Author: Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

October 18, 2016 6:36pm PT by Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

Trae Patton/NBC

‘The Voice’

Blake Shelton used the final steal of the round.

The heated Battle Round wrapped up on The Voice tonight. Coaches Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine had to make some tough decisions, and Shelton was the only one with a steal left at the top of the night. The coaches were assisted in rehearsals by celebrity mentors Joan Jett, Charlie Puth, Bette Midler and Sammy Hagar. Six artists performance, and only four would continue on to the Knockout Round.

It was a quick and easy night, starting out with a Team Blake battle between Austin Allsup and 15-year-old Preston James. Shelton had them sing “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater. Allsup admitted to Midler that he watches Hocus Pocus “on the regular.” Midler was impressed with their tone, but she wanted them to really dig into the lyrics more and tighten the harmonies. James was nervous to go up against the much more experienced Allsup, but they made for a very interesting duo, delivering a powerful performance.

They were an unexpected match, but they worked well together, making for an exciting battle. They both brought some grit to the performance, leaving Shelton with a tough decision. It was certainly a great start to the night. Keys noted that Allsup has a strong sense of self, but she added that she would choose James as the winner. Both artists performed very well, but Allsup clearly has more experience and a better shot at winning the competition. Shelton indeed chose Allsup as the winner, and James went home.

Next up, Team Alicia’s Gabriel Violett and reunited sister duo Whitney and Shannon faced off, singing “More Than Words” by Extreme. Puth was impressed with all three. Violett’s falsetto is beautiful, but it was very clear in rehearsal that Whitney and Shannon bring something special to season 11. Their final performance kept the bar high for the night, and all three artists showcased their strengths. In their rehearsals, Whitney and Shannon seemed to be the clear choice, but it was a more evenly matched battle in the end. It was another tough decision of the night.

For once, Cyrus was left speechless. All three showcased impressive harmonies, but the sisters shined above Violett. In the end, Keys chose the sisters, and it was the right choice. Shelton did not use his final steal on Violett, which meant there wouldn’t be too many surprises in the final battle of the night.

Bindi Liebowitz and Brendan Fletcher from Team Adam closed out the night by singing “Home” by Marc Broussard, but with Shelton’s steal left, neither artist would be going home tonight regardless of Levine’s decision. Levine and Hagar both encouraged Fletcher to open up more in rehearsal. Even given a predictable ending, it was a solid battle. Liebowitz showed a little more originality, but both artists delivered vocally, and Fletcher conquered his shyness. They both brought natural rasp to the performance, impressing all the coaches. Levine ultimately chose Fletcher, but Shelton saved Liebowitz. Both will continue to the Knockouts.

The Knockout Round begins next week, as season 11 gets closer and closer to the live performances. What did you think of this season’s Battle Round?

Miley Cyrus The Voice Adam Levine

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

THRnews@thr.com

October 17, 2016 7:30pm PT by Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

Trae Patton/NBC

The Voice

Alicia Keys made the key steal of the night.

The Battle Round continued on The Voice tonight, with season 11 coaches Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine all preparing their artists with the help of celebrity mentors Joan Jett, Charlie Puth, Bette Midler and Sammy Hagar.

The first battle of the night came from Team Adam. Levine paired Johnny Rez and Nolan Neal, giving them “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel. Levine noted that Rez has a more pop voice in their rehearsals, and Hagar added that Rez has a very identifiable voice that he could easily hear on the radio. In their final performance, both men delivered, nailing the harmonies and putting on a good show. “That was a very evenly matched battle,” Shelton said, surprised because of the fact that Neal had a four-chair turn in the Blinds. But according to him, both artists killed it. The coaches seemed divided on who to pick. Levine said he wanted to go who we was most connected to, and after a dramatic commercial break, he picked Neal. Rez was not stolen by another coach.

Next, Cyrus pit 17-year-old Darby Walker against college student Karlee Metzger. Cyrus said she picked a song she felt catered to both of them, having them sing “Brand New Key” by Melanie. Both Walker and Metzger have interesting but similar tones that catered to the indie pop sound. Cyrus praised Walker’s low harmonies in their rehearsal and encouraged Metzger to overcome her shyness. It was a bouncy and fun performance, and both artists showcased their personalities. Levine said Metzger was more vocally grounded but that he was impressed by the “infectious” performance overall. Both Levine and Shelton said they’d go with Metzger. “Darby, you have a very infectious energy about you,” Keys added. Cyrus picked Walker as the winner. “It has been such a pleasure to work you with you,” Metzger said to Cyrus. At that moment, Shelton jumped in to steal her. Cyrus was thrilled that Metzger is staying in the competition, thanking Shelton repeatedly.

Team Blake’s Blaine Long and Josh Gallagher faced off next, singing “Stranger In My House.” Midler was tough with them, describing Long as an “unmade bed,” but she helped them figure out how to tap into their full potential. She was impressed by the work Gallagher put in between the two rehearsals. They gave a solid country-rock performance, with Gallagher playing guitar. They didn’t mesh as well as some other battle partners do, so it didn’t really seem like a duet. But both showcased their strengths. Keys praised Gallagher’s showmanship. Levine said he would go with Gallagher. Shelton said that he feels like Long sells himself short when it comes to his abilities. He struggled with his decision but ultimately went with Gallagher.

In battles not aired, Shelton chose Dana Harper, Keys chose Belle Jewell and Levine chose Simone to advance to the Knockouts.

Team Alicia’s first broadcasted battle of the night went down between Josh Halverson and Kylie Rothfield, who sang popular The Voice choice “House Of The Rising Sun.” It’s a song that artists have to really push to make their own, and Halverson and Rothfield were up to the challenge. Keys had both play the guitar so they could really show off their musicality. She also added an a capella moment to the arrangement to really showcase their vocal abilities. It was one of the best battles of the night. Cyrus revealed that Keys had told her going into this battle that this would be one of her hardest decisions. Cyrus said she would go with Halverson, and Levine noted that the two artists were completely different. Keys picked Rothfield as the winner, and Cyrus swooped in to steal Rothfield and carry him through to the Knockouts.

Next up was another Team Blake battle. Shelton paired Gabe Broussard and Christian Fermin and had them sing “The Reason” by Hoobastank. Midler described Fermin’s voice as “light and beautiful, pitch-perfect,” while she described Broussard’s voice as more “open” and “powerful.” “Figure out a way to sell the song visually,” Shelton advised them. Midler similarly pushed them to really tap into the emotions of the song. They already sounded good, but they needed to make people feel. Their final performance was decent, with both artists tapping into the narrative of the song. But the song choice overall was a strange one, so it wasn’t a very memorable performance. Keys said she liked when Fermin played with the riffs and the melodies, but she concluded that she would choose Broussard. Shelton indeed went with Broussard.

The last battle of the night came from Team Miley. Cyrus had Aaron Gibson and Sa’Rayah sing “I’ll Take Care Of You.” Cyrus really wanted to pull a rock performance out of the two artists. Gibson showed off his natural grit during their rehearsal, and Sa’Rayah showed off her range. Both are powerful singers, and Cyrus had Gibson play guitar as well. Jett wanted to hear the pain in their voices. The night ended on a very high note, with Gibson and Sa’Rayah both delivering a terrific rock-blues performance that moved all four coaches to their feet. Gibson and Sa’Rayah brought a lot of excitement to the night, and it was anyone’s battle to win. “You were born to sing that song,” Shelton said to Sa’Rayah. Cyrus said the person who needs her most is Gibson, shocking with her decision. Fortunately, both Shelton and Keys wanted to steal Sa’Rayah. “You won that battle hands down,” Shelton, adding that he has no one else like her on his team. “I just felt you,” Keys said, moving Sa’Rayah to tears. Sa’Rayah joined Team Alicia.

It’s almost time for the Knockouts, but the Battle Round continues tomorrow on The Voice. What did you think of tonight’s results?

Miley Cyrus The Voice Adam Levine

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

THRnews@thr.com

September 27, 2016 7:13pm PT by Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

Trae Patton/NBC

‘The Voice’

The coaches’ claws came out tonight.

The Blind Auditions continued on The Voice tonight, with one artist impressing Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys so much that they were inspired to take the stage. Meanwhile, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, despite a brief moment on the same side last night, were back to their old bickering ways.

The night’s first artist was Aaron Gibson, who has already been working as a musician but came to The Voice “looking to get a wider audience.” He sang “Losing My Religion” while playing the guitar. He had a haunting voice with a beautiful natural rasp to it, and Keys seemed to be vibing with the song, but the coaches took their time, listening carefully. Cyrus and Shelton turned first, quickly followed by Keys. Levine did not enter the fray but admitted that he was jealous of his voice. “I know people trip out over your voice all the time,” Keys said, praising his powerful tone and noting that it’s one of her favorite songs. “You’re someone I want to listen to in my car,” Cyrus added. Shelton pulled out a megaphone to poke some fun at how intensely Cyrus talks, but she shut him down, calling him a bully and reiterating how much she prefers Keys. Cyrus is keeping it real this season. And her charms worked. Gibson joined Team Miley.

Simone Gundy, who got her start in music by singing in various choirs and still does musical theater, was up next. “I think she should have more opportunities to sing,” her young son Isaiah said. “This is as much in my DNA as he is,” Gundy said of singing. She sang “I (Who Have Nothing),” and right off the bat, she had an incredibly powerful voice that filled the room. It was somewhat evocative of former The Voice coach Christina Aguilera. She sang with convincing emotion and really strong stage presence. Surprisingly, only Levine and Cyrus turned. They both rushed up to give Gundy, who was immediately emotionally overwhelmed, a big hug. “I felt like I was at your show,” Cyrus said. “I want to help you win this show,” she added. “I’m going to get you on my team,” Levine said confidently. Shelton took Cyrus’ side, naturally. And the audience was on her side, too. But Gundy went against their advice and joined Team Adam, which her son was happy about.

Samantha Landrum followed, singing “Man I Feel Like A Woman,” and she didn’t have enough control on the low notes. She was a natural entertainer, but she just didn’t have the technical skills to sing that song. Cyrus remarked that it’s her go-to karaoke song and gave Landrum some advice about how to improve.

Hoping to turn things around, Josh Gallagher was up next. He auditioned with “Stay A Little Longer” by Brothers Osborne, and he proved to have a solid country voice, so Shelton turned. Keys surprised Shelton by jumping in as well. Cyrus admitted that she didn’t turn because she assumed Shelton would just automatically win, and she regretted her decision. “Y’all are so cute together,” Gallagher said when Levine and Shelton started bickering. Keys stressed the fact that she’s not the obvious choice but that soul and country are related genres. Shelton stood by his belief that country singers don’t necessarily need to think outside of the box. Gallagher fell for that and joined Team Blake. “His devotion to strictly country music is what I’m after,” Gallagher said. “I’m going to try again,” Keys threatened.

The next artist, Gabriel Violett, has a rather interesting day job, working as an adult onesie model. He also was in the original Broadway cast of Spring Awakening, but he wants to transition from musical theater into becoming a pop star. And so, he sang “Treat You Better” in his Blind Audition and got an early turn from Keys. Perhaps feeling cocky about their previous battle, Shelton jumped in at the last second. Violett shared that he wants to sing R&B and pop with a twist, which definitely makes him more suited for Keys’ team. “Sometimes, it doesn’t need to make sense,” Shelton said, trying to get Violett on his team. But Violett had common sense and joined Team Alicia. Keys won this round.

Michael Sanchez, who plays piano and sings at restaurants for a living, said going into his audition that he sings a lot differently than people expect him to when they see him, making him the perfect artist for The Voice’s “blind” audition conceit. He sang “Use Me” and had a gritty, soulful voice. Keys turned on the final note, and Sanchez jumped with excitement. “Where is the guy that was singing?” Levine said. The coaches were indeed surprised by his look. “He had this growl, and he had this big voice,” Keys said. He joined Team Alicia by default, but it’s a good match.

High school student Darby Walker said the stage felt like home to her at a young age. She also said that Keys’ “No One” will always be her song, but she did not choose it for her Blind Audition. Instead, she sang “Stand By Me.” She brought a lot of originality to the classic, showing off a strong indie pop voice that did a lot of interesting things over the course of the performance. Cyrus liked what she heard, turning first. Keys and Shelton followed suit, with Shelton saying “I’m not afraid” as he turned. “I want to sing with her,” Cyrus said, noting that she feels like they have similar voices. She hopped up on stage, and the two sang “Jolene.” Indeed, they sounded great together. When Cyrus poked some fun at one of Shelton’s singles, he took out earmuffs to block her out. Walker mentioned her love for “No One,” and Keys decided to try the same strategy as Cyrus, hopping up on stage to sing a duet with Walker. They sounded great together, too. Cyrus said she’d be sad if she picked Shelton but would be okay with her choosing Keys. Cyrus and Keys have been working together all season despite being each other’s competition. Walker joined Team Miley.

Austin Allsup, the song of rockabilly singer Tommy Allsup, came to The Voice hoping to live up to his father’s music legacy. He said he is following in his dad’s footsteps but also hopes to blaze his own trail. Eleven years ago, Allsup played a show with Shelton and got a kiss on the cheek from the coach. For his audition, he sang “Wild Horses” by the Rolling Stones and played guitar. Sure enough, Shelton turned for him. Allsup brought up the fact that he played with Shelton in 2005, and Shelton remembered talking to him backstage. “That’s nuts, man. You’ve grown up,” Shelton said. Allsup joined Shelton’s team by default, but he probably would have chosen him anyway.

Khaliya Kimberlie was up next, singing “Dibs” and showcasing a strong country-pop sound. Cyrus and Shelton turned at the same time. Kimberlie’s voice was actually evocative of Cyrus. Shelton asked Kimberlie what she wants to sing, and she said she wants to bring an indie twist to country. That’s much more up Cyrus’ alley than Shelton’s. Shelton was frustrated by how much Cyrus was talking, but she didn’t back down. Kimberlie picked Team Miley, which was the right choice for her.

Cooper Bascom grew up around music, with a grandmother who taught piano and a grandfather who taught trumpet. In high school, he led a rock group, and having recently graduated college, he hopes to continue his music career. He sang “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” and played guitar, bringing his own sound to the song. He had a an interesting growl, but the coaches did not turn. He wasn’t what they were looking for at this point.

The daughter of professional choreographers, Halle Tomlinson’s performance career started when she was on Barney & Friends. She also teaches at School Of Rock in Boulder. She sang “New York State Of Mind” and got an early turn from Levine. Keys followed shortly after, and Tomlinson had two coaches interested her before even hitting the chorus. Keys tried to get Cyrus to join, but she didn’t, leaving Levine and Keys to duke it out. Both made passionate pitches, but Keys was the clear choice. Tomlinson indeed joined Team Alicia. Keys and Cyrus were both having another good night, landing lots of artists. “We’re getting clobbered, Adam,” Shelton said

Nolan Neal, who auditioned during season 10 but didn’t turn any chairs, returned to The Voice ready for a second chance. He heeded Levine’s advice last season and picked a song more suited for him, auditioning with a rock version of “Tiny Dancer.” It was a strong arrangement and Neal showed some improvement. He made up for last time and got the only four-chair turn of the night. It’s always fun when an artist returns to The Voice for another chance. Levine doubled down and said Neal could win this time around. Neal became starstruck by Keys talking to him, which was very cute. Shelton played the experience card. There really was no clear frontrunner, but Neal ultimately went with Levine.

Next week marks the end of season 11’s Blind Auditions as the coaches fill the last few spots on their teams. What did you think of tonight’s picks?

Miley Cyrus The Voice Adam Levine

Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

THRnews@thr.com