THE VOICE: S03 BLIND AUDITIONS E03

As we kick off Episode 3 of The Voice with the coaches teams as follows: Adam – 2; Blake – 4; Cee Lo – 3; and Christina- 4.

First up:

Samuel Mouton – 19 years old from Fort Collins, Co. His family owns restaurants and they seem to have a good sense of humor. For his audition he sings Redemption Song, and this dude’s voice is killer with a rasp I love. Adam turns around immediately, followed by Cee Lo and Christina Aguilera. I wonder if they thought he was black because of the accent while he was singing. Christina said she would love to get to know him better to see what his “turn ons are” (more flirting by Christina), Cee Lo said he could tell he loves Bob Marley by the inflections in his voice while he sang, Adam said he impacted all of the coaches by doing something special by doing very little. Samuel’s choice? TEAM ADAM!

Chris Trousdale – Age 26 from Grand Rapids, MI who is a former boy band member of Dream Street.  His story is so familiar to many artists, whose music has influenced fans in many places and yet is working that 9 – 5. For his audition song he sings Glad You Came by The Wanted.  He moonwalked! He was commanding the stage, and his voice was a little shaky but no one turned around for him. Of course Christina was remorseful she didn’t pick him and then she got Blake to get up and show a little dance moves, to which he moonwalks! In the end they told Chris that it seems he is more of a dancer than a singer.

Nelly’s Echo – 32 year old from Baltimore, MA by way of Nigeria. His family fled due to the unrest, though they left their father behind because he was incarcerated for something he didn’t do.  His father had since been exonerated and came out with a brother in support.  For his audition he sings Ain’t No Sunshine accompanied with guitar.  Christina turned around first, fanning herself with her black lace fan. Lol. Adam soon followed suit. Christina said she had so much fun right off the bat and pointed out she was the first to press her button. Adam said the payoff was after the “I know, I know…”  Its down to the decision and Nelly’s Echo chooses to be on TEAM CHRISTINA!

2Steel Girls (Allison and Crystal Steel) – the mother-daughter duo out of Wellston, OH. This is a first for this singing competition. I really want them to be good. The whole family (brother and father included) perform together. The mother had to quit her job to come out and audition for The Voice. For their audition they perform Carrie Underwood’s Before He Cheats. Their performance was really entertaining. I love voices that blend well. Cee Lo and Blake turn around at the same time. It was a job well done. Adam called them a “freight train of angry, jilted women.” Cee Lo said equally they sounded really good but together really impressive. Blake said he wanted to be the guy to protect the mother daughter relationship in a savage angry world of entertainment. Who do they choose? TEAM BLAKE! I would’ve been really surprised if they picked Cee Lo. Of course, duo’s last season didn’t last long so we will see how long 2Steel lasts!

Lisa Scinta – singing Teenage Dream by Katy Perry ( I hate these fast auditions where they show 15 seconds) going to TEAM CHRISTINA!

MarissaAnn – singing Part Of Me (another 15 second blip) to TEAM CHRISTINA!

Loren Allred – singing When Love Takes Over by Kelly Roland to TEAM ADAM!

Domo- 26 from the Bronx, NY. She is a professional hip hop dancer. She has a list of accomplishments they run through, which made me laugh, but also it let me know that she has been working very hard and is ready for her chance to be in the limelight. For her audition she sings Don’t Cha, which I think Cee Lo wrote for his wife, and she released but then the Pussy Cat Dolls took it and took the charts by storm. Of course, Cee Lo was the first to turn around. She strut around the stage like she owned it and Cee Lo loved every minute of it.  She is a firecracker. She has great energy and a really positive attitude.  Cee Lo said he feels she is a better singer than the song even allows. Another win for TEAM CEE LO!  All of the coaches offer their “sympathies” it seems since with her he will definitely have his “hands full.” I think she is a great addition to the team, but we will see!

Nicole Nelson – a 35 year old self proclaimed hippie from Vermont.  For her audition she sings Hallelujah.  Adam was the first to turn, followed by Christina, Blake and Cee Lo. It was a great performance, but I would like to hear more from her.  Christina began with the pleas, Adam made it a point to say he turned around for her first, then Cee Lo gave praise to her voice.  Nicole began how she takes really good care of her voice, how she lives an organic lifestyle. Blake suddenly interrupts that he too lives an organic lifestyle, and Adam said the bull that comes out of Blake’s mouth is organic. All jokes aside, when it comes down to which team Nicole chooses, she ends up on  TEAM ADAM!

I think my favorites of the night were 2Steel Girls, Samuel Mouton and Domo. Will they be able to keep up the momentum into the Battle Rounds, or will the other artists rise to the top? We have a ways to go.

Next week The Voice airs on Monday  and Tuesday, bringing us more Blind Auditions. Until next time!!

THE VOICE: S03 BLIND AUDITIONS E02

its another night of THE VOICE and lets get right into it!

Adriana Louise – age 22 year old waitress/bartender from Brooklyn, NY. For her audition she sings Domino by Jessie J. She has really cool control over her voice. I would listen to her if she came out with an album. Cee Lo and Adam are the first to turn around. Christina and then Blake turn around. The second person to receive all 4 chairs and a great way to start off the episode. The coaches are really fighting for her in this episode with Christina making the most passionate plea, also throwing in that Cee Lo is “pervy”. In the end Adriana chooses TEAM CHRISTINA!

 

Casey Muessigmann – pronounced “MUSICMAN” The singing wrestler. He gets major points for saying 180 degree turnaround. LOL. A lot of people mistakenly say 360 turn around.  For his audition he sings Sweet Home Alabama.  This dude has a great soulful voice. I think he is one of the best country voices yet. Blake of course is the first to around. Cee Lo also turns around to Blake’s dismay.  Blake really enjoyed the “ass-spanking” as well as the southern rock country element. In the end Casey chooses TEAM BLAKE!

 

Aquile – A biracial kid, 24 years old born in San Diego raised in Wyoming. When he was 19 he was punched in the jaw and had his mouth wired shut until he was healed. Craziness. For his audition he sings Your Song by Elton John, one of my favorite songs. Christina and Adam immediately turn around.  Cee Lo turned around towards the end of the song. The guy will be the lady killer of the show methinks.

All of the coaches make their pitch, but Christina took a page from Cee Lo’s book and started in with the flirting saying she would love a “private show.” In the end Aquile goes with TEAM CHRISTINA! Hmm. She has a lot of vocal powerhouses on her team. I hope this isn’t his undoing. Her battles tend to be powerhouse against powerhouse and this dude is awesome but really smooth.

 

Ryan Fogarty – 28 year old dude from Nashville Tennessee and he is the Tour Production Coordinator for LeeAnn Rimes. Well that isn’t too shabby. That is some star power backing him. For his audition he sings Tomorrow by Chris Young.  You can tell he is a little nervous, but he has a nice voice. Unfortunately no coaches turn around for him. Cee Lo said “Wow what a surprise” and Ryan responded quickly with “I love country.”  That moment when the coaches find out that it’s a black dude singing country. LOL.  Ryan you don’t have to defend yourself!!!  It was a good audition. Blake said he was looking for something different than what Chris Young would do but it never happened.

 

Mackenzie Bourg – out of Lagayette, LA he is 19 year old who contracted a virus that shuts downs organs. Not good obviously.  For his audition he sings Pumped Up Kicks, and the guy also plays guitar. He has a really good indie sound. Cee Lo took his time to press his button, but when he did Mackenzie’s dad flipped out. Christina said she enjoyed his performance and was waiting for that “moment” but she didn’t hear it. Blake said he loved the Harry Potter vibe. Christina said he looked like Justin Bieber, but Mackenzie said “let’s go back to Harry Potter.” Another win for TEAM CEE LO! His last name is BOURG. Like the BORG. From Star Trek. Lol

 

Julio Cesar Castillo – the final artist of the night out of Chicago, who is hoping The Voice can help him break free of his musical roots. He plays in a Mariachi band to support his family.  His dad has epilepsy so it’s hard for him to get a job. For his audition he sings LA BAMABA, becoming the first artist to sing a song entirely in Spanish on The Voice. Blake turns around immediately. My favorite part of this show is when the family/friends celebrate backstage when a chair turns around. Cee Lo also turns around, and of course Blake hates this, calling him a “jackass.”  In the end Julio goes to TEAM BLAKE!

 

Alright another cool night of The Voice. I have one more episode to catch up on. Who were some of your favorites of the episode?

THE VOICE: SEASON 3 PREMIERE

 

Its another season of The Voice and I am late catching up. My band and I have been on the road. I debated back and forth whether or not I was going to continue blogging about the show because its a lot to devote hours out the day for a tv show. After watching the first episode, I was reminded why I love this show so much. So here we go. 

The mission: To discover and develop America’s next great voice.

Some changes to note before gearing up with the Blind Auditions:

Bigger teams – 16 artists per team

And a twist to be revealed later

 

First things first, there is another awesome song performance by the 4 coaches. I really enjoyed how well Blake and Christina’s voices blend.

 

Terry McDermott – Scottish rocker-dude living in New Orleans. He has a dope accent. He was in a 6 piece band called Drive Blind but they disbanded. For his audition he sings Baba O’Reilly by The Who. He has really good voice and great control in going from high notes to low notes. Adam, Cee Lo and Blake all press their buttons.  Blake said exactly what I was thinking when he told Terry that he would win it if he just gets up there and talk. Adam said he wants Terry to sing on his team, Cee Lo said he wanted Terry to rock on his team but in the end he chooses TEAM BLAKE! Awesome choice.

 

So… I’m guessing Purrfect the Cat is out of the picture. Now we have a bird? A Pink bird?

 

De’Borah – From Chicago Heights, IL and I’m not gonna lie. Her choice in dress and style of hair made me think she was a dude. Never judge a book by its colorful cover.  She grew up in the church. She reminds me of Whoopi Goldberg when she speaks. I can’t help but smile when she is on screen because she seems like a dope person to hang out with. She comes right out with it saying she is gay. Her song: Hey, Soul Sister by Train. She has a great voice. And I love her attitude. She might be a favorite of mine already. Christina and Cee Lo turn around at the same time. These coaches are taking a while leaving everyone hanging til the last minute to turn around. She chooses TEAM CHRISTINA!

 

Gracia Harrision – from Virden, IL and the first Country artist and yodeler to audition. For her audition she sings I Want To Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.  Adam turns around immediately, followed by Blake. She begins to yodel and Cee Lo turns around, to Blake’s dismay.  Adam said by far she is the best country singer on the show.  Cee Lo uses the word exceptional again (he loves that word) and he says he is a fan of the yodeling. Blake says he hates to think what would happen to her in the long run if she was influenced by either of the other coaches who turned around. He said she is what needs to be brought back to country music. She chooses TEAM BLAKE! Country doesn’t have a good track record on his team, so we shall see if it works in her favor. Adam jumps out of his chair and tells Blake he hates him. Lol.

 

Garrett Gardener – a 16 year old out of Ringwood, NJ.  His father was a jazz musician who played with many famous musicians, but died of cancer a couple years ago. For his audition he sings Have You Seen The Rain. He has a good voice, but unfortunately none of the coaches turn around. Blake tells him he has a really unique sound and tone, but lack of control when he travels from note to note. Christina calls him a cutie pie and loves his rasp, but she seconds Blake’s suggestions.  It seems tough for him to be on stage, but Christina runs up to him and hugs him. Adam grabs him before he leaves the stage and tells him that he is so much better than Adam was when he was 16.

 

Devyn Deloera – 20 years old from Snyder, Tx (WEST TEXAS BABY!!!). She looks like she needs to be an actress. A really beautiful girl. For her audition she sings “Ain’t No Other Man” by Christina Aguilera. Christina pushes her button.  Then Adam and Blake press their buttons.  She put forth a good effort with such a hard song. Christina said she wants to nourish her talent, Adam said it was ballsy and a courageous choice, Blake said she made him. Devyn asks which coach is going to keep her around, and who will keep in contact with her after the competition. Christina dodges by saying it’s a matter of keeping up with conversations, but Adam says his label signed Tony Lucca after Season 2.  Christina says she has label connections, to which Adam says he HAS a label. Blake says that he took Dia Frampton on tour but hasn’t had the chance to work with Jermaine Paul because he is still doing press from WINNING last season. Funny no one mentions Javier Colon though. She ends up with TEAM CHRISTINA!

 

Bryan Keith – 22 year old from the Bronx. His father is a grammy award Latin singer, but he doesn’t want to use his father’s connections.  For his audition he sings It Will Rain by Bruno Mars.  Blake turns around, followed by Christina, followed by Cee Lo, and finally Adam, to be the first to get all 4 coaches! He has a really great rasp and a clear voice.  Adam says he is very special, Cee Lo says his voice has all the qualities he aspires for, Christina says he is a raw quality and gift, and Blake says he knows Brian is the real deal because he sounds like the same guy from the start to finish, not like an singer trying to emulate someone else. In the end he goes with TEAM ADAM! He almost had me as a huge fan for this episode until he said he “felt like something like that would happen.” I’m hoping he isn’t overly cocky for real, because that always turns me off from great singers.

 

Danny Rosa – from last season, he didn’t make it. I remember him as well. I hope he gets to move on. For his audition he sings Somebody I Used to Know by Goteye. He sings a really cool version, kind of outlaw bluegrass or something. Cee Lo and Blake turn around and they freak out because they recognize them, which I think intrigues Adam and Christina.  Adam rushes the stage afterwards to hug him. BEST MOMENT  of the episode. Adam said one of his biggest regrets was not giving him a hug.  Cee Lo said he sounded cool as a muthafucka. Lol. Which they beeped.  Then the coaches go on about how not to give up on your dream. In the end, he goes to TEAM CEE LO! Now how will Danny fare when Cee Lo has favored aggressive performers in the past? I think Danny will go far. He is a pretty inspirational guy.

 

Anita Antoinette – a 22 Jamaican girl singing No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley. She looks like she can sing. And she is really beautiful. She sang her heart out but none of the judges turned around. Adam said she is a great singer with a great voice, but the spirit of the song wasn’t being delivered. She requests to sing it a capella, to which they let her, and she begins a more mournful tone. Which I feel changed the whole feel of the song. The band was playing a happier tone which didn’t really allow for the feeling she began to emote.  The audience stands up and cheers, along with the coaches (minus Christina). As she steps off the stage, Blake asks Anita to come back next year.

 

Joe Kirkland -  24 year old from Fort Worth, Tx.  He was signed to a label with a band as a musician, the lead singer bailed, he stepped up to the plate to sing but the label didn’t believe in him so they were dropped. For his audition he sings Gives You Hell, to which Adam Levine and Blake Shelton turn around. He reminds me of the lead singer from Blink 182. He has good sound. Christina was eager to see what he looked like. Adam said he has control over his aggressive tone and he has never had anyone like that on his team. Blake said he is a believer and thinks that he has star quality. Blake said he also wears vests, matching when they do duets together. He ends up on TEAM LEVINE.

 

Jessica Sharpe – 23 year old out of Greensboro, NC.  A hairdresser who also sings in a cover band and is “big stuff” in Greensboro. She is cute with a fun personality. She sings Son of a Preacher Man.

Unfortunately no one turned around for her.  Christina said she was waiting for the magical moment to happen but it didn’t. Blake said she needs to promise that she will try out for Season 4 and Christina again went up to offer a warm hug.

 

Trevin Hunte – 18 year old from Queens New York. The part of his story that gets me the most is when he spoke on the opportunity he had to attend a performing arts school, on condition he had 4 recommendations from his teachers. He acquired 3, but the 4^th teacher he approached told him he was wasting his time. Who says that to a kid? But Trevin mustve had more than 4 teachers he knew. Someone else could’ve written that recommendation right?  For his song he performs Listen by Beyonce. What a song to choose. And Christina  immediately turned around, followed by Blake. Then Cee Lo. What a fucking voice. This dude took that song and ripped it to shreds. He ripped it. I replayed this twice. Blake screamed at Adam to press his button, but he didn’t. Christina said she was completely blown away so please pick her. In the end he went with TEAM CEE LO! MAJOR CONTENDER HERE.

 

My favorite performances of the night go to Terry McDermott and Trevin Hunte.  Can’t wait to see more of them!!

 

THE VOICE: THE FINALS

SEASON 2 EPISODE 19

I can’t believe this journey is almost over. It is the Finals of The Voice and our 4 hopefuls looked really good tonight. Jermaine Paul and Chris Mann were wearing suits, Juliet Simms was looking extremely elegant in a red and gold gown (team cee lo repping the REDZONE) and Tony Lucca rockin the vest and a hat, like usual.  Each artist has put in so much work to get to this point and tonight one person will stand out above the rest. They will perform a solo tribute to their coaches, then they will sing a song with their coach AND sing a song that will be used for the voting proces tonight. And of course, we won’t find out who wins until tomorrow.

THE IMPORTANT PERFORMANCES

Jermaine Paul of Team Blake is first tonight. He is representing all of the background singers who want to be in the spotlight and recognized for the talented artists they are.  Tonight he sings “I Believe I Can Fly.” His vocals were steady and point, but I was ready for the choir (St. James Concert Choir) to come in because the song sounds so empty without it. There was a moment where he held the word “FLY” and it was just one of the highlights of the song.  Christina said he sings with so much heart and emotion and that is what this show is about. Cee Lo said the presentation was perfect. Adam said it was elegant and pretty. Blake said his heart is in his throat. He said he has listened to the song before but he never really heard it until tonight. 1-855-VOICE-01

Tony Lucca (Team Adam) singing 99 problems by Jay-Z. Okay I was skeptical of this but I am digging the vibe he had. This was like an O Brother Where Art Though moment. It was fun and a cool interpretation of the song. I can hear this in a movie.  Christina was hating. Haha. She said she felt it was derogatory to women. Adam tried to say that they were talking about life, not women. Then he said he loved her, took off his flannel and the black shirt underneath had Team Xtina in red glittery letters. @Kuriboi2k6 pointed out to me that Tony’s performance was actually a cover of Hugo’s version of 99 problems. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onDh4P1cE2E 1-855-VOICE-03

Chris Mann (Team Xtina) singing  You Raise Me Up by Josh Grobin. This is the perfect way for him end his time on the voice. This song is so sweet and his voice has never sounded so good. He was accompanied by the James Burrows High School Choir. Cee Lo said he was by far one of the most incomparable vocalists he has ever heard and he is so cool ending with “If I ever fall in love, please sing at my wedding.” AND he brought his coach to tears 1-855-VOICE-04

Juliet Simms (Team Cee Lo) singing Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. She was wearing the red gown she started off in early in the episode with a long flowing cape enveloped in a red haze and she looked awesome. It felt like I was watching a performance that should’ve been at Woodstock. She was alright (performing while sick) but she got me when the end of the song came belting out the lyrics with all of her heart. Cee Lo said with Juliet Simms on his team he has NO PROBLEMS, standing up showing off the white t with black letters reading the same thing.  1-855-VOICE-02

THE TRIBUTES 

(where contestants sing their coaches songs)

Juliet Simms (Team Cee Lo) – singing Crazy. Not my favorite performance at all, but I have to remember she was sick.  I kind of grimaced through this performance. I know she can do better. FEEL BETTER JULIET!

Chris Mann (Team Xtina) –  singing The Voice Within. This guy is definitely going to have a deal. He is going to take on all of Josh Grobin’s fans. Afterwards, Christina went up on stage and said “This is a real man! That respects women!” Wow she just keeps diggin into Tony Lucca.

Jermaine Paul (Team Blake) - singing God Gave Me You. I actually liked his performance. He gave it a little southern drawl at times and he had fun with it.

Tony Lucca (Team Adam) - singing Harder To Breathe. This was the best I have heard Tony tonight.  There were a lot of words in the song and I think he ran out of breath while singing, which caused him to laugh a little bit. But he did a good job.

THE DUETS

(MY FAVORITE PART)

Chris Mann and Christina Aguilera sing a“The Prayer” As soon as Christina started singing I couldn’t  stop smiling. One, Christina’s boobs looked like they were going to spill out of her dress, and THIS DUET WAS AMAZING. Such a smart move. Chris has such a great voice when he is singing songs that are in his lane.

Juliet Simms and Cee Lo sing Born To Be Wild.  This was more in Juliet’s lane. She has a rock sound and needs to stick to it. She was rocking a black leather jacket with spikes and came in sitting on a motorcycle. This was a fun duet that had a stage set up to make it seem like a biker bar or back alley race.

Tony Lucca and Adam Levine sing Yesterday by The Beatles.  This performance reminds me of a 90’s rendition of Yesterday. I am sure all of the girls are going crazy. If Boyz II Men came out, then I would’ve gone crazy.

Jermaine and Blake sing Soul Man. These guys are tall. And they had so much fun singing this song. It was like Jermaine and Blake took us to church. I really like that Blake and Christina both went out of their comfort zones to perform tonight.

Who will take the crown as winner of Season 2 of The Voice???

Find out tomorrow.

Carson Daly also informed everyone in America that free download cards for certain songs from the Final 4 will be available at participating Starbucks. Go out and get em!

THE VOICE: SEASON 2 EPISODE 18 Final Four Cylons Revealed

No last chance performances. No saves. Each coach had 100 points to divide among their two remaining artists in however way they see fit, based on last night’s performance. This could get ugly.

But in true Voice fashion, they don’t give it to us straight off the bat. No, first Season 1 alum Dia Frampton of Team Blake performed her single ‘Don’t Kick The Chair’ feat Kid Cudi. Dia looked lovely standing on a staircase decorated with chairs piled on top of each other.  She did a really good job. This song is in heavy rotation on my ipod. I friggin love it. I like that we get to hear from Season 1 in this episode.

The first reveal was Team Xtina: Chris Mann vs Lindsey Pavao. Last night my favorite performance was Chris Mann. He ripped that song to shreds. Lindsey had a really great performance and it was a little more main stream so that may work in her favor. Either way I am sure these guys are in for a wild ride in the record industry. Christina split the 100 points even between her artists (50/50). With America’s vote the scores changed: Chris -104; Lindsey -96. The first Top 4 contender is Chris Mann. I didn’t expect that at all, but I am happy for him.  That was really close. And heartbreaking when Chris and Lindsey embraced  and she sobbed into his shoulder.

I can tell this is a “bittersweet” episode. (if I may quote the judges)

Next, Season 1 alum Vicci Martinez from Team Cee Lo performed ‘Come Along’ with Cee Lo. This is again my favorite song from Vicci’s EP she just released today.

The second reveal was Team Adam: Katrina Parker vs Tony Lucca. Last night I enjoyed Tony Lucca but Katrina Parker was my favorite singer. Adam split his points giving: Katrina – 40; Tony – 60. The reason? I didn’t really understand the reasoning. It made no sense to me. It was weird. I guess he feels a connection with Tony but he feels she is still incredible. Adding America’s vote:  Katrina – 92; Tony – 108. So Tony advances. If the coaches didn’t have a vote, America’s vote would’ve stood alone with Katrina – 52 and Tony – 48. Crazy. Congrats to Tony.

Season 1 alum Beverly McCllelan of Team Xtina, performing with Cyndi Lauper “Money Changes Everything.” This was crazy. Beverly has such a beautiful voice. I was really trying to figure out if Cyndi usually performs like this or if she a little tipsy. They had a lot of fun onstage. I am not an aggressive guy and these girls were chasing each other across the stage and then there was one point Cyndi hit Bev. Again I say Crazy. Lol. Cyndi was having trouble with her in-ear as the camera caught her trying to adjust it in her ear a couple times. It was an entertaining and weird performance.

Javier Colon, last year’s winner of The Voice, was the next performer singing “A Drop In The Ocean” off of his current album. That man hit some notes in this song!!

Next up was Team Blake’s elimination: Erin Willett vs Jermaine Paul. And today is Erin’s bday. Will Blake or America give her an incredible bday present or will this be the worst birthday ever? Blake divided his points for his teammates 50/50. He explained they are both trying so hard and doing everything they can do. He didn’t want to make that decision. America’s votes added: Erin – 77; Jermaine – 123. Okay I am sure its not the worst birthday present, but it sucks. I love that she pointed at Blake and said “Let’s get drunk!!”

So far, its been all guys to make it to the Top 4.

As I type this, I am nervous for Jamar Rogers. Give me one good reason to get mad and tweet “I AM NEVER WATCHING THE VOICE AGAIN!” And that would be a lie regardless of how this decision goes. But I am crossing my fingers. Will America or Cee Lo cause me to throat chop my television set? We shall see…

Before the commercials started, Christina Milian caught up with Jamar and Juliet backstage and asked if there was anything they wanted to say anything to each other. Juliet almost broke down right there. And that caused me to be okay if Jamar gets voted off. Because she has done really well throughout this competition and ROCKED THE FUCKING HOUSE last night. And she deserves this chance like anyone else. And her breaking down reminded me when I broke down crying backstage in front of Rebecca Loebe before my Battle Round against Nakia from all of the anxiousness.

Okay.

Team Cee Lo was up. Cee Lo first said that he has said many times that he has 2 of the best contestants on the show. Jamar and Juliet started crying before the results were announced and I really felt bad for the both of them. Can’t we just allow both of them to go on?? Cee Lo divided his scores as such: Jamar – 40; Juliet – 60. He said he wanted to be honest, critical and fair. He said Juliet’s performance last night was so beautiful, striking and strong. Jamar has been so consistent and America loves him. He said he couldn’t appreciate everything that Jamar did in that song and he felt it didn’t translate completely. With America’s vote:  Jamar – 79; Juliet – 121. A resounding roar of approval for Juliet. My heart is heavy.  I know it probably only came off this way on t.v, but after the results were revealed and Cee Lo joined the two on stage, it seemed Jamar gave him the dirtiest look ever. I think he was just feeling numb.

The Final 4 artists are: Chris Mann, Tony Lucca, Juliet Simms and Jermaine Paul.

Wow. Did you think any of these guys would make it to the Final 4 when this journey first started?

Maybe.

THE VOICE: SEASON 2 EPISODE 18 The Elite Eight

Craziness. Awesome performances. This is how I would describe this episode featuring the Final 8. So let’s get into it.

Tony Lucca (Team Adam) – singing How You Like Me Now by The Heavy. This was a solid performance. For me it didn’t go up or down, it just stayed consistent. Its not the type of music I would listen to and he honestly doesn’t have the type of voice I listen to on my ipod. But I really liked his suit.  Christina said she cleared the song for Moses, but it fell into Tony’s hands. She asked if Adam taught him the dance moves jokingly. Then she said if this doesn’t work out he and Adam could start a Britney cover band. Cee Lo said it was a pleasant surprise and he became a big fan. I am tired of all the girls screaming when Adam is about to speak. Or maybe its jealousy.  But Adam said this was the perfect song for him to perform tonight.  1-855-VOICE-01

Erin Willett (Team Blake) – singing Without You by David Guetta feat Usher. This is such a crazy song choice for her but she seemed to be working it out during practice and Blake said this could be her break out performance. Her low notes starting out were not in key and some of her high notes were flat. This wasn’t my favorite performance of hers at all. I get that this is an emotional song because of the recent passing of her father.  That is a terrible tragedy. She has such a big voice and she is a very talented singer. I just don’t think this was the right song for her. Billboard’s twitter account disagrees with me. What do they know? Lol. Christina said she was proud that she was emotionally involved in a song and that Erin did an original arrangement. Blake first complimented how beautiful she was. Then he said he would give anything to have a tenth of the talent she has and to have the strength  she would have. 1-855-VOICE-02

Chris Mann (Team Xtina) – singing Ave Maria. He said this is the way he came into the competition so if he goes out, he is going to go out with a band. This was an amazing performance. I couldn’t even type while he was singing. He definitely told a story with the power of his voice. I loved this. And he isn’t always my favorite but this was amazing. Cee Lo was the first judge to comment and he said his voice is so powerful, pure and perfect and said he was the epitome of the show. Adam said Cee Lo was totally right. Christian said she felt the heavens open up and she felt so moved.  She even got up out of her coach’s chair to give him a hug. 1-855-VOICE-03

Jamar Rogers (Team Cee Lo) – singing If You Don’t Know Me By Now. This was a really great performance. I really dug it. It was a cool mix of R&B and Rock. Adam said if you just set aside the competition aspect of this, he is purely a fan. Blake said it was by far the most laid back performance from him and he said it was a really good performance. Xtina said she enjoyed his run and she was motivated to get up there and start singing. Cee Lo, affectionately calling him J-Bird, and thought this was a great performance of a stripped down version of the song. He also said the story of his life would be a best seller, because it is a success story.  Sidenote: I feel that Wardrobe (the people behind the scenes who dress the artists) have a hat filled with photos of items of clothing. They draw from the hat and whatever comes out, they throw on Jamar. He was wearing a shiny vest, bright blue blazer with tails, and the pants to a baseball player’s uniform. 1-855-VOICE-04

Teams Adam and Cee Lo performed together tonight singing “”All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers.  This collaboration was the best team collaboration of the season. All of these vocalists really shined and complimented each other.

Jermaine Paul (Team Blake) – singing Open Arms by Journey.  There is no denying this man can sing.  He had a really great performance. Christina said he was a crazy talented vocalist. He came in and murdered the song. Cee Lo said he did a wonderful job and he is consistently impressed by him. Adam said he would like to congratulate him because he is no longer a background singer.  Blake told Adam that Adam should’ve said Jermaine was the guy to beat all along rather than saying “another guy” in previous weeks was the man to beat. 1-855-VOICE-05

Katrina Parker (Team Adam) – singing Killing Me Softly by The Fugees. She looks like a star to me. She really does. And her voice is so effin amazing. She sounded really good but I was wondering the whole time was she going to do the really recognizable breakdown Lauryn Hill.  And she did! And it didn’t come off karaoke at all, which I was afraid was going to happen. Blake reminded her she was sitting in a cubicle months ago and marveled at how she sounds so seasoned. Xtina said she has fallen in love with her over the course of the competition. She also said if she was her coach, she would’ve tried to make the song more “Katrina Parker” rather than try to follow everything that Lauryn Hill sang. Then she said she encouraged Adam to look at Katrina because she was a star. Xtina does not hold back. Adam said at the end of the day, she didn’t sound like Lauryn Hill, she sounded like Katrina Parker so he was beyond happy. 1-855-VOICE-06

Blake Shelton performed his new singing “Over”. It was a good song. The chorus was my favorite part. Blake totally towered over everyone on stage. He is such a tall guy.

Lindsey Pavao (Team Xtina) – singing Skinny Love by Bon Iver.  She is totally an indie girl so she is going for all of those type of songs. I wish I knew the song, but I’m not too familiar with his music.  This was the first time we got to see her play the guitar onstage. This was also my type of set up. I love acoustic songs. At first I didn’t like the way she was singing, but it started growing on me. Then I realized I had heard this song before. I don’t know if that made me like it more but by the end of the song I was a fan.  Cee Lo said he wasn’t really into Skinny Love, he was more into “big love”. He also said the closer she got to the microphone the more confident she became and she did a great job. Adam said he loved that everyone is so completely unique.  Blake said it was really good, but strategy-wise he had to commend Xtina for letting both of her artists go back to how they started. Xtina said she loved seeing her in a coffee shop setting, in her element with her guitar and she really got into the song. Then she got up to give Lindsey a hug. 1-855-VOICE-07

Team Xtina and Team Blake joined each other onstage singing Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga. Jermaine started this song off and it made me wish he had sung this tonight for his song. He killed that one sentence. Haha. Erin had sweet moments. So did Chris Mann. I would actually like to hear him do a rendition of this song too. Lindsey’s voice is so different that it felt like an extreme drop in volume when she would come in. Overall a fun performance.

The last performance of the night goes to:

Juliet Simms (Team Cee Lo) – singing It’s a Man’s World by James Brown. I started smiling when she started singing. She left the tiny gravely voice behind her and just sang. This was the perfect way to end the night. I hate that only one person from each team can go on to next week. Because she rocked the hell out of that song. The roar from the crowd sounded like a standing O. Adam said it was something special and unbelievable. He said she was the one to beat tonight. Christina said it reminded her of the Grammy performance she had when she sang that song. Cee Lo said she killed it. She murdered that record.  1-855-VOICE-08

The coaches have 100 points to divide between both of their artists. They wrote down their scores and we wont know until tomorrow after they reveal America’s vote. Who will the Final 4 be?????

 

‘The Voice’ Drinking Game Part 2

Brought to you by @ShieldsBrothers its another round of The Voice Drinking Game using hashtag #DrinkTheVoice

1. Every time you see @PurrfectTheCat CHUG A MILK =^..^= \m/ (thanks @PurrfectTheCat )
2. Whenever CeeLo says someone looks “exceptionally beautiful” DRIIINNNKKK. Drink twice if it’s a guy. (thx @Pavao_Army)
3. Anytime someone is freaked out by dancers …DRINK!!! Finish you drink if it’s @blakeshelton (thx @ALIYANKS2)
4. Whenever they “this is so hard” without a needed that’s what she said…DRINK (thx @jrufus09)
5. Every time you catch yourself staring at Xtina’s cleavage…DRINK! (thx again @A_RBB)…maybe just sip on this one…
6. Every time one of the coaches says a nice comment about one of the contestant and then says “BUT” DRINK! (thx@Aimeetruejello)
7. Every time they alude to @luccadoes past in the Mickey Mouse Club…DRINK!!!
8. Drinking every time the audience yells “I LOVE YOU!!!!!”…I’d drink twice if Adam looks annoyed. (thx @A_RBB)
9.  Anytime they make reference to “just being honest.” Or when they applaud the contestant for making the song “their own”…DRINK!!!
10. Anytime someone says, “I just love him/her/them SO much!” DRINK. X2 if tears are involved (thx @luccadoes good luck 2night!!!)

I will be playing on West Coast time this evening.  Remember to use #DrinkTheVoice when posting on twitter. And direct it to @ShieldsBrothers because they will RT and/or respond.

Tje Austin

‘The Voice’: The Semis. Who should win Season 2? The return of Javier Colon, Dia Frampton, Vicci Martinez and Beverly McClellan

Tomorrow the semi- finals begin and from a fan perspective I couldn’t be more excited.

Here’s what we have to look forward to:

• The remaining artists are performing “original songs”. Does this mean they wrote the songs or the show hired someone to write new music for them?
• Season 1 contestants Javier Colon, Dia Frampton, Vicci Martinez and Beverly McClellan will all be performing. It is going to be really cool to see how fame has treated them. Javier will be performing his single ‘A Drop in The Ocean’; Vicci Martinez will be singing ‘Come Along’ with Cee Lo; Cyndi Lauper will be performing ‘Money Changes Everything’ with Beverly McClellan; and Dia Frampton will perform ‘Kick The Chair’  with Kid Cudi.
• Teams Cee Lo and Adam are performing together to sing The Killers hit “All These Things I’ve Done”  while Team Blake and Christina will perform “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga. Not that it would really matter, but I would like them to switch up the team pairings: Team Cee Lo and Blake while Team Christina and Adam perform together.

This seems like a lot to fit into one episode, but we will see.

Who do you think should win Season 2? Who has the strongest team?

I can’t help but love Katrina Parker and Jamar Rogers. I will be putting in my votes. And remember folks, vote for the people you love. You can’t be mad about who goes home unless you take the time to vote.

Signing off until tomorrow

Tje Austin

THE VOICE: SEASON 2 EPISODE 17 AMERICAS SAVES

The results are in. America voted based on last night’s performance and 2 more people are headed home. Last night my favorites were Jamar and Katrina. So I am optimistic about tonights results, as America always votes like I do… Okay not so much. But who goes home?

First,  Florence + The Machine performed No Light No Light. I have never really listened to her music. The only song I know she has performed was a version of Drake’s Take Care and while that was cool to hear live, it wasn’t my favorite interpretation. Her style isnt really my thing. It was cool to see Team Cee Lo in the background performing though. Jamar’s clothes were dope. He looked like a ninja. And ninja’s kick ass.

Team Adam was the first up to reveal America’s top vote, but not before Carson asked Adam about the reaction he received after eliminating “fan favorite” Pip Andrew. Adam said he received hate mail and several people tried to kill him, but he also shared that it was hard for a coach to let go of someone on the spot like that. Who was America’s save? Tony Lucca. No surprise there.

Team Cee Lo was next up and Carson addressed Cee Lo’s elimination of James Massone. Cee Lo said he had a bittersweet day but told his team that they all deserved to make it that far and he is sure America has good taste. The camera showed each face on Team Cee Lo and they all looked really worried. Who was America’s save? Jamar Rogers! His mom looked like she caught the holy ghost!

Mathai (Team Adam) – singing Cowboy Casanova by Carrie Underwood. She sounded much better than last night! I guess she knew she had to bring it. It was a really great vocal performance. You could tell in her eyes she was emotional. Blake said it was hard not to love her because she is so cute and she embraced the hillbilly side. Xtina said she was happy she got to show the aggression in the song. Cee Lo said he loved the aggression that conveyed she wanted to stay.

Katrina Parker (Team Adam) – singing Perfect by Pink. She sounded great on this song! I couldn’t stop thinking about the amazing Battle Round between Niki and Vicci from Season 1. But she sang it like she meant it. Afterwards, Blake said he knows that Tony got the vote from America but Katrina is the best singer on the team. Xtina said she 100 percent agrees with Blake and she said out of everyone on Adam’s team she is most excited to hear original music from her. Cee Lo said he thought it was a great song choice and he commended her for a great performance.

Who stays? Blake said Katrina. Xtina picked Katrina. Cee Lo picked Mathai. Adam first said Mathai had a spark and energy everyone loves about her; with Katrina he felt she was an unpolished diamond, but throughout the competition he felt both surprised him. He said it boils down to who he has seen more from so far and he really didn’t think Katrina was going to make it as far as she did. With Mathai, he has kept waiting for her to explode and he knows she will do it, show or no show, but his decision is Katrina. (YES!)

Cheesa (Team Cee Lo) – singing Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson. I really liked how soft she started out and then when the chorus kicked in she started belting it out. There were a few moments were she wasn’t totally in key, but there was one final note that was killer! Blake said he enjoyed her a lot, especially that note, but she was a little pitchy and the rest of the coaches agreed.

Juliet Simms (Team Cee Lo) – singing Torn by Natalie Imbruglia. When she started, she had this weird gravel tone, but as soon as she got to the chorus you could feel the pain in the song and the growl fit perfectly. Blake said he was the only one that didn’t hit the button because he wasn’t a believer and week after week she comes out and he loves her. He also called her an acquired taste that he has now. Xtina said she was a fan or her voice, but the softer voice she has used isn’t her favorite place for her voice to be, but she wants to hear another song similar to when she performed Roxanne.

A sad decision for Cee Lo. Who gets the save and who goes home? Blake said he picked Juliet. Xtina picked Juliet. Skipping Adam, Cee Lo had to make a decision. He asked to see both of them smile, but the effort seemed to almost break Juliet and Cheesa. Cee Lo said he loved Cheesa so much and she had a voice that sounds classically trained, so it would be ironic for her not to go on because the show is called THE VOICE. With Juliet her voice is like art imitating life, and life isn’t perfect. He feels America is invested in her so he can’t go against that, so in the end he picks Juliet.

This episode was a little sad to me, but I am happy that my some of my favorite folks are still in the show.

Who are my Fantasy Final 4?

For Team Blake – Jermaine Paul/Erin Willett … ugh this is a hard decision

Team Xtina – Lindsey Pavao

Team Cee Lo – Jamar Rogers

Team Adam – Katrina Parker

But who knows? My picks may change by their performances next week. But I don’t think so.

How do you feel about this week’s eliminations?

Until next week,

Tje Austin

THE VOICE: SEASON 2 EPISODE 14 – The Shock Heard Round The World

I am still stunned by tonight’s episode.

Tonight Team Xtina and Team Blake performed. The catch? Each coach was going to send one of their members home immediately afterwards. Tomorrow, 2 more will go home. The coaches seemed surprised by this move.

RaeLynn (Team Blake) @RaeLynnOfficial –  Singing She’s Country by Jason Aldean. Before her performance, Blake asked her if she had a bf, to which she said no because she is a heart breaker. As of tonight, she is the only Country artist left in the competition. She has a great swagger about her when she performs. Honestly this is my favorite performance of the competition. I think her fire and spunk make her really enjoyable. This was a great way to start out the night. She still had those weird moments in her voice, but I think tonight worked in her favor. Blake said she proved to America that Country can kick ass. I agree. She has a kick ass attitude. 1-855-VOICE-01

Jesse Campbell (Team Xtina) @singjessesing – Singing Halo by Beyonce. As soon as they announced it, I was worried. Beyonce fans are harsh, and a guy singing a Beyonce song can go really wrong with all of the high notes she has in her songs.  He has a high register though, so I hope he can pull it off. I like what he was wearing, and it was cool he was standing in a huge picture frame. I still think he looks Cuba Gooding, Jr. And around him, there were photos of his daughter, as tonight’s performance was dedicated to her. It started off okay, but then as it got further into the song  this dude started really feeling it and he had some really cool moments vocally. His performance rocked the house.  1-855-VOICE-02

Jordis Unga (Team Blake) @jordismusic – She was in the bottom 3 but when she performed Wild Horses, Blake saved her. Tonight she has to prove to the world that she belongs in the competition. She is singing A Little Bit Stronger by Sara Evans. It started off a little weak. She looks beautiful in the white dress. Then her voice gets stronger when she hits the high notes. Xtina said she came out looking lovely, appreciating Jordis showing off her vulnerable side. Cee Lo and Adam agreed. Blake said its so opposite to what she does and she is a singer songwriter as well, and he wanted to show that off. 1-855-VOICE-03

Team Xtina went to Crenshaw to visit a choir and invite them to perform with her team in the live rounds.She started off singing with male strippers dancing around Blake. Then she kicked Fighter into high gear. Team Xtina looked and sounded like they were having fun. To have the chance to sing with their coach has to be an amazing experience. And The Voice band was on point as always. The choir was a really nice touch to this song.

Ashley De La Rosa (Team Xtina) @UKnowAshleyDLR – Singing Foolish Games by Jewel. When she started off, it was weak, but it quickly got better. But it was really hard to hear her. The arrangement of this song was sick though! It seemed she was lost in the instrumentation, but then she hit that note and held it. That one note was dope! Cee Lo said everyone seemed to enjoy it. He said she started out low but when she got to her feet she got into that character. Adam said he felt Cee Lo had an underwhelmed response. He then goes on to say she was the biggest surprise.  Blake said the smartest decision for this season was Xtina’s choice to save her. 1-855-VOICE-04

As soon as Adam (Maroon 5) started singing this song Pay Phone, I fell in love with it. Best quote from my friends during the performance: There’s a black guy in Maroon 5?? Haha. They bleeped something out in his lyrics though. I really want to know what he was saying that wasn’t appropriate for TV.

Erin Willett (Team Blake) – Singing Set Fire To The Rain. I wasn’t a fan of the way she started off the song. I was really waiting for her to get to the pre-chorus. The chorus was really nice. The bridge was better. That is my favorite part in the song. If you don’t know me, this is my favorite Adele song and it has been in my set list for a couple months now. I am huge fan of this song. Xtina said that Erin sang her heart out, but is always wary of when someone does a song on that record. Adam said she did great, but try working on her phrasing because Adele has great phrasing.  1-855-VOICE-05

Lindsey Pavao (Team Xtina) @lindseypavao – Singing a medley of S&M and We Found Love at first. But then they decided to change it singing Part of Me by Katy Perry. She is this season’s darling on The Voice. They did a darker more dramatic version of the song. I know so many people are going to love this version but it was kind of okay to me. Cee Lo wasn’t familiar with the song. Adam said there were really big powerful notes that were pitchy but all artists do that. Blake said he heard the pitch things as well, but he is already a fan and feels people across the country feel the same way. Xtina said she adores Lindsey. 1-855-VOICE-06

Team Blake sings Heartache Tonight by The Eagles.  Out all of the team members singing Jermaine was the best. Hands down. Though Jordis sounded much better than she did earlier tonight.

Jermaine Paul (Team Blake) @JermainePaul – Singing Against All Odds by Phil Collins. This is the chance that Jermaine has been tweeting about. To show a softer side of him. The dude has a voice on him. This was nice version of the song. He sounded a little like R Kelly in the chorus. Xtina said she feels he is a phenomenal singer. She said he is her favorite. Cee Lo said he looked sharp and he said Phil Collins is one of his favorite singers. He also said he is definitely one of the strong contenders in the competition.  Adam said I love you 3x time think at this point. (not playing the @shieldsbrothers drinking game tonight and very grateful). Blake said tonight’s performance tonight was a turning point. From that, I feel Jermaine is not going home tonight. Or he is sending him home and he was just telling him to remember his performance. That would suck. 1-855-VOICE-07

Chris Mann (Team Xtina) @IamChrisMann – Singing Viva La Vida by Coldplay. I am a huge fan of Coldplay. I saw them perform at ACL and the ACL theater. He seemed a little nervous about singing current music. I am still very iffy with Chris Mann. I dont listen to Josh Groban either. Not to say they dont have great voices, but he just dont pull me in. But the oh’s were really good. It just seems like the wrong song for him. The thing is, I don’t think they have found “the right” song for him. Adam said he looked sharp, and being a huge fan of that song, he really wanted to be moved by the song in that way, but he wasn’t moved. Adam said he would rather hear him sing opera. Xtina says he is showing growth and she thinks he is great. 1-855-VOICE-08

So…

Xtina is the first coach to eliminate. First she says she says some people are more open to advice then others. Then she says is going to make enemies tonight from her decision but the person going home is: Jessie Campbell. I am in shock. I didn’t think this at all. Crazy. But maybe he is not open to taking her advice and she just wasnt feeling his attitude. Xtina said she was going to make some enemies tonight. Nothing worse than a diva scorned. Or ignored.

Team Blake eliminated Jordis Unga tonight.  He said he was basing his decision on her performance two weeks ago. I think that is a terrible reason to eliminate someone. Not a good reason at all. Adam Levine was even shaking his head when both artists were eliminated.

Tonight was definitely a shocker. Do you agree with the decision the coaches made tonight?