Tonight's episode of The Voice gives the remaining hopefuls a chance to win a spot in next week's inexplicable 8 person "semi-finals." Blake and Alicia have full teams going into this performance show and are both guaranteed a competitor in the semi-finals, but Kelly and Adam's teams face complete elimination tomorrow if they can't excel this evening. Which contestants leave it all out on the stage tonight? Let's get to the performances and find out...
Artist: Kyla Jade
Team: Blake
Song: "This Is Me" by Keala Settle (from The Greatest Showman)
Before I get to Kyla's performance, let me direct you to two videos of Keala Settle singing this song live and making me ugly snot cry. The first one is from back when they were trying to get the studio to make The Greatest Showman, and the other is from the Oscars this year. The woman is amazing. All of that being said, Kyla has quite an emotional connection to this song and also probably caused a lot of people to ugly snot cry tonight. She's always had some insecurities, and she's fallen victim to the internet trolls that have nothing better to do than comment on her looks. In this performance Kyla loses herself in the song...she is the song...she's freeing herself of the BS and letting us know she's glorious. Kyla loses herself in a way that she's unable to sing at one point and I hope she gets 100 hugs immediately when she goes backstage. What a performance!
Coaches Say: Standing ovation from everyone! I should hope so! Alicia uses the words stunning, riveting, masterful and magnificent to describe Kyla and says Kyla comes onstage and shows everyone what's possible. Blake thinks everyone at home and in the room felt Kyla's message and he's sure she just punched her ticket to the semi-finals. Indeed!
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Artist: Kaleb Lee
Team: Kelly
Song: "Boondocks" by Little Big Town
Kaleb continues his quest to show personality this week and this is certainly the song to get the job done. After the performance Kyla just gave, it's hard for me to get too excited about what Kaleb is doing here. Taking the stage without the guitar is a smart choice and he sounds great. I also think he's gaining a little more momentum each week and connecting with the audience and (I hope) the voters more and more. This is a solid performance....I'm just still thinking about Kyla getting hugs.
Coaches Say: It looks like Kaleb also gets a standing ovation from everyone and I'm not completely sure why. Adam says the performance was phenomenal and he's proud of Kaleb for how much he has grown in the competition. Kelly hasn't been able to sit down since the performance ended and she tells Kaleb he is a great dude, a solid singer, and an amazing performer.
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Artist: Jackie Verna
Team: Adam
Song: "Love Triangle" by RaeLynn
Jackie takes on a tune by a former contestant on The Voice and she calls RaeLynn a "trailblazer" during the rehearsal package. I'm going to leave that one alone. Jackie has the challenge of singing about a situation she's never been in since the song is about parents getting divorced and Jackie's parents are still together. She is hoping to be able to tell the story anyway and do the song justice. She totally does. Jackie sounds lovely on her stool surrounded by bright colors with flowers and butterflies. By the time she stands up for the last chorus, her voice is pretty much flawless. I imagine she will be getting quite the shout out from RaeLynn this evening.
Coaches Say: Blake says Jackie's delivery was incredible and Adam thinks Jackie found her sweet spot tonight. He goes on to say a perfect vocal can get lost in the shuffle and hopes America rewards Jackie for her performance.
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Artist: Rayshun LaMarr
Team: Adam
Song: "Mr. Jukes" by Grant Green and Charles Bradley
Okay, so I've never heard this song before. Even if I had, I'm pretty sure Rayshun would be distracting me from anything I may know about the original. I'm digging it. I try my best to do the same rhythmic sway as the backup singers are doing but I am totally unsuccessful. Rayshun continues to be Rayshun and brings crazy energy and a crazy voice. I don't know how anyone could watch this performance and not smile (or make failed attempts at dancing).
Coaches Say: Kelly says she's never had that much fun watching anyone else. She tells Rayshun he lights up everyone in the room. Adam feels like Rayshun separated himself from the pack today in a way that was really profound. I don't know about all that, but I do think this guy needs to be in the semi-finals.
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Artist: Spensha Baker
Team: Blake
Song: "Red" by Taylor Swift
Spensha is a little nervous about switching things up and going the country/pop route. Apparently this is completely out of her comfort zone, but Blake tells Spensha to swing for the fence. I think Spensha does an okay job with the song considering her concerns, but I agree that the pop side of country should not be her career focus. Here's hoping she gets another chance at traditional country before the competition is done.
Coaches Say: Adam thinks some people can sing every note possible and not connect to a song and other people, like Spensha, can scale it back and connect to lyrics. See, I feel like she hard a tough time connecting to the song, but what do I know? Blake thinks this was Spensha's best performance so far and says she is going to make country music history. Excuse me while I go make a confused puppy dog face through the next commercial break.
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Artist: Jackie Foster
Team: Alicia
Song: "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles
This is a song that is close to tipping over the "songs we've heard too many times in singing competitions" fence, but Jackie does such an amazing job here I don't really care. Jackie wants to show her softer side this evening, which is a great move, and she sets aside her rock star persona to deliver a super vulnerable, super haunting, super mesmerizing performance. If this doesn't get her to the semi-finals...and even the finale...I don't know what will. And because I can't help myself, here's a version KC did during the Stronger World Tour.
Coaches Say: Jackie does not get a standing ovation from everyone and I have no idea why. We go right to Alicia and she thinks Jackie chose the perfect moment for this song and for America to see her in such a tender place. Alicia goes on to say she was totally riveted and taken into Jackie's world tonight.
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Artist: Britton Buchanan
Team: Alicia
Song: "What's Love Got to Do With It" by Tina Turner
Wow! Britton takes on the 80s tonight and performs a stripped down, brilliant version of this Tina Turner classic. Britton is someone I typically enjoy hearing each week but not someone I assumed would be in this competition for the long haul. His vocals are soft and smooth during the verses and he knocks the choruses out of the park. This is my favorite Britton performance to date and I think he absolutely just had a "moment."Coaches Say: Alicia and Adam stand and Alicia does a dance by her chair that makes me so happy. Adam believes Britton is so special and incredible and Alicia tells Britton, "you are swaggin' so hard right now" and I laugh out loud. Britton might be blushing just a little. Alicia believes he smashed that performance and hopes America joins her in recognizing his growth on the show.
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Artist: Christiana Danielle
Team: Alicia
Song: "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers
Fresh off the bottom 2 Stupid Twitter Save last week, Christiana shows up with something to prove tonight. When this song choice was announced, I worried that we would get the whispery/whiny Christiana style that has been showing itself lately. Instead, Christiana unleashes her voice and slayyyyyyyyys this song. I like this version of Christiana and hope she finds herself a spot in the semi-finals.
Coaches Say: Kelly and Alicia stand (where are the guys?) and Kelly says Christiana's body is like a moving orchestra and it's a beautiful thing to watch. Alicia tells us that Christiana is one of the most unique, special beings she has ever met. "You are also discovering who you are daily and weekly on this show and your instincts are spectacular. There's nobody like you."
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Artist: Pryor Baird
Team: Blake
Song: "My Town" by Montgomery Gentry
Pryor goes back to his country music roots tonight with a song that seems like it would be right up his alley. When he's not screaming at me during the choruses, I kinda/sorta enjoy what Pryor is doing. He's really screaming at me a lot though. Not my favorite performance of his and when it's over, my ears are very thankful.
Coaches Say: Adam's favorite thing about Pryor's performance was how much range he showed. Blake thinks the reason Pryor is seeing his momentum build is because of how rare his voice is. Okay, next.
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Artist: Brynn Cartelli
Team: Kelly
Song: "Fix You" by Coldplay
Shamelessly, I'm going to suggest you check out Kelly's cover of "Fix You." And then I'm going to suggest that The Voice did a good job spacing out the showstoppers tonight. Just as Kyla gave us an emotional opening to the show, Brynn closes out the Top 10 performances with a tear-jerker. "Fix You" hits home for Brynn given her mom's recent health problems and she is "all in" on this song. Brynn's delivery doesn't completely wipe me out the way Kyla's did, and there are a few pitch issues throughout the performance, but what the kid does here is genuine, moving, and beautiful. I love it.
Coaches Say: We're running out of time and Kelly is fighting back tears. She says it's amazing to see someone so young deliver that kind of message. She adds that Brynn was born to sing and born to be on stage. Oh how I hope Brynn sails through tomorrow.
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Kelly also took the stage tonight to perform her newest single, "I Don't Think About You." That dress. Those NOTES. Even the chandeliers had me captivated. She just makes it look so easy... I could go on. You know I could.
Tomorrow night the bottom 2 becomes the bottom 3 as The Voice will send home two of the remaining artists. Tonight's performances were so much stronger than last week's and I think America has some tough choices on their hands this evening. Will Rayshun and Christiana avoid singing for the save this week? Will Spensha's T-Swift cover cost her a shot in the semi-finals? Will the voting audience hold all of Pryor's yelling against him tonight? Will the two Jackies continue to distinguish themselves through another round? AND will we see any team disappear completely by the time the Top 8 are revealed? We'll find out during the elimination hour. Til then!
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