The Voice US: Season 4: The Live Finals: Top 8 Perform
31 May, 2013 8:47 PM
Acoustic pop model Josiah Hawley and RnB singer Kris Thomas left the competition last week, with only one male act remaining. That also leaves both Usher and Shakira with one member on their teams while Adam and Blake still have their three acts. Could one of them lose all their acts tonight? Or is it time to say goodbye to someone on Team Blake? Maybe on Team Adam?
Recap and videos after the JUMP ...
Recap and videos after the JUMP ...
Judith Hill
"#thatPower" - Team Adam - 6,5/10 - She wants to show the world who Judith is. If she weren't in the show, she'd be in Tokyo working with kids at the schools giving them her advice as an artist. She can't await to go to Tokyo and share what she's learnt. Judith came to this for Adam. He thinks it's important for everyone to see what her vision is, he wants her to turn it into something new. She considers this performance will separate her from being a great singer and an artist. This feels like self sabotage. I heard this song a few weeks back when will.i.am performed it on The Voice Australia for the first time and my conclusion was that it sucked. Judith hasn't changed my mind tonight. This song is crap and no one can change that. She's been an early favourite but I'm starting to wonder if she just peaked too soon. Truth is she's been disappointing the last two weeks. She's got a phenomenal voice though and her cool Vegas like approach to the song was kinda impressive. That said, this is her worst to date, mainly because of the song choice. I give her props for turning this music crime into a listenable tune but it wasn't awesome, not even her professionalism can do such a miracle. "What an incredible way to open the show, you did an incredible job with giving the song a new face and you looked like you had a great time" (Usher)
Holly Tucker
"Done." - Team Blake - 8/10 - This song choice was her idea. "I've got a brain under this blond hair" she says. She thinks this is her chance to totally rock out. "Every great female country artist those a song that has a lot of attitude and I think it's perfect timing for Holly to show us that side of her" Blake says. She's been taking classes to finish her education while competing in The Voice (clever). She's finally doing a current country song, I couldn't be happier. There was a lot of attitude there, something I've not seen before in her, it was like she finally understood the lyrics of a song. Guess sassy and upbeat is what works for Holly, she should stick to this, church hymns do not bode well with her. The best she's performed, ever? "Showing your range like that, you really can sing anything. I'm happy that we got to see kind of the more aggressive side of you tonight, clearly Blake let you raid his closet and borrow his boots, you did a great job Holly" (Adam)
The Swon Brothers
"Seven Bridges Road" - Team Blake - 7/10 - They are singing for Oklahoma. Blake picked this song for them to push their boundaries. He compares them to a modern day Eagles. "When you are approaching an Eagles song, your vocals have to be spot on" they say. They are singing next to a campfire which make their already cheesy performance into a huge fondue. After last week's upbeat performance, they are back to their old boring ways. Despite that, the guys work great as a duo, their voices harmonize perfectly and they've got a very radio friendly sound. I liked how this sounded, while it wasn't the most entertaining performance ever, it made for some pleasant listening. I don't think I'd change this cover if it suddenly popped on the radio. "First of all, I love the salmon color. You continue to grow on the show, I think people what to expect from you guys until you did the George Jones song and since then I think people have started going 'OMG, this guys aren't just funny and goofy, they are extremely talented. You do have something unique to bring to The Voice" (Blake)
Sasha Allen
"Without You" - Team Shakira - 7/10 - Shakira picked this song because while she has had a breakout moment, she now needs to create another big moment and a defining experience in her career. She thinks it's a fun and uptempo song that fits her perfectly. Sasha says the main connection to this song would be with her fiance, with whom she's been for the past 10 years. So far, Shakira seems unfit to pick the right songs for her acts. This is another example of that. Sasha is a fantastic vocalist but this just wasn't quite right for her. She went sharp several times throughout the performance on the big notes but she still made it sound powerful and compelling, even if her voice wasn't at her best. Her phrasing and dramatic performing style are always impressive but if Shakira wants her to make it to the final, song choice is key. "Obviously a little biased, great song. I wanna say that hearing the song performed, you conjured incredible emotions and that song is all about love and all about dedication and I really do feel like you did an incredible job" (Usher)
Sarah Simmons
"Somebody That I Used to Know" - Team Adam - 7,5/10 - Adam picked this song because he wants her to keep connecting with the audience on an emotional level. He thinks the song has been gone for a while now and this is the moment when you can breath new life into it. Singing is her main thing but she loves painting. She's been doing it since she was 13. Adam tells her she has to be pissed off, "whoever this person is that you are talking to, they have to be shuttering with fear cause you are so strong" he adds. While I love this song, I don't want anyone singing it other than Gotye. Truth is that they ruin it. Sarah's version was good, mainly cause I love everything she does, but it lacked when compared to the original. Her transitions weren't as smooth tonight, probably because she put so much power and anger into the performance that there was no place left to be vulnerable. There were some pitch issues as well and her gorgeous grit felt completely forced. It was a decent performance nonetheless. "Who doesn't like that song? That song is like, everybody loves it. It was so interesting hearing your voice, it was quite enjoyable " (Shakira)
Michelle Chamuel
"Grenade" - Team Usher - 9,5/10 - The strategy behind this song is that she can bring it to life in a new way and that she can show a different type of vulnerability. She chose her song this week. Before The Voice she was working on an album for about a year, she's really excited about it. Usher thinks she's a new standard for what all of them are optimistic about, something that is different. Usher wants to make her the loudest instrument. Wow! This girl really has it all. I don't normally enjoy covers of this song but she totally reworked it, and it was outstanding. Usher making her the loudest instrument was genius. Her unique dramatic tone is the heart of her every performance and in such a minimalistic arrangement, it shone like a star. That was a gutsy, visceral rendition. I think I'll soon be making a shrine for her. "That was so awesome. You are amazing, I love you, whatever, I'm a huge fan of yours. It was so cool because we usually see her alone, you doing your thing by yourself and then people started showing up, it was so dynamic. So exciting, it was really, really cool" (Adam)
Danielle Bradbery
"Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Ol' Days)" - Team Blake - 8/10 - This is one of Blake's all time favourites. He thinks this is the perfect song for her because it shows she's not just the teenager up there that can sing but that she's a true artist that knows how to convey a lyric. Both her grandparents passed away, one before she was born and the other one short after she was. Her grandma passed away last Thanksgiving. She's sad not to have met her grandparents. She thinks this song will be a really nice tribute. The performance begins with Danielle at a porch sitting on a swing. Sweet, as was the performance. Not the most solid pick from Blake and not Danielle's breakout performance but the mellow quality of her tone made this one of those nice little performances. Not much is going on here, just a young girl singing a nice song to her grandparents. As usual, she perfectly translated the message. "You are amazing. I'd like to know how many people were watching the news and watching all this terrible things going on around the world right now and to hear a song like that, that's why that song is important and you did it beyond justice. You did an incredible job with that statement about just take me back when things were good" (Blake)
Amber Carrington
"Skyfall" - Team Adam - 9/10 - She's a bit iffy about it, mainly because she thinks everybody will be 'Oh really? She's gonna do an Adele song?'. Adam picked it because it's a challenge, he wants her to be adventurous. "This song is very dramatic and I'm not used to doing something this huge, well I'll have to find that inner actress and bring her out" Amber says. And she's back! A dramatic, captivating performance, just what she needed after the major misstep "Breakaway" was. I wasn't sure she could cope with such a massive track but her massive range and perfect note placing proved me wrong. We may be looking at our winner here, that versatility is incredible. "It's perplexing that Adam picked that song because we've been very critical of people who tend to do Adele songs here in the show but it worked, it suits your voice and those high notes really did it for me" (Shakira)
Results
Elimination:
Judith Hill
Elimination:
Judith Hill
Sarah Simmons
Wow! What a shocking night! Regardless of their performance tonight, the girls have been front runners from the very beginning and even in an off weak, I expected them to get through. But it wasn't meant to be. I predicted Sasha and either The Swon Brothers or Holly will be leaving us but none of them did. Judith performed the worst song possible, and even if she nailed it, it wasn't memorable. Sarah had a similar fate, performing a bad song for her and not totally nailing it. I'm specially sad for Sarah, she was my favourite.
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