The Voice Recap: Did Season 27's Finale Just Set The Stage For An Underdog To Come Out On Top?
Going into the Season 27 finale of The Voice, my favorite was Team Adam Levine's brilliant but polarizing Lucia Flores-Wiseman. But I couldn't help but root for the underdog, Jaelen Johnston, who'd been ignominiously eliminated by coach Kelsea Ballerini in the Playoffs, only to get voted back into the competition after receiving a Super Save.
The general consensus, though — based on how y'all voted in TVLine's polls — is that not only will Team Michael Bublé's Jadyn Cree win, she should win, too. (I don't get it, but to each, their own.) Team Bublé's Adam David and Team John Legend's Renzo looked to be headed for fourth- and fifth-place finishes. Unless, that is, there was an 11th-hour upset. Did we get one? Read on.
Renzo (Team Legend), "Fly Away" — Grade: B | Before launching into his Lenny Kravitz cover, Renzo said that he hoped to show people that he could have fun. Not sure if he did that, exactly; it's kind of an intense number. But his stage presence matched the electricity of the light show flickering around him, and the rawness of his energy was certainly attention-getting and more importantly attention-keeping.
Lucia Flores-Wiseman (Team Adam), "Wish You Were Here" — Grade: B- | As much as I adore Lucia, her Pink Floyd cover didn't quite work for me. The quality of her vocal was, as always, there; in fact, I heard tones that I hadn't previously. (Where'd that grit come from?) But the number didn't come together or play to her strengths. Not, I feared, the crowd-pleaser that she needed in the finale.
Jadyn Cree (Team Bublé), "Lose You to Love Me" — Grade: C- | Oof. These ballads were killing me — and not in the good way. It feels sucky to give a thumbs-down to a kid who's doing her best at something that she loves, but at the end of the day, Jadyn's take on Selena Gomez's hit played like an ad for Auto-Tune. It needed a lot more post-production help than it could get live.
Jaelen Johnston (Team Kelsea), "What Was I Thinkin'" — Grade: I | On Dierks Bentley's toe-tapper, Kelsea's Super Save artist... oh, [bleep]. He full-on forgot the lyrics and started humming. Not sure if I've ever seen a case of nerves get somebody that down before. Bless his heart, Jaelen saw the number through to the end, but I'll be damned if I know what grade to give him other than an "I" for incomplete. We'll never know how good this performance could have been.
Adam David (Team Bublé), "You Are So Beautiful" — Grade: A | OK, if you have to do a soppy ballad — and the finale demands one — this is 100% the way to do it. Adam's Joe Cocker cover was impeccable: vocally flawless, subtly rendered and full to brimming with feeling. A lovely treat after a night that had up to this point at best been fair to middling.
Lucia Flores-Wiseman (Team Adam), "Wildflower" — Grade: A | Tackling Billie Eilish in both English and Spanish, Lucia altogether blossomed. I didn't just listen on the edge of my seat to every gorgeous note, I felt every one of them. They all but vibrated with feeling. And if Lucia had been any more in the moment, she'd have to have left a trail of breadcrumbs to find her way back out. Sensational.
Adam David (Team Bublé), "Hard Fought Hallelujah" — Grade: B+ | Before hitting the stage, Adam disclosed that Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll's hit said everything that he was feeling in this moment. But as solid as his performance was — and it was very, very good — it seemed like the backing choir did as much of the heavy lifting as he did. Wholly enjoyable but not the showcase that I thought Adam needed.
Jadyn Cree (Team Bublé), "Come On Eileen" — Grade: D | Aw, come on. Jadyn has neither the personality nor the chops to bring this '80s classic to life. Herman Munster's head isn't as flat as this performance was. The show certainly went all out with the decorations and dancers, but that couldn't disguise the fact that Jadyn shouldn't have been in the Top 5 in the first place.
Renzo (Team Legend), "Lover, You Should've Come Over" — Grade: B- | Sheesh. I wanted to love Renzo's Jeff Buckley cover, but he was pitchy as hell. Even after he started belting — aka his sweet spot — he wasn't anywhere near the top of his game. I expected better, and he's capable of it. "You've shown everyone what a complete talent you are," his coach insisted afterward. But had he?
Jaelen Johnston (Team Kelsea), "Cold" — Grade: A | In his last chance to redeem himself, Jaelen sang like a man possessed. Like, he was gonna reach straight through our chests and squeeze our hearts if that was what it took to make 'em ache. The kid was spitting fire on that stage — and maybe, just maybe did enough to pull off the miracle that was gonna be needed to get him the win. Excellent showcase — and what a way to make a lasting final impression.
So, did anyone's performance sway you to vote for a different performer than you expected to? How gorgeous was Season 16 winner Maelyn Jarmon's single? Weigh in in the comments after voting below.
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