The X Factor: We've Gone Country

Tonight’s finale of The X Factor awards a $5 million recording contract and a lifetime supply of Pepsi (something like that) to one of our Final Three acts. Will it be Tate “Family Man” Stevens, Carly Rose “Alien Child” Sonenclar or Fifth “I Should Have Been a Soloist” Harmony? We have a long wait to find out the answer, but the evening does not go without a few high points….

 

The Final Three got in the holiday spirit and all tackled Christmas songs, with Tate singing “Please Come Home for Christmas,” Fifth Harmony choosing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” and Carly taking on “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Out of the three I would say I enjoyed Fifth Harmony the most…because their performance was the cheeriest. And that’s right - even Simon can love Christmas with the right song.  

Pitbull joined us this evening as well, performing "Don't Stop the Party," and the audience went absolutely crazy when One Direction took the stage to sing "Kiss You." You know somewhere in the studio Emblem3 was taking notes...or having someone take notes for them because their arms were full with multiple skateboards. Both performances were entertaining, but my favorite of the night was definitely Tate and Carly’s duet. They sang Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” beautifully. She’s just being Carly? Watch below.

 

Additionally, I’m not usually one to get excited about all of the video montages and tributes during these episodes. In fact, I used to enthusiastically fast forward through most of them (too much filler) before I started this blog. However, the clip show of Britney’s faces throughout the season is priceless. She is seen cringing while it plays, but I hope she understands that she has been the highlight of the season for many viewers. The collection of facial expressions is posted below as well. Fantastic.  

Results! While Carly did spend several weeks as the front runner and Fifth Harmony hoped to pull off an underdog win, Tate Stevens emerged victorious tonight. Carly finished in second place(bummer) with our young girl group coming in third. So, I am 0 for 2 this week with the winners for both The Voice and The X Factor, but I’m not super disappointed. Tate has been touted as the blue-collar family man with a dream all season, and it’s not a huge surprise to see him win regardless of the results I wanted.

And with that, Season 2 of The X Factor comes to an end. I’ll say that the addition of Britney and Demi made this season marginally better than the first, and for the show’s sake I hope they stick around. However, Brit Brit might be so pissed off that her girl lost, she might take an umbrella to anyone trying to offer her a 2013 contract in the near future. I wouldn’t blame her really. Should the show find new hosts? Absolutely. Preferably individuals who are slightly more literate and can sense where the cameras are by at least the 2^nd live episode. As for LA's announced departure after this season, I had initially been pleased....but now that he proved that the "old people" category can produce a winner (come on - that's really what they should call it), would it be better if he stayed? I think so, but that's just one opinion.

I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season, and I look forward to American Idol’s return in 2013!

The X Factor Finale: Anything Goes

Finale aside just for a moment, Simon addresses the TV audience and expresses heartfelt condolences on behalf of The X Factor to the victims, families and loved ones of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The Top 13 open the show singing Michael Jackson’s “You Are Not Alone,” dressed all in white and looking very angelic. As Carly Rose sings the last verse, a children’s choir joins them in front of the judges’ table as the names of the fallen are revealed on the screens behind them. Very classy and very well done. Thank you.

 

Mario and Khloe join us now, telling us this is it and our final three will be competing for first, second and third place. I know. Math is hard. So is the English language. Each act will perform a duet with another artist, a song they have already sang this season, and a new song. There are apparently some surprises in store for us as well (please tell me Khloe has a wardrobe change coming) so let’s get going!

 

 
Act:        Carly Rose Sonenclar
Team:    Britney
Song:     “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone

Carly blew everyone away when she sang this song during auditions. Hell, Simon even gave her a standing ovation then. Tonight she is more polished, more confident, and is “in it to win it” as Randy would say. I enjoy the staging and the arrangement, and honestly her vocal is even better than it was the first time we saw her. Awesome.

 

Judges Say: LA tells Carly she is in a tough spot because she needs to top everything she’s done….and she did. Demi thinks Carly is going to inspire so many young girls to follow their dreams. Simon thinks tonight’s rendition is even better than her audition. Britney point blank says “we’re gonna win this.”

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Act:        Tate Stevens 

Team:    LA

Song:     “Anything Goes” by Randy Houser

 

So, Carly just improved upon her audition song, but will Tate do the same? I’m not sure I would go that far but I do find his performance enjoyable. He is always pleasant to listen to, but I’m not really “wowed” by him with this song.

 

Judges Say: Britney says that when Tate does “right down the middle country” he is at his best. Demi is still a huge fan saying Tate turned the song into a stadium performance. Simon agrees with Demi (wow!) and congratulates LA on Tate’s evolvement. LA compliments Tate for not changing who he is as the competition as wore on.

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Act:        Fifth Harmony

Team:   Simon
Song:     “Anything Can Happen” by Ellie Goulding

Okay, I am all about the encore round – I think it’s important for the voters to recall certain turning points in the competition. However, Fifth Harmony could have switched it up just a little. This is pretty much a carbon copy (costumes, staging, props) of last week. That being said…they sound amazing, so I’m not going to be cranky about this for too long.

Judges Say: LA says the group is magical, and he no longer believes they are the underdogs. Britney believes this was the perfect song choice for the encore. Demi thinks the girls work so hard and hopes America pulls through for them. Simon compliments the work ethic of the girls and believes something special will happen if they win the show.

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Act:        Carly Rose Sonenclar and Leann Rimes

Team:    Britney
Song:     “How Do I Live” by well, Leann (though Trisha Yearwood’s version is better)
 

This is an interesting choice of duet partner since Carly is not a country girl. I guess they are going for the “one former teen phenom to new teen phenom” thing, but why not just have her sing with Britney? This is actually less of a duet and more of a competition, and Carly absolutely out sings her. And dude, Leann is scaaaaary. I worry that she might abduct our front runner when the show ends.

 

Um... a lil help for Carly? Please? I've never been so happy yo see our hosts arrive onstage.

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Act:        Tate Stevens and Little Big Town

Team:    LA
Song:     “Pontoon” by Little Big Town
 

Now that’s more like it. Tate is right at home with this song and fits right in with Little Big Town. He’s having such a good time, and he’s clearly a fan of the group. He’s even busting out some pretty snazzy dance moves. Get it, Tate!

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Act:        Fifth Harmony and Demi Lovato
Team:    Simon
Song:     “Give Your Heart a Break” by Demi

The girls looooooove Demi, and Demi really seems to genuinely love the girls too. As amazing as they all sound together, my favorite part is when Demi descends the stairs in front of the judges table and sings directly to Simon with sass. This, by far, is the best of the “duets” and might actually be my favorite performance so far tonight. Simon gives them a standing ovation and I giggle because I think he means it.

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Act:        Carly Rose Sonenclar

Team:    Britney
Song:     “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
 

Uh oh. This is the song The Voice used as their tribute to Sandy Hook Elementary School two nights ago. Granted, Carly was probably working on this performance before Monday, but it’s a tough situation. She also had to change the “how to shoot at someone who outdrew ya” lyrics. However, she sings the song incredibly well, and though this tune is used far too often in these singing competitions anyway, I still appreciate what Carly does with her performance here.

 Judges Say: LA says Carly had a really angelic moment and didn’t over sing it. Demi believes that Carly sang like “a ridiculously talented angel.” Simon says she looked great and sounded great and Carly had a beautiful rendition. Britney tells Simon to get out his checkbook. Ha!
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Act:        Tate Stevens

Team:    LA
Song:     “Tomorrow” by Chris Young
 

Whether Tate, Carly or Fifth Harmony become the act to win it all tomorrow, I truly hope that Tate is taken care of in the country music industry. He has so much to offer, and this is his best performance of the night. He’s still not a stand out for me, but I do love him. How could I not?

Judges Say: Britney always enjoys Tate’s performances. Demi is going to miss seeing Tate perform on this stage every week. Simon reminds him not to worry about his day job. LA says Tate comes out every week and consistently delivers, and he thanks Tate’s family for pushing him to audition.

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Act:        Fifth Harmony
Team:    Simon
Song:     “Let it Be” by The Beatles
 

I love this song. Always have. I also loved it LAST WEEK when TerryMcDermott sang it on The Voice. This duplicate could have easily been avoided. I do enjoy the first half of the song, but when the choir kicks in (not sure why a group of five needs a choir for this….and how many choirs do we need tonight?), they start to stray from the melody and I’m not as much of a fan. Just me.

 

Judges Say: LA says the girls have come so far and they did the song justice. Britney thinks the performance was great. Demi is very proud of them. Simon tells them they are five great singers and they deserve to win.

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That’s it! Now it’s up to America. I’m pulling for Carly Rose Sonenclar for the win, and she’s been my favorite for a while now. I think she is an incredibly talented kid who can join the ranks of other teens “in the business” who are actually role models and not train wrecks. Would I be upset if either of the other two acts win? Nah, probably not. But we’ll see who lands themselves a $5 million contract tomorrow – til then!

The Voice: Finale, Part 2

Welcome to the final 2012 episode of The Voice! Tonight we sit through 2 hours of various performances and video montages, and we also finallllllly crown a winner. Our final three anxiously await the results, as do their coaches, Blake and Cee Lo. But in the meantime, here are some highlights from the evening.

for starters, Cee Lo showed up in a pimped out sleigh dressed as Jesus to give cars to Cassadee, Nicholas and Terry. Now THAT'S what I call holiday cheer. I'm not exaggerating. He then wore some sort of white armor off and on for the remainder of the show.

The Top 20 returned as well and engaged in some nifty (and also some painful) group numbers, but we were additionally treated to some guest performers this evening. Rihanna performed a rather fierce rendition of “Diamonds,” and The Killers sang "Here With Me." Terry McDermott was joined by Peter Frampton to sing a lovely version of "Baby I Love Your Way," and Cassadee Pope (predictably) shared the stage with Avril Lavigne for "I'm With You." They were almost the same person? Regardless, Nicholas David had the best duet partner as he and Smokey Robinson were pretty amazing with their rendition of “Cruisin.” Watch Below:

 

 

My favorite performance of the evening (duh) was seeing the newly engaged Kelly Clarkson perform “Catch My Breath” with Terry and Cassadee. Pure awesomeness. Incidentally, Kelly is engaged to Blake’s manager, so they are just one big happy family….and I’m jealous? Also, when Christina Milian talked to Kelly later on in the show, she referred to her as “the biggest artist on the planet.” I would have paid good money to see Xtina’s reaction at that moment. I rewound the performance and tried to catch a glimpse of Xtina to see if she was throwing anything, but I was unsuccessful. Here’s the video (awesomeness): 

 

 

As we welcome a new victor to The Voice family tonight, we are also saying goodbye to two of our coaches as Xtina and Cee Lo will be leaving next season. Xtina will be going on tour and Cee Lo is apparently working on a new TV sitcom. No word yet on whether his animals will be featured. They will be replaced by Usher and Shakira (no fighting) when The Voice returns in 2013. To send them off in style, all four coaches sing: Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).” This is my favorite collaboration of these four by far. Fantastic.

 

 

Results! Our final three – Cassadee Pope, Terry McDermott and Nicholas David were fierce competitors for these past few months, but in the end, Cassadee emerged victorious. Team Blake actually finished first and second place, with Cee Lo’s Nicholas finishing third. I would have loved to have seen Terry win it all, but I can't say Cassadee didn't earn it. Her performances last night kind of say it all. Congrats!

Season 3 Winner Cassadee Pope!!!

This by far was my favorite season of The Voice. This combination of coaches/judges is hands down the best on television, and I will greatly miss Xtina and Cee Lo when they move on next year. I can't say I'm thrilled about their replacements either....  

But with The Voice and The X Factor ending this week, blogging goes on a bit of a hiatus until the American Idol live shows start. With those judges reportedly already feuding, that should be a good time. Til then!

 

 

The Voice: Finale, Part 1

Yes, we are getting ready for a live finale of a reality TV competition, but The Voice chooses class over spectacle to open the show this evening, and I could not be more grateful for that. Singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” the coaches, hosts, and all of the finalists stand solemnly by candlelight and hold up signs….each representing one of the 26 victims in last week’s tragic elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The names and ages are on each card, and before Blake can even get through the first line of the song, it’s already too much for this blogger. It’s heartbreaking, but a beautiful trubute. Having no idea what the next 90 minutes have in store for us, I’m absolutely overwhelmed with appreciation for what The Voice has done tonight.

 

 

Carson welcomes us to the show and we see a montage of our Final Three as they journeyed through this season. Each contestant will perform three times tonight – one new solo, an encore of one song they have already performed this season, and one duet with their coach.  After that, it’s up to America to determine a winner, and I have a feeling the artists aren’t going to make it an easy decision.

 

 

Contestant:  Nicholas David
Team: Cee Lo

Song: “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis
 

Cee Lo’s last man standing is opting out of the normal soulful ballad for his first performance, and this might be a side of Nicholas we have not seen yet. I don’t just mean because the stage and the piano are on fire….literally… but the man looks like he is having so much fun performing this song. Granted, he doesn’t have a future in dance, but he most definitely has a future in music. Well done.

Coaches Say: Nicholas receives a standing ovation from the three male coaches, and Adam is so happy Nicholas took this opportunity to entertain and have a good time. Blake says tonight is a celebration and he is glad Nicholas had fun performing that song. Cee Lo appreciates Nicholas’ humility but believes his fire tonight burned the house down.

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Contestant: Cassadee Pope
Team: Blake
Song: “Over You” by Miranda Lambert

Cassadee chooses the emotional song written by Blake and Miranda to perform again for us this evening, and it may be more moving this time than it was a few weeks ago. Granted, emotions are running high tonight anyway, but she does an amazing job with this performance. Her voice is just about as close to perfection as it can be even though she is crying at the end, and I applaud her from my couch.

 

Coaches Say: Xtina tells Cassadee she looks “drop dead gorgeous” which makes me wince a little but I move on….mainly because Xtina’s outfit gives me a good chuckle. She is enamored by Cassadee’s entire presence, and she tells her the sky is the limit. Adam compliments how strong and finely tuned Cassadee's voice is. He’s also a fan of her shiny dress. Blake says America’s heart is heavy right now and Cassadee performing that song was a nice moment.

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Duet: Terry McDermott and Blake Shelton
Song: “Dude Looks Like a Lady” by Aerosmith

Um yes – that is Blake Shelton singing an Aerosmith rock song, and I am loving it. I’d be lying if I said Terry is not the stronger half of this duo, but it’s fun anyway. Midway through the performance Adam shows up to play guitar dressed as…I don’t know… Axl Rose? It doesn’t matter because he is shirtless. He should always be shirtless?

 

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Contestant: Nicholas David
Team: Cee Lo

Song: “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers

Nicholas performs his encore behind a small wooden piano with the choir seated on wooden crates and benches behind him. I found his previous performance of this song to be kind of boring, but I like the vibe he is going for tonight.  Maybe it’s because he is more relaxed this evening than he has ever been on this show, but I’m more of a fan of Nicholas tonight than I have been all season.

 

Coaches Say: Adam tells Nicholas that his outfit makes him look like a principal, and I cringe. A lot. Nicholas plays along telling Adam to meet him in his office after school, and Adam says he is the “principal of the school of funky stuff.” Make it stop! Cee Lo believes in Nicholas and tells him he loves him. They share a bro hug, and we are back on track. Thank you.

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Contestant: Terry McDermott
Team: Blake

Song: “Broken Wings” by Mister Mister

“Broken Wings” is a favorite of Terry’s son, and he sings it from a mic stand that appears to glow in the dark. Neat. The drummers seated on steps behind Terry are doing a hell of a job making this song sound more current. This is definitely not one of my favorite Terry performances, but the guy is still awesome, and I could easily just be missing out because I am not a Mister Mister fan. Confetti falls at the end of the song, and I’m confused…is the competition over? I would be okay with that…but I thought there was still one more day to go.

Coaches Say: Adam says that Terry seemed to have some technical difficulties at the start of the song (which I missed…distracted by the mic stand) but he recovered well. Are we just not talking to Xtina tonight? Is it her hat? Blake doesn’t know how Terry does what he does, but Blake believes that every time Terry takes the stage “something epic happens.”

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Duet: Cassadee Pope and Blake Shelton

Song: “Steve McQueen” by Sheryl Crow

I gotta be honest. I have never heard this song. Shame on me, because Blake and Cassadee are rocking out and I can’t sing along. The megaphone bit is a little strange,  but again, these duets are all about fun, right?
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Contestant: Terry McDermott

Team: Blake
Song: “I Want To Know What Love Is” by Foreigner

Terry keeps the stripped down/vulnerable vibe for this encore, and I like this rendition better than his first. Perhaps it’s the staging…perhaps the violinists just make the whole thing look awesome…but this is Terry’s best performance of the evening.  

 

Coaches Say: Xtina says Terry’s voice is incredible, but she wants everyone to understand that it takes a strong work ethic to bring every song home the way Terry does. Blake agrees that this song was Terry’s breakout moment on the show, and he sang it better tonight than the first time.  Agreed!
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Duet: Nicholas David and Cee Lo
Song: “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry

Okay, this is the best duet of the three, even if it’s only because of the standout “mini me” dancer who steals the show at the 2 minute mark. Watch it below.

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Contestant: Cassadee Pope
Team: Blake

Song: “Cry” by Faith Hill

 

I love this song. I’m not sure what’s happened to Faith Hill (or her humility) over the years, but this song will always stand out as one of my favorites of hers. Cassadee gets the pimp slot with this song tonight. She also (by far) gets the best staging and camera work of the evening. Even if The Voice is trying to sway the voters toward Cassadee with this performance, they don’t have to try too hard. Cassadee NAILS this song. NAILS it.

 

Coaches Say: Adam still wishes Cassadee had chosen him as a coach, but he is beyond proud of how well she has done in the competition. Blake says for every great moment Cassadee has had on the show, she has never sounded as good as she did tonight. Spot on, my friend.

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If the winner was determined based solely on tonight’s performances, Cassadee would be the clear victor. Am I still pulling for Terry? Absolutely. Would I be disappointed in a Cassadee win? Not in the least. My apologies again to Nicholas David, but Team Blake should triumph tomorrow one way or the other. We’ll see who emerges victorious (and we’ll also see Kelly Clarkson perform!) during tomorrow’s live 2 hour finale. Til then!

The X Factor: Three Acts Advance to the Finale!

Tonight we find out who will make it to the Season 2 finale of The X Factor. Of the four acts remaining, only three will move on to next week’s show for a chance to win the $5 million recording contract. There are no rankings tonight, so we will not know who is in first place going into the finals. We have a one out of three shot at guessing correctly though? Oh wait - the hosts are here. No more math!

Results! Fifth Harmony is declared safe, and for a second I think Britney might vomit. She pretty much says that she assumed the girl group would be leaving tonight. Tate Stevens is also safe, and we come down to Carly Rose Sonenclar and Emblem3. Khloe can barely stand the suspense. I imagine most nights Khloe can just barely stand.

After what seems like the 10th commercial break of the hour, Emblem3 is sent home. I am beyond relieved because I would have had a hard time stomaching a finale with no Carly. Sure Fifth Harmony has had some struggles this season, but honestly, so has Emblem3….but the only person who ever tries to criticize Emblem3 is Demi, and she’s always “shushed” pretty quickly. I think this is the right call, and I am excited to see what the final three acts have in store for next week. Til then!

The X Factor: Anything Can Happen

Tonight The X Factor’s final four compete in the semi-finals vying for a spot in next week’s finale. Three of our four judges have acts remaining in the competition as the last contestant from Team Demi was eliminated last week. This evening each act will perform twice, and the judges will have no say in which three acts will advance to next week. Mario promises an intense evening, and Khloe knows how to say her own name. Let’s not delay this any longer.

 

 

Act: Tate Stevens

Team: LA

Song: “Bonfire” by Craig Morgan

 

Tate got to choose his own song this evening, which he seems very excited about. Clearly he’s had some creative differences with LA but is too much of a gentleman to say so. I’ve never heard this song, but he says the word “rednecks” and the camera cuts to LA in a cowboy hat, so I’m already entertained. Tate is very into the song, he works the stage, and he really looks like a country superstar tonight. Nicely done.  

 

Judges Say: Britney doesn’t think that was Tate’s best performance (because he is Carly’s biggest competition). Demi disagrees and says it was a winning performance. Simon loves that Tate chose a song that he would want to record, and it was one of his favorite Tate performances. LA says Tate lit the stage on fire (literally). Khloe asks LA if he likes “wearing a country hat," and I consider bludgeoning myself with my laptop.

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Act: Carly Rose Sonenclar

Team: Britney

Song: “Your Song” by Elton John

 

Carly is trying to regain that number 1 spot this week and I love that she chose this song. The first half of the performance is a little low and slightly snoozy, but then Carly moves across a catwalk and owns the rest of the song. Not my favorite of Carly’s performances, but she is still my favorite contestant.

 

Judges Say: LA is no longer wearing his country hat. He says Carly did things with that song that he’s never heard done before. Demi reminds us that she doesn’t have any contestants left, and then she tells Carly that she’s very predictable. On the flip side, this was Demi’s favorite performance.  Huh? Simon thought Carly sang a beautiful version of a fantastic song. Britney is very proud to be her mentor.

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Act: Emblem3

Team: Simon

Song: “Baby I Love Your Way” by Peter Frampton

 

The boys have been criticized for not commanding the stage, and this week the one in the backwards hat says they “are deep in the game” and want to win. They start the song laying down on the stage (not what I think was meant by commanding) and they resume the normal standing next to one another and bopping up and down. The blond one that shouldn’t sing moves around in the crowd a bit, but otherwise it’s the same stuff. The audience looooooves it though.

 

Judges Say: LA says the guys just had their first $5 million moment. I must have missed it. Britney thinks the performance was special and the group has really grown up. Demi loved it, and I’m so confused. Simon says the performance reminded him of their very first audition, and they absolutely deserve to move on to the finals

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Act: Fifth Harmony

Team: Simon

Song: “Anything Can Happen” by Ellie Goulding

 

Fifth Harmony is still bummed about being in the bottom two last week and they want to be sure to show America what a fun girl group they are this week. The girls sit at an Alice in Wonderland type party table, and God help the kid on the right with the bow. Even Minnie Mouse would say “hell no” to that accessory. Fashion choices aside, the girls sound great and move around the stage far more tonight than they have in previous weeks. I really like it, and I hope this gets them a spot in the finale.

 

Judges Say: LA thinks this was Fifth Harmony’s best vocal performance. Woohoo! Brit Brit loved everything about it. Demi thinks they pulled out the sparkle they needed this week, whatever that means. Simon tells the girls they are the underdogs, but after that performance...“anything can happen.” See what he did there?

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Act: Tate Stevens

Team: LA

Song: “Fall” Clint Walker

 

LA put the hat back on. Just throwing that out there.  I’m 0 for 2 tonight with Tate because I don’t know this song either. This is another ballad that he dedicates to his wife, who really might be the luckiest woman ever. I feel that guys like Tate are few and far between, and that's just a shame. I prefer Tate’s first performance to this one, but as far as country ballads go, this is probably his best “emotional” performance.

 

Judges Say: Britney says Tate has had some hits and misses, and this was a hit. Demi thinks Tate is so amazing and talented. Simon says he has made his mark and deserves to be in the finale. LA believes Tate is consistently great each time he performs.

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Act: Carly Rose Sonenclar

Team: Britney

Song: “Imagine” by John Lennon

 

There’s nothing quite like a young, gorgeous voice singing this song. Yes, I am also referring to David Archuleta’s version and I’m not ashamed of it. However, Carly goes the extra mile here, playing the piano to start (rather confidently I might add) and then rising to unleash those ridiculously awesome notes on us. She’s just unreal. Carly finishes the song back at the piano, and I am so impressed by how polished she is as a vocalist.

 

Judges Say: LA thinks Carly took her artistic abilities up a notch by playing the piano. Demi says the only predictable thing about the performance was that it was amazing. Simon wishes she had just stayed at the piano because getting up and down and having the chorus behind her was a little too much. Britney thinks it’s time for Carly to go beyond this stage and compete with the biggest stars in the world.

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Act: Emblem3

Team: Simon

Song: “Hey Jude” by The Beatles

 

Ohhhh boy. They’re letting the blond one who shouldn’t sing play the guitar again. During the first half of the song the guys stay pretty true to the melody, and I am generally okay with it. Once the second half starts there are some liberties that I don’t really love…and then they get to the “na na na nas” and I start singing “no no no no.” Don’t get me wrong – this wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but Carly just slayed “Imagine.” This doesn’t really compare.

 

 

Case and point.

 

Judges Say: LA tells the group they are teen heartthrobs like The Beatles. Britney thinks it was an “A List” performance and they should take a bow. Demi agrees that the performance was great but is hesitant to compare Emblem3 to The Beatles. And she SHOULD be.  Simon is so proud of what Emblem3 has achieved tonight, saying they nailed both songs.

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Act: Fifth Harmony

Team: Simon

Song: “Impossible” by Shontelle

 

I am really hoping these girls have a moment here. Fifth Harmony switches the song up a little by singing parts of it in Spanish, which is a clever idea, but I honestly would have enjoyed the song just as much (if not more) without the random switch in languages. As much as I’m rooting for them, I’m not sure that this will get the girls where they want to be next week.

 

Judges Say: LA didn’t like the song choice, and he doesn’t think this was a performance worthy of the finals. Britney drops the hammer and pretty much tells them to pack their bags. Ouch. Demi says this comes down to the fans and hopes that they come through for Fifth Harmony. Simon thinks the song was the right way to go and hopes we see them next week as well.

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Mario feels the need to speak Spanish (hey – I can do it too!) and then reminds us how critical it is to vote. Khloe stays pretty quiet and that’s exactly how it should be. Only three acts can advance, and I am hoping for a Carly/Tate/Fifth Harmony finale. Sorry, Emblem3 fans. We’ll find out who stays and who goes during tomorrow’s results show. Til then!

The Voice: We Have Our Finalists!

Tonight’s elimination episode of The Voice will reveal the final three contestants who will compete in next week’s season finale. Last night I thought Team Blake was far superior to Team Cee-Lo, but hey, it’s not up to me. Carson looks like he might actually be engaged in what’s happening this evening (I feel like he always realizes what his job is in the last few weeks of the season), so let’s get to it.

Several contestants from last season are in the house tonight – Juliet Simms, Chris Mann, and RaeLynn (just RaeLynn) all perform their new “hit” singles…which must be somewhere near Xtina’s “hit” album on the charts because I am not familiar with any of them. Chris Mann has at least had some success recently. He was invited to perform during Christmas in Washington TV special. Good for him. Tony Lucca is also visiting The Voice tonight, but he does not get to sing….most likely because Xtina still hates him.

Results! After tallying America’s votes, Trevin Hunte is eliminated this evening, sending Terry McDermott, Cassadee Pope and Nicholas David through to the finals. I’m okay with this. I know that Trevin was a perceived front-runner for a while (Cee-Lo even asked for a moment of silence for the other competitors a few weeks ago), but ultimately I thought it was either his night or Nicholas’ night to go.

Next week is the 2 hour season finale of The Voice. Will the Scottish rocker win it all? Is a Team Blake victory a foregone conclusion or will Mr. David sneak in a pull off an upset? We’ll find out soon – til then!

The Voice: Team Cee-Lo or Team Blake?

Welcome to the semi-finals! Tonight the Final Four duke it out for a spot in next week’s finale, and only two teams remain in the competition. All of Adam and Xtina’s contestants have been eliminated, and Cee-Lo and Blake each have two artists left. Three of these four finalists, however, will advance to the finale… so both teams will be represented regardless. The remaining contestants will sing only one solo tonight, so they better make it count!

 

Contestant: Trevin Hunte

Team: Cee-Lo

Song: “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler

 

Before Trevin even opens his mouth, I am taken with the orchestra that has joined him on stage. Their placement is awesome. Not that he needed a distraction for the audience – Trevin can sing, and he does a beautiful job with this song. He is not my favorite of the finalists, but he may very well have just sealed the deal on his spot in the finale.

 

 

Coaches Say: Adam says the song choice was perfect. Xtina says the song took her back to when she would sing it as a child, but admits she never sang it “as crazy good” as Trevin just did. See, I thought she was going to make this moment about her….and she almost did, but she brought it back and I am thankful. Cee-Lo thinks Trevin has become more polished as a performer, and it was a pleasure to watch him.

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Contestant: Nicholas David

Team: Cee-Lo

Song: “You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker

 

Nicholas goes without the glasses tonight, and I honestly had a hard time recognizing him at first (I know, I know – the hair and the beard are still there…but clearly the glasses were important too). Seems we are all about the staging tonight as well as Nicholas walks around what appears to be an attic? He dedicates this song to his family, and he becomes very emotional as he sings. Nicholas has a tendency to make me sleepy, but he had me for the entire song tonight.

 

Coaches Say: Adam says Nicholas is one of the most soulful people he has ever met. I guess we don’t have a ton of time because we go right to Cee-Lo. He tells Nicholas he looks handsome tonight. He also says that this song was the right move and the performance was heartfelt.

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Contestant: Cassadee Pope

Team: Blake

Song: “Stupid Boy” by Keith Urban

 

I know Cassadee really enjoys the Avril Lavigne/Michelle Branch vibe, but I seriously think she is cut out for country music. Can’t believe that I did not care for her in the beginning of the show, and I was absolutely mistaken. I prefer Cassadeee’s rendition of “Stupid Boy” to the original – she’s connected to it, she nails it, and I truly hope it’s enough to put her through to next week. In my mind she has definitely earned the right to compete in the finale.

 

Coaches Say: Xtina thinks Cassadee’s voice is so “right on” at times it sounds like auto-tune. She says she is blown away because most artists only wish they can do on stage what they do in a recording studio.   Blake gives Cassadee a standing ovation. He’s soooo proud. He says no one can do what Cassadee just did in her performance.

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Contestant:  Terry McDermott

Team: Blake

Song: “Let it Be” by The Beatles

 

This is such an amazing song, and I’m so excited Terry gets to close the show with it. Backed by a choir, and with a stage that resembles a church, Terry’s performance is just awesome. One of the best parts is when the camera cuts to Adam who is singing along with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. Kidding aside though, I can’t say enough about Terry, and I look forward to him releasing an album. Well done.

 

 

Coaches Say: Adam says “Thank God for you, Terry.” Blake tells us that song is sacred ground and there aren’t a lot of singers in the world who should attempt it. He also says that in his heart he believes Terry’s performance was “musical perfection.” YES.

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Tomorrow night we find out which of the four finalists will juuuuust miss the finale. From my standpoint, as long as Team Blake makes it through unscathed, I’m good to go. I would also love for Terry to win it all and give Blake his second team win in a row. We’ll see if he gets the chance or if Team Cee-Lo’s contestants can edge out Terry and Cassadee during the elimination show. Til then!

The X Factor: A Predictable Final Four

Tonight’s results show for The X Factor will reveal the Final Four acts moving on the next week’s semi-finals. Currently all four judges are still represented in the competition, but will that change within the hour? Get ready for another double elimination as the rankings from America’s votes are in!

1.       Tate Stevens

2.       Carly Rose Sonenclar

3.       Emblem3

Coming in last, leopard print and all, is CeCe Frey. Team Demi is now officially out of the competition. As timely as this probably is, I’m surprised mainly because Demi and CeCe both seemed to have an army of fans who I thought would keep CeCe around at least one more week. Best of luck to her.

The bottom two now are Diamond White and Fifth Harmony, and they will have to square off for the judges’ votes to remain in the competition.  Fifth Harmony brings back the…harmony in their rendition of Mariah Carey’s “Anytime You Need a Friend.” Poor little Diamond on the other hand is, well, diamond-less tonight, taking on LeeAnn Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.” She struggles with her vocals, and sadly I do think it is time for her to go.

Down to the judges’ decision: Britney and Simon do not vote against their own contestants, so the future of these acts (God help them) lie in the hands of LA and Demi. They both vote to send home Diamond, which surprises me given how much LA seems to despise both Simon and Fifth Harmony. Diamond leaves the show with confidence though, and I greatly admire that.

Next week the remaining four acts will fight for a spot in the finale. Simon is now the only judge with more than one act remaining, and I have to wonder how he pulled it off when Paula was pretty much ineffective after the first few weeks last year with the “groups” category. I guess Mr. Cowell just spots better talent? Also, it’s his freaking show. Either way, will his groups make it to the end? Is a Tate vs. Carly finale a foregone conclusion? We’ll find out next week – til then!