The Voice Recap: The Playoffs End With A Major Twist Ahead Of The Lives
After the tease with which the April 28 episode of The Voice ended, we all kinda guessed, didn't we, that coaches John Legend, Adam Levine, Michael Bublé and Kelsea Ballerini would be allowed to invite back an eliminated contestant ahead of the Lives. And indeed, in the final moments of Monday's episode, they were informed that they could use another Super Save to return one singer apiece to the competition. Which ones? That, we wouldn't find out until next week. In the meantime, let's review how Michael and John's teams fared on the second and last night of the Playoffs.
TEAM MICHAEL BUBLÉ
Kaiya Hamilton, "If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free" (Grade: A) | Like Kaiya, I was like, "Are you sure about this?" when I heard that her coach had assigned her Sting's hit. But damn! She turned it into a gritty ditty that allowed her to come off like a total boss. Kelsea exclaimed afterwards that Kaiya "ate and left no crumbs."
Angie Rey, "How Do I Live" (Grade: C+) | You know how sometimes you'll be in Party City and hear a song that you know, but it doesn't sound quite right — like, you can tell it's a knockoff cover? That's what Angie's rendition of LeAnn Rimes ballad was like. Not that the coaches reacted at all that way. "Eleven out of 10," they declared.
Jadyn Cree, "99 Red Balloons" (Grade: B+) | Definitely my favorite Jadyn performance to date. She started out singing in a quirky, twee voice and went on to prove why she's a natural fit for the '80s cover band she fronts. She is able to nail that odd hiccupy vocal quality that made a star of Cyndi Lauper. "You were in your zone," John said.
Barry Jean Fontenot, "Until I Found You" (Grade: B) | Maybe I'm just too familiar with Stephen Sanchez's original version of this gorgeous ballad to have fully appreciated Barry's rendition. I liked it — quite a bit, really. But it only approached the top instead of go over it all the way into excellent territory. Good, not quite great.
Adam David, "I Shall Be Released" (Grade: A) | Adam gave me serious Father John Misty vibes on his Dylan cover — and, in case it's unclear, that's a good thing. Adam looked entirely at home on stage and delivered a spectacular roar of a vocal. Next to Lucia Flores-Wiseman, I'm pretty sure he's the contestant I'm rooting for the hardest.
Advanced to the Semi-Finals | Adam David, Jadyn Cree
Eliminated | Kaiya Hamilton, Angie Rey, Barry Jean Fontenot
TEAM JOHN LEGEND
Bryson Battle, "pov" (Grade: A) | For more than half of Ariana Grande's ballad, I really wondered whether John had chosen the best possible showcase for Bryson. He navigated the tricky aspects just fine, I just wasn't wowed. But then the song invited him to let loose and belt, and he was able to really remind us why he's such a contender.
BD.ii, "All My Life" (Grade: C) | Wake me when it's over. By and large, I'm a BD.ii fan, but his rendition of K-Ci and JoJo's smash was flat and lifeless. And I might have been able to just focus on BD.ii's appealing tone if it hadn't felt so much like he'd sleepwalked through the number. Nevertheless, his coach called this his best performance yet.
Olivia Kuper Harris, "What Was I Made For" (Grade: A) | It's quite a feat to be able to stand stock still and regardless deliver a compelling performance, but Olivia 100% pulled it off. She was pitch-perfect, present and vocally stunning. "Every note had intention and beauty and musicality," John marveled when she was done.
Ari Camille, "Rain" (Grade: B+) | Though SWV's '90s classic may not have been the most dynamic showcase for Ari's abilities, she still managed to shine, turning out a sultry vocal that kept reeling me in over and over again. John hit the nail on the head when he said that everything she did, every note she hit, was "stylish."
Renzo, "Too Sweet" (Grade: A) | Serving rock-god realness, Renzo was straight-up fire — so much so that he should've had smoke coming out of his ears. His Hozier cover was at turns strategic and nuanced, then unleashed and ferocious. "It just feels like you're already a star," his coach commented afterwards. And how.
Advanced to the Semi-Finals | Renzo, Bryson Battle
Eliminated | BD.ii, Olivia Kuper Harris, Ari Camille
So, your thoughts on who should be brought back? And on Monday's performances? Hit the comments.
[crowdsignal poll=15433660]