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Welcome back guys! I've not been following The Voice up to this point, honestly, because I couldn't take more auditions, but since the liveshows are already here, I guess it's about time to start covering the show again. Adam Levine and Blake Shelton returned as coaches, being joined by Colombian star Shakira and RnB singer Usher. We are down to 16 acts and tonight, Team Shakira and Team Blake take the stage. By the end of the week, only 12 will remain. Two will be saved by the audience and one by the coaches. Will your fave make it?

Recap and videos after the JUMP ...

Garrett Gardner

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"Imagine" - Team Shakira - 7/10 - When he was young he always watched his dad play the drums so naturally the first instrument he played was the drums. He auditioned last season for The Voice but didn't manage to turn a chair. During the knockout rounds, he defeated the wonderful Mary Miranda (whose "Antes De las Seis" cover I've got on repeat for a while). Shakira gave him this song because she wanted him to play the piano and show more of his register. She wants him to sing it like a rock anthem. This is a nice cover, I guess. It's such a huge song that it's way too hard to do it justice. I enjoyed his cover, he was pitchy at times but his growling made it a bit more interesting, it kinda worked with this song actually.  "That is one of my favourite songs, it's also one of my least favourite songs for someone to do. However, I did like seeing a different side from you that we didn't get to see and I'm a fan of your voice and I think you deserve to be here" (Adam)


Holly Tucker

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"How Do I Live" - Team Blake - 7/10 - Before The Voice people tend to write her off because she's not that Barbie figure, next thing she knows, she's turning four chairs during the blind auditions. She says the show has been the validation she deserved to be heard. "My confidence issues root from being bullied so just hearing Blake say that I belong here is amazing" Holly says. Blake thinks she beats herself up more than she needs to, he wants her to let herself go. I expected more from Blake but this song choice is a let down. It's quite boring and I'm not sure Holly knows what the song's meaning is since he's smiling throughout the song. The big note was impressive but not enough to turn this into a winner performance. She looks great tonight, that's the good part. "I think you are amazing and all this crazy talk about you not being super beautiful, you are a beautiful woman. You are better looking and more talented than Blake is" (Adam)


Kris Thomas

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"When I Was Your Man" - Team Shakira - 8/10 - He sang a Whitney Houston song in her key during the blind auditions. He claims that's unheard of for a guy to do. He used to get teased about his voice at school because it was so high. Shakira gave him this song because she think he's got a very sweet and emotional voice, just like the song. A very nice cover. His voice isn't as high as he says he is, he actually sounds quite masculine. He's got an amazing falsetto, that's his advantage. It's an almost flawless vocal performance. His delivery during the bridge had so much passion, it almost felt like he released all the tension he'd accumulated during that short moments. Very interesting. "Just an incredible voice. Nobody in the world would be able to understand  the pressure and what goes through your mind and be able to handle a song like that, that is a lot" (Usher)


The Swon Brothers

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"Fishin' in the Dark" - Team Blake - 6/10 - They say before the show they were playing at gigs in which they couldn't even make people look at the stage. During their blind audition, they did. "It felt like something went our way" they say. They were always close but the competition increased that relationship, they learnt how much they rely on each other on stage. Blake gave them this song because it gives them the opportunity to shine as vocalists. He thinks their strengths are their chemistry, their sense of humour, their weaknesses, they get a bit sloppy. Eh, this is a meh performance. They are a decent generic sounding country duo, being generic the key word here. No one wants a generic duo and that could be their downfall.. Nice vocals but their extreme lack of originality is a big issue for me. "I was watching you guys and I was thinking to myself, 'this is so Blake'. You've been dying for this. You guys are great, fantastic job, I don't know the song" (Adam) "OMG! Are you kidding me? You don't know that song?!" (Blake) "Hey, you never know any songs ever. The first song I didn't know leave me alone. Either way, fantastic job guys" he responds. Haha.


Karina Iglesias

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"Let's Stay Together" - Team Shakira - 6,5/10 - "In my life struggling gig to gig and hustling, I've had a lot of moments were I wanted to give up because my financial struggle is so much. It means the world to me that my music students can see that somebody that's in their lives is doing something big and they know it's possible for them too" she says. She battled against Judith Hill, Shakira stole her. Shakira wants her to get her soul back, she doesn't want Karina to hold back but at the same time be delicate. She's a fantastic singer but the problem with her, it's that she just starts scrapping the surface of her emotions. The performance doesn't go deep, I see she's giving it her all vocally but is she really giving it her all? I don't think so. That said, I can't fault her fantastic singing, some vulnerability would've helped though. "Karina, you were not stolen for me. I foolishly gave you up to Shakira. You didn't come to my house and steal Karina from me. I feel foolish for doing it because you clearly are a talented woman and you deserve to be here" (Adam) "I'm just glad to hear Adam actually come up and be honest about completely screw up like that to let you go. I thought that microphone was just gonna break into a bunch of pieces, it was so intense" (Blake)


Justin Rivers

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"Meet in the Middle" - Team Blake - 5,5/10 - Before The Voice, he was at a point were he basically had given up on his dream but his wife Hannah forced him to audition for the show. Their anniversary is coming really soon, they'll be married for four years. They met at one of his concerts. Blake wants him to establish himself as a hardcore country artist, even though he has a progressive sound. He tells Justin that his voice feels like it's restricted some times. "It may be that I grew up in South Alabama and we never really properly learn how to talk" Justin says. Another generic country artist, we could swap him from one of The Swon Borhters and I wouldn't even notice. He's got that guy next door vibe going on, so who knows, the audience may vote for him. That wasn't special to me at all. "That was freaking cool. Some people have never been to a hip hop concert and they are looking around and they don't know exactly what's going on but they don't want to look like they don't know what is going on. I felt that way. That was a country incredible moment" (Usher)


Danielle Bradbery

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"Maybe It Was Memphis" - Team Blake - 8,5/10 - Being on The Voice was her first time in the spotlight but she got to turn two chairs either way. She feels she's get more comfortable on stage as the weeks go by. She says she gets star struck with Blake. Her mom surprised her by telling her she was auditioning for the show. Blake is excited Danielle is singing this song because it was so big when he was in high  school. He tells her country music is about being sure you are selling the story. Her dad is also a singer. It's quite hard to believe that she's never performed before, it looks so effortless for her, the way she moves around the stage, the way she interacts with the audience, she's a natural at this. She's also got a gorgeous voice, perfect for country music, though I suspect she could basically sing anything, her clear tone would make it easy for her. Another plus, she is very marketable, a better Taylor Swift, one that can actually sing live. Blake's found a little star here. "In the wise words of my friend Blake Shelton, I just have one thing to say" Shakira says, while we can hear Adam saying Blake has never said a wise word, "Holy Crap!"


Sasha Allen

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"Oh! Darling" - Team Shakira - 9/10 - She's a mother of two who used to work as a background singer. Also worth noting, she was a contestant on VH1's "Born to Diva". During her blind audition, she managed to turn the four chairs, ultimately going for Adam, but when the battles came, she lost against Amber Carrington. Fortunately, Shakira stole her. Shakira gave her this song because she wants Sasha's sexy personality to come across. This is a sensational delivery with some killer vocals. Her talent is overwhelming. That rasp her voice got when she was singing at the top of her range was chill-inducing. Shakira wanted pain and desperation, well, there it is. That final glory note sealed the deal. Perfect performance to close the show. "So amazing. You can still win this thing whether you are on my team, her team, Carson's team, it doesn't matter, you're still gonna go very far and I'm excited to see it" (Adam) "Adam you gave her up! I wanna take the time to recognize the fact that you are an incredible vocalist and I'm just happy you are still here" (Usher)


Results

 Elimination:

 Karina Iglesias
Justin Rivers

The weakest on each team went home, so there's no complaining here. Karina is a great singer but that lack of depth and connection was too big to ignore. People isn't going to vote for a great vocalist with zero emotion. Justin was by far the most generic act on Blake's team. Well, all his acts are somewhat generic but his performance was the least interesting of the night. The guy next door look wasn't enough for him apparently.

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