The Voice Finale Part 2: You Got It

This is it! After many months of performances, questionable decisions, social media nightmares and shoe throwing, The Voice has crowned its Season 13 winner. Chloe Kohanski emerged victorious in part 2 of the finale, giving Team Blake yet another win and leaving Miley probably a little regretful that she let Chloe go (only to be stolen) earlier in the season. Here are the highlights from the two hour finale...

Guest Performers

• Charlie Puth performed "How Long" and I had no idea this dude could do an uptempo song. This was a very pleasant surprise. 
• Kelly Clarkson took the stage with her incredible voice to perform "Medicine" from her new album and as you know, I just adore her. Love her. Need us to be friends someday. I've met her a couple of times...but somehow she didn't have the same "let's go buy bff necklaces!" idea that I did. Weird. 
• Chris Blue was ready to share his new music with us and he debuted his single "Blue Blood Blues." I had almost forgot how ridiculous his voice is. I'm not 100% sure how I feel about the song, but it was great to see him. 
• Demi Moore Lovato crushed her performance of "Tell Me You Love Me." This was the first time I'd heard the song and she sounded amazing. I loved this so much, I easily forgave her for trying to rhyme "the day" with "happy." I feel like that had to have come from the NSYNC playbook. 
• N.E.R.D. treated us to "Lemon," another song I didn't know, and I must really be getting old. One person did an array of dances that were printed on posters behind her...and I've never heard of any of them. Gone are the days of the Electric Slide and Boot Scootin' Boogie, I guess.  
• Sia rounded out the guest performances with "Snowman." She was in a giant present surrounded by other giant presents, and I was really digging the red and green hair. Maybe if Brooke had rocked that wig yesterday during "O Holy Night" she might have attracted a whole new group of voters and won the competition. 

Contestants Return

• Keisha and Adam joined Bebe Rexha for a rousing rendition of "Meant To Be" complete with an array of backup singers and plenty of bopping up and down near Bebe's fur coat. This thing was so massive I thought another Season 13 artist would just pop out...but alas, we weren't that lucky. 
• Noah collaborated with Bastille on "World Gone Mad" and Noah held his own...even with Dan Smith's crazy good falsetto.  
• Chris Weaver, dressed in his fabulous Nedra Belle drag ensemble, was all sass on stage with Jessie J. They performed "Bang Bang" and while that song was overplayed when it first came out and got a little tiresome, I loved hearing it tonight. So did J-Hud and Miley -- they were working it in the chair area and then there was an abundance of shoe throwing when the song ended. 
• Jessie J returned to the stage later to sing "Not My Ex" with Davon, who struggled a bit in the beginning. He figured it out though and there were times where the combination of their voices had me looking for shoes myself. 

Final Four Duets

• Addison was paired with Norah Jones and their collaboration on "Don't Know Why" was lovely. Normally this is a song that makes me sleepy (at no fault of the artist) but the duet definitely held my attention. 
• Brooke joined Sia and Sia's hair on stage for an AWESOME rendition of "Titanium." The two women complimented each other perfectly and this was my favorite duet of the night for sure. 
• Chloe held on tight to the season long "cover songs from the 1980s" theme as her duet partner was Billy Idol. They performed "White Wedding" and it was great...I just would have loved to see her perform a song from the 2000s with another kickass female performer. 
• Red rounded out the final four duets as he collaborated with Vince Gill on "When I Call Your Name." This was a really good pairing and I swayed with a smile on my face for several minutes. 

Results! Red finished in 4th place and Brooke came in 3rd. Addison and Chloe had to apply an extreme amount of patience as it took Carson forEVER to announce the winner, and ultimately the confetti shower rained down upon Chloe. The show strangely ended there though and we didn't get the usual teary performance of the winner's first single. Maybe if Carson hadn't taken 8 years to declare the winner, we may have gotten to see that. Anyway, I'm very happy with the results and hope Chloe becomes the iconic superstar Blake thinks she is. I'm also hoping that Miley keeps pushing Brooke toward stardom because that powerful voice is something I really want to hear on my radio next year.

The Voice returns in a couple of months (you read that right) and Miley and J-Hud will rotate out while Blake and Adam stay put...again. Man it would be nice to switch it up with those guys. Alicia Keys will return to coach and the show will welcome KELLY CLARKSON to round out the teams. I'll do my best to tone down my inevitable bias toward Team Kelly, but it's going to be a struggle. We'll see how she fares as a first time coach when the show returns in 2018. Til then, happy holidays!

The Voice Finale Part 1: Always Stay Humble And Kind

Well here we are! Tonight the final four have their final chance to win over America and walk away the winner of this last 2017 season of The Voice. Team J-Hud was completely eliminated last week, leaving Blake with 2 contestants and Miley and Adam with one each. There was some tension among the coaches regarding who has the best voice in The Voice, and all the while Red Marlow just basked under the radar. Which one of these artists will stand above the rest in their 3 performances this evening? Let's get to it...

Artist: Addison Agen

Team: Adam

Song: "Humble and Kind" by Time McGraw

With Keisha out of the way, now is a prime opportunity for one of these ladies to slay an emotional country song with a great message. Addison kicks off the show tonight with almost that exact scenario, choosing a Tim McGraw song with lyrics we probably don't pay enough attention to. There are times when I can't quite hear Addison in this performance, and there are times when I do hear her...the notes aren't quite on point, and by the end of the performance she is crying and doesn't finish the song. But on the bright side, the kid delivered the message and I look forward to seeing what else she has in store tonight.

Coaches Say: All four coaches stand...and I don't think this was an "everyone on your feet!" performance, but here we are. J-Hud says when an artist breaks down, it makes the audience feel it even more. Adam thinks the way Addison "lost it" in the end was beautiful because Addison's connection to life is more important than her connection to music.  

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Artist: Chloe Kohanski

Team: Blake

Song: "Wish I Didn't Love You" (original tune)

It's not surprising at all that Chloe's would be first single is haunting with an extra side of eerie. She is accompanied only by a piano until the second verse in the song and the build in this performance is awesome. Blake was 100% on the money (maybe literally) when he said this tune was the right fit for Chloe. It's nice to see Chloe out of her "cover songs from the 1980s" comfort zone and I think this song will be popular on iTunes tonight. 

Coaches Say: We go right to Blake who is still standing. He wants America to remember every superstar in music and how those people are not like anyone else...and then he wants America to think about Chloe's performance. He calls Chloe a superstar and I'm just glad he's moved away from "iconic." 

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Artist: Brooke Simpson

Team: Miley

Song: "What Is Beautiful" (original tune) 

Miley penned this song with two other writers and customized it just for Brooke. She's going for a classy but mainstream vibe and I believe she accomplished that. "What Is Beautiful" shows off Brooke's range (oh the power!) and the message of the song sums up Brooke's musical journey to this moment. There are times where I hear a little J-Hud in her delivery and I'm so happy this girl has come into her own. I don't know that I can see this tune lingering for weeks on the iTunes charts or anything, but I do think this song was a smart choice for Brooke. Did I mention the power?

Coaches Say: Adam says the song is perfect for who Brooke is and the artist she wants to be. He then tells Brooke he is super proud of both her and her coach. Miley highlights the lyrics to the song...that she wrote...and she calls Brooke a superstar. Oh dear. We're handing out that title Oprah style now.  

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Team: Blake

Artist: Red Marlow

Song: "I Pray" (original tune)

Red wrote this song and it means the world to him...he wrote it when a friend's dad passed away and he performed the song at the funeral. I really, really like this song and I really, really love this performance. Red just upped his game with this original tune and I think he finally achieved that storyteller status that Blake has been hootin' and hollerin' about these past few weeks.

Coaches Say: J-Hud commends Red for the song as well as the performance and thinks he represents country music and represents it well. Blake tells Red his simple reliability on stage is what's gotten him so far in the competition. He calls Red a country star...so I guess there's no more room for superstars tonight.

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Team: Blake

Artist: Red Marlow

Song: "To Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan

Oh man. Remember when Kris Allen sang this on American Idol? Be still my heart. Red's version doesn't have quite the same effect, but he's definitely giving it all he's got at this point. The choice to go solo with a guitar was a smart one, and though this wasn't one of those "moments," I think the guy has had a good night. Red's original song was probably his best performance of the season, but this isn't a bad note to end on.

Coaches Say: Blake thinks Red has the ability to sit on stage with just his guitar and his voice and blow people away. I can't say that I've been blown away, but the guy sure is likable. 

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Artist: Brooke Simpson

Team: Miley

Song: "O Holy Night" 

This is an interesting choice given Brooke's near flawless rendition of "Amazing Grace" not too long ago. Brooke's final performance of the evening is well timed with Christmas just around the corner and it's a tune that makes her think of her family. I'm captivated (and a little emotional) throughout the entire song and I think this was Brooke's best performance of the season. This is also hands down the best of the night so far. I can't even begin to describe what her voice does in these few minutes, so I'm just going to post the video and go collect myself.

Coaches Say: Standing O! J-Hud thinks Brooke's performance was a gift to us all and she says Brooke outdid herself tonight. Miley stands and reiterates the importance of voting for Brooke because once again...she is the voice. "Tonight has been your night and you've never shined brighter." Agreed!

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Artist: Addison Agen

Team: Adam

Song: "Tennessee Rain" (original tune)

Addison's potential first single is well suited to her voice, though I keep having to remind myself how young she is. I feel like Addison has been dealt some more mature stories to connect to in her song choices, and this tune is no different. She completely sells this sad "Tennessee Rain" though and her vocals are gorgeous. I'll be downloading the song tonight. Addison finishes the finale on a very strong note and should not be counted out as tomorrow's potential victor.

Coaches Say: J-Hud says Addison "is music" and thinks she was born to be a star. Adam tells Addison that she is the best example to young girls and believes beautiful things are coming to her in the future.  

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Team: Blake

Artist: Chloe Kohanski

Song: "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes

Well, so much for breaking away from the "cover songs from the 1980s" comfort zone. I assumed with the closing spot of the night...the final performance that America will see before the votes... the last opportunity to bring the house down, Chloe was about to bring it. This performance is fun and sassy, but it's no showstopper. Brooke should have been able to shut this show down with "O Holy Night" because no one else even came close to touching that performance tonight.

Coaches Say: We're pretty much out of time. Blake uses the word "superstar" again and tells the voters they need to put Chloe in the winner's circle. 

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Each artist also performed a duet with their coach tonight. Addison and Adam gave us a lovely, if not very somber rendition of "Falling Slowly." This song suited both of their voices well, but given this song is from a movie where we are essentially watching two people fall in love while singing this song...this performance was a little lackluster. Blake and Chloe took on Roy Orbison's "You Got It," which was pretty awesome until there was some confusion and missed lyrics near the end. Blake and Red went with "I'm Gonna Miss Her" by Brad Paisley and the song itself has always been one of those catchy, funny tunes that people like to sing along to. The duo had a really good time and you can bet I was singing along (poorly). My favorite duet of the night though came from Brooke and Miley's kickass rendition of "Wrecking Ball." They were feeding off of each other and pushing each other's voices and I greatly enjoyed this...even if there was no wrecking ball. 

Tomorrow night the Season 13 winner will be crowned and I assume there will be plenty of performances, video cutaways, and various other filler in the two hour (part 2) finale. Is the competition still Chloe's to lose even after that oddly chosen song for the "hey, we're handing this competition to you on a platter" final slot? Were Brooke's song choices and ridiculously amazing vocals tonight enough to push her ahead of the pack? Will Addison's fans come through for her even though her theme for the evening was somber songs? And last but not least...should I have a six pack of beer prepped for the possibility of a Red Marlow confetti shower? Stranger things have happened and while I think Brooke totally owned this finale (and most of the season), my money is still on Chloe for the win.  There's just something about her, and Blake seems to have the most loyal voting fan base in the history of the show. We'll find out who emerges victorious tomorrow. Til then!

The Voice Semi-Finals Results: What Hurts The Most

We were soooo close to getting this right. So close. On tonight's semi-finals slaughter, four contestants were eliminated on The Voice, revealing the final contenders for next week's finale. With four guys, four girls, and all four teams still in the running going into this evening, there were a lot of potentially fun possibilities on the horizon - an all female finale? An all male finale? All 4 teams in the finale? Just 3 teams? Just 2 teams? In the end, only one of those scenarios happened, and here is how it all played out... 

We saw some more familiar faces return tonight as Alisan Porter, Chris Mann, Mary Sarah, Matt McAndrew, Matthew Schuler and Michael Sanchez previewed their Vegas show with "It's Time." It was nice to see most of these folks and the performance was fun, but I'm pretty sure entire closets were thrown when J-Hud took the stage to perform "Burden Down." It's hard to think about handing any kind of title to one of the remaining contestants after watching Jennifer do her thing on stage tonight. I mean...when she stood up from the piano and finished the song a capella, I just about lost my mind. THAT'S how it's done, kids. Watch the performance here if you haven't yet.

Results! Chloe, Addison, and Brooke all advanced to the finale and I thought we were off to a great start. The bottom 2 people who were eliminated immediately with no chance at the Stupid Twitter Save were Davon and Keisha (sad face), leaving Red, Adam, and Noah singing for that last spot. I didn't panic...I figured "Noah's got this." 

Red kicked off the performances with a toe-tapping rendition of "Dixieland Delight." Like the majority of Red's other performances, it was fine but nothing special. Adam went with "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares), and pretty much killed the performance...after all, he's done this before. Noah rounded out the "save me" performances with "Sign of the Times." Dude. This should have been a slam dunk. I'm not sure if it was nerves, but the first part of the performance just made me wince. There were some bright(ish) spots in the chorus, but his was unfortunately the weakest of the three performances. In the end though, RED ended up snagging that last spot in the finale and I can't get my palm away from my forehead.  I'm not sure why we are still allowing social media to instantly decide on who makes it to the finale. At this point it should be based on the same voting system that got the first 3 people their spots. Hell, if Red had the votes for that 4th spot, I wouldn't care, but this damn Stupid Twitter Save has just about done me in.

Next week is the Season 13 finale where J-Hud can sit relatively stress free and throw shoes at the other coaches, and where we will see if Addison, Brooke, and (god help me) Red can unseat who most people, including myself, already assume is the victor. Will "iconic" Chloe lose any momentum? Will Coach Adam's constant "my artist is more unique and special than your artist" nonsense hurt his contestant's chances in the long run?  Will Brooke's killer power vocals end up leading her to victory? Could we really be looking at a confetti shower for Red next week? We know that I can't say "I won't watch this show anymore if Red wins" because Kelly Clarkson is coaching next season and my blog will be unbelievably biased...but I sure hope that likable cowboy doesn't take the title from any of these ladies. We'll find out who wins it all when the final 4 battle again next week. Til then!

The Voice Semi-Finals: Wheels Go Round And Round

Welcome to yet another 8 person semi-finals on The Voice! Tonight the remaining contestants fight for a spot in the 4 person finale and with half of them being eliminated tomorrow, the stakes are very high this evening. Each coach still has representation in the competition but that could all change in the next 24 hours. Which contestants make the most of their time on stage tonight? Let's get to the performances and find out...

Artist: Adam Cunningham

Team: Adam

Song: "I'm Already There" by Lonestar

Now that Coach Adam has pretty much said he is no longer in charge of choosing Mr. Cunningham's songs, contestant Adam makes what really should have been a strong song choice here. He wants to make sure we get a "punch in the feels" with this tune, which makes sense given the story of the song, but Adam's vocals just aren't there for me tonight. There are several questionable notes and he's very shouty in this performance. I'm bummed because I feel like this should have been a home run for the dude.  

Coaches Say: All four coaches stand, so maybe this sounded better in the venue? Blake thinks Adam chose a great song and says he sang the hell out of it. Coach Adam believes his contestant is one of the top contenders in the competition and urges voters to put him in the finale. 

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Artist: Davon Fleming

Team: Jennifer

Song: "Gravity" by John Mayer

I am so excited to hear Davon take on a song that isn't some sort of diva masterpiece. His performance isn't too over the top and I love that he's just staying cool and relaxed at the mic stand. I love Davon's passion and even when he is screaming at me tonight (and he is screaming at me tonight), I'm so captivated by the performance that I don't care...as much. I think Davon definitely showed up with something to prove this evening after singing for the Stupid Twitter Save last week, and this was a really great performance. 

Coaches Say: Another standing ovation from all four coaches. Carson steps on stage and says the performance was something special, noting that it's not often that all four coaches are on their feet...which is a total lie, Carson. A total lie. All four coaches actually stand way more often than they should. Anyways, Adam says Davon has an ability unlike any other ability he's ever heard. I'm not exactly sure what that means. J-Hud thinks everyone felt Davon tonight and tells him that she couldn't take off her shoes because she couldn't even move. 

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Artist: Red Marlow

Team: Blake

Song: "Go Rest High on That Mountain" by Vince Gill

Blake calls this song a tall order, which is an understatement, and this song means a lot to both Blake and Red given some of the people they've lost in their lives. It's always hard to critique a performance when you know the contestant's inspiration is someone who has passed away, so I'll say Red gives it his all tonight and probably stretches himself more than he has all season. His backup singers really strengthen the performance, and if Red gets eliminated tomorrow (I think we all know that I think his time on the show was up a while ago), he should be incredibly proud of himself in this performance. 

Coaches Say: Miley reminds Red how she groveled (unsuccessfully) to get him on her team and says his performance tonight is just another reason why she loves him. Blake believes every country music fan that loves that song appreciates what Red did tonight. 

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Artist: Keisha Renee

Team: Blake 

Song: "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts

I love this song. So much. I love what Keisha does with this song. So much. Her voice just soars in this performance and she sells the story 100%. I can feel the anguish and the sadness in her voice and Keisha picks and chooses the power notes brilliantly. I have the chills/goosies/feels when it's all over. She gets a standing ovation from me for sure.

Coaches Say: Jennifer and Blake stand and "woo!" quite a bit. Miley says this is a song she's heard a million times but thinks Keisha made the song her own and it worked. Blake doesn't know what else Keisha could have done to get into the final 4 and I'm inclined to agree. 

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Artist: Chloe Kohanski

Team: Blake

Song: "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner

Chloe says this song represents her entire musical journey and she wants to tap into her emotion this week and show her vulnerability. Mission accomplished, young lady. I don't know that I'm totally on board with some of the low notes in the verses, but the way this song builds from the subtle start is fantastic. I think Chloe has had better performances than this over the past few weeks, but this is solid and I'm pretty sure she can just hang on to that front-runner status.

Coaches Say: Blake wants to go on record and say this is the biggest night Chloe has had on this show. He wants the viewers at home to rewind the performance and watch it again... "and tell me that's not the most iconic voice we have ever had on this show." Whoa cowboy. I wholeheartedly believe that Chloe is going to win this competition next week, and rightly so, but let's hold off on the iconic praises, mmkay? 

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Artist: Noah Mac

Team: Jennifer

Song: "River" by Bishop Briggs

Yes! Noah wants to show power tonight and all I can say is DAYUM. The beginning of the song is a little rough - I can't really hear what Noah is singing, but then he gets out of that very low register and he nails the rest of this performance. Major bonus points for his stint with the drum.

Coaches Say: Miley thinks at the end of The Voice journey, Noah is going to look at every one of his performances and be proud. She tells Noah that he brings something very youthful and modern to the show this season. J-Hud says Noah lost his mind right there on stage (in a good way) and she loves the way Noah commanded the stage and believed in himself. 

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Artist: Addison Agen

Team: Adam

Song: "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell

Addison takes on Joni Mitchell again tonight and Adam really wants his contestant to swing for the fence with this performance. Addison delivers a beautiful, haunting rendition of this song and there's just something about her that commands all of my attention during her performances. I always find that I can't even jot down a few notes or thoughts until after Addison is finished singing each week. I don't think this was Addison's biggest standout moment (what she did with "Lucky" last week is still blowing my mind) but she haaaas to be in the finale next week. 

Coaches Say: Blake says he appreciates that Addison is the flagship person on the show for teenagers, young women, and singer/songwriters. He tells Addison she's beyond her years. Adam says Addison has changed the way he views the competition and he believes "this girl is The Voice and she's even beyond that." 

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Artist: Brooke Simpson

Team: Miley

Song: "Faithfully" by Journey

Brooke closes the show tonight with one of Journey's best songs and she's Miley's last hope at having her team represented in the finale. This tune resonates with Brooke because of the support she gets from her husband...so much so that she changes "loving a music man ain't always what it's supposed to be" to "music woman." We've seen Brooke dominate many genres on this show at this point, and we can go ahead and add classic rock ballad to the list. The last 30 seconds alone could have been a stadium performance. She brought the house down tonight. Hot damn! 

Coaches Say: Everyone stands but Adam...come on, buddy. Brooke's performance was better than Addison's. Adam looks annoyed as Miley continues to stand and says if Brooke isn't in the finale, she doesn't know what this show is. Jennifer is still giving Brooke that classic J-Hud look of disbelief and Miley remains all sorts of animated. "If this show is about the voice...if it's about finding that kind of vocal talent...your winner is standing right here."

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We had some duets this evening as well, with Noah and Chloe doing an eerie version of "Wicked Game" and Adam and Red complimenting each other perfectly on "Can't You See." I feel like "Earned It" was not the right choice for the Brooke/Davon pairing, but the best duet of the night for me was Addison and Keisha's take on "Strong Enough." This song suited both of them so well and they sounded beautiful. Tomorrow night we will experience the semi-finals slaughter where these hopefuls will be cut in half to determine the final 4. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Chloe, Brooke, Addison and.... Keisha, though I would not be upset if Noah snagged that last spot. Will any of the teams be completely obliterated before the finale? We'll find out during the elimination hour. Til then!

The Voice Top 10 Eliminations: Tonight I Wanna Cry

Tonight two contestants were sent packing on The Voice as the contenders in next week's semi-finals were announced....slowly. The results tonight weren't super shocking, and the good news for the coaches is all four of them will be represented next week. Whose journey ended this evening? Here's how it all played out. 

We had some The Voice alumnae updates tonight as we got caught up with Chris Blue, who is working on some new music, and Danielle Bradbery, who took the stage to perform her song "Worth It." At the risk of sounding cheesy, the time spent watching the performance was totally worth it. Glad to see she is doing well since there are many winners of this show whose names are usually followed by..."who?"  

Results! Brooke was the first one to make it through to the semi-finals (yay!) and Addison and Keisha joined her soon thereafter. Noah and Chloe were the next names announced, and the final two artists to definitely join the Top 8 were Adam and Red. This turn of events left Davon, Ashland, and Shi'Ann singing for the final spot in the semi-finals. 

Ashland was up first, taking on "Tonight I Wanna Cry" which was aptly named for the task at hand. It was also aptly named for how I felt about her performance...I didn't want to cry because I was so moved...I wanted to cry because this was probably Ashland's weakest performance this season. That's a hell of a way to end your run on the show. Shi'Ann, sticking with songs that don't do her any favors, went with "At Last." This wasn't much better than Ashland's "save me" attempt, and there were times when the words just disappeared in her lower register. Davon rounded out the performances with "Ain't No Way," and while I did not appreciate him screaming at me for as long as he did, Davon definitely had the best performance of the three. I know that's not saying much...but in the end he did win the Stupid Twitter Save and will compete in the semi-finals.  

Next week the remaining eight artists will duke it out for a spot in the four person finale, which I still don't understand but we'll roll with it. Does Adam have the momentum now to get him to the final four? Are Chloe and Brooke shoe-ins? Is Addison peaking at just the right time? At this point Team Blake remains untouched, Jennifer and Adam are still going pretty strong with two contestants each, and Miley is barely hanging on with one team member remaining. We'll find out which teams will be represented in the finale after these hopefuls take the stage in the semi-finals. Til then! 

The Voice Top 10 Perform: I Won't Cry For Yesterday

Tonight the remaining contestants face off again on The Voice and Team Blake and Team Jennifer both go into the evening with all three of their artists still in the running for the season 2856235738 title. These past couple weeks of eliminations still have me a little bitter, but let's get to the performances and find out who shines tonight and who should start packing their bags. 

Artist: Davon Fleming

Team: Jennifer

Song: "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera

Davon goes from last week's "The Four Faces of Davon Fleming" and cuts it down to a more controlled performance that still shows his range. He's incredibly passionate while delivering this song, and I believe that he believes every lyric he is singing. Great start to the night, but my biggest takeaway from this performance is...I miss Xtina. 

Coaches Say: Adam compliments Davon's jacket and says what Davon does is nothing short of miraculous. Blake says it's ridiculous if Davon doesn't make it to the finale. J-Hud had been waving a shoe around throughout the entire performance, and she apparently threw it and lost it at one point. She tells Davon that he represents everything that The Voice is about and then asks for her backup shoes to be brought out to her.  

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Artist: Adam Cunningham

Team: Adam

Song: "Maybe It Was Memphis" by Pam Tillis

Adam definitely has something to prove tonight as he has spent the last two weeks singing for the Stupid Twitter Save, and he makes a smart choice here with "Maybe It Was Memphis." I know that he's trying to blend worlds and music styles in his performances, but this country tune is really in his wheelhouse. I think he also really sets the bar high for Red with this performance. That guy has been flying under the radar so far and he should consider this a challenge.

Coaches Say: Pretty sure all articles of clothing are accounted for this go round. Blake says he never would have thought of this song for Adam but thinks it was a great idea. Miley congratulates Adam on a great performance and Coach Adam acknowledges that when Adam C. chooses the song, it works out great. Accurate.  

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Artist: Noah Mac

Team: Jennifer

Song: "Ordinary World" by Duran Duran

Finally Noah picks a song that I know really well (not that I'm complaining - dude has been doing great), and he goes with more of a stripped down version of "Ordinary World" tonight. Noah plays the piano through the first chorus and when he stands for the remainder of the performance, I can't tell if the breathy thing happening is for dramatic effect or if he's really running out of air in the verses. I don't think this was one of his best performances, but I do like the arrangement and the opening behind the piano. I was kind of hoping for a bit more after he left the bench, but I don't feel like the song ever actually peaked.

Coaches Say: Miley loved the performance and hopes everyone at home got to feel what the in house audience felt tonight. J-Hud says "you did that, honey" and makes me smile. She's very proud of Noah, but I'm too distracted by his smile to hear most of her comments. 

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Artist: Shi'Ann Jones

Team: Jennifer

Song: "Diamonds" by Rihanna

Okay J-Hud. We have to find a song that lets this kid be a kid and also show off her voice. While Shi'Ann is not overpowered here like we've seen recently, that lower register really has its struggles in this performance...and that lower register is dominant throughout the performance. We're only nearing the half way point of the show, but I'm thinking this kid should be worried going into tomorrow. 

Coaches Say: Adam tells Shi'Ann she looks beautiful and says she is the most improved player in the competition. Kinda sounds like a "you're going home tomorrow, but nice job kid." J-Hud thinks she heard a bit of Beyonce, Mariah and Rihanna in the performance tonight, so we were clearly not watching the same thing. 

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Artist: Chloe Kohanski

Team: Blake

Song: "Call Me" by Blondie

Yes, yes, and yes! While several of the remaining contestants are still trying to find their inner entertainer, Chloe throws herself into a concert performance, complete with pyrotechnics and her own personal headbangers. She OWNS this song and the performance and the bar has been set for the second half of the show.

Coaches Say: J-Hud and Blake are immediately on their feet and the cowboy can't stop smiling. Miley says there is no such thing as "too much" and tells Chloe that performance made her so happy. Blake says "that...just happened" and calls Chloe a star. Can't argue with any of that. 

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Artist: Keisha Renee

Team: Blake

Song: "All By Myself" by Celine Dion

Looking back at last week's post, I forgot to add this song to the "please stop" list of tunes that have been overdone. That being said, Keisha does a great job with the second half of "All By Myself." In part 2 of the song she breaks out of her shell and starts doing her own thing, which takes this performance from just another good cover to a "damn girl!" moment. Is it enough to get her to the semi-finals? I honestly hope so.

Coaches Say: All four coaches are on their feet and Keisha is very emotional. J-Hud congratulations Keisha on her performance and earning the right to be her own artist on her own platform. Adam mentions that there have been some awful comments made about Keisha (internet trolls?) and he tells her that she showed those cowards up tonight. Blake stands and claps for Adam and then again for Keisha. He says Keisha has set herself from the rest of the pack with that performance.  

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Artist: Ashland Craft

Team: Miley

Song: "I Hate Myself For Loving You" by Joan Jett

Oh dear. Ashland has won me over in the past with her country song performances, but I think there was a misstep in choosing a very well-known rock song sung by a total badass woman. Where Chloe excelled with this style earlier, Ashland looks out of place trying to pull this off. Her voice actually sounds great...but the energy this song needs is coming from the band (those ladies are killing it) and not the lead singer. Bummer.

Coaches Say: Jennifer says she could not take her eyes off of Ashland tonight and thinks Ashland has found her stride. Miley tells Ashland she loved seeing her bring rock n' roll and country music to the performance tonight. 

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Artist: Brooke Simpson

Team: Miley

Song: "Amazing Grace"

It's always risky to take on hymns on these television shows, especially when Meghan Linsey did such a beautiful rendition of this one a couple of years ago, but Brooke chose this song because it has shown her the power of music over the years. Brooke's goal in this performance is to show her heart in the most raw way possible and she undoubtedly accomplishes that. From the a capella start, through the crazy, crazy notes she hits, all the way to the amazing finish with the chorus on stage backing her, this young lady leaves everything she has on stage tonight. At the midway point I have my hand in the air with her and am sporting Steven Tyler's stank face (you American Idol fans know what I'm talking about). And when Brooke starts to get teary in the last couple of lines...I am right there with her. I need her in the finale.  I just do.

Coaches Say: Another standing ovation! J-Hud says Brooke touched us all from her heart and through her own culture, and she tells Brooke she feels grateful to have been able to sit there and witness it. Blake says Brooke just took the competition to the next level, and Miley (still standing) tells Brooke that she put a band-aid over her heart tonight. Coach Miley was still feeling the sting of losing Janice last week and she has no intention of losing either of her remaining girls this week. I feel that sting too, Miley...and Brooke better not be going anywhere tomorrow. 

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Artist: Red Marlow

Team: Blake

Song: "That's What I Love About Sunday" by Craig Morgan

As mentioned earlier, if Adam Cunningham sticks to song choices like tonight's, Red should feel worried. I think Red is probably a hell of a guy, and his smile is contagious, but this performance is just okay for me. Maybe he'll stick around and have a "wow!" moment in the semi-finals, but I'm already baffled on how he's still here and other folks are not.

Coaches Say: Jennifer says Red is lovable and charming, and Blake thinks Red is going to be around on this show for a long time. Someone should let Mr. Shelton know there's only 2 weeks left. 

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Artist: Addison Agen

Team: Adam

Song: "Lucky" by Britney Spears

I'll admit that I 100% rolled my eyes when I heard this song choice. Out of all the songs...even the Britney songs...this one? What Addison does with this song though, I never would have thought of it - she strips down the tune completely and gives it a whole new meaning. I don't think I ever paid enough attention to the lyrics to really understand how dark the song is. Addison delivers that tonight though and I think the performance is nothing short of brilliant.

Coaches Say: We're running out of time now and Carson goes quickly to Addison's former coach. Miley mentions her Britney Spears obsession and says Addison was so creative in this performance. She tells Addison that what she did with the arrangement made it hard to sing along...but in a good way. Adam appears to be beaming with pride. He says that although there are a lot of great voices on the show right now, Addison is the best artist in the competition. Addison is Adam's best bet at winning the season at this point, so he should be doing everything he can to sell her to the voting audience. I'm sure he appreciates the added bonus of her closing the show this evening, and my guess is his team will be represented in both the semi-finals and the finale. 

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Tomorrow we will say goodbye to two contestants as we approach the inexplicable 8 person semi-finals. Will Shi'Ann's "almost, but not quite" string of performances land her at the bottom this week? Will Red no longer be under the radar? Will Ashland's misstep cost her a spot in the semi-finals? Or will Adam somehow retain his status in Stupid Twitter Save territory? We'll find out during the elimination hour. Til then!

The Voice Top 11 Eliminations: Go Your Own Way

Again I sit here amazed...  After the Top 11 elimination was announced on The Voice this evening, I almost threw shoes for very different reasons. Let's just get to it, shall we? 

The coaches were the guest performers tonight as Blake and Jennifer teamed up for his song "I'll name the dogs, which was definitely an interesting pairing for that tune. Additionally, Miley and her team did a sassy and wonderful rendition of "Man! I Feel Like a Woman," and Team Adam rocked out to "Go Your Own Way." This was pretty good to, but Team Miley's outfits were the best thing that happened tonight. 

Results! The first person sent to safety was Chloe, and she was quickly(ish) followed by Addison, Brooke, Davon. Red (!) and Noah were the next names announced, and joining them in the Top 10 were Ashland, Keisha and Shi'Ann (!)...leaving Adam and JANICE in the bottom 2. No problem. I figured Adam was toast. I almost didn't even pay attention to the "save me" songs. 

Adam was up first with "Amazed" and he stayed true to the original. He sounded great and that last chorus was very strong, but still I figured he was toast. Next up was Janice and she went with "Chandelier," which was gutsy...and there were some questionable notes...but there were far more soaring moments. Personally, I thought she gave it everything she had in order to stay. I think J-Hud agreed by the way she stood and riased her hand to the sky. Janice is just unique and I love her. Adam is a cool dude and all, but I don't see him as much different that many, many contestants we've had on this show over the years. In the end? Adam won the freaking, ridiculous, inexcusable Stupid Twitter Save and I'm done for the night. We'll see if we can get it right next week when the Top 10 take the stage again. Til then!  

The Voice Top 11 Perform: Let Your Light Shine Down

The Top 11 artists remaining in this season of The Voice take the stage again tonight, hoping to wow America once more for a spot in the Top 10. Team Adam is down one contestant already, while the other three teams survived the first elimination unscathed. Will Adam's two remaining contenders steal the show tonight? Let's get to the performances and find out. 

Artist: Janice Freeman

Team: Miley

Song: "Shine" by Collective Soul

After last week's powerful showstopper/show ender, Janice kicks off the Top 11 performances with a song that has not been done on the show before. I'm already happy. Janice looks and acts like a rock star in this performance (did I mention that there is a silver streak in her hair that matches her jacket?) and I just love her. The performance got super screamy and loud at the end, but I think she was going for sheer badassery tonight...and got it. 

Coaches Say:  I *think* Janice gets a standing ovation from all four coaches but the camera can't seem to stay away from Miley - she is freaking out right now. Adam tells Janice he was never really a fan of the song until he heard her version of it tonight. He then looks at Janice and says, "you are just not normal" and he means it as a huge compliment. Miley is still standing and still excited and she tells Janice that there is a light shining down on her tonight. See what she did there?  With the song lyrics? Miley says Janice is everything she could ever imagine from someone on her team and ends with "I just love you so much."

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Artist: Red Marlow

Team: Blake

Song: "The Dance" by Garth Brooks

Remember how a mere 6 months ago Lauren Duski slayed this song? That was just last season. I don't think we needed to bring the iconic tune back so quickly, but here we are. The first verse and first chorus are lovely... a near(ish) copy of Garth Brooks' version. As we move into the second verse and rest of the performance, Red tries to take some liberties to make the song his own and the notes are shaky in some places. Overall he does a good job, but I've seen Garth perform this song in concert a couple of times over the past few years and I'm just partial to what he emotes when he delivers "The Dance." Red's got a ways to go on the "I totally believe everything you are singing" front. 

Coaches Say: Jennifer says Red silenced the crowd and commanded the room tonight, owning the moment and drawing the audience in. Blake tells Red he is a great storyteller because he sings with pure, simple honesty.  

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Artist: Shi'Ann Jones

Team: Jennifer

Song:  "Listen," by Beyonce

Okay J-Hud...we know you're friends with Beyonce. Doesn't mean we need your contestants to try to take on her songs every week. Kidding. Kinda. This tune comes from Dreamgirls, which is the movie that brought Jennifer an Academy Award. I recommend the movie on the whole, but if you haven't seen J-Hud's "And I Am Telling You" portion, I suggest you watch the video before progressing any further in life. It's unbelievable. Okay, back to Shi'Ann. The song is a little too big for this kid, but man would I love to hear her version a couple of years from now, assuming she stayed under J-Hud's wing. Shi'Ann struggles with the low notes...which is a good portion of the song...but she SOARS in that last chorus though. So much potential in this young lady. 

Coaches Say: All four coaches are on their feet. Miley says Shi'Ann's performance was beautiful and then she almost blows my mind. "I cannot get enough of your low tones. Those low tones are so magic." I guess it depends upon your definition of magic. Jennifer tells Shi'Ann that although she's young, she is an old soul who can tell a story. She then says "little girl, you almost had me running through this whole entire room hollerin' with your daddy over there, okay?" Love it.

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Artist: Adam Cunningham

Team: Adam

Song:  "American Girl" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Adam is very fortunate to have another chance at America's votes this week after the questionable "Against All Odds" during the Top 12 performances. Taking on Tom Petty tonight (RIP...sad face), Adam thinks this will be the right blend of his classic rock vibe and his southern country vibe, and I agree that this was a much, much, much better choice. He loses some of the vocals (and a lot of annunciation) during the "I'm going to stop playing the guitar and touch hands with the audience members, but still have the guitar awkwardly in the same place and not behind my back" part of the performance, but Adam was definitely at his best at the mic stand with the band and his guitar. I wish the whole performance had been that way. 

Coaches Say: Blake was surprised last week to see Adam in the bottom 2, and he says he would be shocked this week if it happened again because Adam performed with so much energy. Coach Adam tells his contestant this was a big moment and thinks he gave the voters more than they needed tonight. Careful dude. 

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Artist: Brooke Simpson

Team: Miley

Song: "What About Us" by P!nk

Yesssssssssssssss. Not only is this tune perfect for Brooke, Miley takes it to another level by adding Native American drum beats to the arrangement. Brooke sounds amazing, looks incredibly confident, and she has a ton of energy and passion in this song from start to finish. Brooke seems like a natural and I love every single thing about this performance. Best of the night so far for me (sorry Janice - love you boo).

Coaches Say:  Adam loves Brooke and enjoys watching Brooke connect with the songs each week. Miley is already looking forward to Brooke's first album and she is very proud of her contestant for taking a song currently on the radio and relating it back to herself. 

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Artist: Davon Fleming

Team: Jennifer

Song: "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston. 

Okay. Just because someone has a big voice doesn't mean they should be tackling The Bodyguard soundtrack. Davon had such a great week last week but he is all over the place tonight. I feel like there are four or five different Davons taking turns with the song because there's just so. many. transitions. Maybe I'm all by myself in this, but the performance was definitely not my cup of tea. 

Coaches Say: Blake tells Davon no one else in the competition sings with so much dynamics and he thinks Davon will be in the competition for many weeks ahead. J-Hud gives Blake a high five and says the level Davon sings on can't get any higher.   

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Artist: Ashland Craft

Team: Miley

Song: "Chicken Fried" by Zac Brown Band

Last week Ashland and Miley were torn between this song and "Delta Dawn," so it makes sense to give this one a go in week 2. I do wish she would have used her guitar in this song like she did in her rehearsal package last week, but I do really like Ashland's rendition of "Chicken Fried." While she seems a little uncomfortable in her movements back and forth between the hay barrel band, once Ashland makes her way to the audience and the front of the stage, she's good to go.   

Coaches Say: Adam gives Ashland an A+ on the performance and says she definitely belongs in the competition. Miley spends some time talking about Ashland's pretty awesome fringe outfit, and then she compliments Ashland on her confidence and getting the audience involved. 

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Artist: Addison Agen

Team: Adam

Song: "A Case of You" by Joni Mitchell

This makes me so happy. The performance is a perfect pairing of song and singer and man does Addison sell it. The whole thing seems effortless from start to finish. I'm not sure how well the younger viewing generation knows Joni Mitchell's brilliance, but I bet there will be a number of people who check out some of Joni's classics after Addison's performance tonight. Well done.

Coaches Say: All four coaches stand and even Carson can't contain his (still very dull) excitement! Jennifer says Addison she has a gift and tells the audience they better vote for her. That's awesome - she's not even on Jennifer's team.  Adam thinks the audience was moved by Addison and says the performance was the full recognition of how talented she is. 

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Artist: Keisha Renee

Team: Blake

Song: "It Matters To Me" by Faith Hill

During the rehearsal package Keisha and Blake talked a little bit about changing up the song, which I was very excited about, but Keisha sticks very close to the original for this performance and I'm a little bummed. Don't get me wrong - her rendition is still beautiful and I have some goosebumps when the performance is over. I think I was just hoping for something a little more based on the way she and Blake changed up "Midnight Train To Georgia" last week. I'm spoiled?

Coaches Say: Blake and Jennifer stand but I'm not sure if the other two do. Miley thinks Keisha is going to find herself at the top of the iTunes country chart this week and Blake completely agrees. He says she delivered a solid country performance and Keisha is alllll smiles. 

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Artist: Noah Mac

Team: Jennifer

Song: "Electric Love" by BORNS

So, I don't know this song at all...but after hearing Noah perform it, I love it. I am going to download his version immediately and then go back and give the original a listen. Noah has such a stage presence. He is high energy tonight and sounds awesome. The ladies playing cello and violin are the icing on the cake, and I think Chloe has a challenge ahead of her now closing the show.

Coaches Say: Adam calls Noah "dreamy" and says he did everything right in his performance tonight. J-Hud tells Noah he owned the stage and took every opportunity to show America what kind of star he is. She thinks he'll be at the top of the charts tomorrow morning. 

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Artist: Chloe Kohanski

Team: Blake

Song: "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler

Oh man. How many times have we heard this one over the years? Probably not as many times as "Against All Odds" and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and (god help me) "I Believe I Can Fly." Did I say Chloe would have a challenge closing the show tonight? Clearly I was kidding. Apparently people have been Tweeting her since the blind auditions about singing this song, and it makes perfect sense. Chloe ends the Top 11 performances with something you'd expect from an artist on tour or at an awards show. I didn't see any shoes thrown, but she definitely should have dropped the mic.

Coaches Say: Standing ovation from everyone! And my Tivo is about to cut off! Miley says Chloe represents all of the original, free spirited, freaky, "do what you want" artists out there and she loves seeing Chloe shine. She also mentions that when Chloe was on her team, she had totally intended for Chloe to sing Bonnie Tyler at some point. I believe it. Blake thinks Chloe just set the bar and pretty much says she is the front-runner in the competition. Well, there are some pretty good contestants this season, so it might be too soon for front-runner status...but she's not going anywhere tomorrow. 

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Tomorrow night the Top 10 will be revealed and we will say goodbye to another hopeful. Did Adam do enough to keep himself out of the bottom 2? Was Red's rendition of "The Dance" memorable enough for voters to choose after 2 hours of performances? Are voters going to be turned off by Shi'Ann's low tones that Miley can't get enough of? And am I really the only one that couldn't wrap my head around what Davon was doing on stage tonight? We'll find out which of these folks are competing for the Stupid Twitter Save in the elimination hour. Til then!