From the beginning of the season, Judith Hill was poised to win “The Voice.”
She already had a superstar pedigree, having been Michael Jackson’s duet partner as he prepared for his last tour and taking a spotlight at his funeral. Judges on “The Voice” fought over her and praised her every move, incuding this week’s cover of will.i.am’s “#thatPower.”
When it was over, Adam Levine said he felt he was watching not a contestant but a star.
So maybe home voters thought Hill had outgrown the show as well, as they eliminated her in a shocking results show Tuesday.
It was a double blow for Levine who lost a second member of his team as well, big voiced Sarah Simmons, who sang Gotye’s oft-used “Someone That I Used to Know” on Monday. As with Hill, all of the judges had praised Simmons performance.
“I hate this country,” Levine muttered.
Now as “The Voice” moves on, fully half of the remaining top six are country acts from Blake Shelton’s team; each other judge only has one singer to cheer on. And two-thirds of those left are country acts.
Levine’s sole remaining member is the country singer Amber Carrington; Shakira’s is one of the two remaining non-country singers Sasha Allen, whom she picked up from Levine.
Usher’s only artist left is bespectacled pop and rock singer Michelle Chamuel while Shelton’s fully intact roster are the thoroughly country Danielle Bradbery, Holly Tucker and The Swon Brothers.
Shelton’s utter dominance this season will likely result in even more excessive ego for the guy who already won two of three seasons of “The Voice.”
The foreshadowing of Shelton’s wins could have been seen from the start of the episode as his three acts helped back Sheryl Crow sing her new single “Easy” during the elimination show. The Swons also returned to duet with Allen on “Don’t You Want to Stay,” the hit from Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson.
As the only guys left in the competition, The Swons are likely to be used a lot as long as they last. Being the last males left in the competition, makes the top half of “The Voice” mirror the female dominance this season on “American Idol” as well.
Also teaming up to kill time during the results show was Carrington and Tucker on “Does He Love You” by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis.
Hill’s final song as a contestant on the show was a dance music duet with Chamuel on “Sweet Nothing” by Calvin Harris with Florence Welch. Simmons’ final performance as a “Voice” contender was with Bradberry on an ethereal version of Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.” It showed a non-country side for Bradbery, but maybe she doesn’t need one, the way things are going.