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I think the show is looking like it could be in for a strong run this series with even more talent joining the ranks of Team Tom and Team Will in particular last week. Tonight, a West-End star who has toured with Michael Ball and a Belfast born mum of one will be hoping to turn the coaches chairs.

Recap and videos after the JUMP...





Jessica Steele - 'She Said' by Plan B - 4/4 - Joins Team Will
Jessica auditioned last year but she was rejected, she says that she was gutted to lose out last year but it has spurred her on to audition again this year and try to improve. I actually think she was a lot better last year than she is in this audition, her voice is kind of shaky at times, she warbles on some of the notes and I feel like her tone is different also. She seems to have this sort of accentuated British twang to her voice which she didn't have last year, I much preferred last year's audition and was really surprised she didn't get through when she first audition. However, all four of the coaches turn around. Jessica is this year's 'Alys' but I'm not sure that I see her making the lives like the aforementioned, she picks Will as her coach.


Bunny Tan - 'Rocket Man' by Elton John - No Turn
Malaysian born accountant Bunny Tan is next up for the coaches. He hopes not to disgrace himself in public but says that people know him as the singing accountant and music has always been something that he has wished to pursue. He has a nice voice, I like this song, it's a bit of a classic and he does it justice, but nerves or whatever it is, it's not standing out. It's just a nice cover, there's nothing special or unique about his voice and he just does a decent vocal performance of it, it's kind of lacking a connection. None of the coaches turn with some of them saying that it sounded too similar to the original and Will suggesting that he connects with the songs he sings on a deeper emotional level. 


Sarah Eden-Winn - 'One Night Only' by Jennifer Hudson - 3/4 - Joins Team Will
We are introduced to Sarah and her boyfriend, the 27-year-old hopeful reveals that she is obsessed with cats and has four in her flat. She wants to impress the coaches with her big voice, this is certainly a very hard song to sing but Sarah makes light work of it. She has a massive range and powers through the track, she follows through with all her runs and executes them, it was a very good vocal performance and she also connected with the song emotionally. That said, it's not exactly different, there are numerous divas who audition for the show with a similar level of talent and she actually reminds me a bit of Leanne Mitchell, the Series 1 winner. Sarah gets Tom, Will and Ricky to turn for her, it seems obvious that Tom will get her on his team and Will and Ricky jokingly don't really try to pitch for her. However, she ends up going for Will.


Tila & Tavelah - 'Just Can't Get Enough' by The Black Eyed Peas - 1/4 - Join Team Ricky
Twins Tila & Tavelah are the first duo to audition this year, they are taking on this song by the Black Eyed Peas, Will's group. They have good urban vocals, both of them are nice singers and their harmonies are decent. There's certainly something both have to work on but they definitely do a good enough job to get through and I'm pleased for them that Ricky decides to turn his chair, he reckons that they will be a handful but is looking forward to working with them. 


Gemyni - 'Fantasy' by Mariah Carey - 3/4 - Join Team Kylie
The second duo to audition are also twins, Kimberley and Lauren say that they have very different interests and personalities but when they come together to sing, they're like one. They also look incredibly like Leona Lewis. Their voices are good, they definitely deliver some very impressive notes in their Mariah Carey cover and I'm not surprised that the coaches turn around for them, three to be exact. They also have something to work on, their harmonies are pitchy at times but they have the potential to go somewhere. Kylie manages to convince the girls to choose her over Ricky or Tom.


Vela - 'Homeward Bound' by Simon and Garfunkel - No Turn
Rebecca and Jonathan make up 'musical pixies' Vela. They wouldn't describe themselves as hippies but would agree that they are slightly bohemian, the couple regularly play gigs from old people's homes to church functions and have even sang at a funeral. They remind me a bit of Matt & Sueleen from Series 1 but they're not as good, their harmonies aren't as tight and the song doesn't really go anywhere, it's an average audition and I'm not entirely shocked to see them going home without a coach although they're certainly talented.


Shoe designer and singer Milly J fails to get the coaches turning with her operatic rendition of 'Summertime' but they end up wishing they had, particularly Will who says he was stupid not to turn around. She was great at what she did but I don't know how well she would have been able to sustain that style week in week out.


Charlie Wood who hails from Memphis, Tennessee is another act who fails to get a place in the Battle Rounds with his rendition of 'I Can't Stand The Rain'. Again, he has a good voice but good isn't good enough and for me, his vocals just don't stand out enough for him to get through.

Jai McConnell - 'Never Forget You' by The Noisettes - 4/4 - Joins Team Kylie
Jai comes from Belfast and is a mum to a three year old son Kingston. She says that she wants to set an example for her son by auditioning for the show. First of all, I love her song choice, Noisettes are so underrated and Shingai Shoniwa has a golden voice. I love the tone to Jai's voice, it's a bit like Shingai's but with an added element of quirkiness, she certainly has something very unique about her. She delivers the song brilliantly, adding in little runs and artistic flairs which really add something to the song. All four coaches turn for Jai and do their all to persuade the singer to join their team but it seems like Kylie has the best persuasion techniques as Jai opts to join her team.


John Quinn - 'Lightning Bolt' by Jake Bugg - No Turn
John is another strong singer, he certainly has a good voice but he sings this Jake Bugg song exactly like Jake Bugg does, it's way too similar to the original to the extent that his voice sounds almost identical at times. He has no artistic individuality on this song, the coaches also pick up on this and tell him that they felt he didn't distinguish his rendition of the song from the original. John doesn't make it into the Battle Rounds.


Melissa Gill - 'Love Is A Losing Game' by Amy Winehouse - 3/4 - Joins Team Tom
Amy Winehouse obsessive Melissa wants to be able to pursue a career in music after having been inspired by her idol Amy whose music she was obsessed with, to the extent that she has styled herself like her idol and has the same tattoo that the deceased jazz singer had. Her rendition of one of Amy's songs certainly isn't a patch on the original but it's not bad. I feel like her pitching is off at times and she has some improvement to be made if she is to stand a chance of making the live shows but she's not bad. I feel that three chair turns was generous however. She chooses Tom as her coach.


Leanne Jones - 'Skyfall' by Adele - No Turn
West-End actress Leanne has won numerous awards including a prestigious Laurence Olivier award for her work on the stage in a production of 'Hairspray' alongside Michael Ball. She hopes that she can recreate her success on stage on a stage of a different type as she takes on The Voice. She can certainly sing, she powers through most of her song without any difficulty even if the higher range of the song isn't done perfectly but she sings it too much like the original so I can see why the coaches decide not to turn.


Rachael O'Connor - 'Clown' by Emeli Sandé - 3/4 - Joins Team Kylie
16-year-old Drumsurn schoolgirl Rachael comes from a family where sport is a huge thing. Her brother Niall is a successful rugby player who has played for Ulster but she says that she was a 'disappointment' because she isn't into sport at all, she's into singing instead. She hopes to do her family proud by auditioning for 'The Voice'. She has a beautiful voice, it's very pure and serene and she has a very nice tone, it's quite light and refreshing. She has a very strong upper range and really connects with the emotion of the song. She attributes her interest in music to her grandfather and obviously the family musical genes have worked, Rachel is easily the strongest auditionee of the night. She's overwhelmed to get three coaches turning for her with just Will not turning but it's Kylie who she picks.

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