Any alum of The Voice will tell you the same thing: fight for your song choice. If your coach -- whether Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera or Cee Lo Green -- assigns a cover that your not comfortable with, say something. Don't just hope it all comes together when it's time to tape the live show because, as tonight showed, such is not always the case.
After kicking off the episode with an ensemble performance of The Mowgli's “Say It, Just Say It,” the top 10 took the stage to try and avoid another double elimination. Here’s how they did:
PHOTOS: 'The Voice' Teams: Meet Season 5's Finalists
Shelton asked Austin Jenckes to tackle The Outfield’s “Your Love,” complete with a subtle intro, tricky key change mid-song and a climactic, scream-worthy ending that brought Jenckes to tears, especially with his family in the stands. The other judges praised his range and effective conclusion, but Levine only wished that he could just hear his “gravelly tone” a bit earlier in the song.
After a joint yoga session, Aguilera assigned Jacquie Lee a more vulnerable version of Zedd’s “Clarity,” free of the constant belting that’s gotten her this far (the same approach Aguilera herself took when she recently debuted a duet with A Great Big World). Initially, she was uncomfortable with what Green called the “nakedness” of the rendition, as she struggled with pitch and changes to falsetto. However, she regained her footing with the bigger notes later on in the song. Shelton had no problem saying he preferred more powerful song choices and approaches for Lee. “I know we have to show different dimensions of an artist … but gosh dangit, I want to see Jacquie do some Aretha Franklin or something.”
Levine gave returning team member Will Champlin the very recent release from John Newman called “Love Me Again” (a British track that hasn’t yet rocked America). While the song had all the right elements for Champlin – the rhythmic introduction on the piano, plus a chorus with long notes that fit right in the sweet spot of his register – we’re wondering if U.S. viewers will applaud the song choice like his father, Chicago band member Bill Champlin, did in the audience. “I feel like you came into your own in this performance,” said Aguilera of the performance, while Shelton praised his vocal accuracy.
PHOTOS: Adam Levine's Big Mouth: A Greatest Hits
Green’s sweet Caroline Pennell requested to put her unique indie pop phrasing on John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” and successfully added the bittersweet emotions she was hoping to convey about her experience in the competition. Her coach did critically state that he wants her to vocally open up more in the future, but Levine appreciated the artistic choice to communicate something real to the audience.
Shelton coincidentally assigned Mr. Big’s “To Be With You” to Cole Vosbury, who has loved the song since childhood. Opting for accompaniment on an acoustic guitar over a grand piano – a “smart move,” said Levine – Vosbury’s gritty tone personalized the track, letting the consistent performer solicit nothing but praises from the judges. As always.
Levine’s Tessanne Chin went for Gladys Knight & The Pips’ “If I Were Your Woman,” full of soulful standout moments and sassy stage presence. “I heard your Jamaican accent come out when you sang for the first time in the beginning, and I loved it!” said Aguilera, who then said she’d love to hear different dynamics from the singer, asking her to pull back during strategic moments in the future (even though that wasn’t best for her contestant, Lee). Still, the performance demonstrated her ability to be a entertaining character, as well as a strong vocalist.
Shelton’s Ray Boudreaux suited up for Ray LaMontagne’s “You Are the Best Thing,” and played the acoustic guitar while a horn section swayed behind him. “Out of everyone here, I feel like you’ve shown the most growth,” noted Aguilera, who appreciated that he’s championing his blues wheelhouse. Green loved Boudreaux’s authenticity, while Levine, who was just reaching for something critical to say, added that he could be a bit more present and visually entertaining onstage.
Levine challenged James Wolpert to update Harry Nilsson’s “Without You” – a track with an incredibly demanding chorus. Yet Wolpert sustained each long note so well that we’re okay with the fact that he was too focused on them to emote much onstage (despite performing with a cool microphone that Levine said was a nod to Freddie Mercury). Aguilera called him a clean vocalist with both raspy and pure dimensions, but had to add that “at the end you went a little astray with the pitch, but you had me the whole time.”
Green’s Kat Robichaud – who was saved by Twitter’s Instant Save last week – returned to her glam rock roots with a theatrical performance of Pat Benetar’s “We Belong.” She opened the song by playing the piano, and then navigated her way through a slew of masked backup dancers that later carried her on top of the instrument. Though she occasionally seemed vocally distracted by all the action onstage – we thought she would champion the anthem as well as her covers over the previous weeks – Green called the performance “immortal” while Levine said, “This was finally the Kat that we were all waiting to see.”
After his yoga session, Aguilera’s Matthew Schuler thought of his future wife – whoever she is – while singing “Beneath Your Beautiful” by Labrinth and Emeli Sandé. The powerhouse performer effortlessly transitioned from a subdued introduction to a climactic bridge filled with genuine yearning. “Finding that future wife? Not gonna be a problem for you, man!” said Levine. “This was no less than amazing, which is what you always are.”
What did you think of tonight's performances? Which singers deserve to advance, and which should be sent home? Which coach will lose all of his or her singers first? Sound off in the comments below.
Twitter: @cashleelee
