S07.E02: Blind Auditions (2)

[photo fox]

The blind auditions continue.

[leisawoo]

Is it just me or are Adam & Blake the ultimate tag team champs of "douchebaggery" and attention grubbing? It's been a bad week so far. It just seems almost....cloying? Is that the word? Glad to see Pharrell warmed up. He seemed a little cold last night.

Is it ok to post stuff like this here? Thanks!

[leisawoo]

When the girl in the red flower dress was explaining what a Pez is; Mr. Leisawoo said, "Everyone knows what a Pez is dummy!

She sang the "Grease" song.

[lyric]

When the girl in the red flower dress was explaining what a Pez is; Mr. Leisawoo said, "Everyone knows what a Pez is dummy!

I know, right?  I was thinking "is someone really explaining a Pez dispenser to us right now?"  Odd.

 

It looks like many contestants know the score and are picking the hit-making judge - with many artists OTHER than himself, I mean.  I can't imagine going with anyone other than Pharrell, unless I was pure country or maybe, I dunno, Ska.  Hell, even Gwen is showing some deference to Pharrell.  It was amusing to see Adam realizing he's not the only belle of the ball and starting to squirm just a bit.  I'd imagine it's a little disconcerting for him to see his charms are more than evenly-matched by Pharrell's resume.

 

I like the energy this season - this may be my favorite line-up of judges.  Also, apropos of nothing, Gwen is radiant - she does not age!

Edited September 24, 2014 by lyric

[Dots And Stripes]

I It was amusing to see Adam realizing he's not the only belle of the ball and starting to squirm just a bit.  I'd imagine it's a little disconcerting for him to see his charms are more than evenly-matched by Pharrell's resume.

 

Pharrell is causing a power shift on that panel and I love it. He really honed in on how self-centered Adam's pitches are. I want to win, I'm very competitive, I need you on my team. I know the judges have to sell themselves, so a certain amount of boasting is necessary. Adam is starting to sound very repetitive with his few stock lines. His used car sales style included more variety in the past.

 

I'm a little disappointed we aren't seeing more 1 or 2 chair turns. As much as I like seeing the coach fight, I also like it when a coach picks up on something unique. I also like seeing different dynamics when it's 2 coaches fighting and 2 coaches egging them on. 

[jjjmoss]

I'm annoyed that my 2 favorites so far both went for Adam - Clara and Joe. I'm not that attached yet but still. I don't think either is someone Adam will put all his effort into.

[briochetwist]

I think I love Pharrell.  Watching him constantly throw shade at Adam was far more entertaining than any of the singers.  

[MzTori77]

I know, right?  I was thinking "is someone really explaining a Pez dispenser to us right now?"  Odd.

 

It looks like many contestants know the score and are picking the hit-making judge - with many artists OTHER than himself, I mean.  I can't imagine going with anyone other than Pharrell, unless I was pure country or maybe, I dunno, Ska.  Hell, even Gwen is showing some deference to Pharrell.  It was amusing to see Adam realizing he's not the only belle of the ball and starting to squirm just a bit.  I'd imagine it's a little disconcerting for him to see his charms are more than evenly-matched by Pharrell's resume.

 

I like the energy this season - this may be my favorite line-up of judges.  Also, apropos of nothing, Gwen is radiant - she does not age!

Gwen does look great.......but she has had some help to stay so young looking. I saw her on the VMA's and some other music award show - it was the first time I'd seen her in a while - and she looked so different. I don't know what she's had done, but I'd love to have the name of her doctor!

[PepperMonkey]

Why is Gwen turning her chair EVERY TIME someone else turns theirs? I mean, the reggae guy at the last second and just because Blake turned for him?

I've always liked her, but that is really annoying me.

Pharrell is killing it; he's effusive yet seems so sincere I believe every word he says. And there's none of the "almost smarm" that came across with Ceelo and sometimes even Usher, on a much smaller scale.

Blake is picking up just country artists and I don't think another country artist can win this thing.

Adam needs to take a cycle or two off... did I say that already? He's coming across as desperate and that's not a good look for him. As a woman, I would NEVER choose him as my coach because at some point, he's gonna go frat boy bros before hos, like he mostly always does. Tessanne was the exception, but I still think she slipped through the cracks to win it without his full support.

 

I'm STILL NOT GETTING some of the four chair turns. I mean, all these people, with the exception of a very few, sound pretty good, but the four chair turns and standing Os are mystifying to me so far. JMO, of course.

Edited September 24, 2014 by PepperMonkey

[Padma]

I'm annoyed that my 2 favorites so far both went for Adam - Clara and Joe. I'm not that attached yet but still. I don't think either is someone Adam will put all his effort into.

Me, too. And also..was it Damian? I really liked all three and thought "surely they've seen enough of Adam in the past to recognize when he tells everyone, "You're going to win! No question about it!" he's giving you a line and will probably pair you against someone and give you a song where you fail in the first round.

 

I don't think his "attachment" to any of those is going to last. (Clara, imo, would have been better with Gwen. I really think she -could- have improved her stage presentation and presence. Adam will give her a song she doesn't like, challenge her to sing like someone else, then drop her because she's just not charismatic enough.)

[anonymiss]

"I don't know anything about baseball, but I know he just stole the base." Oh, Pharrell...just when I thought I couldn't appreciate you more, you continually swat that gnat Adam DOWN. 

 

I enjoyed a number of the performances, so big improvement over the premiere. Although, now I mostly watch it "blind" like the judges b/c, yes, the packages are wearing thin with the sob stories, and, it sheds light on their turnarounds. I find myself impressed, but the moment I tune in, their voices suddenly are less impressive if I don't like how they look!

 

Seemed like the reggae singer didn't care/know about Gwen's ska/dancehall roots. 

 

Gwen has a point about the importance of creating one's image and improving charisma onstage, and they shouldn't dismiss it as girly silliness.

[nomodrama]

I'm a horrible person I guess....because everytime someone says "this is the hardest decision ever," it makes me want to scream! Really??!! The hardest?!! It's not like you came on the show  knowing how it works and at least hoping a certain artist would turn around. I'm guessing they mostly want to sound grateful....or at least I hope that's it. 

 

I'm confused but was boy band like kid (Joe?) that picked Adam, really that good? He sounded absolutely ordinary to me, I was shocked that he got a chair turn let alone more than one. 

 

I felt bad for the guy that sang "Everybody Wants To Rule The World," the judges were so hyped to hear the song and then you could just feel the disappointment when he didnt pull it off. I was all kinds of awkward and uncomfortable to watch. 

 

Sugar Joans....oh brother. I could not like her if I tried! Voice aside, she was super annoying!!! I kind of hate that she ended up on Gwen's team.

 

I can't dislike Blake, he's so funny and has some great comebacks.....Adam on the other hand is so tiresome. 

 

Not blown away by anyone yet, if I had to pick a favorite so far it would be Taylor, but mostly just because of his performance, which seemed really genuine and entertaining. 

 

 

[kj4ever]

Pharrell has 5 4 chairs to Adam's 3. Even though none of them have been overly impressive (to me anyway) it is so refreshing that Adam probably won't end up with a completely stacked team and maybe more of the better people will get through.

I liked Gwen's honesty about how they have turned around now, it is no longer just the voice that matters. I'm really liking Gwen in general, except for how she seems to m need validation from the other coaches before she his her button.

Blake seems refreshed this season, and Adam seems like he is not happy about not being prom queen anymore. The look on his face when Pharrell told that contestant something like "I won't be furthering my ambitions but I'll be furthering yours" was priceless.

Still dumbfounded why anyone that isn't County wouldn't immediately go with Pharrell if he turns. Do these people know nothing about the music biz or what? It would be way more beneficial to form a relationship with Pharrell than winning the show.

[Oscirus]

Actually at the moment, Pharell has 3 4 chair artists to Adam's 2. It's funny watching  Adam flounder now that he has to go up against someone that a) knows what he's doing and  b) is motivated enough to put a good plan into action. Pharell studied Adam and he learned how to counter all of Adam's talking points. That smackdown that he gave Adam with the final contestant was brutal. As well as watching pharell come up with a better poem on the spot than mr  love poem last night.

 

The singers are fine and some are even fun but none of them have that wow factor that was apparent in singers from the first two seasons. I think the good singers are figuring out that this show is more about getting their mentors over.

 

Finally, I love that Gwen doesn't sink from the competition. I think that if she wasn't on a season with Pharell she's probably have more four chair artists. She really needs to emphasize her band experience more since that's the one thing she has over the other judges.

[ketchuplover]

I wanna see the deaf auditions

[glitterpants]

Gwen has a point about the importance of creating one's image and improving charisma onstage, and they shouldn't dismiss it as girly silliness.

 

 

Image is absolutely a huge part of it but when you just sang your heart out, "I'll give you handbags!" isn't what's going to resonate with you the most. Unless you're like, a handbag addict.

 

Still dumbfounded why anyone that isn't County wouldn't immediately go with Pharrell if he turns. Do these people know nothing about the music biz or what? It would be way more beneficial to form a relationship with Pharrell than winning the show.

Yep. Honestly I'm surprised that The Voice still manages to attract genuinely talented people because their track record with winners is abysmal.

 

The singers are fine and some are even fun but none of them have that wow factor that was apparent in singers from the first two seasons. I think the good singers are figuring out that this show is more about getting their mentors over.

 

I don't know that absolutely none of them are as good as the singers in earlier seasons but I think that after all these seasons, we're now seeing the same "types" over and over again, so unless you're clearly better than the other versions of you or different enough, it's hard to stand out.

Edited September 24, 2014 by glitterpants

[MelsW]

Yep. Honestly I'm surprised that The Voice still manages to attract genuinely talented people because their track record with winners is abysmal.

 

It doesn't surprise me at all that talented people keep auditioning for The Voice. Sure, winning The Voice isn't your ticket to stardom but the show is great exposure for many of them, including the people that didn't win but made it fairly far. Many people have become fans of Michelle Chamuel, Melanie Martinez, etc., people who had never heard of them before but still follow their careers long after their season was over. Blake has boosted the careers of Danielle Bradbury and Casadee Pope with wins, that Swon Brothers song was all over country radio this summer. I am sure being on the show certainly hasn't hurt any of them.

 

So far I am not terribly impressed with any of the blind auditions but I tend to only half-watch at this point. I can't commit to watching this show for FOUR HOURS a week with 90% of it filler sob stories.I will never remember any of these people once the knockouts and all of that jazz starts up, plus we will lose 50 percent of them at that point anyway. It isn't like blind auditions are an indicator of success later on. For example, Bria wowed everyone in the blinds, then disintegrated. Cole got a one chair turn (Cee Lo, I think?) but then made it pretty far.

 

After watching the second episode, I agree with others that Adam is more deparate this season. Pharrell is definitely a threat to his usual stacked team (thankfully).

[poppy-]

Why did Blake laugh that way when the woman did the Loretta Lynn song? Did he cover it? Or his wife?

 

After watching the second episode, I agree with others that Adam is more deparate this season. Pharrell is definitely a threat to his usual stacked team (thankfully).

 

Adam is so badly outranked by Pharrell.  I feel like playing the ass the only route he could go.  He probably thinks of it as being graceful- he plays more on the manic side to allow mellow Pharrell to glide in without making the show too boring.  Or something. 

 

I felt bad for the guy that sang "Everybody Wants To Rule The World," the judges were so hyped to hear the song and then you could just feel the disappointment when he didnt pull it off. I was all kinds of awkward and uncomfortable to watch.

 

I wish they'd cut that whole segment. I don't watch this show to cringe, or to see people cry because their dreams are crushed.

 

I don't remember his name, but, the guy with the guitar and the tenor felt like a rock star already.  Like Adam Lambert in a way, great presence from day 1. 

Yep. Honestly I'm surprised that The Voice still manages to attract genuinely talented people because their track record with winners is abysmal.

 

The Voice never promised to make you Usher.   Or America's Next Top Voice.  It just promised exposure, coaching, and if you win, a  record deal.  I actually think that's a very fair prize.

[Primetimer]

The second night of blind auditions reduces Gwen and Blake to bribery, while Pharrell continues to prove that he's the life coach we all need.

Read the story

[glitterpants]

It doesn't surprise me at all that talented people keep auditioning for The Voice. Sure, winning The Voice isn't your ticket to stardom but the show is great exposure for many of them, including the people that didn't win but made it fairly far.

 

 

I completely agree that exposure is great and that the show itself alone is a fantastic opportunity/experience. What can I say, I'm prone to hyperbole :). I just think it'd be good if the show did have a breakout star (whatever that means these days, but you know, with a certain level of success) even though that has a lot to do with what happens AFTER when the show is no longer involved.

[Qoass]

 

I don't know that absolutely none of them are as good as the singers in earlier seasons but I think that after all these seasons, we're now seeing the same "types" over and over again, so unless you're clearly better than the other versions of you or different enough, it's hard to stand out.

I agree with this to the nth power.  I feel like this is a scavenger hunt for which each judge is searching for "quirky coffeehouse girl", "beefy country guy", "smooth R & B guy", "powerhouse diva" and "soulful white guy just trying to provide for his family".  Then we get ten thousand rounds of "dump my doe-eyed country songbird for your rocker chick".  Ugh.

 

The only thing that redeems it for me so far is that they're keeping Carson on the side of the friends and family during the auditions.  In previous seasons I've been really uncomfortable with how handsy and hyper and intense he gets during every single song.  He's either overly-invested which is kind of creepy or he's faking it for drama which is also kind of creepy.  

[picklesprite]

I love Shakira and Usher, and (shallow) miss looking at them! Those smiles of theirs. Sigh. But I love Gwen and Pharrell as judges. Gwen may be the best female judge yet, as demonstrated so far by her success in landing her team. But like many of you, I can't imagine why anybody but a country singer would pick anybody but Pharrell. I thought the same of contestants who bypassed Usher, too.

Maybe Adam needs to trade seats with Blake so he can absorb some of Pharrell's essence. The world needs a big spray bottle of that stuff.

[CaliforniaLove]

For some reason I was really put off by the reggae dude & the country girl (Menlik & Taylor?). I forget who it was that mentioned Taylor's hand on her hip & her "confidence", but that came off to me more as "conceited" & "thinks she's too cool for school". I got the same vibe from Menlik. If you think you're above it, don't go on the show.

Loved the last woman (Maya?), but professional singers always have an edge. I was thinking she's this season's Tessanne.

[le bordel chaud]

I knew Pharell would be amazing, and he has not disappointed. It's great to see talented singers picking him over The Three Stooges, cause it's a no brainer. His producing career makes him tailor made for this gig.

I really do not like Gwen. She is barely doing better than her efforts as American Idol's worst mentor ever.

I miss Christina desperately. No one brings the entertainment and unintentional comedy that she does.

I feel sorry for the marginally talented singers who foolishly pick Adam. He's already plotting how he's going to pair them up with much better singers to get rid of them as the fodder he sees them as.

[MelsW]

I was so happy that Pez girl didn’t get through. She had that same awful affected voice as Caroline Glaser. Just sing, dammit. Lose the ridiculous affectation. Also, just an FYI: most of America knows what a Pez dispenser is and how it works. I guess that’s what we get when there is an absence of a dead parent/childhood tragedy/terminal illness sob story.

[BarneySays]

Oh, Gwen, "I can give you clothes" she says to a contestant on a show called The Voice.  Nothing instills confidence than telling a singer, you need help with your look.  Ease into that, if it's a real concern. 

 

Adam's not getting a great edit, which may be a bone tossed to the scores of us who find him insufferable.  The shot of his hurt reaction to one of Pharrell's digs was worth sitting through the mostly mediocre performances.  I really liked the last singer because, although we all knew she was going to go big in the end, she was invested in the build-up and drew us in, s opposed to most of them who seem to be marking time until they can get to the vocal theatrics.  She reminded me of someone, but I can't put my finger on it.  One of those 70's soul/disco singers.  Not rough enough for Loleatta Holloway.  Too strong for Candi Staton.  Damn, this is going to drive me nuts.

 

Pharrell's first major misstep- telling the young country singer about his knowledge of classic country, while missing one of the most well-known classic country songs by the queen of country herself.  I thought Blake hit the nail on the head with his comment.  I found it okay, but you can't sing Loretta if you are going to do a karaoke version of it.  All I could hear was the perfect original.  Bad, bad song choice.  (There have been a lot of bad song choices thus far IMO.)  I would have let her go home.   

[viajero]

I really enjoyed this episode and am finally getting stoked about this season.  Part of it is that though I recognize we saw some pretty good singers on Monday, it wasn’t until last night that we finally got a couple of contestants whom I find myself really interested in (Taylor Phelan and Reagan).

 

Then there’s the fact that Pharrell is rapidly becoming my favorite coach.  The guy is just perfect for this show.

 

Anyway, my rankings for last night are:

 

1. Taylor Phelan (Team Pharrell)
2. Reagan James (Blake)
3. Maiya Sykes (Pharrell)
4. Joe Kirk (Adam)
5. Danica Shirey (Pharrell)
6. Sugar Joans (Gwen)
7. Taylor Brashears (Blake)
8. Menlik Zergabachew (Gwen)

 

From this group, I thought the top five are way above the other three.  Gwen better pick up some good people next week, because as of now her team is looking to be the weakest we’ve ever had on this show.

 

It is strange that we’ve had no 1 chair turns so far. Maybe they’re saving them for next week.

[PepperMonkey]

We're not going to have any one chair turns because Gwen is going to push her button anytime someone else does.

I don't know what they're going to do when her team is full; I guess they'll have to disconnect her button and chair turn thingy.

Edited September 24, 2014 by PepperMonkey

[kj4ever]

We're not going to have any one chair turns because Gwen is going to push her button anytime someone else does.

I don't know what they're going to do when her team is full; I guess they'll have to disconnect her button and chair turn thingy.

Ha!

 

There is actually one kid on the show that had NO sob story.  I think he went to Adam's team because Adam said he felt like he was his little brother.  He loves his family, parents are divorced but are great friends and even moved together when one of them got a new job, and his older brothers are his inspiration.

 

Whodathunkit?

 

Although he might have a sob story now that he is on Team Adam... :)

Edited September 24, 2014 by kj4ever

[hincandenza]

I'm a horrible person I guess....because everytime someone says "this is the hardest decision ever," it makes me want to scream! Really??!! The hardest?!! It's not like you came on the show  knowing how it works and at least hoping a certain artist would turn around. I'm guessing they mostly want to sound grateful....or at least I hope that's it.

 

I completely agree; I assume they're told to do that for editing purposes as well, so if they want to do the stretch out thing where some one "deliberates" for 15 seconds, then they cut to commercial, come back, recap, and tell us who they picked, they can do that.  But yeah, just once I'd like to hear someone say honestly "Well, Blake was obviously my top pick, and he turned around, so cool" before they even start the process.  But part of the conceit is the "and then the contestant gets to choose from the judges" twist this show has.

 

 

"I don't know anything about baseball, but I know he just stole the base." Oh, Pharrell...just when I thought I couldn't appreciate you more, you continually swat that gnat Adam DOWN.

It wasn't just that line either, he's been super smooth so far.  He's figured out how to pitch himself without being hyper or manic, and now no one else can pitch as well as he can.  I think it was In that very same judging round- or possibly a different one- where he also smacked down both Gwen and Blake too, gracefully pivoting something they said to make it a compliment on his judging.  If it wasn't scripted lines, it was beautifully funny, witty, and sly because he turned all three judges' comments against them in a  subtle way for the same contestant, and the rest simply stood no chance.  He's clearly not only talented, but very smart.  AND he is as someone said tailor made for this gig, with his production background... of which it seems more and more of the singers are well aware.  I know they show these out of order- hence the sameness of dress each day, for editing purposes- so I wouldn't be surprised if Pharrell filled up his team much earlier than the rest, and they had to edit it to make the picks look more balanced.  I'm already really glad they added him, he's fantastic.  I'm becoming a fan of him from this show.

 

But that said, I do think the judges as a group have so far the best rapport I've seen; they're all interacting more as equals (it helps that Blake and Adam don't think they can cakewalk like they did over Shakira, Cee-Lo, Christina, or Usher), and are funny and charming together.  I do enjoy that, and the last singer Maya was right- these guys are hilarious together.  Gwen is a pretty poor judge so far- the credit card/swag bribing was... discomforting to watch.  I have real doubts about her ability to mentor, but maybe she'll get decent singers and help them with stagecraft so well we won't notice the mediocre song selection or vocal flubs as much.  I mean... that pretty much is what a successful pop singer does.  They aren't trained operatic technicians in almost any case.

 

Speaking of which, Maya was to me the clear standout last night.  I'm worried she'll be another belt-everything vocal gymnastics type, but on the plus side she's an attractive Yale graduate with a triple major, and comes from a very a musical family, who's early enough in her career to not be locked into the diva screamers role that used to fill up Christina's teams in past seasons.  I'm hoping for good things from her, and I think Pharrell is the right place for her to be.

[pivot]

Gwen does look great.......but she has had some help to stay so young looking. I saw her on the VMA's and some other music award show - it was the first time I'd seen her in a while - and she looked so different. I don't know what she's had done, but I'd love to have the name of her doctor!

Yeah, she's had major work done. I think she took what was interesting away from her face. She now looks like the generic bleached blonde Hollywood starlet. It's too bad.

I think Gwen might be the worst judge so far at pitching people for her team. She has nothing to say about the singer's musical ability. It's all about fashion and staging, which is pretty lame. It makes her seem dumb and ignorant about music when she really did have a moment back in the early 2000s when she was da bomb. Wish she would sell more on her musical knowledge and less on the fashion nonsense.

Pharrell really picked up 2 of the best artists on the show so far in the Maya and the guy with the Elvis feet. I wish he would have turned for Reagan or she would have taken a chance and gone with Gwen. Blake is going to make her boring and suck the interesting out of her.

I am starting to think my dream panel would be Shakira, Blake, Usher and Pharrell. Adam is just annoying now and Gwen isn't adding anything to the panel. She seems nice and she has talent, but needs to step it up on the panel.

[crocodile]

I thought Adam was very disrespectful during Menlik's performance of Santeria by singing along loudly and gesticulating wildly.  It might have seemed enthusiastic if he had turned around, but he didn't.  it wasn't the greatest of performances, but Menlik deserved a chance to be heard without being overshadowed by a coach.

[Jillikins]

Couple of thoughts on the second night:

 

1. Dear Eight Pound, Six Ounce, Newborn Baby Jesus, THANK YOU for not letting Caitlin Lucia and her too-twee for this world schtick onto The Voice this season.  So tired of that trope, and so glad none of the coaches turned for her this time.

 

2.  I thought Menlik Zergabachew did an adequate job worthy of a couple of chair turns, although his stage presence could use some work.  Hopefully Gwen can take care of that.  I was supremely uncomfortable with Blake's pronunciation of his name - "Men-LICK" - poor kid probably got that his entire life.  Did they need to show that?

 

3.  Joe Kirk = Adam's mini-me.  Cute as a button; totally generic boy-band.  My guess is if his nerves can hold out long enough to get to the lives, the girls will keep him in play via twitter.

 

4.  Danica (DaNica?) was awesome.  

 

5.  Taylor Brashears - I'm with whoever said that her "hand on hip" routine didn't really seem true.  I am not a fan of the kimono thing either - for a youngster, she aged herself 30 years and not in a good way.  Most of all, she just wasn't that great - definitely just a decent karaoke version of LL's classic.  In fact, I think Pharrell and Adam were just screwing with Blake by pushing their buttons in the first place - my guess is that if they hadn't pushed theirs, he'd have let her go home.

 

5.  Sugar?  Oh hi, I thought you were Kat from last season.  Can't wait to see you get pigeonholed into the Edgy Rocker Chick spot.

 

6.  Taylor - loved him.  Loved his little footwork (though it reminded me more of Dave Matthews than Elvis ...?) and his nervousness despite an excellent performance.  I love humility in these kids.

 

7.  Reagan was great.  Probably too young yet; but we'll see if she can hold her own.

 

8.  Maiya Sykes:  I'm thinking about throwing my husband over and moving to LA to find me a nice Armenian guy to marry just to have her sing at my wedding.  I love that song so hard and she totally did it justice.  Love, love, love her.

 

Overall:  loving the new coach chemistry.  Blake and Adam's thing is so over (especially you, Adam ...).  Can't wait for more.

[backformore]

I'm a horrible person I guess....because everytime someone says "this is the hardest decision ever," it makes me want to scream! Really??!! The hardest?!! It's not like you came on the show  knowing how it works and at least hoping a certain artist would turn around. I'm guessing they mostly want to sound grateful....or at least I hope that's it.

 

Yeah, I'm thinking that every singer going on the show has the judges rank-ordered before they even get on stage.    I don't get why they pretend that's not the case.

[rollerblade]

Pharrell is so smooth, he could sell bacon to vegans. I think this season is absolutely his to lose.

[netlyon2]

Yeah, I'm thinking that every singer going on the show has the judges rank-ordered before they even get on stage.    I don't get why they pretend that's not the case.

 

I think many of them are so dazzled in the moment that they either forget or feel confused, especially if their first-choice judge didn't turn or if another judge makes a particularly strong argument.  That's what happened with Taylor (male), who originally thought that Adam would be the best fit, but wound up going with Pharrell (as he should have).  I'm sure the nerves and adrenaline and the audience and the famous people begging you to join their team because you're the best evah can be very overwhelming.

 

Also,

 

Pharrell is so smooth, he could sell bacon to vegans. I think this season is absolutely his to lose.

nothing but truth, here.  And I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.

Edited September 28, 2014 by netlyon2

[LittleCabbage]

I didn't even realize the new season had started-- ack!-- but I managed to catch up on the first two battle rounds this weekend. I don't know much about Pharrell's work, other than the ubiquitous 'Happy,' but he seems really lovely, and I am looking forward to his coaching more than anything. Gwen's, not so much. I frankly thought it was insulting when she brought up her four fashion lines and tried to bribe that one contestant (who could actually sing) with the promise of handbags and shoes. I would have told her to eff off. Moreover, I'm really not sure how effective she is going to be as a coach when she isn't a very good singer herself. When she mentioned that she had no control of her own vibrato, I thought that was very telling.

 

I wanted to like the girl who did the version of "You're the One That I Want," but I didn't like her singing. I like the idea, though, of redoing "You're the One That I Want" as a dark, moody, stalker-y song. I liked the reggae guy's voice a lot, though he does seem full of himself and "Santeria" is pretty played out. Danica has an amazingly controlled voice, but boy, was I shocked to hear she was in her 20s. I would have pegged her to be at least 20 years older than that. I'll be curious to see what she does next-- I wish she'd pick a jazz standard.

[Padma]

Actually at the moment, Pharell has 3 4 chair artists to Adam's 2. It's funny watching  Adam flounder now that he has to go up against someone that a) knows what he's doing and  b) is motivated enough to put a good plan into action. Pharell studied Adam and he learned how to counter all of Adam's talking points. That smackdown that he gave Adam with the final contestant was brutal. As well as watching pharell come up with a better poem on the spot than mr  love poem last night.

 

The singers are fine and some are even fun but none of them have that wow factor that was apparent in singers from the first two seasons. I think the good singers are figuring out that this show is more about getting their mentors over.

 

Finally, I love that Gwen doesn't sink from the competition. I think that if she wasn't on a season with Pharell she's probably have more four chair artists. She really needs to emphasize her band experience more since that's the one thing she has over the other judges.

Both Pharrell and Gwen are big improvements in the auditions over CeeLo who shined in parts of S1 performances (and for his encyclopedic knowledge of music, which no one else has--I bet he would have even known the Loretta Lynn song) but otherwise was a huge disappointment.

 

Like others, I love how Pharrell is winning the chess match v. Adam. He's perfectly polite (and, thank God, not climbing on chairs or inadvertently insulting Gwen with "I listened to your music when I was a teen"), but has made it pretty clear that he's got Adam's number. I don't know how anyone can still fall for the "You're going to win this if you choose me! Guaranteed!" after we've seen him make similar promises before--then completely lose interest in the early rounds.

 

Pharrell's sincere, low key approach has really made Adam look like all he's doing is competing. He wants to win the most desirable singers in the auditions and will pretty much say anything to get them. Pharrell, on the other hand, seems so sincere. I think Gwen also seems like she'll be fair and encouraging of them--and I think her "help your stage presentation" is something good to offer that could make her unique.

 

Blake remains funny (I was laughing at that whole "boo" thing with Pharrell, inc. Pharrell saying, "he doesn't know what it means, does he?") I so prefer Blake's gentle sometimes self-deprecating humor to Adam's high velocity shots at someone else.

 

I understand why someone would choose Gwen (performance coaching), Pharrell (produces records, hello?) or Blake (he really goes out of his way for his artists after the show). Why they choose Adam, .... I have no idea.  

[ToxicUnicorn]

5.  Taylor Brashears - I'm with whoever said that her "hand on hip" routine didn't really seem true.  I am not a fan of the kimono thing either - for a youngster, she aged herself 30 years and not in a good way.  Most of all, she just wasn't that great - definitely just a decent karaoke version of LL's classic.  In fact, I think Pharrell and Adam were just screwing with Blake by pushing their buttons in the first place - my guess is that if they hadn't pushed theirs, he'd have let her go home.

I had the same impression.

 

I love the Sam Smith version of Stay With Me.  I did not like the version that last woman did.  I usually love her style of singing but, for me, that was the wrong song to change.

 

Add me to the group who is really looking forward to watching Pharrell coach.

[Happytobehere]

As someone new to the show -- I hate two-hour block shows. There are only two coaches I would ever consider, Pharrell and Blake. Adam seems self-absorbed, and if all Gwen can offer is clothes and being in a band, she needs to get a new gig. Only Pharrell and Blake seem like they are about fine-tuning artists, and win or lose, the fine-tuning is what will get you a career beyond the episodes you will spend on the show.