We are inching closer and closer to The Voice season finale and eight contestants remain in the competition. Tonight they take the stage again, hoping to make it through to the Top 6 and have yet another chance to win over America. Blake still has all of his contestants, while Xtina and Pharrell have held onto two each. Adam only has one artist left and he's hanging on by a thread. Several former (and future?) coaches return tonight as mentors which is an awesome and welcome surprise. Will Cee Lo, Gwen and Usher be able to shake up this competition? Let's get to the performances and find out.
Artist: Hannah Kirby
Team: Blake
Song: "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner
Coaches Say: Xtina says Hannah had powerhouse vocals but encourages her to work on her lower register a bit more. Xtina also loved the kids. Pharrell likes that Hannah sings what she wants to sing and does what she wants to do every week. Adam says he was distracted at times by the adorable kids but tells Hannah she is always great. Blake thinks Hannah sang every syllable and note perfectly. Huh? What was he doing during the first 20 seconds of the song?
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Artist: Joshua Davis
Team: Adam
Song: "Fields of Gold" by Sting
Sting is getting some serious attention this season. I'm a huge fan of this song though and I'm also a huge fan of Joshua's version. This performance could have easily been snoozy, but Joshua sings beautifully and completely sells the story. Those eyes could also probably convince me of just about anything.
Coaches Say: Blake says it's refreshing to see Joshua get back to what he's best at and tells Joshua that tonight's performance proves why he should still be here. Adam loves that Joshua did something completely different from the powerhouse vocalists and did so with class and elegance. Well, Joshua kind of had to do something different from the powerhouse vocalists since, you know, he's not a powerhouse vocalist.
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Artist: Kimberly Nichole
Team: Xtina
Song: "Creep" by Radiohead
Hmmm. See, this song was covered brilliantly by Jena Irene on American Idol last year, so I'm slightly skeptical when the performance starts. However, Kimberly changes the arrangement, turning this into a theatrical performance, and it's freaking awesome. That stank face she gets when she really feels something should make audience members everywhere stop what's they're doing and watch her. Not just listen...but really watch her. This woman is amazing and in a class all of her own. Kimberly's performance tonight is one of the best in the many seasons of The Voice...maybe even THE best one.
Coaches Say: Pharrell was standing in the first 30 seconds of the performance and the other coaches join him when it ends. Pharrell stands throughout his "critique" and tells Kimberly she had masterful control throughout the song. He seems emotional and I love him. Adam says Kimberly's version of "Creep" was dramatically different and it worked. Blake thinks this is the type of performance that should have taken months to perfect, and Xtina says Kimberly is an artist who embodies what the competition is about.
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Artist: Meghan Lindsay
Team: Blake
Song: "Something" by The Beatles
Meghan is excited to sing this song because it's about true love and she's currently in a happy relationship. The staging of the performance is really cool, but if she hadn't said she was in a happy relationship, I wouldn't have known it. She's got her "Girl Crush" face on and not so much an "I'm overjoyed and in love" disposition. The vocals, however, are crazy good and I want to see this woman in the finale.
Coaches Say: Adam says the performance was awesome and calls her a badass. Blake thinks Meghan is classy and he also expects to see her in the finale. I'm glad we're on the same page.
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Artist: India Carney
Team: Xtina
Song: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland
Ballsy. Following up Whitney Houston with one of the most iconic movie songs ever? You've got guts, lady. She starts off a capella and it's lovely. The piano comes in softly, then the strings, and then the big notes. Not all of them are perfect but the message is clear. India is pretty much living this song and I have zero complaints about her choosing it tonight.
Coaches Say: Blake says the performance had magic in it and Xtina is happy to see India take on that song and embody it. She says the performance was gorgeous.
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Artist: Sawyer Fredericks
Team: Pharrell
Song: "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Sawyer branches out a bit this week and walks around the stage, greeting his fans and looking slightly uncomfortable. The band is overpowering at times as well but Sawyer's vocals and investment in the song never waiver. He's just so unique and so endearing that it's almost impossible not to root for him each week.
Coaches Say: Adam loves the purity of Sawyer's voice, saying it doesn't need to be anything other than it is. Pharrell wants every Sawyer fan to vote tonight because he's a guy who inspires any teenager out there with big dreams who may be a little different.
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Artist: Corey Kent White
Team: Blake
Song: "When I See You Smile" by Bad English
I'm reliving my youth now and am ignoring the fact that Corey wasn't even alive when this song came out. Completely ignoring it. And it also doesn't matter exactly how old I was. Not even going to dwell on it. Corey is at a point in the competition where he has to do something pretty great and not rely on that adorable, cute, dreamy face of his to get him through to next week. This isn't it. He struggles vocally here and there and then doesn't actually get into the song at all until just before the last chorus. Bummer.
Coaches Say: Adam says the performance was great but says the song was low for a little too long. Blake thinks this was Corey's best performance of the season and calls it the breakout moment he's been waiting for. Whaaaa? I love you Blake, but I couldn't disagree with you more.
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Artist: Koryn Hawthone
Team: Pharrell
Song: "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys
Woohoo! Koryn gets the pimp slot to close out the show tonight! In my mind she's totally earned it and this performance proves why. Koryn is a little too tense and shaky at times in the beginning of the song, but the build up to the second half of the performance probably had her so damn excited that she couldn't help herself. By the time she makes her way down those diva stairs and reaches center stage for the big finish, Koryn might as well be on fire herself (see what I did there?). What a great performance. I wouldn't have called it at the beginning of the season, but Koryn is quickly becoming a serious contender for the title.
Coaches Say: Everybody stands for Koryn and we're running out of time. Adam says Koryn has gone from a girl to a grown ass woman on the show. Xtina agrees, noting that at this point in the competition people either make it or break it. She says Koryn is thriving. Pharrell pleads for America to vote for his inspirational artist.
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And there you have it. The competition is starting to get fierce now and I have no doubt that we are going to start seeing some surprises in the bottom 3 in the next couple of weeks. I still think the women have the upper hand here with the guys trying like hell to keep up. Did Joshua do enough to keep himself out of stupid Twitter save territory? Does America agree with Blake on Corey's performance? Does America feel the same way I do about the kids in Hannah's performance? I guess we'll find out soon enough. Two more artists will go home in tomorrow's elimination hour and the Top 6 will be revealed. Til then!
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