S08.E28: Live Finale, Part 2

[Nedsdag]

 

Why feel impressed or embarrassed that people might be somewhat knowledgeable about The Voice on a music show blog?

Perhaps "embarrassed" was wrong word to use, but I try not to invest in reality shows after they are done. For me, it's like investing in a beauty pageant and saying that Miss Ohio or Miss Czech Republic should have won their perspective pageants in the past. I guess I should admire those who truly go over minutiae of a show. Me, I am the exact opposite.

[Biggie B]

Nedsdag, I am the same way. Once a competition reality show is over, I don't remember much of it, other than the very big obvious moments - although even that's questionable (e.g., I've watched every season of Idol except the first, and I could NOT tell you who won, say, season 8. Or 6. Or 9...but if you told me the person's name, I'd know, yes, so-and-so was a winner. I just couldn't tell you when).

 

Thus, in last night's finale, I was hard pressed to remember the names of most of the called-back contestants who came to sing with the finalists. And there was one girl whose face I didn't even recognize!

 

So yeah, no way can I recall who beat out who, what order in which the contestants were eliminated, what songs they sang in what order...in one ear and out the other!

[car54]

I thought Sawyer would win from the first time we saw him so this was no surprise to me.  There is something very different about him and the quality of his voice.

 

The one thing I realized last night was that the main way Pharrell changed from his poor showing in his first season was that he went to the Blake and Usher school of promotion--you pick a theme for your person and work that theme relentlessly on the show.  

I honestly do not see much of a change or growth for either Sawyer or Koryn as singers from the beginning to the end--other than the show giving them more confidence in singing in front of a lot of people.   Sawyer needs to work on "performing" --movement on stage, putting on a show rather than just standing onstage with his guitar and personally I think Koryn has a good voice but I think she needs some technical training on singing.      

 

At any rate during the home visit, I had a moment where Sawyer seemed to have such an idyllic home life--his parents have really gotten out of the rat-race and their family seems so close and loving--that I almost hate to see him sucked into show business--but it seems like his parents have been very close and his mom has been with him the whole time, so hopefully they'll continue to keep him grounded.  I hope it all works out for him, and that he stays the nice kid he seems to be.  I really like his voice and I look forward to seeing what direction he chooses to go in.

[Raven1707]

Looks like somebody's buying Sawyer's music: here's what the iTunes Top Songs chart looked like when I checked it this morning:

 

2. Sawyer Fredericks - Please
6. Sawyer Fredericks  - Old Man
11. Meghan Linsey - Change My Mind
25. Joshua Davis - The Workingman’s Hymm
31. Joshua Davis - Hallelujah
33. Koryn Hawthorne - Bright Fire
38. Meghan Linsey - When a Man Loves a Woman
47. Sawyer Fredericks & Pharrell Williams - Summer Breeze
50. Joshua Davis & Adam Levine - Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
53. Koryn Hawthorne - It's a Man's Man's Man's World
57. Sawyer Fredericks - A Thousand Years
74. Sawyer Fredericks - Simple Man
101. Sawyer Fredericks - I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow
104. Meghan Linsey - Amazing Grace
111. Sawyer Fredericks - For What It's Worth
133. Sawyer Fredericks - Shine On
137. Sawyer Fredericks - Imagine
144. Sawyer Fredericks - Trouble
158. Meghan Linsey - Tennessee Whiskey
160. Sawyer Fredericks - Iris
172. Sawyer Fredericks - Take Me To the River
194. Sawyer Fredericks - Collide

 

As for the guests:

 

3. Luke Bryan - Kick The Dust Up
12. Meghan Trainor - Dear Future Husband
17. Maroon 5 - This Summer’s Gonna Hurt
24. Ed Sheeran - Photograph
109. Kelly Clarkson - Heartbeat Song
110. Kelly Clarkson - Invincible

Edited May 21, 2015 by Raven1707

[Dots And Stripes]

In the excitement from last nights results, I almost forgot one very important thing... Team Blake beat Team Adam! Woohoo! I genuinely liked Meghan better than Josh, so I'm pleased for that reason too. Let's face it, the contest between second and third was the only suspenseful part of the evening.

[Noreaster]

Perhaps "embarrassed" was wrong word to use, but I try not to invest in reality shows after they are done. For me, it's like investing in a beauty pageant and saying that Miss Ohio or Miss Czech Republic should have won their perspective pageants in the past. I guess I should admire those who truly go over minutiae of a show. Me, I am the exact opposite.

Yeah, I see what you're saying, but it's like any other interest or hobby.  Why does anyone get invested in anything?  Substitute "reality shows" with any other TV show, movie, book, sports, activity, etc.  I don't think there's anything to admire nor is there anything to look down on.  

[mercfan3]

Personally, I watch these shows for two reasons. I love music and watching talented people perform. You get that on shows like The Voice. And second, I like the idea of discovering a new artist. I can honestly say that I have quite a few "favorite musicians" from reality tv shows. Personally, I watch the show with the hope that I find someone who is worth following in the future. 

[viajero]

That may just have been the least suspenseful finale yet.  But I did enjoy many of the performances.  Perhaps my favorite was Kelly Clarkson with Koryn. I thought Kelly´s clear vocals contrasted perfectly with the grit in Koryn´s voice.  No wonder Kelly was impressed.

 

Anyway, I´ve put together a ranking of my favorite 15 performances of the season, which was much tougher this time given the unusually large number of great performances.  But these are the ones that most impressed me:

 

1. Koryn Hawthorne - Make It Rain   (Top 10)
2. Kimberly Nichole - What's Up   (Top 20)
3. Sawyer Fredericks - Simple Man   (Top 8)
4. Meghan Linsey - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman   (KO Round)
5. Kimberly Nichole - House of the Rising Sun   (Top 12)
6. Hannah Kirby vs. Sarah Potenza - Gimme Shelter   (Battle Round)
7. Koryn Hawthorne - Try   (KO Round)
8. Sawyer Fredericks - In Constant Sorrow   (Audition)
9. India Carney - Hurt   (Top 20)
10. Sawyer Fredericks - Please   (Final)
11. Koryn Hawthorne - It's a Man's Man's Man's World   (Final)
12. Meghan Linsey - Girl Crush   (Top 12)
13. Sawyer Fredericks vs. Noelle Bybee - Have You Ever Seen the Rain   (Battle Round)
14. Brooke Adee - Skinny Love   (Audition)
15. Koryn Hawthorne - Everybody Hurts   (Top 6)

[mercfan3]

I like your list, IMO..the only omission is Mia's "Ain't No Sunshine" 

 

I'd have to think about it..but "Make It Rain" might be my choice for best performance of the season too. 

[viajero]

I like your list, IMO..the only omission is Mia's "Ain't No Sunshine" 

 

I'd have to think about it..but "Make It Rain" might be my choice for best performance of the season too. 

 

For those last two spots I was actually going back and forth between "Skinny Love", "Everybody Hurts", "Ain't No Sunshine" and Caitlan's "Impossible".

[bluepiano]

Count me with those who don't get the Sawyer avalanche - and I'm someone who prefers his style of music to that of the belters and screechers who tend to win these singing contestants. But I thought his singing lacked range and emotional depth. Some of that is no doubt because of his youth, and I'm not saying he doesn't have potential. But at this point he's no James Taylor. Or even Livingston Taylor. (And certainly no John Fogerty.)

 

One thing I will give credit to The Voice, though, is that never tried to change him. As they probably would've done on Idol. I can only imagine how the Idol judges would've screwed with his head, the way they do with almost every contestant who makes it late in the season. 

 

My major take away from this season is that I would be happy to not see Pharrell return. He used to be fairly innocuous, but this year the extent of his pleading on behalf of his team members was really off-putting. Add to that the constant standing ovations, the over-the-top hyperbole of his praise for his singers, the near begging for votes. Blake and Adam can also be annoying in their campaigning, but you sense they realize it's all a game. Pharrell acted like he was on some holy crusade, including playing the religious card. He often made me really uncomfortable.

Edited May 21, 2015 by bluepiano

[Corsair]

Throughout the season, I'd wondered if Megan had bonded with the other contestants--onstage it never seemed like she liked the others very much. Sure enough, for the first time ever, for the bring back performance, instead of bringing back four, five or six of her fellow contestants to sing with her, she only brought back one, Sarah.

Is Sarah the only friend Megan made? Was she the only one whose voice she liked? Did she not want to share the spotlight with more than one person? And/or perhaps did she also not want to sing with anyone who was younger or thinner than hersel? Call me paranoid, but no finalist has ever chosen just to bring back one person!!!

 

   I don't know how long you have watched The Voice, but there have been other instances where finalists have chosen to bring back only one person with whom to sing. The example that immediately springs to mind happened during season 2, when Tony Lucca brought back Jordis Unga (and ONLY Jordis Unga) to sing Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way". I can't recall off the top of my head any other examples, but I think it has happened more than these 2 instances.

   The reasons may vary as to why some finalists may do this, but depending on the artists and the song, sometimes a duet can be more impactful than a group performance. This being said, I do like to see as many contestants "brought back" as possible, and although she was not my favorite, I would like to have seen Hannah in one of these performances. I enjoyed the energy she brought to the stage.

Edited May 21, 2015 by Corsair

[Biggie B]

My major take away from this season is that I would be happy to not see Pharrell return. He used to be fairly innocuous, but this year the extent of his pleading on behalf of his team members was really off-putting. Add to that the constant standing ovations, the over-the-top hyperbole of his praise for his singers, the near begging for votes. Blake and Adam can also be annoying in their campaigning, but you sense they realize it's all a game. Pharrell acted like he was on some holy crusade, including playing the religious card. He often made me really uncomfortable.

 

Agreed. I grew to really dislike having to hear his monologues that followed each of Koryn's performances. It got worse and worse as the season progressed. I have to admit, I was quite gratified that Koryn not only didn't win, but came in fourth out of four. No offense to her as a person, of course - she's a nice kid - but just to show Pharrell that we did not drink the Kool Ade, no matter how hard he tried to pour it down our throats. 

[Corsair]

In the excitement from last nights results, I almost forgot one very important thing... Team Blake beat Team Adam! Woohoo! I genuinely liked Meghan better than Josh, so I'm pleased for that reason too. Let's face it, the contest between second and third was the only suspenseful part of the evening.

   Your post made think about Adam and Blake's time on this show. Team Blake has finished ahead of Team Adam 6 of the 8 seasons of The Voice. The only seasons Team Adam finished ahead was seasons one and five, when they won. Blake has had someone in the final 2 for seven seasons, and during season three the final 2 consisted only of Team Blake (Cassadee and Terry). He's had quite a run so far. I could be misreading them, but to me Adam seems to have a more competitive nature than Blake, so on some level I assume Blake's dominance is eating at Adam (at least where the show is concerned).

   I agree that the runner-up position was the only suspense of the evening.

[jjjmoss]

The example that immediately springs to mind happened during season 2, when Tony Lucca brought back Jordis Unga (and ONLY Jordis Unga) to sing Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way". I can't recall off the top of my head any other examples, but I think it has happened more than these 2 instances.

No it hasn't. 

 

Aside from Tony being a questionable person with his 99 Questions final perf, that was the first season when people were allowed to bring back other contestants so there hadn't been any tradition established of bringing back multiple.

Of the last 20 finalists, I believe the other 95% all brought back at least 3 others.

[Padma]

I took the whole thing with Meghan inviting Sarah for a duet so differently from some of the posts upthread. Maybe I'm naïve, but I totally bought the idea they'd become bffs. I thought it was very generous of Meghan, since she surely knows many people (inc. me) would have preferred for Sarah to have taken her place in the final.  But it really gave Sarah a "great moment" that would have been very diluted (though, fun, I'm sure) in a group performance. With just the two of them (and the "loser" every bit as good as the "winner"), it was one last chance for Sarah to show everything she had. And a surprising added benefit was that it was also my favorite performance by Meaghan since the lives began.  So I thought it was just being generous--and maybe wanting to emphasize the music over the performance.

 

As for the finale itself, I enjoyed it all (and the skits are always funny to me--whoever writes them should get a raise! Other shows just can't do it nearly as well.) I enjoyed Christina's skit with the imitations--didn't know she had it in her. And I was enjoying her in the group performance until the end (just because you -can- cover every note and don't need to breathe to do it, even at full volume, doesn't mean that you should. I guess she just doesn't agree that "less (can be) more" when it comes to music. And it was funny how with her shoulder length white-blonde hair she looked like she had moved from imitating Gaga to imitating Meghan Linsey.)

 

Lots of good music--loved all the groups (and the reasons for choosing them). With American Idol's finale so close to The Voice's, you can really see how The Voice has so much more heart and shows so much more love for the contestants. I love how empowering it is for finalists to be able to choose who they want to have a last performance with. That's something Idol should adopt during its final season (but they won't, because the attitude toward contestants is so different over there.)

 

None of the finalists were my favorites going into the lives, but they were all deserving in their own ways and I think Sawyer is a good winner (his voice didn't match well with Fogerty's but I still liked his confident delivery and how for me at least, I do get a sense that he always is feeling the words. All the guests artists were good--and Kelly would be a good addition on this show if she ever feels like going back to a judge's chair again.  I was surprised how well Koryn kept up with her--truly, everyone had a moment this week and that was very, very nice.

[Vought]

Aside from Tony being a questionable person with his 99 Questions final perf, that was the first season when people were allowed to bring back other contestants so there hadn't been any tradition established of bringing back multiple.

   I don't think you can legitimately refer to Tony as a "questionable person" without also referring to his coach Adam in the same manner. Not only did Adam greenlight and support the song, but Adam also defended the song choice when Christina voiced her objection to the song.

   As for any "established tradition" of bringing back multiple people, as long as the show allows a finalist to bring back only one person, then I say more power to them. As someone upthread mentioned, duets are less diluted then are group performances. I enjoyed Meghan and Sarah's duet more than any group "bring back" performance of the night.

[ladytenor]

 

Is it true that Sawyer has had that retro hat surgically attached to his head? Was he ever seen on camera without it?

Yes, in fact during the finale when they showed him in the studio recording his single he was hatless. He had the headphones on and the hat wouldn't work with those.

I like Sawyer and was glad he won. He always had such a look of pure joy when he was singing. And the fact that he just stands and sings is not an issue in my opinion. There are a lot of singers..a classic example would be John Denver...who just stood and played the guitar and sang. It doesn' always have to be about jumping around the stage. The music is the important thing. In any case, things like movement can be taught..that is why they have producers and choreographers or movement coaches. It is a talent development process. If they came in fully ready for the big time, what would be the point?

It is "THE VOICE" after all, if you have the singing talent, the rest can be taught. I have seen too many "singers" who make up for a lack of singing talent with pyrotechnics, costumes and slick choreography. 

[Ciarrai]

Not that it really matters to the show, but who's actually going to buy his music?

 

Me! I bought all of the songs he sang on the show, and would buy more if he stays in the vein he did on the show. Ray LaMontagne is one of my favourites, and Sawyer fits with that (obviously, since he sang two of his songs). I like the White Guys with Guitars apparently. Cole Vosbury was another favourite when he was on the show, and one I've continued to follow since.

 

I hope Sawyer continues making and releasing music because this (30-year-old) fan girl will continue to support him.