's almost impossible to sing the track perfectly, in fact I'm not sure that pitch perfect exists for that song because of the difficulty performers have in hitting all the notes. I won't pretend that there weren't a few parts of the song that were slightly off-pitch but nobody is perfect and his tone more than makes up for it. I really liked that performance, I wasn't sure what to expect but he did a brilliant job, Jamelia and Sharon both turn for him with Dean opting to go for Team Sharon. I was really impressed and I'm sure Dean will go far in the competition with the right mentoring courtesy of Sharon. - VIDEO

Sophie Rischar - 'Love On Top' by Beyoncé - Yes - Sophie Rischar is taking a punt by going for a Beyoncé song as her blind audition, this song is not easy to perform especially when it will be naturally compared to the original artist who is a vocal powerhouse. Sophie manages to do a pretty good job of it, there are parts of it where I find her voice a little nasally but she has a nice tone and if she can sing tough songs like this pretty well, I really rate her chances on the latter stages of the competition. Jamelia, Sharon and Bressie all turn their chairs for Sophie but she decides that the R & B vocals is where it's all at for her and goes for Jamelia. - VIDEO

Show 6

Before we kick off the final blind auditions, Kathryn reveals that in a twist for the show, coaches are not restricted to twelve artists. Although each coach needs to take at least twelve acts through to Battle Rounds, they can press their button after their twelve positions are filled if they like an act, and can go into Battle Rounds with fourteen or fifteen artists. Obviously though, they will have to lose more acts in Battle Rounds.

James Sheridan - 'The Cave' by Mumford And Sons - No - James is currently repeating his Leaver's Cert after failing to get the marks required to take him on to whatever course he wanted. He's living with his grandfather and his aunt but he wishes to purse singing in the hope that it can give him an ulterior option, aside from his studies. I love this song but I really don't like the way he is singing this. It's a bit pitchy and I don't thinkt hat he has the dept in his voice to carry off the song. I feel like he lacks the gritty edge that this song really needs, he's a good singer but I'm not sure on his performance of this song, I don't think it was the right song choice for him. Fortunately, Bressie presses his button and takes James on, leaving Bressie with two acts left to fill his minimum level. - VIDEO

Alice Norwood - 'I Need A Dollar' by Aloe Blacc - No - Student Alice is currently at Trinity doing an Art History course. Her voice is interesting, she reminds me a little bit of Eliza Doolittle initially but as the song goes on, it stays at one level, her vocals don't pick up pace and she doesn't really give it any extra oomph. I like her voice but it's just an okay performance to be perfectly honest, I don't think that it's the best song choice to go for and I don't think it really highlights her voice very well, it's just sort of there, I don't think her vocal performance stands out which is a pity as she has talent but she needs a bit more fire in her performances. Nobody turns around. - VIDEO

Danielle Ward - 'Last Request' by Paolo Nutini - Yes - Danielle is no stranger to music competitions having won a You Tube video competition, which was judged by none other than Bressie himself. The Sligo native won the competition with her cover of 'Rolling In The Deep' by Adele but she's going for a different song today, this stripped back acoustic Paolo Nutini track. Her voice is absolutely brilliant, she has such a lovely tone and her vocals sound so natural on the song. She really connects to the emotion of the song but more importantly her rendition of the song is distinctive, she reminds me a little of Delilah. Her audition is well received with Kian and Sharon turning around straight away. I love her voice when she does the big notes, she has a slight grit to her tone which is excellent and I think that she's possibly one of my favourites to audition so far, great voice, great audition. Sharon and Kian both put up a fight but she decides to go with her fellow Sligo native Kian. - VIDEO

Jim Quinn - 'Jack & Diane' by John Cougar - No - My first impression of Jim is that he is going fully expect to hear him singing some Christy Moore, I'm suitably impressed when he goes for something marginally less predictable and actually seems to have a much more interesting voice than I thought he would. His voice isn't the best I've heard but he's doing a good job on this song, until it gets to the middle of it and he seems to be drowned out a bit by the backing which picks up volume wise. That said, it's still a good vocal to be honest and he regains it near the end. However, I do agree that it wasn't perhaps enough for the contest because better contestants have already been rejected and true enough, Jim fails to get a coach to turn around, and sadly is not through. Jamelia does say that he was very good though, adding that she felt he sounded too similar to last year's winner Pat Byrne. - VIDEO

Keith Doherty - 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen - No - Keith has had a tough life so far, having struggled against drugs in the past and says that music is one thing that has helped him to get through it all. His interesting interpretation of this Carly Rae Jepsen has me impressed at the start but as it goes on, it becomes apparent that there are tuning issues with his guitar, which in turn affect his vocals which become a bit pitchy. I do think that although I love how he tried to do something different, his arrangement of the song didn't work, I think it was too much of a change from the original, if he had went for the Ben Howard arrangement, it could have been a stand-out. All four coaches decide not to turn around meaning that Keith is out. - VIDEO

Shannon Murphy - 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' by Taylor Swift - Yes - Shannon is singing a song that I really dislike strongly but somehow, I quite love this rendition of the song, she has a great voice, it's quite country and I think that the way she arranges the song works perfectly to make it seem less cheesy. Nobody appears to be interested in turning for her and it's looking very much like for the third time in a row, an act will fail to secure a place in the Battle Rounds but the coaches seem to be playing a game with her as just near the end, Sharon, Kian and Bressie all decide to turn around. There's lot of musical knowledge comparison going on with Bressie comparing her to Jewel, a great comparison to be honest as Shannon would undoubtedly smash 'Hands'. She goes for Bressie! - VIDEO

Dean Forrester - 'Unforgettable' by Nat King Cole - No - Dean has quite an unusual voice for his age, preferring to sing classic songs like this to contemporary pop. It's interesting as there haven't been many old-time singers on the show this year, He definitely has a great voice but it's not exactly my cup of tea, I don't think I see this as the voice to rave about because although he's good, it's quite a bland performance and I wasn't feeling an awful lot of emotion or connection with the song in the performance. None of the coaches turn around, I think he may have got through last year but this year, the standard is a lot higher and I feel like the coaches want someone new rather than someone who can sing these sorts of songs really well but lacks individuality. - VIDEO

Erica O'Hara - 'Skinny Love' by Bon Iver - No - I absolutely love this song but I can't say I love this rendition of the song. There are hints of a good voice in the song but I feel like her vocals are a little bit lost in the song, maybe it's her tone but it felt a little bit pitchy at times, although I cannot deny that she did a great job in connecting with the emotional meaning of the song. Bressie says that she didn't really control her voice well enough when she was singing in such a fragile tone, however it doesn't really matter as Jamelia turns around for her, making her the twelfth contestant to join her team, which also means that Jamelia now has the minimum number of contestants required to be on her team. - VIDEO

 Katy Anna Mohan - 'Spectrum' by Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch - Yes - Guitar girl Katy Anna is playing a brave game today with her song choice, Florence's vocals on this track are absolutely massive and her tone is incredible, whether Katy Anna can live up to this standard remains to be seen but I'm intrigued to see how it will sound in an acoustic arrangement. I love her tone, it's really mature for her age and she has a fantastic control of her voice, she doesn't try to sound like Florence herself, in fact she sounds refreshingly different to the original. Kian is the first to turn around for her, she reminds me a little bit of Ren Harvieu but there is also something distincvtively Irish Folk about her voice, I love the way she inflects the notes on 'Never be afraid again'. Jamelia turns around with Bressie and Sharon turning their chairs around simultaneously just at the end, causing Kian to react with rage. Sneaky coaches! There's plenty of banter going on between the coaches tonight, with all of them trying to steal her favour from each other. She becomes the twelfth contestant to join Team Bressie! - VIDEO

 Stephen Hudson - 'Heart Of Gold' by Neil Young - Yes - I couldn't be farther from a Neil Young fan in reality but his rendition of the song is incredible, I love his tone, he has such a brilliant voice and he has a really unique style. I couldn't begin to make any comparison to existing artist because he showed about twenty dfferent layers to his voice in that performance, all I will say is that I have a feeling that he could well be going all the way. This song has been covered about five billion times but I love the way he interpreted the song, his vocals were amazing but his emotional connection was faultless, I'm very impressed. All but Bressie turns around with Bressie believing that although he was good, he didn't quite grab him. Stepehn reveals that he was once in a Westlife tribute band, adding that they actually supported Westlife on tour a few times, with Kian not having a clue who he is. He decides to go with the coach who he had planned to go for if they turned around for him in the first place, that coach being Sharon. Stephen is her twelfth act. - VIDEO

Tammy Browne - 'Alone' by Heart - Yes - Tammy is no stranger to the stage having previously appeared on RTE talent show 'You're A Star' where she became the first contestant to be eliminated from the competition. However, she has a second notable story, as very recently she auditioned to be a backing singer in Sharon's tour line-up, only failing to make it when Sharon decided not to have a backing singer for her tour. She's doing a great job of a song that I have heard plenty of times before, I like her interpretation of the track and love how she manages to perform it, Tammy is most definitely a good vocalist and I would like to see her going far in the competition. Kian and Sharon both turn around, Kian tries to persuade her not to go for Sharon by highlighting that Sharon already has twelve acts and if she takes Tammy on, she will be forced to pit three of her acts against each other in the Battle Rounds. This doesn't seem to worry Tammy however once Sharon reassures her that she won't put her against two other acts if possible, Tammy decides to pick Sharon. - VIDEO

Daryl Phillips - 'Drunk' by Ed Sheeran - Yes - Daryl has a good voice, it's not stand out but he is a strong singer and he has a great tone. I definitely believe that he deserves to make the next stage of the competition, as he has a good tone and he's a great performer, he definitely connects well with the emotion of the song. Kian makes him the twefth performer to join his team by turning his chair around him. I really think that it's a strong line-up with Daryl being the last to join the line-up before Battle Rounds kick off next week. - VIDEO
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