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: 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 16 – TEAM CEE LO AND TEAM ADAM

I honestly forgot there was going to be an instant elimination again. So it is going to be a crazy night. I feel that Adam and Cee Lo have really strong teams.  At the end of the night one person from Team Cee Lo and from Team Adam will be sent packing by their coach in an instant elimination. And last’s weeks weren’t pretty. The world went crazy when Xtina sent Jesse Campbell home, and then a few days later I feel everyone got over it. I was shocked. So who is going home tonight?

Jamar Rogers (Team Cee Lo) – singing “Its My Life” by Bon Jovi.  I really hope Jamar wins because I would love to hear a Cee Lo and Jamar collaboration. I really liked Jamar’s performance. He has a great rasp in his tone. I like the 80’s vibe with his clothes and the graffiti. “Its my life,  its now or never.” Great words. Carson Daly obviously enjoyed his performance giving Jamar a big hug afterwards.  Adam said Jamar was the first voice they heard during the blinds, and of course he said he would love to have Jamar on his team. Blake said he doesn’t know if there has ever been a better pairing of a song with a contestant. Xtina said she loved that he made it his own and he sang it like his life was on the line. Xtina said he is one of the favorites in the competition and besides for those on her team she is rooting for him. Cee Lo said he is a strong and sweet spirit and said he loved him. He is definitely an inspirtation, Again. I hope he wins. Hands down. I know there are other people that are great who are still in the competition but I love this dude. 1-855-VOICE-01

Katrina Parker (Team Adam) – singing “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perry. She looked really beautiful. She has a lovely tone in her voice. She really has a way of singing like an American Adele. Her singing Jar of Hearts reminded me of Chasing Pavement. Blake was the first coach to comment and he said it was the first time he heard her sound like someone different from anyone else. Xtina said a lot of people says she sounds like Adele but she is Katrina Parker and she should own it. Cee Lo said he agrees with Blake and her voice sounded flawless. Adam said he was really proud, and then he said she wasn’t a favorite on his team at all, but he said she has one of the best voices now. He said it was incredible. I am glad he finished with that because though he was honest about how he felt about her in the beginning, that was a little harsh. 1-855-VOICE-02

Team Cee Lo performed Dancing In The Street and it was like we stepped into a time machine and emerged in the 60’s. I think the guys sounded the best on this son (JAMAR and CEE LO) but everyone else put forth a good effort. Chessa came in hard with some really great notes. Earlier today on Instagram she showed pictures of bruises on her thigh from hitting it a little too hard with the tamborine. Juliet and James sounded good too. I just don’t know if you know that I know that Jamar should at least be in the top 4.

Mathai (Team Adam) – I really liked her in the Blind Audi\tion and she has done really well in this competition. Tonight she sang “I am Like a Bird” by Nelly Furtado. She started off really sweet and pretty. Her voice was a little shaky but she had some really beautiful moments. I think her voice is so distinct from anyone else’s in the competition that she is sure to be a favorite. Blake said he really thought she sang great, though he didn’t enjoy the acrobatics in the song. Xtina said last week Mathai was the favorite but this week Katrina took eat. She said this week that it was a little force fed and that it was wrong to tell her team mate to just go a long with the song. Adam said minus the sketchy dude was distracting a little bit, he thought she was great and she has an infectious energy. 1-855-VOICE-03

James Massone (Team Cee Lo) – singing “Just The Way You Are” by Billy Joel. Great song choice. I will admit that I was at rehearsal today so I watched dvr’d the voice and watched it when I got home, but I was scanning twitter during the moments of break. I happened to see The Voice tweet about how people loved James “just the way he is” and a petty part of me felt a little irritated that they gave him what I thought to be the Bruno Mars song for tonight’s performance. So hearing that it was Billy Joel’s song makes me realize how silly I was being. Cee Lo told James he was setting him up to win. This is a classic song. The saxophone was a really nice touch and it was a chick playing it. Good stuff. James did a really great job on the song, but I don’t know if it was good enough to get him the votes. So girls (ladies) lend this man your vote if you want him to remain in the competition.   Blake said he’s been a big fan since the beginning, and though he sang it great, it felt like it laid there. Xtina agreed with him that he has a special voice and he gets the ladies attention but personally she wanted something different from last week. Adam said he loved it. Cee Lo said that James is genuine and sweet, so do what comes natural and he enjoyed it. 1-855-VOICE-04

There was a crazy performance by Goodie Mob afterwards. They looked like a black futuristic version of Earth Wind and Fire. They wore silver armor, with a huge Transformers- like chest plate with long flowing metallic capes. Oh yeah. They had these grills in their mouths. That has to be hard to sing with. Cee Lo’s sunglasses were dope. The song is cool. I will download it later tonight.They showed all of the coaches faces during the performance except Blake I think, but as the camera panned away he was giving them a standing ovation.

Tony Lucca (Team Adam) – Last time we saw Tony perform, Xtina called Tony one dimensional and that caused a dialogue between Adam and Tony and they both felt he has been singing the same type of songs during the competition so they  wanted to show a different side of him surprising everyone. Tonight he sang a Britney Spears “Hit Me Baby One More Time.” It certainly got my attention.  I think it was cool, but I could tell he was nervous while singing it. He definitely added something stand out and interesting to The Voice history. Afterwards, Carson addressed Xtina first (I am sure to see if she might say something negative) but suggested bringing Britney and Justin out to have a real Mickey Mouse Club reunion. She also said she enjoyed it. Blake said it pissed him off because it was really smart.  Adam said he loved Tony. He said that it started off as Tony’s idea, but then he backed off of the idea not wanting to do it, so they fought about it and then figured he should stare his Mickey Mouse Club past in the face and do it. He said Tony embraced it and Adam was very proud of him. 1-855-VOICE-05

Chessa (Team Cee Lo) – She was in the bottom 3 and won Cee Lo’s save. Cee Lo obviously has a special place in his heart for Chessa. She has such a great personality and she is really likeable on tv. Tonight she sings “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston. Tonight I really enjoyed her performance. And she looked really beautiful. She has that power and she was hitting all the notes in the right places.  She got a standing ovation from Xtina. Amazing. Xtina said she applauds her for courage singing such a beloved song, and she hit notes that Whitney didn’t hit, and Xtina said this week Team Cee Lo is where its at. He said she did a wonderful job and he gave Chessa some big shoes to feel. He said he is ready for today’s artists to sing grown women songs and not like today’s auto tuned teeny boppers. 1-855-VOICE-06

Pip Andrew (Team Adam) – Adam told him straight up that he is at risk getting sent home in the instant eliminations; Pips last performance wasn’t the greatest and he is fighting for his life. I am sure that struck some fear in his heart.  Tonight Pip was singing “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane. This is such a great song.  He started off playing the piano and he it was really sweet. I feel he didn’t have the control he wanted while singing. His voice was shaky and he wasn’t hitting all of the notes. His falsetto cracked noticeably towards the end of the song and it seemed to fall apart after that. I paused my tv and just stared at the floor. Its never good to have your bad notes fall apart at the end. Blake said where in the hell is the bowtie? Adam said he likes the no bowtie; it was great overall but he is proud of him and he let Pip do the song that he wanted to do.  1-855-VOICE-07

Team Adam performed Instant Karma (We All Shine On) by John Lennon. While I love Mathai’s voice, I really love Katrina and she just sounded more mature and polished singing this. What I love about this Team performance is Adam didn’t sing at all. Hit was his team singing. And it really seemed like it featured the contestants. This song seemed right up Tony’s alley though Pip put up a great effort.

Juliet Simms (Team Adam) – Her hair seems lighter?  Cee Lo picked “Crying” by Aerosmith and I feel that is such a perfect song for her.  Its emotional and allows her to show off the grit in her voice. She definitely stole all attention by wearing huge angel wings. The beginning of her song didn’t sound great to me. There was way too much rasp. But once the song picked up she ripped into it and let everyone have it. No denying it she could be such a huge force in the industry.  Blake said it was a double bonus because she is a great singer and then it brought back memories of duck season (all of the feathers). Xtina said she was faboulous; she goes it and doesn’t come back, giving it all she has. Cee Lo called her his “little electric guitar” and his little “red corvett”. He said she was impressive and rugged. He respects that in artists. 1-855-VOICE-08

Now this is where things get crazy. Or maybe not.

First up is Team Cee Lo. Between Jamar, Juliet, James and Chessa. He pulled out his blackberry phone and reads a speech he wrote, an apology and message of love. He really seemed emotional. He told them not to lose contact with him after this, but tonight, due to performances he let James Massone go. Damn. Cee Lo said “I got you” over and over. Does that mean there may be something in the works for James?

Next up is Team Adam. Between Katrina, Pip, Tony and Mathai. Adam said he thought it was going to go a different way before the night started. He said it was an amazing night and he said it was a stupid thing (though earlier he said he liked that the coaches had the power) and then he said he wished he had words to say like Cee Lo but if they Tivo the show, it might be better to watch and hear what Cee Lo said than how he was going to be right now. (Really Adam?) He then said that all 4 of them being on the stage is very valuable and when they go home they just have to keep at it. Then he sends Pip home. And unfortunately I saw that coming.

I know it sucks to be eliminated. So please VOTE for your favorite artists if you want them to stay, VOTE!!!

Tomorrow we will find out America’s saves.

Who will stay and who will go home?

Sincerely

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?

THE VOICE: SEASON 2 EPISODE 13 LIVE ELIMINATIONS

2 Artists hit #1 on the pop charts from Mondays performances: Tony Lucca and Juliet Simms. Will this be enough to save them?

We won’t find out until after Jessie J finishes performing “Domino” with Team Xtina. I love when they have artists that can actually SING on these singing competition shows. Sometimes they have artists that are just performers with terrible vocals. Not tonight. Jessis J is an amazing vocalist. When Team Xtina joins her onstage, you can tell they are their to have fun lending background vocalists. Afterwards we catch a glimpse of Arsenio Hall in the audience. Cool.

America’s Saves for Team Adam: Mathai, Tony Lucca and Pip Andrew, leaving Kim Yarbrough, Katrina Parker and Karla Davis to sing for the save.

America’s Saves for Team Cee Lo: Juliet Simms, Jamar Rogers, and James Massone, leaving Erin Martin, Chessa and Tony Vincent to sing for the save.

Team Adam

Kim Yarbrough singing “Spotlight” by Jennifer Hudson – this is a perfect song for her. I feel her and Jennifer Hudson have similar styles of singing. She gave a solid performance but I really don’t don’t think this performance is going to save her. The stress was very apparent on her face.

Karla Davis singing “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt – I think this is Karla’s best performance. This is a familiar song as Lex Land sang this for her Blind Audition. Karla showed better control of the melody than last night’s performance. It was a really good rendition that left Adam smiling.

Katrina Parker singing “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt – she again looks and has an Adele feel about her. I think this was an awesome song choice. Her delivery was clean and she was extremely consistent.  And towards the end her vocals hit a very cool point.

Coaches Picks

Blake – Katrina; Xtina – Katrina; Cee Lo – Katrina

The final decision is for Adam Levine. He tells them that its huge that millions of people have seen them perform. He admits that if he was on the show, he doesn’t know if he could win it. He says he isn’t going to be emotional about it and he announces Katrina Parker has the win. He rushes up there for one last hug with Kim and Karla. Karla’s last words are for the people behind the scenes: hair and makeup and the band, Kim thanks everyone for an amazing experience.

Team Cee Lo

Tony Vincent singing “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics – This gives me a dark Manson vibe. He would be perfect as Jack Skellinton in a Nightmare Before Christmas live action broadway play. I feel like for him, though his vocals are on point, this is too dark for this type of a reality singing competition.

Chessa singing “All By Myself” by  Eric Carmen – This time I feel like her low register works for her. She is singing an awesome ballad. I still don’t know if this will work out in her favor. She belts out this song and totally kills it. She also got aggressive, which is something that Cee Lo loves.

Erin Martin singing “Your Song” by Elton John – this is the best performance she has given in this competition. And she looks amazing. I didn’t recognize her without all of the fancy hairdos. Favorite line is “I know its not much but it’s the best I can do.” She has probably gotten the worst rap during this whole competition, with people saying that she didn’t belong in the competition. But she has her fans folks and they do support her. Tonight I will say this was her best performance. She really does have a chance in the industry.

Coaches Picks

Adam – Chessa; Blake – Chessa; Xtina – Chessa

The final pick goes to Cee Lo. He says how much they mean to him and he apologizes to everyone for not being able to say enough. He throws out the word “veteranism”. He says his mind says Tony but his heart says Chessa.  I think saying it that was was a little dirty. It made Tony think that he was in the competition. Cee Lo ends the night with an “I love my people”

We have 16 artists left in the competition! Tonight was sad to see more artists go.  I wish them well.

Do you agree with the decisions the coaches made tonight?

Who has the strongest team now?

I am going to have to go with Team Cee Lo and Team Xtina on this one.  But who knows? We will find out next week!!

 

And my SXSW starts | The Voice comes to Austin | Dogwood, The Hangar, ACL Live and More

SXSW (south by southwest) is an incredible festival in Austin, Tx that features Music, Film, Interactive, Education, Fashion and more. And it is SPRING BREAK craziness for adults. My interest in SX (south by) is for the music and film, but also the hundreds of parties that feature cool people from all over the world, free food and drinks. This year I look forward to the possibility of seeing officially and unofficially: Jay-Z, Mos Def, 50 cent, Allen Stone, Neon Trees, Cris Cab, Talib Kwali, Mystikal and even a couple people from The Voice (Lee Koch, Brian Fuente, Tony Lucca, Nakia, Casey Desmond, Jonathas, Lex Land, myself of course, Sonia Rao, Rebecca Loebe, Whitney Meyer and more!)

My first party I attended (on 3/07) was at The Hangar for The Bay Are Edtech. When me and my road dawg arrived, it was apparent that this was a group of teachers and such.  A lot of people were asking me what I taught, to which I replied “i don’t teach. i’m here for the open bar.” The truth will set you free. Free being the operative word. OPEN BAR is the theme of SXSW for me.

The second party was on 3/08 at Dogwood. Another dope party hosted by Bypass Lane, an app mainly for use while you are watching a sporting event in an arena. Say you are at the Frank Erwin Center, you are sitting with your friends and you wanna order drinks. Pull out your phone, log in to the app, choose your arena and order your beverages. They will send you a text and BAM! Your drinks are ready, no waiting in line, you go down and pick em up. DOPE.  So at Dogwood, they allowed us to log in to the app through our phones, and order as many FREE drinks that we wanted. And believe me, we took full advantage.

On 3/09 the band I performed at The Hyatt Regency from 5 – 7pm but then had to rush to the George Washington Carver Library to perform for the Blacks In Technology Reception, which got such an amazing response from everyone in attendance.

After the BIT Reception, we headed over to the Old School Bar to see Jonathas (@iknowJonathas) perform.

During which we almost got the car towed (luckily we got to it in time)

While we were there, AG sent me a text that Ghostland Observatory was doing a secret show at ACL LIVE and they were letting the first 1000 people in. So Tom and I rushed over and enjoyed an amazing performance!

All in all a great evening spent with friends.

The Voice Season 2 Episode 6 – Battle Rounds

Tonight was the first episode featuring the Battle Rounds. And I have come to the conclusion that I am not a good coach. I picked 2-6 of the artists correctly. There were really amazing performances and there were some songs I didn’t enjoy as much as I wanted to. But let’s dig in!

Team Adam – Tony Lucca and Chris Cauley singing Beautiful Day

Adam brought in some powerhouse advisors this season in Robin Thicke, who assists with Chris and Alanis Morissette for Tony. Both offer great advice for each respective artist for the upcoming battle.

As they perform Beautiful Day during the Battle, both of these guys sound really good. But I feel swayed by who I feel the underdog is and Chris has my vote for vocal performance.

Coaches Picks

Blake – Chris

Xtina – Tony

Cee Lo – Tony

 Ultimately, the vote is Adam’s and he chooses Tony Lucca.

 

 

Team Blake – RaeLynn and Adley singing Free Falling

RaeLynn’s advisor is Miranda Lambert, who I know she really wanted to meet; and Adley’s advisor is  Kelly Clarkson, another amazingly talented vocalist in the game.

For their Battle Round they sing “Free Falling”.  Rae Lynn has a very sweet and interesting way of pronouncing her words, but she was a little shaky during her performance. Adley has a very beautiful quality about her voice too with a little more power and confidence.  In this performance, Adley had my vote.

Coaches Picks

Xtina – Adley

Cee Lo – Adley

Adam – RaeLynn (and here he says he knows Blake is searching for interesting voices)

 Ultimately, the vote is Blake’s. I thought he was going to go with Adley but he instead picked the beautiful RaeLynn (TEXAS STAND UP!)

Did Adam sway Blake’s vote?

Team Xtina – Chris Mann and Monique Benabou singing The Power of Love

When Xtina announced this battle, Monique looked visibly uncomfortable.  Chris’ classically trained background clearly intimidates her. Xtina also seemed surprised during practice when Monique nailed a high note causing her to view Monique in a different light. Did that mean she didn’t expect her to perform as well? Chris Mann’s advisor was Lionel Richie and Monique’s advisor was Jewel. Both seemed really nervous about the battle and it showed in their practice performances.  The Battle was nice. It showed off how powerful and sweet both singers could be. Chris has great tone and control when he sings. In this performance, Monique had my vote.

 Coaches Picks

Cee Lo – Chris

Adam – Chris

Blake – Monique

 In the end Xtina picks Chris Mann.

Team Cee Lo – Angie and Cheesa singing Total Eclipse of the Heart

Definitely feeling some tension between these two as soon as Cee Lo announces this pairing. During practice, Cheesa prompted Paul (the pianist) to raise it higher, so Angie agreed half a step. But then Angie suggested raising it further, which causes Cheesa to strain.  Cheesa’s advisor is Babyface and he tells her she should take advantage of the money notes, which she continues to have difficulty hitting. Angie’s advisor is Ne-Yo and he advised her to go for Cheesa’s throat. Both started of shaky singing Total Eclipse of the Heart, but as the song progressed they both showed out. Everyone knows these two girls have power and emotion. Cheesa did some stomping and head banging which we all know Cee Lo loves. In this performance, Cheesa had my vote.

Coaches Picks

Adam – Cheesa

Blake – Angie

Xtina – Angie

In the end, Cee Lo chooses Cheesa.

Team Blake – Jordis Unga and Brian Fuente singing Ironic

Brian’s advisor is Kelly Clarkson. Blake and Kelly advised he commit to his notes and not be so hesitant. Brian said that he is just used to having a band behind him (THE VOICE BAND IS BACKING U BUDDY! J) Blake said he can’t have one ounce of timidness, else Jordis is gonna take it from him. Jordis’ advisor is Miranda Lambert and during her session, Blake said she was into her head too much. Jordis appears to be intimidated by Brian’s talent. She asked him what he is going to be looking for during the Battle Round. Blake let her know he is going to be listening for who out sings the other. This Battle was my least favorite. It wasn’t the singers, I think it was just the song choice. Ironic is a great song, but it didn’t translate well in this battle.  In this performance, Jordis had my vote.

Coaches Picks

Xtina – Jordis

Cee Lo – Brian

Adam – Jordis

 In the end, Blake chooses Jordis. Blake again took a note from Adam tonight and picked the same person he suggested. Do you think Blake is listening to Adam because he wants to win soooo bad?

Team Xtina – Anthony and Jesse singing If I Ain’t Got You

This Battle feels like the first true battle of the night to me.  I know we have seen a lot of them in the commercials leading up to this week and I have been sweating bullets all week.  During practice Anthony feels Jesse is using intimidation tactics. Jesse’s advisor is Lionel Richie and he and Xtina both suggested to ‘milk your moments’. Anthony’s advisor is Jewel and she suggested don’t let a single note out that he doesn’t mean; to make sure he means what he sings. This battle is the battle where I HATE that someone has to go home. Especially so early on in the competition when vocally both of these guys dominate against other members of their team. And THIS PERFORMANCE BLEW MY MIND.  I loved both of these guys. My favorite has been Jesse since I saw his Blind, but Anthony fought for this one and I think I would’ve chosen him as the winner. But again, Jesse is one of my favorites and he is solid. No doubt about it. I am just a sucker for the underdog. Xtina knows how to pick em.

Coaches Picks

Adam – Jesse

Blake – Jesse

Cee Lo – (I honestly missed what he said.)

In the end, Xtina went with Jesse Campbell. The Cuba Gooding Jr. of the Voice.

Thoughts?

Any anger?

Do you agree or disagree with how the Battles ended tonight?