The Voice Finale Part 2: Should've Been A Cowboy

The wait is over! While Team Adam dominated all season...the title ultimately went to Craig Wayne Boyd from Team Blake. My initial reaction was "What the hell?!?! What about Maaaaatttt!?!?" My second reaction was "No seriously, Matt didn't win?" But if it wasn't going to be Matt, it should have been Craig. The country crooner with the perfect hair and the amazing voice was consistent all season and he really did develop quite a fan base on his journey.  I can't say the the sting from Matt's loss won't linger for a while. However, here are some of the highlights from the 2 hour finale...

Of course we were treated (?) to the normal "bring back contestants who were eliminated to have one last performance on TV" segment. Craig invited DaNica (thaaaank you), Sugar and Taylor Brashears to join him for "Keep Your Hands To Yourself," and it was sassy and wonderful. Chris brought back Luke, Ryan, Ricky, and Taylor Phelan to take on "Dedication To My Ex," which seemed to go on for a long time, but the song still had a pretty cool vibe. Matt chose Taylor John Williams, Taylor Phelan, Mia, Sugar, and to sing "Go Your Own Way," which was definitely rough at times. Finally, Damien invited Anita, Elijah and DaNica back to unleash one hell of a performance with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

As always, the final four had the chance to sing with some big stars as well. Matt joined Fall Out Boy for "Centuries" and....it was weird. The dudes from the band didn't really interact with Matt at all. It was like he was a little boy on the side of the stage trying to get their attention. "Hey! I know the words! Pick me!" Bummer. Craig sang "Sweet Home Alabama" with Lynyrd Skynyrd...because no one on reality TV has done that since Bo Bice. Wonder what he's up to. Speaking of American Idol, Jennifer Hudson was in the house tonight to sing "It's Your World" with Damien. She looked AMAZING and she can really sing anything she wants and I'd be totally excited about it. Chris rounded out the duets with Jessie J, singing "Masterpiece." I think theirs was definitely the best match up.  

We also had some guest performers tonight who were too cool to sing with the contestants, which is just fine. Hozier was there to take Pharrell (and the rest of us) to church, and Bruno Mars donned golden curlers (you read that right) to sing "Uptown Funk." I melted when Ed Sheeran sang "Thinking Out Loud," and I'm ready to declare that I freaking love Meghan Trainor. It's almost impossible not to shake a tail feather to "Lips Are Movin.'" I was borderline obsessed with "All About That Bass" and I will probably wear down my iPod battery with this song on repeat as well. I also loved watching the coaches react to her performance...couldn't quite see Adam, but Gwen and Pharrell had huge smiles on their faces and Blake had his head bopping down to a science. 

Results! Damien finished fourth and Chris finished third, leaving the suspense between Craig and Matt. Ultimately Craig won with less than 3 minutes left in the show. He tearfully hugged his fellow competitors and sang his new single as the confetti rained down. 

And with that, the season is over. I have to wonder if Team Adam fans split their votes between his 3 contestants or if Team Blake fans were just done with Adam's over the top praise and confidence with his team. The performances speak for themselves. No need to shove a finalist down our throats...especially if that contestant is already the front runner! Regardless of why the competition played out the way it did, best of luck to Craig in his next chapter. For his sake I hope we still hear his name long after the end of The Voice 2015. I'll be on the lookout for that premiere (which I'm sure is right around the corner). Til then...have a safe and happy holiday season!

The Voice Finale Part 1: The Dreams That You Dare To Dream

After 3 months of anticipation, we've reached finale week on The Voice. We are down to a Team Adam vs. Team Blake competition with Gwen and Pharrell just kind of hanging out and wondering what went wrong. Each of our four finalists will sing 3 times tonight -- one song picked by the coaches, one duet with the coaches (it's going to be an Adam heavy episode), and an original song that we hope sounds better than the majority of the American Idol victory songs. I'm looking at you, "Do I Make You Proud?" Ah memories....let's see if The Voice artists fare any better with their tunes. 

Artist: Damien

Song: "A Song For You" by Donny Hathaway

Well, nothing says "completely baring your soul while singing" quite like this song does. Adam chose a tune right in Damien's wheelhouse and he does not disappoint in this performance. His placement in the audience with arms waving around him is great and all, but the full orchestra on stage is the real bonus here. The musicians compliment the performance perfectly and Damien was able to give all of his emotions to the song.

Coaches Say: Blake says Damien floats through a melody with great pitch and power. I really love the way he describes things sometimes. Damien's performance took Pharrell to church, and I was secretly hoping Matt McAndrew would have jumped on stage at that moment with an encore of his Hozier performance from earlier in the season. That would have been a riot. Gwen thinks the song was amazing because it felt like a record Damien has already made. Adam tells Damien that this this was one of his best performances. 

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Artist: Craig Wayne Boyd

Song: "My Baby's Got a Smile on Her Face" (original song)

Blake has been carrying this song around in his back pocket for years, and he tells Craig the only reason he hasn't recorded it himself is "it's so freaking hard to sing." He believes Craig can make it a hit though and I can see why. He's so comfortable with the song he looks as though he's been performing it for years. Craig is confident in the best way possible and he sounds pretty damn good too. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell welcomes Craig to his future and all Gwen could think of during the performance was "I hope you have a really good nanny, because you're going to get that baby and go on tour for a long time." Blake has never been so nervous about a performance on this show, but he believes the song was meant for Craig and congratulates him. 

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Artist: Matt McAndrew

Song: "Wasted Love" (original song)

Adam thinks this song is a hybrid of all of the things Matt has done on the show already, and Matt is more than ready to make a statement and release his own single. I'm not sure that Matt needs the flames, fog and choir to sell this song to America, but I do think the tune suits him perfectly. It allows him to use both his softer side and his energetic "I'm going to belt like it's the last song I'll ever sing" side. Love it. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell says Matt's hometown of Philadelphia "couldn't have asked for a better leader and teacher to go out and sing these songs the way you do." Gwen completely got lost in the performance and it took her to a place where she was being creative and thinking about songwriting herself. Adam goes a little crazy with his comments. He says not only is this Matt's first song (in terms of singles anyway), "it's one of the best songs I've heard in my life." Whoa, whoa, whoa. He then tells Matt what a huge fan he is, saying "this kid is so special and he isn't even done winning yet." WHOA. Adam. Dude. You still have two other contestants in the competition. 

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Artist: Chris Jamison

Song: "Velvet" (original song)

Adam thinks this song combines Bruno Mars' style with Michael Jackson's. Oh my. That's a very tall order. I'll be honest - the pre-performance video package had me completely stoked for Chris to perform the song live, but the performance actually falls kind of short for me. Don't get me wrong...Chris' falsetto is on point as always, but the rest of the vocals are a bit shaky at times. I think the vibe of the song is exactly what Chris needs in his (potential) album though...but it's just not my cup of tea...even though I love the styles of both Bruno Mars and Michael Jackson. I'm probably entirely alone in my opinion. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell says a star was born on this television show this evening. He must be talking about one of the other finalists, right? Adam back tracks on his comments about Matt winning, but then gives no indication that he thinks Chris should win. He loves all of his contestants equally though. Adam, you're fooling no one.  

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Artist:  Craig Wayne Boyd

Song: "In Pictures" by Alabama

Craig pours his heard into this tear-jerker of a song and he sounds fantastic. I get that he had to do a ballad at some point tonight, but it was going to be pretty much impossible for him to top "The Old Rugged Cross" performance from last week. Still, I think this cowboy had a great night and I'm thrilled that he made it all the way to the end. 

Coaches Say: Gwen is emotional and says that Craig's voice is magic. She thinks that Craig's future is bright regardless of the outcome of the show. Well, let's hope so. Blake says the song was the perfect statement for Craig's life at the moment, and that's what country music is all about - making a statement. 

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Artist: Damien

Song: "Soldier" (original song)

Adam listened to 100 songs before choosing this one for Damien. Sigh. This sounds more like one of those American Idol victory tunes that the winner sings on the first tour and then never again. There are so very few of those songs with staying power. Damien gives a fine performance....the single just doesn't scream "I should win and this should top the charts!"

Coaches Say: We seem to be running out of time. Adam is bursting with pride for all three of his contestants and says Damien is thriving win or lose. So yeah, he doesn't think Damien should win either. 

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Artist: Chris Jamison

Song: "Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake

I guess this is what we've all been waiting for, right? The JT comparison has been made all season, so why not end Chris' time on The Voice with "Cry Me a River?" Well, I can't think of a better way for Chris to complete the competition. His rendition of this song is awesome. His vocals are 100% spot on, he's jamming out with the band, and he looks totally in his element. Well done. 

Coaches Say: Adam is standing in his chair and he says "Chris, my young Jedi, welcome and congratulations." I'm going to on on the assumption that we have 12 minutes left, and one commercial break and performance to go, so that's why Adam's critique was so meaningless. 

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Artist: Matt McAndrew

Song: "Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland

Matt closes the night with a song I never would have thought he'd sing on this show...or ever. That being said, this performance isn't earth shattering or life altering (at least not for the rest of us), but it is subtle and effective. Matt is sincere in his delivery of this 1939 song and I am absolutely sincere in my desire for Matt to win this season of The Voice. 

Coaches Say: Gwen says Matt is original and his voice just connects. Pharrell thinks it's magical to see Matt perform every week and Adam felt the universe paused for a second to hear something so pure and perfect. Again. Whoa. Tone it down please. 

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In terms of the duets, Chris and Adam delivered a smooth and sexy version of Robin Thicke's "Lost Without U," and Blake and Craig blew the roof off the joint with their cover of "Boots On" by Randy Houser. Matt and Adam give us a pleasant rendition of "Lost Stars," but Damien and Adam's duet was the best of the night (for me anyway). They sang Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" and their performance was both lovely and powerful. They also picked an amazing song to showcase their voices. 

And with that, the competition comes to an end. Tomorrow night one of these dudes will be crowned the winner....and I truly hope it's Matt. As much as Adam's boasting drives me crazy, I think Matt absolutely deserves the win with Craig right behind him. Can Damien or Chris pull off a huge surprise though?  Can we have some Gwen and Pharrell performance time to balance out the Adam duets from tonight? Is any of this going to matter when the next season of The Voice premieres in the beginning of 2015? Time will tell....

The Voice Semi-Finals Elimination: Easy Come, Easy Go.

We are only one week from the finale and in this elimination episode, three of the four finalists were revealed. All of the eliminated contestants performed for the wild card spot, and I could barely remember some of them when they took the stage. In the end...Craig, Matt and Chris moved onto the finals, leaving Damien and Taylor to sing for their lives with the rest of the discarded top 12. Here's what went down...

Team Blake's Reagan James performed a sassy "Put Your Records On" while Jessie Pitts went with a very tame (and kinda neat) version of "Zombie." 

Team Gwen was up next and Ryan Sill brought those puppy dog eyes to the stage to sing "Marry Me." Anita Antoinette far surpassed him with her badass rendition of "Waiting On the World to Change." Oh how I've missed her. I'm still bitter she was eliminated so early. And then there's Taylor... his "Wicked Game" was uneventful.

The only "eliminated" contestant from Team Adam was Damien, and he took on "Grenade" because we haven't heard enough Bruno Mars already this season. I didn't love his version at all.

And finally, Team Pharrell's eliminated contestants took the stage. Luke Wade sang an "eh" version of "Have a Little Faith in Me," but the two strongest performances of the hour were delivered by Sugar Jones and DaNica Shirey (honorable mention goes to Anita). Sugar's rendition of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" was just fantastic. The vocals were right on point and she completely sold the story even though these performances were soooo short. Sugar really surprised me with this one and I loved it. DaNica sang the hell out of Mariah Carey's "Without You" and it was the perfect way to close the night. She's amazing. 

Despite all of my hopes, the contestant who made it to the finale was announced on the today show the following morning...and Damien won the spot. Team Adam stayed in tact for the duration, leaving Blake with one contestant and Usher and Gwen with nada. I really wish one of their artists had staged a comeback this week, but it wasn't meant to be. 

As we move into the last episodes of the season, it's all up to Craig to take another victory away from Team Adam. Can he win the whole thing? Is the competition Matt's to lose at this point? Do we think Damien and Chris stand a real chance at taking home the title? All will be revealed in the two part finale. Til then!

The Voice Semi-Finals: A Wondrous Beauty I See

Tonight the remaining five contestants compete for three spots going into next week's finale. The coveted fourth spot will go to an eliminated contestant and I'm 100% unsure of how that process is going to work. For now though, Team Gwen and Team Blake are hanging by a thread trying to knock out any of the three contestants on Adam's team. These hopefuls will each take on two songs this evening - one chosen by their coaches, and one the contestants themselves have chosen as a tribute to their hometown. Let's see how they do. 

Artist: Damien

Team: Adam

Song:  "She's Out of My Life" by Michael Jackson

Hmmm. I tend to be particular about Michael Jackson songs...unless it's Judith Hill...who should have made it much, much further in the competition during her season. Much. Further. Anyway, Damien sings the song beautifully. I'm not sure if he missed a lyric or if he wasn't allowed to sing "damned in decision." Yes NBC - please don't let him say "damned." Oh but "when I get that feeling, I want sexual healing" is okay. 

Coaches Say: Blake says this was one of the most perfect performances he's seen on The Voice's stage. Pharrell loves the way Damien tells a story and Gwen compliments the emotions he brings to his performances. Adam, as always, pats himself on the back for the song choice but says Damien did an unbelievable job.

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Artist: Craig Wayne Boyd

Team: Blake

Song: "Working Man Blues" by Merle Haggard

Craig is guitar-less for this performance and he's definitely working the stage. He hangs out with the dudes on the horns, the dudes on guitar, and the dudes (and ladies) in the audience. There are times where I honestly can't understand a word he's singing, but then there are other times when he's rocking out so much that I don't care. This wasn't Craig's best performance, but I can see why Blake chose the song for him. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell says that this is the type of performance you see from someone who knows who they are and knows how to have a great time. Gwen thinks Craig is a natural and calls the performance perfect. Okay, I wouldn't go that far. Blake says "Craig, you're one of the best singers I ever heard in my life." He also compliments the way Craig maintains his vocals as he moves about the stage. 

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Artist: Taylor John Williams

Team: Gwen

Song: "Falling Slowly" from Once

I love this song. It's really one of the best soundtrack tunes ever and there have been some great covers of it over the past 5ish years. Taylor's rendition is just okay for me though. He struggles to catch his breath on the verses, but he does a nice job on the choruses. Taylor definitely loses his quirkiness in this performance which was the only thing really keeping him from being...well...boring. 

Coaches Say: Adam thinks the song choice was perfect for Taylor and Blake thinks Taylor showed more strength and range in this performance than he has previously. I can maybe understand the range comment. He did have to push himself to stay with the melody. Pharrell says Taylor takes songs and makes them his own...which is true sometimes...but not in this case. Taylor did absolutely nothing new with "Falling Slowly." Gwen says she always knew that Taylor was a pure artist who is using The Voice as a platform, and she thinks he will make a record regardless of the outcome of the show. So, is she pretty much admitting that he has no chance at taking home the title? Are they not BFFs? Because if they aren't, he has made a horrible, horrible mistake. 

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Artist: Matt McAndrew

Team: Adam

Song: "Make It Rain" by Ed Sheeran

Yessssss. This performance is so strange and wonderful and mesmerizing that I actually didn't type a word until it was over. Even if you know the song, Matt has a way of keeping you wondering what he's going to do next all throughout the performance. His vocals were crazy but he still somehow managed to deliver a controlled performance. He just raised the bar in my opinion.

Coaches Say: Standing ovation from everyone and very well deserved. Blake thinks Matt gave a Grammy worthy performance and Gwen loves that Matt is one big contradiction....he's a sweet looking guy in glasses with a whole bunch of tattoos and a voice that gives her goose bumps. Adam says Matt challenges him all the time (good) and he tells Matt he could do anything, and he is the only contestant left in the competition with that ability. 

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Artist: Chris Jamison

Team: Adam

Song: "Sugar" by Maroon 5

Oh weird. Chris is going to sing Maroon 5's next single. That's a move right out of the Xtina playbook right there. Regardless, Chris' falsetto is just about flawless all throughout the performance. The song is fun but Chris doesn't seem to really let loose. Could be because his pants and jacket are incredibly tight. Could be because he needs to see a chiropractor. Either way, this was a great song choice for him. 

Coaches Say: Blake likes the song and says Chris can fill the room with his falsetto. Pharrell kind of says the same thing Blake did, and Gwen thinks the song choice was clever. She makes a joke about having Taylor perform her next single and Adam keeps jumping in to say the song choice was Chris' idea. But wasn't this round the coaches choice?  

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Artist: Damien

Team: Adam

Song: "I Don't Want To Wait" by Paula Cole

I'm not going to knock a song choice inspired by a contestant's home town, but I do think Damien faced more of challenge with this tune...not so much because it was out of his comfort zone, but because his story telling suffered in the "hey, this is a party!" arrangement. I think his first performance was far superior, but Dawson and Pacey might disagree. Oh how I miss that show. 

Coaches Say: Blake is carrying his lucky pocket knife (?) and says it was great to see Damien do something fun. Pharrell says Damien's voice is phenomenal and he was touched by the performance. Gwen called the arrangement a "Peter Gabriel meets tribal" version of the song and enjoyed that he went with something upbeat. Adam pats himself on the back and I'm over it. 

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Artist: Matt McAndrew

Team: Adam

Song: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2

As expected, this is a great performance. The staging is straight out of an arena tour and that's also how Matt tackles the song. He greets a number of audience members and tries to keep the crowd as involved as possible. Matt really comes across in this performance as a humble, talented guy who is grateful for the fans supporting him. I probably prefer "Make It Rain" to this song, but he's had a really great night.

Coaches Say: Blake says Matt made performing that song look effortless and Pharrell thinks Bono would be proud. Gwen gives a shout out to Bono (I'm sure he appreciates that) and says she loves listening to Matt's voice because it's so rich and dramatic. Adam talks a lot about how he doesn't need to talk at all, then goes with "wow."

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Artist: Craig Wayne Boyd

Team: Blake

Song: "The Old Rugged Cross" by 

Here's a "wow" moment, complete with emotion, story telling, and brilliant vocals. I'm a little emotional myself watching Craig give everything he's got to this hymn. This song means so much to him, and I'm so glad he shared his rendition of it tonight. This could have (and probably should have) easily been the closing number of the semi-finals. Best of the night.

Coaches Say: Standing ovations all around and he deserves every bit of the cheering and jumping going on in the audience right now. Pharrell says "to God be the glory" and asks Craig what it feels like to be at the top of his game and to surrender it to God in front of the entire world. Oh man. That's quite a question to ask someone on live TV, especially when emotions are so high already. Craig tearfully says how blessed he feels, and darn it if I don't have some tears too. Gwen is crying (she's done that a lot this episode) and says the performance was beautiful. Adam tells Craig the song was a brilliant idea and says it was the perfect thing at the perfect moment. Blake tells Craig he gave one of the most passionate, epic vocal performances he's ever heard. Amen.

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Artist: Taylor John Williams

Team: Gwen

Song: "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift

I am so incredibly entertained by this...not because it's amazing, but because it's just so out there that it makes me smile. That being said, the lyrics to the song and the animated way T-Swift sings it makes this mellow rendition quickly forgettable. Could I look away from the performance? No. But would I download this version? No way. I'm sad for Team Gwen. I wish she'd been able to hold onto Anita through the semi-finals.

Coaches Say: Adam calls the performance awesome and the crowd is screaming like crazy for Taylor. I guess I'm missing something here. Gwen calls Taylor a true artist (again) and says she can't wait to see what kind of record he makes in the future. She pleads with America to vote for him because "he's amazing!" Oh Gwen, I want to. I really do. But I have to throw my support Matt and Craig's way tonight.

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Artist: Chris Jamison

Team: Adam

Song: "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars

Didn't Chris already do Bruno Mars this season? Recently, right? I guess it doesn't matter. He chooses the dark stage, mic stand and piano route for this song and he gives probably his best vocal performance of the season. His falsetto is just crazy in terms of consistency and he's definitely connected to the song. Well done.

Coaches Say: Gwen says this was her favorite Chris performance. Adam talks about the progress Chris has made....and we're out of time.. 

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So tomorrow two of these guys will be eliminated, but maybe not given the TBD fourth spot in the finale. It's all very confusing to me. Will it be a Team Adam plus 1 week next week? Does anyone from Team Pharrell (cough, DaNica) have a chance at coming back? If Taylor makes it through...and that is a big if....can he cover Nicki Minaj or Metallica in the finale? I'd tune in just for that. We'll see how this all shakes out during the results show. Til then!

The Voice Top 8 Eliminations: Sometimes It Hurts Instead

Well thank goodness for Hulu. I was running late and my Tivo inexplicably cut the show off after 8 minutes (maybe my Tivo just knew how I would feel about the results) so I caught the last 20 minutes of the episode and Hulu provided me the rest. Regardless, I'm not happy with the way things went down tonight...

Results! Matt was the first person sent to safety and Damien joined him after some commercial breaks. Carson announced Taylor's name next and my jaw hit the floor. We're eliminating 3 people tonight and he's in the top half? Craig was the last contestant to sail through to the semi-finals, leaving Chris, Ryan, Luke, and DaNica in the bottom 4. Really? DaNica had one of the best performances last night and has been incredibly consistent. She also has the coolest name...aside from Pharrell anyway. 

DaNica performed for the Stupid Twitter Save first, choosing Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind" and she was freaking amazing. Luke went with "Stand By Me" because he's still trying to take songs that old people love and make them "Luke Wade songs." He seemed to forget the words as well. Next. Constant Stupid Twitter Save recipient, Ryan, put on that puppy dog face for "Heavan" by Bryan Adams. He's adorable...but it was probably time for him to pass over the Twitter title. Chris rounded out the performances with "Georgia On My Mind" and ultimately won the Stupid Twitter Save. Damn it.  

Somehow I knew Chris would make it through based on the sex appeal and Adam's increasingly annoying confidence. His performance was great tonight, but I feel that DaNica deserved the semi-finals spot more. I would also trade Taylor for DaNica in a heartbeat (and still wear a Team Gwen t-shirt). 

So, we have the semi-finalists...Team Adam remains completely untouched, Team Pharrell is gone, and Blake and Gwen each have one contestant left. We also have an all male performance show next week which bums me out a bit. Will Team Adam make it to the finals unscathed? Can Craig jump ahead of these guys and become a true front runner? And, well, Taylor is Taylor. We'll see how these gents do when they compete again on Monday. Til then!

The Voice Top 8: Save Some Light For Me

Okay, I admit it. I cheated on The Voice tonight. Idina Menzel was rocking the country music world on CMA Country Christmas on ABC. Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Nettles, Hunter Hayes and Steven Tyler (yes, he's been around almost as long as Christmas itself) performed as well...and I just couldn't turn away and watch The Voice live. When I hit the Tivo button and switched gears, however, here's what happened...

Artist: Ryan Sill

Team: Gwen

Song: "Open Arms" by Journey

Perpetual bottom 3 dweller, Ryan Sill, is looking to avoid competing for the Stupid Twitter Save this week. He takes on a very challenging tune that has made it's way around the reality TV singing shows for years. With these types of "repeats" I always worry for the contestant...because they still hoping to make their version memorable. Ryan's voice is so pure and pretty and he really tries to soar in this performance. The band overpowers him a bit during the choruses but he does sound great....and he's totally nailed the wounded puppy look.  

Coaches Say: Adam is shocked that Ryan falls into the bottom 3 each week and says he killed it tonight. Blake agrees, telling Ryan this was his best performance. Pharrell says every time he thinks Ryan has peaked, Ryan comes out the next week and does even better. Gwen points out how hard the song is to sing and says Ryan has an amazing gift and deserves to be here. 

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Artist: Craig Wayne Boyd

Team: Blake

Song: "Take It Easy" by The Eagles

Craig is Blake's last man standing and he's doing everything he can to keep representing his coach next week. He's the front man of the band tonight and he owns it. Craig looks like he could hop on next summer's country music tour circuit and be right at home. Great hair performance. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell says this is Craig's show and people love him. Gwen felt like she was at the country music awards and Adam thinks the song choice was great. Blake says what Craig did was perfect. 

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Artist: DaNica Shirey

Team: Pharrell

Song: "These Dreams" by Heart

This song ties with "Alone" as my favorite Heart song. "Alone" is fiery and powerful...and "These Dreams" is the perfect blend of subtle and passion. Because DaNica is the only female left in the competition (for now anyway), and because she's someone I've really become excited to see each week, I'm hoping she slays this song. Oh...she does. DaNica adds an element of drama to the song and the all female orchestra that surrounds her was a brilliant idea. Love. This. I'll be downloading it, but right now I'm going to rewind and watch the performance all over again.  

Coaches Say: Gwen thinks DaNica can do anything with her voice and says the song choice was timed perfectly. Adam calls the performance incredible and Blake says DaNica has been one of his favorites from the beginning. He says her voice has strength and accuracy. Pharrell is busting at the seams to talk. Her coach thanks DaNica for being on his team and says the performance could not have gone any better. 

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Artist: Damien

Team: Adam

Song: "Someone Like You" by Adele

I can get behind this. Unlike many people who cover this song, Damien isn't going to try to sound like Adele. I'll be honest and say I do not love the breathy-ness of the performance or the falsetto moments. What I do love is the way Damien feels the lyrics. He totally sells me on "Sometimes it lasts in love and sometimes it hurts instead." I definitely think his performances in the past couple of weeks were far better though. 

Coaches Say: Everyone stands which baffles me. It was good...but it wasn't that good. Blake thinks this is the best season of The Voice and compliments Damien's passion and soul. Pharrell says Damien effortlessly paints the air with his notes. I love that he just said that. Adam pats himself on the back a little but says he let Damien choose the song this week. He tells Damien it was his best performance so far. Hmmmm. 

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Artist: Chris Jamison

Team: Adam 

Song: "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye

Adam tells Chris during rehearsals that he needs to focus on the more serious stuff now, because there's more to being a musician than being hot. So....taking on "Sexual Healing" is the next logical step? Chris sings the song well, but I honestly don't think he's oozing sexy in this performance. Maybe he's concentrating too much on the notes. Either way, Chris' fans will probably just be satisfied with the number of times he says "sexual." 

Coaches Say: Pharrell says this was Chris' best performance so far. There's a lot of that going around tonight. Gwen thinks he did a great job and Adam pats himself on the back....again. He gives Chris a couple of compliments too. 

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Artist: Luke Wade

Team: Pharrell

Song: "Holding Back the Years" by Simply Red

Luke hopes to take a song that young people don't know and older people love and make it "a Luke Wade song." I'm not sure how this is a recipe for success....especially when he yells "sing it with me!" to the audience as if they might know the words. The performance overall is a snoozer, and I will be amazed if someone tells Luke this was his best performance to date. 

Coaches Say: Adam wants Luke to stop thinking when he sings and Blake says the song wasn't something you can sink your teeth into. Pharrell agrees that Luke should let go...but says Luke is still better than most when he doesn't let go. Can we just say the performance wasn't good? Where is Simon Cowell when I need him?!?!

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Artist: Taylor John Williams

Team: Gwen

Song: "Royals" by Lorde

Taylor wants to strip away the pop element of the song so he can make it more angry. I don't really see the anger in his performance, and the song doesn't give Taylor a whole lot to do vocally. The most exciting part of the song is when Taylor does his strange strut to greet the audience. They seem to loooove him.

Coaches Say: Blake respects Taylor because he is a pure artist. Pharrell calls Taylor a "soulful hippy" and Gwen just feels lucky that Taylor chose her. She compliments Taylor's vision for himself. 

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Artist: Matt McAndrew

Team: Adam

Song: "The Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice

Matt closes the show out tonight with a surprisingly emotional performance. The normally energetic and somewhat crazy stage performer goes the mic stand/acoustic guitar/fog route for this song. The only things we can focus on are Matt's vocals and heartache, and boy does he give us 100% of both here. This was a very smart move and I have no doubt that it will pay off. DaNica still wins the night for me, but Matt's vulnerable performance is a very, very close second.

Coaches Say: Blake has never heard the song before but he's glad that Matt's version is his introduction. Adam talks about how brutal love can be and says Matt embodied the lyrics of the song and gave a genuine performance.
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And with that, the Top 8 have once again put their fate in America's hands. Tomorrow we lose three more artists and potentially two entire teams. Will Adam's contestants hold strong for another week? Will DaNica keep this competition from becoming an all male battle? I sure hope so. She was my absolute favorite tonight. Anything can happen in the elimination hour though, and we'll see who makes it to the semi-finals tomorrow. Til then!

The Voice Top 10 Results: What. The Hell.

So, I am very unhappy with tonight's results show. Two of the people I was most excited about going into the Top 12 were sent home this evening, and now I'm not really sure how to feel about the remaining weeks. Sure, they get to compete against the other eliminated contestants for a spot in the finals, but this is not what I wanted tonight. Here's how the eliminations went down...

Results! The first person to make it to safety was Craig, and he was swiftly followed by Matt.  So far so good, right? Carson announced that Luke and Taylor had made it into the Top 8...which made me a little antsy. As interesting as Taylor is, I didn't see him as a shoe in to go much further in the competition. After some performances by the coaches with their teams (enjoy it while it lasts, kids), DaNica and Chris got to exit the stage happily, leaving Damien, Anita, Reagan, and Ryan nervous for their fates. Damien was the final person to escape the "sing for your life" portion of the show, and I was pissssssed. Can the Stupid Twitter Save just save all three of them and we'll try again next week?

Reagan sang Nelly Fertado's "I'm Like a Bird" and it seemed like she already thought she was going home. It's a damn shame. Whyyyyyyyyyy did she have to choose "Fancy" last night? Anita took on Jason Mraz's "The Remedy" and I loved it. She had one note in particular that just went on and on. Ryan rounded out the performances with "Collide" by Howie Day, which was a really great song choice for him. This was right in his wheelhouse and enough to keep him in the competition one more week. Ryan won the Stupid Twitter Save, sending Anita and Reagan home. Ugh. 

Going into the Top 8, Team Adam still has all of his contestants remaining. Team Gwen and Team Pharrell are down to 2 each, and Blake only has one artist left in the competition. Will Team Adam finally take a hit next week? Will Blake's team be entirely eliminated before we even get to the Top 6?  Are Craig's hair, DaNica's face piercing, and Damien's animated eyebrows the only constants I can hope for now? We'll find out when the Top 8 compete again. Til then!

The Voice Top 10: I'm In The Fast Lane

Tonight the remaining contestants on The Voice compete again, hoping to get through Thanksgiving and still have this glimmer of a career to be thankful for. Team Adam and Team Gwen remain in tact, while Team Blake and Team Pharrell (that just sounds weird, doesn't it?) are hoping to keep their two artists this week. Let's see how they do...

Artist: Matt McAndrew

Team: Adam

Song: "Fix You" by Coldplay

This song always gets me. If you've never seen the So You Think You Can Dance performance to "Fix You," please do yourself a favor and watch it. It's amazing. Matt's rendition of the song, however, is not so amazing. He gets points for energy, pseudo stage dives, awkward audience hugs and hand holding...but his vocals are lost for most of the song. Maybe it was the band, maybe the mic, maybe the sound guy was asleep. Regardless, this was probably my least favorite Matt performance, which is a shame because I loooove Matt.  

Coaches Say: Blake says Matt has "everything" and Gwen loved the song choice and had chills during the performance. Adam talks about the "everything" for a while. 

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Artist: Anita Antionette

Team: Gwen
Song: "Let Her Go" by Passenger

So, the original version of this song annoys me. I'm probably in the minority with that statement but it's just how I feel. Anita's performance makes me very happy though. She's got a great vibe, she's having fun, and she's got a sassy outfit on this evening. Her "Redemption Song" performance last week was far superior, but I enjoy this side of Anita just as much.

Coaches Say: Blake says Anita put a very cool spin on the song and Pharrell thinks Anita grows every week. Gwen says the performance was incredible to watch because  not only did Anita take over the song, she also "wore the boots." Apparently there was some strategy to the footwear. 

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Artist: Damien
Team: Adam
Song: "You and I" by Stevie Wonder

Damien is sitting at a piano...but he's not playing...so I'm initially confused. I'm all for creative staging, but Damien doesn't need a prop at all. His voice and his presence are captivating enough and he absolutely outdoes himself with this song. Damien is someone who could potentially have a "moment" every week. 

Coaches Say: Standing ovations from all 4 coaches. Pharrell says Damien's family must be incredibly proud and Adam felt the entire audience get on board with Damien's performance. We must be running short on time already because Carson is starting to hurry the coaches along. 

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Artist: Reagan James

Team: Blake

Song: "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea

Um, Blake? Buddy? Is this a good idea? Reagan is one of my favorite people of this season, but someone should have told her to go with Plan B or even C. She absolutely makes the song her own (not necessarily in a good way) and I appreciate that she's a young girl taking on a popular tune and trying to build a fan base...but I would love to know what Plan B was. 

Coaches Say: Adam says Reagan gave the song so much commitment and thinks it was her best performance so far. Blake wants everyone to know that everything about that performance was hard...and agrees with Adam that tonight was Reagan's best. Guess you had to be there. 

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Artist: Luke Wade

Team: Pharrell

Song: "Try a Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding

Last week Luke had some noticeable trouble with timing during his performance, but this week timing doesn't seem to be too much of an issue. At least, I don't think it is. It's hard for me to tell because I think the arrangement of the song is kind of strange. Regardless, Luke definitely has his confidence back and he puts a lot of gusto into this song. When the performance ends, he is kind of basking in the moment...and then Carson joins him on stage and says "I feel like Jay-Z. I wanted to come in on that!" Oh how I miss TRL. And music videos. 

Coaches Say: Gwen thinks Luke has really evolved from when he started on the show. Adam tells Luke that he's one of Adam's favorites, and he's glad to see Luke doing so well. Pharrell says Luke exceeded his expectations. Soooo, did Pharrell expect another hiccup this week? 

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Artist: Craig Wayne Boyd

Team: Blake

Song: "Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash

Love this. Normally I would flip out if someone took a Johnny Cash song and made it barely recognizable, but in this instance, Craig does a fantastic job. He turns "Walk the Line" into a moving, soulful ballad with some serious power notes and gets a standing ovation from all 4 coaches. For me, this is the best performance so far tonight. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell keeps standing while he gives his critique and says Craig is an artist who knows who he is and isn't afraid to represent that. Gwen "isn't a country person"  but she thinks Craig is going to have a whole career after this show is over. Blake calls the performance magical and congratulates Craig. 

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Artist: Ryan Sill 

Team: Gwen

Song: "Starlight" by Muse

Based on last week's feedback, Gwen thinks Ryan should be focusing on the "rock" aspect of his voice because that's the kind of album he could make right now. The verses are right on point but Ryan is a little overpowered when he gets to the chorus. He's also competing with Matt McAndrew for the "quirky guy who wants to jump around on stage" title, and we know who wins there. However, I do really like the performance. He might be a dark horse in the competition. 

Coaches Say: Adam doesn't think Ryan should have been in the bottom 3 last week and says Ryan should continue to figure out who he is. Blake thinks this might have been Ryan's best performance and Pharrell calls Ryan the most improved contestant. Gwen says it's an incredible feeling to be on this journey with Ryan and to see him progress each week. 

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Artist: DaNica Shirey

Team: Pharrell

Song: "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston

I miss Whitney. It still blows my mind that she won't have anymore albums, awards show appearances, or concert specials. In watching all of these singing competitions, it's clear that there are a lot of Whitney wannabes out there who just want to sound like her. What DaNica does here is not just vocal. She also embodies the lyrics and her performance is completely believable. By the time she hits the last "don't make me cloooooose one more doooooor," I have chills. 

Coaches Say: Gwen asks DaNica to just sing it again and Adam says (in a very roundabout way) that she did the song justice. Blake says this episode is the best live show he's ever seen. Whoa buddy. I wouldn't go that far. Pharrell is proud of DaNica, saying she ascends every week. 

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Artist: Taylor John Williams

Team: Gwen

Song: "Come Together" by The Beatles

I cringed when I heard the song choice because while Taylor has a great voice, he hasn't shown a ton of charisma yet. Hell, based on the rehearsal package, I think Gwen is nervous too. When the song starts I assume I will be bored...however, Taylor is just the right amount of freaking weird to keep my attention. The shorter pants with no socks is enough to keep me engaged, but the vocals are actually pretty good too. Weird. But good. 

Coaches Say: Adam loves that Taylor moved around and had fun. Blake says it was important to see the other side of Taylor that smiles. Gwen admits she reallllllly didn't want Taylor to do that song, but says if she were 15 years old, he would be all over her locker. I'm not touching that one.

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Artist: Chris Jamison

Team: Adam

Song: "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars

I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know this tune. I swear I'm a Bruno Mars fan. I'd catch a grenade for him. While I appreciate what Adam and Chris are trying to do here, this is a big song with a big production behind it, and it just doesn't seem like Chris. He looks like he's enjoying himself, but the performance is very over-the-top all around Chris...and he seems to be trying to catch up the entire time. 

Coaches Say: The audience is still screaming when Blake tries to talk and then we are out of time. My Tivo cuts off but I'll just assume Chris received positive feedback...because I haven't seen much else from these coaches.  

And there we have it. I do not agree with Blake in terms of this being the best live episode OF ALL TIME. Okay, so he didn't say that. But when someone starts down the "best ever" road, I immediately picture Kanye verbally punching Taylor Swift in the face. No, I won't move past it. Anyway, I think for every awesome performance we saw tonight...there was an equally un-awesome performance waiting in the wings. I worry for Reagan the most tonight, but I think Chris was out of his league as well. Two people will be sent home tomorrow during the results show and the Top 8 will be revealed. Which teams will take a hit? We'll find out after what will inevitably be an hour of painfully long pauses from Carson. Til then!

The Voice Top 12 Results: I Will Learn To Survive

Tonight we said goodbye to two of the Season 7 finalists and there were really no surprises in terms of who was eliminated. Carson, however, dropped a huge bomb on us when the show started...he announced that anyone sent home from this point forward will have another chance to get back in the competition. Whaaaaaaa? When the show gets down to the final 3, every eliminated contestant will come back to perform for America's votes. The person who receives the most votes will be in the final 4. This is unheard of! And it's also kind of awesome. 

Results! The first artists saved were Matt and Anita...and Anita's family just makes me smile. It's like they win the lottery any time Anita's name is mentioned. God help that venue if she ever gets eliminated.  DaNica, Craig, Damien, and Reagan were announced next, and after some commercials and filler we found out that Taylor, Chris and Luke were also Top 10 material. This left Jessie, Sugar and Ryan in the bottom 3 and singing for the Stupid Twitter Save. 

Jessie chose Sarah Bareilles' "Gravity" to try to sway Twitter users, while Sugar sang "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston. Ryan finished up the performances with Extreme's "More Than Words." Jessie was a bit shaky, Sugar sang her face off...but Ryan's voice is just so pretty. One could also get lost in his eyes. Apparently the tweeting audience felt the same way because Ryan was the proud recipient of the Stupid Twitter Save, sending Jessie and Sugar home. 

Next week the Top 10 will compete for either the chance to advance or the chance to go home and maybe advance later. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one. I do wonder if Ryan will find himself a stronger fan club in the coming days. I also wonder if ordering a Team Gwen t-shirt would be over the top. It's possible. But one thing's for sure - I have no idea who Ella Henderson is. 

Til next week!

The Voice Top 12: Thinking Out Loud

Welcome to the Top 12 performance show! Our four illustrious coaches each have three contestants remaining in the competition, and their fates are now solely in the hands of America via iTunes downloads, votes, and the Stupid Twitter Save. Carson is excited, I'm excited, so let's see how the Season 7 finalists stack up!

Artist: Sugar Jones
Team: Pharrell
Song:  "Take Me To the River" by Al Green

Sugar kicks off the night with an R&B classic and man she can sing. She's confident and completely comfortable with the song, the crowd, and the stage. With 11 performances still to come, I hope she does not fall into the "I barely remember what she did" category 2 hours from now...but at this moment I think she did a great job starting the show.

Coaches Say: Gwen is having a hard time figuring out what kind of album Sugar would make because she is so old fashioned. She calls the performance incredible, but she still seems a bit confused...and now I'm confused. Adam thinks the song choice forced Sugar to slow things down in the beginning, which was great because she sometimes has only "one gear." Blake says there is an edginess to Sugar's voice that keeps him on the edge of his seat. See what he did there? Edge and edginess? Love that guy. Pharrell is proud of Sugar and thanks her for following through and showing everyone who she is.

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Artist: Ryan Sill
Team: Gwen
Song: "Ordinary World" by Duran Duran

This song definitely takes me back to my middle school days when I would belt "and I won't cryyyy for yesterdaaaaaaay" while watching MTV. You know, music television...that played music videos...of artist's music. Yes, 1993 was a crazy time when MTV was actually MTV. Anyway, Ryan sounds amazing. He doesn't do anything new or different with the tune but he definitely gives us a solid performance. What ever happened to Duran Duran? 

Coaches Say: Adam is really happy to see Ryan reach his potential as a singer. He calls Ryan's voice "perfectly beautiful." Pharrell liked the performance as well and tells Ryan to pick a lane where no one can do what he can do...and stay there. I guess everyone's thinking "rock" should be Ryan's genre. Gwen couldn't sleep last night because she was so excited to hear him sing this song and calls it "perfect."

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Artist: Jessie Pitts

Team: Blake

Song: "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia

Soooo, I don't know this song and can't really tell you how different or brilliant the arrangement is when compared to the original. Jessie has a really interesting voice though - very breathy but in a cool way. She struggles in her lower register and doesn't seem super confident. The performance is pleasant enough....but kind of forgettable. 

Coaches Say: Gwen loved hearing the song broken down and she's a huge Jessie fan. Adam encourages Jessie to keep exploring the big part of her voice because she seems hesitant to go for the big notes. Blake says he can't talk about Jessie without smiling and thinks she is an inventor. He also says Jessie reminds him of Miranda. Wow! 

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Artist: Damien (just Damien)

Team: Adam

Song: "He A'int Heavy, He's My Brother" by The Hollies

Damien has 6 brothers and sisters so he's already on board with the song's title and message. He holds absolutely nothing back in this performance and he siiiiiiiings this song. It's a soulful, powerful, honest rendition and Damien gets a standing ovation from Adam and Pharrell before the song even ends. 

Coaches Say: Blake congratulates Damien on his performance and Pharrell says "the church" would be proud. Adam pats himself of the back for the song choice but says Damien blew the audience away with his performance. 

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Artist: DaNica Shirey

Team: Pharrell 

Song: "Creep" by Radiohead

When the song starts I'm not very excited because "Creep" is just so popular among the various reality TV singers. It's one of those "pick something else because we've already heard it 100 times" competition tunes. However...I LOVE this. DaNica makes the song her own and all of the changes to the arrangement are wonderful. Well done. 

Coaches Say: Gwen calls DaNica a freak of nature because of her voice and says she loves watching her sing. Adam thinks anything DaNica sings could be amazing and this song was a great choice. Pharrell tells DaNica that he was moved by her performance. 

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Artist: Taylor John Williams

Team: Gwen

Song: "If" by Bread 

This is such a great song. Taylor and Gwen both know the song is risky because it moves him a bit out of his comfort zone, but I think Taylor is able to show some aspects of his voice that we have not heard yet. The performance is simple (but lovely) and I really enjoy seeing Gwen's reactions to her team. If she would just pop up once a week with that big smile and tell me I'm amazing, my life would be perfect. 

Coaches Say: Adam feels that the purity of Taylor's came through on that performance, and Pharrell thinks Taylor's vocal brought the tenderness out of the song. Gwen says Taylor connected to the song right away and thinks the performance was amazing. She also plugs Bread. If you don't know them, listen to this tune. It's one of my faves. 

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Artist: Reagan James

Team: Blake

Song: "It A'int Over Til It's Over" by Lenny Kravitz

It's so easy to forget that Reagan is only 16. Her voice is very mature and she already works the stage like she's been performing at this level for years. She's all kinds of sassy tonight and I really like the performance. Sometimes it's hard to hear her during the verses but overall she does a great job with the song. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell says Reagan has her own vibe and made the song her own. Adam liked how different the arrangement was but feels like she was "breathy" at times. Blake is excited because he gets to download this song and listen to it over and over again. He says the way Reagan navigates a melody blows his mind. 

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Artist: Luke Wade

Team: Pharrell

Song: "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran

Pharrell tells Luke that he needs to not over think songs and just "feel through it." It's good advice...Luke starts and stops the song a couple of times in the beginning before he finds the right point to jump back in. Once he gets to the chorus though, he regains his confidence and finishes strong. I guess we should be proud of him for bouncing back? 

Coaches Say: Luke admits that he came in two beats early and Carson compliments him for getting back on track. Thanks Carson, but your opinion means very little. Adam says Luke recovered like a professional. Gwen notes that the same thing has happened to her a number of times and thinks it makes artists more human. Pharrell says Luke rose to the occasion and America is probably hashtagging him right now.  

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Artist: Matt McAndrew

Team: Adam

Song: "Take Me To Church" by Hozier

Okay, so I don't know this song either but based on the title, I feel like Damien might be more suited for this one? Maybe not? Matt's performance does not necessarily make me fall in love with "Take Me To Church," but I seriously do love Matt McAndrew. There's just something about him that makes me want to see him make it all the way to the end of this show. He has great energy in this performance and is overall just very fun to watch. There's "no doubt" (had to make that reference sooner or later) that he gave his all tonight.  

Coaches Say: Pharrell can't wait to hear the album Matt makes after The Voice is over, and Gwen says the song was perfect for Matt. Adam thinks this was one of the coolest things he's ever heard Matt do. 

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Artist: Craig Wayne Boyd

Team: Blake

Song: "You Look So Good In Love" by George Strait

This guy's voice is just about flawless. Taking on George Strait is not an easy feat, but Craig makes it look easy. He connects with the lyrics and stays true to this country classic. He's, um, not bad to look at either. Just sayin. 

Coaches Say: Gwen says the song was perfect for her former contestant because Craig looks so good...but he's no longer on her team. She thinks he's a natural and Adam says this was a really telling moment for him. Blake is soooo excited, saying every time Craig gets on stage he takes it to the next level. 

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Artist: Chris Jamison

Team: Adam

Song: "Jealous" by Nick Jonas

Speaking of guys who aren't bad to look at...Chris tackles a song by another hottie (something I never thought I'd say about one of The Jonas Brothers). I'm going to overlook the fact that the lyrics "it's my right to be hellish" make me cringe and just say that Chris nailed this song. 

Coaches Say: Pharrell says this is 100% Chris' best performance. Gwen thinks the song showed all of the strengths of his voice. Adam tells Chris he's cute but also a very talented singer. 

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Artist: Anita Antionette

Team: Gwen

Song: "Redemption Song" by Bob Marley

Yes, yes, and YES. Anita in completely and totally invested in the song and she tells this story beautifully. This performance is so powerful, and for me it's the best of the night. I actually had to go back and watch it a couple more times. 

Coaches Say: Adam talks about Jamaica and Blake says Anita's voice is soothing and relaxing. Gwen says Bob Marley was a prophet with a message and feels thankful she was a part of Anita delivering that message. 

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Tomorrow night we will say goodbye to two contestants and The Voice will have its Top 10. I worry for Luke based on the rough start to his performance, but maybe his ability to recover well will get him a ton of votes. I'm also thinking that Jessie and Taylor might have had the more "snoozy" performances tonight which might put them in danger as well. I could also be way off base and those three will be announced "safe" first. We'll see who survives the week during the results show. Til then!

The Voice 2014 (Again)

Two words. Team. Gwen. Our newest female coach is making season 42847628567084 of The Voice incredibly enjoyable for me. Pharrell (hat or no hat) has been a great addition to the show as well, but it's Gwen who kept me happily tuning in for the many, many rounds leading up to the big Top 12 reveal. Let's face it - The Voice does two seasons per year, has yet to jump start the career of a superstar, and relies entirely too much on the banter between Blake and Adam. How long can a recipe like that go on? This season, however, the new coaches have been a joy to watch and we have contestants like Reagan James, Anita Antionette, and Matt McAndrew competing in the Top 12. Not too shabby. The competition kicks into high gear this week, and I am looking forward to seeing how the contestants fare with America's votes and the Stupid Twitter Save (yes, that seems to be a staple now). I'm also very eager to get back to posting recaps, so let the shenanigans begin!

American Idol Finale Part 2: You've Got To Lose To Know How To Win

The search for the 2014 American Idol is over! Tonight the winner of a very close race was announced and we were treated to a pretty great finale. We had tons of guest performers, some definite reminiscing with eliminated contestants, and a judges' showcase that I did not anticipate. Here are the highlights in no particular order:

Jena and Caleb opened the show with a medley of Queen's "We Will Rock You" and No Doubt's "I'm Just a Girl." There were no holla back girls, but the duo did have some back up dancers. They finished the opening number with the Bryan Adams/Tina Turner duet, "It's Only Love." This was a fantastic way to kick off the two hour extravaganza. 

Some of the eliminated constants were lucky enough to perform with special guests tonight. Alex and his BFF Jason Mraz performed "Love Someone," and it was really pretty. That's all I've got. And for whatever reason, Sam Woolf was allowed to sing the first verse of Phillip Phillips' coronation song "Home" before P Squared himself took the stage with "Raging Fire." Sam was still there, but the camera stayed mostly on Phillip, which is totally the right call. His stage presence is phenomenal...and Sam is Sam. 

I heart Jennifer Nettles. I mean...I seriously love that woman and I miss Duets like you wouldn't believe. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Jennifer joined us tonight to sing "That Girl" on her own and then "Wrecking Ball" with Jessica Meuse. YES. Jessica sounded awesome and Jennifer completely owned this song. So much sass. I'm going to need her to release her own version immediately. Oh, and take that, Christina Grimmie. Two can play at this game. 

Malaya was lucky enough to sing a duet with John Legend this evening. And by "lucky" I mean I am 100% jealous of how close she was standing to him and his magical, mystical smile. They teamed up for "All of Me" and Malaya was singing wayyyy too high. She just about ruined the whole thing for me. Hell, let MK out there. She was at least on key when she sang this as her "save me" song. On the same token, Darius Rucker's trio of  "Alright" with Dexter and C.J. was just alright. The "meh" portion of the show continued...

Aloe Blacc is the man and he was nice enough to let Sam, Dexter, Ben and C.J. butcher his song with him. Thank goodness Alex and Caleb showed up near the end to save this performance. Demi Lovato was equally gracious as she threw caution to the wind and allowed the Idol girls to share "Don't Really Care" and "Neon Lights." I've become a big Demi fan, so I did cringe when her high energy performed was knocked down 10 notches when Majesty began to sing...followed by Malaya, Erin, Kristen and Jessica. If you only remember half of those names, you're not alone. Jena jumped in with Demi at the end of this performance though and the ladies finished strong.

Our Final 2 had the performances of the night though with two ridiculously amazing bands. Jena started to perform "Decode" at the piano before Paramore joined her with "Ain't It Fun." Oh how I love that song. Hayley Williams is the perfect kind of crazy Jena and her leather pants kept up with the band just fine. The arena was taken over by balloons at the end of the performance and I could not believe how quickly those disappeared when the show came back from the commercial break. Caleb and KISS joined forces for "Love Gun/Shout It Out Loud" and the performance was totally insane. There was soooo much going on...the lights, the fire, the tongue attacking Gene Simmons' face! Caleb did not dress the part but he certainly sounded the part. This was unbelievable. 

Our coaches took the stage tonight as well but first JLo performed solo. She did not make me suffer through another rendition of "I Luh Ya Papi" which I greatly appreciated. Her performance of "First Love" certainly had a ton of...skin and hair. At one point she danced her ass off (okay we know that's not possible) on the judges' table and then did some hands and knees dance moves that could have made Madonna blush. 

The last performance before the big announcement was well worth the wait, as it included all three judges and Randy "The Dawg" Jackson. As you probably recall, he used to play with Journey. While I watched these guys I had a moment of terror thinking about what a judges group performance would have resembled last year... Anyway, this bunch absolutely delivered on "True Colors" and "Go Your Own Way." Harry was going nuts with two pianos, Randy and Keith did their thing on the guitar and bass, and JLo even looked like a tambourine pro. It was really fun to watch and it reminded me how great it was to have judges without drama this year. 

Results! With no screen of safely needed, the winner was revealed quickly as Jena and Caleb took center stage. After a nationwide vote....CALEB WINS! He closed the show with "As Long As You Love Me" and the whole place went nuts. Congrats to both of them though. This ended up being a really good season and I can't wait to see what these two do in the future. We have to wait until 2015 before Idol returns and the rumors are already flying. Will the show only air one night a week? Will all three judges return? Will there be a "you must give standing ovations" clause in Harry's contract? We'll have to wait until January to find out. Til then!