That, or The Voice hasn’t reached their superlative quota for the month, and he wants to help. I definitely want to see more Rihanna! The denim jumpsuit-clad pop star came in with such profound sentiments as “You’re like a dad, and these are your kids” and “I’d be terrified to sing Adele unless I was really drunk at karaoke”. Blake might have missed the mark: Joe has the most personality of anyone in the competition, but he showed nerves during his Knockout performance, and Blake chose to send Barrett through to the Lives instead.
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RiRi ruled the day, but a few of these contestants weren’t half bad either.
Braiden Sunshine, 15, and Ellie Lawrence faced off for Team Gwen.
“Braiden, he’s just this 15-year-old boy in these nerdy glasses and curly hair, but the voice that comes out of him is scary”, Rihanna said. It’s the first time we really get to hear each woman sing solo, and it doesn’t have the same effect we’re used to from past performances. Ellie, who is a crowd favorite, sang “Cool for the Summer” by Demi Lovato, and faltered. She compliments Braiden’s song choice, telling him, “It showed off exactly how talented you are”.
Blake pitted two burly men against each other – high school teacher Barrett Baber and soulful Blind Joe.
For his time on stage, Baber chose to sing Zac Brown Band’s “Colder Weather”, a good choice for him.
Whether Blind Joe moved forward tonight or not, we know he has at least one fan: Rihanna went insane over his performance of “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” (the Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson version). Adam said Dustin is wonderful and an incredible singer. Her vocals were pretty, of course, because he voice is inherently good, but this performance was lacking a little something.
Here is how it shook out-and who is going on to the Live Rounds, when the viewers at home will make the decisions as to who stays and who goes.
Chance, usually a folk singer, went with Demons by Imagine Dragons. It has essence of goat in the flat lower register, and uncontrolled high notes. Season 8 returner Ivonne, though, stands out as a new team favorite with her performance of Katy Perry’s “Part Of Me”. Chance’s choice of song was criticized because it didn’t really show off his vocal range. Gwen stole the Hungarian singer for her team.
RESULTS – Darius Scott is the victor, but we all knew Blake would steal Morgan Frazier away and I was right, so she rejoins Team Blake! Each coach has only one steal to use during the knockouts and each will eventually emerge with a team of five singers to take into the live playoffs.
That was not an unrealistic goal in this opening bout of knockouts, as the singers were picking their own songs and were unaware of who their opponents would be before stepping onstage. For her performance of this Etta James classic, she ditched the guitar, and it seemed like she ditched her confidence with it. Rihanna and Pharrell emphasized the emotions of the song in her rehearsals, and she brought a little of that to the knockout performance, but she never fully dove in to the song.
“This is such an amazing-huge defining moment for you” Adam tells Madi. Shelton picked her as the victor.
“Whoever that was that just showed up, that’s who you are”, Rihanna said. Madi Davis did do better in this performance, but the coaches are all so enchanted by Amy Vachal.
‘She’s a pleasure to be around, she’s a really refreshing spirit in the universe, ‘ fawned Adam, 36. “And I’ve won this show a bunch of times”, says Blake. I can’t believe they’re out so soon. Pharrell chose Madi. But before she left the stage, not one, but two of the judges – Blake and Adam – pressed their buttons for a Steal. Andi & Alex were eliminated. The twins chose to sing “Stupid Boy” by Keith Urban.
“The moment that you just had is what every artist should aspire to experience”, Pharrell tells Blaine. Blaine’s cover is different from Joshua’s, including a insane last note, and it secures a win meaning that once again we won’t have a duo in the live shows. Vachel became a member of Team Adam.
The last Knockout of the night paired Jordan Smith and Viktor Kiraly from Team Adam. And yes: this is “The Battle Of All Battles”, so get ready. Jordan sang Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain”, while Viktor chose Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You”. Their coach must make a decision between the two performers.
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Blaine proved that passion in a song was more important to Adam than potential. He is calm and just sings and I love that. But Adam asked them to go out of their comfort zone for this performance.
