The weird combat terms on “The Voice” have moved this week from battle rounds to knockouts (maybe to be followed by sucker punch- and piledrive-rounds if they want to further extend the time before they get to live shows).
Judges presently need to cut their teams in half to five before the live broadcasts begin. But even so, judges will able “for the first time in knockout history” as Carson Daly breathlessly put it, to use another steal to pick up worthy singers not chosen to advance.
The ploy to extend the use of the buttons on the chairs means that anyone can return. So maybe it should be called the technical knockout round.
At any rate, judges got to change clothes from the stuff they wore entirely through the blind auditions and Battle rounds). And they were excited to add new artists to their roster.
The main difference here was that the contestants could choose their own songs to do, and they’d be judged against a team member choosing his or her own song.
Here’s how the first night of the battle rounds went:
Round one: Josh Logan vs. Amber Nicole
Team Christina
Josh’s song: “Living for the City,” Stevie Wonder
Amber’s song: “Mamma Knows Best,” by Jessie J.
It seemed a pretty random pairing by Christina Aguilera. Both are strong singers is about all she said. The two perform equally well and it seems a tossup. But the number of times people bring up that Amber is only 17 made it clear they were leaning toward Josh (since as a teenager, Amber can always return and be better than ever).
Winner: Josh because Christina says “I have certain ideas into what carries over into the next level.” Right.
Both Cee-Lo Green and Blake Shelton press their buttons to try to steal Amber, who gets to pick between them, Cee-Lo gets the nod. So far the number of singers eliminated from competition after 15 minutes: zero.
Steal: Goes to Cee-Lo
Round Two: Kat Robichaud vs. Monika Leigh
Team Cee-Lo
Kat’s song: “You Oughta Know,” by Alanis Morissette
Monika’s song: Ray Charles’ “Hit the Road, Jack.”
Paired together because they’re both rock chicks, Kat turns on the intensity — sneering, wagging her hair, doing big kicks and bugging out her eyes. She ended the song going to her knees and then falling backwards. She’s a little scary, frankly.
Monika is distinctly less so, and the lyrics of her chosen song seem to work against her (“and don’t you come back no more, no more, etc.”).
Winner: Kat, “based on this performance alone,” Cee-Lo said. Which means everybody has their own criteria on which to choose. So far, Christina chose future possibilities and Cee-Lo what was just in front of him. No steal for Monika.
Round Three: Holly Henry vs. Nic Hawk.
Team Blake.
Holly’s song: Radiohead’s “Creep.”
Nic’s song: “Genie in the Bottle,” the first hit from judge Christina Aguilera.
In the round between the two outcasts, Holly falters on some Radiohead notes and Nic slows down the Christina Aguilera tune. His piercings, which hang from his nostrils, recall those first seasons of The Voice when everyone looked all pierced and inked. Again, the lyrics in Holly’s song may have reflected her own feelings “What the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here.” Shelton agreed.
Winner: Nic, who Shelton calls a “unique entertainment personality.”
No save for Holly.
Round Four: Ashley DuBose vs. Tessanne Chin
Team Adam
Ashley’s song: “Hey, Soul Sister” by Train
Tessanne’s song: Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
In one of the strongest battles of the night, Ashley was bubbly and engaging to offset all the slow songs she’d been doing. Tessanne, an import from Jamaica, held her own on a Clarkson song, the first of two we’d hear tonight. Adam picks Tessanne, . But it’s a shame nobody hit a button for Ashley, who may have been the most talented person to eliminated so far.
Round Five: Briana Cuoco vs. Shelbie Z
Team Blake
Briana’s song: No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak”
Shelbie Z’s Song: “Last Name,” by Carrie Underwood (a lot of hits by former “Idol” contestants, it seems).
They are both strong singers, each of whom got all four judges’ chairs turning during the blind auditions. But they are both quite different. Cuoco, who has been an assistant to her famous sister Kaley, and was saved by Shelton after Christina cut her loose, is all over the place; Shelbie, meanwhile, has been performing this song so often at karaoke bars and delivers a confident performance. Nobody saves Briana; she presumably goes back to a life of getting her sister coffee.
Winner: Shelbie; no save for Briana.
Round Six: Grey vs. James Irwin
Team Adam
Grey’s song: “Already Gone,” the second one tonight from Kelly Clarkson
James’ song: “Breakeven,” by the Script.
The two were paired because they are technically proficient singers, but need to inject more emotion into their performances, according to Levine. Of the two, Grey’s skills are further along, the judge said.
Winner: Grey
No save for Irwin, despite the compliments all around, some from judges who said he “was right for my team.”
Round Seven: Destinee Quinn vs. Olivia Henken
Team Christina
Destinee’s song: “See You Again” by Carrie Underwood
Olivia’s song: “You’re No Good,” the Linda Ronstadt version
“There’s only room for one country artist on my team,” Aguilera says, so this is their showdown. Destinee’s performance is a bit shaky and Olivia has nerves. Christina ultimately think Olivia has “more skills and experience in her voice and has a genuine heart.”
Winner: Olivia.
No steal for Destinee. Alas, it is her destiny. Her “See You Again” title choice was prescient.
Round eight: Jonny Gray vs. Cole Vosbury
Team Cee Lo
Cole’s song: “Let Her Go” by Passenger, the most obscure selection of the night.
Jonny’s song: The Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out.”
The two guys with “hats and not beautiful hair,” as Levine puts it, are pretty evenly matched and Adam flat out says he’ll steal any of the two who become available after Cee Lo’s choice, he liked them so much.
Winner: Jonny, but Cole gets a steal button from Adam, as promised, but also Blake Shelton. Cole has to choose between them and goes with the three-time winner Blake.
For Tuesday’s continuation of the knockout rounds — in another two hour Big Gulp – there are only two steals left; one for Adam and one for Christina. Choose wisely.