S09.E03: The Blind Auditions, Part 3

[Tara Ariano]

The blind auditions continue.

[MaryPatShelby]

I just realized that one of my favorite things about the blinds is Carson going nuts with the family when there's a chair turn.

[blueray]

I  liked most of the performances tonight, especially the four chair turns.

 

That being said I Hated that last "act". I kept thinking this has to be a joke right... they were so annoyingly corny and fake. They reminded me of an SNL skit. They sucked musically and I was confused on how they both could addition together. The proposal which they advertised over and over again just added to the fakeness of that crap. And part of me feels like their "performance" if you could call it one ruined a really good episode. And possibly a season if they  make it any further. I used to think this show at least had real people preforming, they proved that is completely false.

Edited September 29, 2015 by blueray

[MizArk]

That last couple was a matinee act straight out of Branson, and no way the producers didn't know he was going to propose (wouldn't be surprised if it was all rehearsed). That whole segment made me cringe a little, though I thought the rest of the show was pretty good tonight. I can't help it, I just get a kick out of watching the judges.

 

I do not remember names but bald guy (Manny?) was one of my favorites. Young man with the long hair -- good voice, has potential. Hubs and I wonder if he had a brain injury from his accident. That crying looked like emotional lability (or PBA) to us. We have a daughter who had a stroke and sometimes can't stop crying when she's overwhelmed, even if she isn't sad. Maybe he's just the emotional type, but we both got that vibe from him.

[Gbb]

I really, really loved the first girl who sang tonight. There was a quality in her voice (Dolly? Emmy Lou Harris?) I just couldn't get enough of.

[TiredMe]

I forget names at this stage but the bald guy singing White Snake?? Hells yes I say! Loved him. But then again im an 80s girl.

I forget everyone else. Lol

Edited September 29, 2015 by TiredMe

[Dots And Stripes]

I just realized that one of my favorite things about the blinds is Carson going nuts with the family when there's a chair turn.

Same. I also enjoyed his eye roll when the John Rich protege talked about his label getting shut down. 

 

That last couple was a matinee act straight out of Branson, and no way the producers didn't know he was going to propose (wouldn't be surprised if it was all rehearsed). That whole segment made me cringe a little, though I thought the rest of the show was pretty good tonight. I can't help it, I just get a kick out of watching the judges.

 

I do not remember names but bald guy (Manny?) was one of my favorites. Young man with the long hair -- good voice, has potential. Hubs and I wonder if he had a brain injury from his accident. That crying looked like emotional lability (or PBA) to us. We have a daughter who had a stroke and sometimes can't stop crying when she's overwhelmed, even if she isn't sad. Maybe he's just the emotional type, but we both got that vibe from him.

I think the producers knew and I wouldn't be surprised if Blake knew too. Are you two married? Funny you should mention it Blake... I get that it's a fairly obvious question, but his delivery sounded stilted to me. Maybe I was just looking for it.

 

Kudos to Blake for remembering the long hair kid (whose name I cannot remember myself). It shows he means it when he says he's plugged in to Nashville. I'm feeling overwhelmed by too much country this time, but the fact that the kid picked a classic rock song that's also in Blake's sweet spot makes me really excited for this team.

 

Blake's hatred of rolled up jeans was one of my highlights tonight. Blake feels a little disconnected this season (maybe I'm reading into because of the gossip over his divorce) but he still comes out with some zingers that make me laugh out loud.

[car54]

I feel like Blake seems a lot happier to me than last season.  I felt like he was really not at his best last year, but I feel like he is more on point this time than he's been recently.   One of the things I like about him is that he usually remembers people he's seen before, or that have auditioned before....that "I KNOW YOU!" is so nice.

When they turn for someone I don't care for, I remind myself there crank through a LOT of people in the battles so someone not that great making it is probably keeping someone better in.   It does bug me when we have to see a long back story for someone that doesn't get in at all and then they race past seemingly good people who make it through and barely show them.   I know it's to keep us watching, but I hate it.

And every time one of the parents has quit their job to manage their kid, I do a big eye roll.

[ennui]

I read a People magazine blurb that said Blake is a lot healthier now that he isn't constantly flying around the country trying to meet up with Miranda. He's lost weight, exercises, gets more sleep, etc.

[Valny]

I really, really loved the first girl who sang tonight. There was a quality in her voice (Dolly? Emmy Lou Harris?) I just couldn't get enough of.

I thought she was great too. She had a very solid,pure tone.  I am definitely picking her to get to the finals. Or at least top eight... or whatever number they are doing.

 

The guy who only Gwen turned around for I thought was awesome.  I am really surprised nobody else turned, I don't get it!

I wasn't expecting him to sound that good...I was thinking, uh oh, I hope this isn't a big build up(with all his high school experience)  and then a mediocre voice. But nope, he had such a strong voice and a fair amount of range from what I could tell. Any yes, he definitely didn't sound the way he looked.  I like when that happens.

 

There was a 17 year old girl that I think got two judges to turn, but I didn't think she was that great. She wasn't bad but her voice still sounded a little youngish,...I'm thinking she will get cut not very far into the competition. Unless she pulls some magic vocals

Edited September 29, 2015 by Valny

[Ketzel]

I had to laugh when Gwen was marveling about how Jeffrey Austin (the guy who sang "Lay Me Down") was such a surprise when she turned for him because of what he looked like. The instant he appeared on the screen, I had him pegged for a Sam Smith wannabe on his look alone, even before he announced he was singing a Sam Smith song.

I have no idea what they all heard in the teenage girl who sang "Mississippi Queen." Lyrically, an odd and to me unpleasant choice for a young girl. Musically, her voice sounded tinny and strained; that's a big song and she didn't have the chops for it by any means.

I enjoyed Morgan Frazier's version of "I Want You To Want Me."

[Dots And Stripes]

I read a People magazine blurb that said Blake is a lot healthier now that he isn't constantly flying around the country trying to meet up with Miranda. He's lost weight, exercises, gets more sleep, etc.

Thanks for the tidbit. That sounds like something spoon fed from PR. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not.

 

It's not that I think Blake is in a bad way, he just seemed a little disconnected for me. Maybe it's the chemistry with the coaches. Gwen doesn't work for me, so maybe that's contributing too it.

[DownTheShore]

I thought that version of Mississippi Queen was extremely weak, and that girl's voice was unimpressive. There was absolutely no grit in her voice and that song needs it. I don't understand what the judges heard in her voice.

The bald guy from Elizabeth NJ? I'd buy that song.

I was sorry the country kid with the hat, Caleb, didn't make it, just because I enjoyed his personality. Hopefully he'll be back someday.

[bluepiano]

And every time one of the parents has quit their job to manage their kid, I do a big eye roll.

 

Seriously. That seemed to be the theme of the night, beginning with the first girl whose parents sunk $5,000 into her "career" when she was nine. There seem to be a whole lot of parents out there hoping that their kids are going to be their gravy train, especially in country music.

 

Are you even allowed to audition for The Voice if you can't bring your parents along to scream when the chairs turn?

 

As usual with this show, it was hard for me to figure out why the judges went bananas for certain singers. There are probably a million girls in rock band camp like the one who sang "Mississippi Queen." She was so generic.

 

The level this year seems way down compared to previous years. What made The Voice different was that if featured singers who were ready for the concert stage, if they weren't out there already. This season, it feels like a high school talent content. (The long haired guy who did have a recording contract didn't impress me. He just sounded like your typical southern bar band shouter).

 

Musically he wasn't my cup of tea, but I thought that Jeffrey Austin was far and away the best singer of the night.  And he got one chair. Like I said, I can't figure this show out.

 

Edited September 29, 2015 by bluepiano

[oakgal]

The only one who stood out to me tonight was the girl Maddie who sang Carol King. There was something quite lovely about how she sang it and I thought she'd really listened to the song and understood the lyrics. Normally I get nervous when these high voiced girls come out with guitars but she proved me wrong. 

 

Everyone else....meh.

 

The proposal was so fake. I wouldn't be surprised if those two have a youtube channel or something. They seemed very "on". Blech. 

[Paron Xanthis]

Team rosters/cheat sheets:

 

Team Adam

Keith Semple (2)

Jordan Smith (4)

Regina Love (2)

James Dupré (4)

Amanda Ayala (3)

Manny Cabo (4)

Cassandra Robertson (1)*

 

Team Gwen

Kota Wade (3)

Braiden Sunshine (2)

Ellie Lawrence (3)

Noah Jackson (1)*

Tim Atlas (1)*

Hanna Ashbrook (1)*

Jeffery Austin (1)

Lyndsey Elm (4)

 

Team Pharrell

Mark Hood (4)

Siahna Im (3)

Ivonne Acero (2)

Evan McKeel (4)

Madi Davis (2)

Riley Biederer (1)*

Daria Jazmin (1)*

Jubal & Amanda (2)

 

Team Blake

Nadjah Nicole (2)

Barrett Baber (4)

Blind Joe (4)

Zach Seabaugh (3)

Emily Ann Roberts (2)

Morgan Frazier (2)

Chris Crump (4)

Tyler Dickerson (1)

 

Names in bold indicate someone who has been newly added to a team.  The number in parentheses indicates the number of chairs to turn for each contestant.  An asterisk indicates that this contestant was montaged.

 

Morgan was damn good.  I'm saddened that Gwen didn't get her, but she worked in Nashville.  Of course she was going to choose Blake.  But I loved her performance.

 

Amanda Ayala was great, too.  But I agree that she feels like a generic rocker chick.  Sarah Potenza from last season is my gold standard for rocker chicks on this show, and Amanda's no Sarah.  So I'm okay with her picking Adam.  She'll probably flame out early, anyway.

 

Agreed with the sentiments at how amazing Jeffery Austin was.  I was surprised that only Gwen turned for him.  Unless all of the other teams were full and Gwen was the only one who had yet to fill hers, of course.

 

Lyndsey Elm's song choice was interesting.  I appreciate that she made a whole new version out of "Lips are Movin'."  And I'm glad she picked Gwen, if only because she's her first four-chair turn this season.

 

Joe Maye had a good voice, but he chose the wrong song.  He should've picked one that better showcased his voice.

 

Manny Cabo had a very nice voice.  Too bad he's wasting himself on Adam.

 

Madi Davis had another voice I loved.  I just wish wasn't so boring.  I'm surprised she picked Pharrell over Gwen.

 

Caleb Lee Hutchinson . . . ugh.  His voice was okay, but nothing mind-blowing.  Not surprised he didn't manage a chair turn.

 

Riley, Cassandra, and Daria . . . can't really surmise how good or bad each of them were since they were all motnaged.

 

I liked Chris Crump.  His voice was nice and clear, and his tone beautiful.  I think he goes a fair ways on Blake's team.

 

Tyler Dickerson was all right.  But I'm glad Blake got him instead of Adam, as would be expected.

 

Jubal and Amanda were a cute couple with an amazing harmony.  I'm a bit disappointed that they picked Pharrell, though.  I think they should've gone with Gwen.  Oh, well.  At least Pharrell has his first pair.

 

Okay episode, but I agree that except for a few people, the talent is a real comedown from last season.

Edited September 30, 2015 by Paron Xanthis

[teebax]

The guy who sang Word Up sounded like he was going to have an asthma attack. I like Cameo as well but think that was a terrible song choice for an audition.

I know we've discussed this before, but I would rather they show everyone who made it than the long back stories and people who got no chair turns. It's unfair to singers who make the cut to stick them in a montage.

I tried to imagine my parents quitting their jobs to focus on my "career" at the age of nine and couldn't. They came to as many of my sporting events, school shows, concerts, and debates as they could, but they still had lives, jobs, and friends of their own. It would have creeped me out to have them looking to me as a meal ticket.

I almost forgot, I really disliked the guy who said something about southern men feeling like they have to take care of their women. I'm all for treating your spouse well, but she should be your partner, not your dependent or your possession. He also mentioned being home-schooled and buying a Creed album as his first secular album, so I shouldn't be surprised that he sounds like a character from the 1950s.

[DeLurker]

Seriously. That seemed to be the theme of the night, beginning with the first girl whose parents sunk $5,000 into her "career" when she was nine. There seem to be a whole lot of parents out there hoping that their kids are going to be their gravy train, especially in country music.

 

Are you even allowed to audition for The Voice if you can't bring your parents along to scream when the chairs turn?

 

As usual with this show, it was hard for me to figure out why the judges went bananas for certain singers. There are probably a million girls in rock band camp like the one who sang "Mississippi Queen." She was so generic.

Having lived in So Cal, I met a lot of seemingly sane people who then disclosed their lives were structured around taking Junior or Little Miss to auditions, acting classes, spending untold dollars on headshots...they fell into the "insane" category after that.  My own SIL spent at least $75K on trying to get my neice into modeling.  My neice is beautiful and is probably the best natural athlete I've ever met with an athlete's body - but she's 5 ft 6 in and not stick thin so she's short and stout in model world (in any other world she's gorgeous).  And she was only so-so on pursuing modeling...but mom was all in.

 

Mississippi Queen girl was very high school talent show.  I thought her voice needed more training and a different song would have been a better choice to show what she can do well at this point.  Mississippi Queen needs some grit - girl had none.

[Primetimer]

'This is what we're doing?!' - Pharrell.

Read the story

[desertflower]

I really liked the guy who sang Whitesnake and am glad he did well. Adam took a risky chance turning for him so early though, before he showed he could hit those high notes. But of course he nailed them, so it worked out.

One thing that bugs me on this show are the people who dramatically declare that this is their last chance ever and they need this because they have no back up plan. Well, maybe get a back up plan, then? I guess some people say if you really want to make it you have to devote yourself to it exclusively, but it seems a little unwise to bank your future on a reality show and not have any other plan on the back burner.

[beaker73]

Seriously. That seemed to be the theme of the night, beginning with the first girl whose parents sunk $5,000 into her "career" when she was nine. There seem to be a whole lot of parents out there hoping that their kids are going to be their gravy train, especially in country music.

 

Are you even allowed to audition for The Voice if you can't bring your parents along to scream when the chairs turn?

 

As usual with this show, it was hard for me to figure out why the judges went bananas for certain singers. There are probably a million girls in rock band camp like the one who sang "Mississippi Queen." She was so generic.

 

The level this year seems way down compared to previous years. What made The Voice different was that if featured singers who were ready for the concert stage, if they weren't out there already. This season, it feels like a high school talent content. (The long haired guy who did have a recording contract didn't impress me. He just sounded like your typical southern bar band shouter).

 

Musically he wasn't my cup of tea, but I thought that Jeffrey Austin was far and away the best singer of the night.  And he got one chair. Like I said, I can't figure this show out.

 

"Mississippi Queen" was soooo bad.  I thought for sure the show had wasted time on her backstory only for her to not get any turns, but no.  I predict she won't make it past the Battle Round.

 

The guy who sang Word Up sounded like he was going to have an asthma attack. I like Cameo as well but think that was a terrible song choice for an audition.

I know we've discussed this before, but I would rather they show everyone who made it than the long back stories and people who got no chair turns. It's unfair to singers who make the cut to stick them in a montage.

I tried to imagine my parents quitting their jobs to focus on my "career" at the age of nine and couldn't. They came to as many of my sporting events, school shows, concerts, and debates as they could, but they still had lives, jobs, and friends of their own. It would have creeped me out to have them looking to me as a meal ticket.

I almost forgot, I really disliked the guy who said something about southern men feeling like they have to take care of their women. I'm all for treating your spouse well, but she should be your partner, not your dependent or your possession. He also mentioned being home-schooled and buying a Creed album as his first secular album, so I shouldn't be surprised that he sounds like a character from the 1950s.

I really, really dislike him too.  I thought it was bad enough to talk about how so very important it was to audition for "The Voice" that you leave your own wedding, but that bit about it being his duty to take care of his woman? Blech.  To top it off, his performance was so-so and he's not nearly as good looking as he thinks he is.  Of course, this means he'll probably advance to the Live Shows...

[photo fox]

I almost forgot, I really disliked the guy who said something about southern men feeling like they have to take care of their women. I'm all for treating your spouse well, but she should be your partner, not your dependent or your possession.

 

I really, really dislike him too.  I thought it was bad enough to talk about how so very important it was to audition for "The Voice" that you leave your own wedding, but that bit about it being his duty to take care of his woman? Blech

 

I guess I read him really differently.  I thought he was basically mocking that idea, because of the tone and the look on his face.  He had worked a lot of jobs to bring in income, but to me that's just being an adult.  They didn't mention (I don't think) what his wife does or doesn't do for work.

 

Last night's batch was far and above the first two episodes, IMO.  Really liked Lyndsey, Madi, Morgan, and yes, Chris.  I also thought Manny was fantastic, but I love that song.  Perfect choice for him.

 

I wish the coaches would stop freaking out over the teenagers.  At this point, it shouldn't be shocking that 16-year-olds can have amazing voices.  There have been dozens of teenagers on this show.  Two of the eight seasons have been won by teenagers.

[DownTheShore]

I'm with you on being all over on the "amazing voices" of the 16 year olds. I'm also tired of so many of them. I understand the ratings game and the fact that the coaches want someone easy to mold, but there are so many singers out there who've paid their dues and who deserve a break.

[bluepiano]

The only one who stood out to me tonight was the girl Maddie who sang Carol King. There was something quite lovely about how she sang it and I thought she'd really listened to the song and understood the lyrics. Normally I get nervous when these high voiced girls come out with guitars but she proved me wrong.

 

I thought she was the best of the night too, and I have taken to cringing every time they introduce another teenager. But she seemed more musically mature than most of the other contestants, in terms of having some personal style. She did some jazzy phrasing, which is something I haven't heard from any one else.

 

Jazz, and I mean as a singing style, the ability to bend notes, and sing a little ahead or behind the beat to create interesting phrasing, is something we just don't get on this show anymore. All the country and pop singers are just so straight ahead, right on the beat, and that's why they tend to all sound alike. (And I don't mean turning a two syllable word into five syllables, or showing you can hold a note forever. That's not creative phrasing, that's just over-singing.)

 

Most seasons have had at least one token jazz/blues singer. This season is shaping up to be really boring, with almost everyone either generic country or generic pop.

 

Agreed with the sentiments at how amazing Jeffery Austin was.  I was surprised that only Gwen turned for him. 

 

My guess is that the other judges were thinking "too Broadway." Blake did have Sisaundra Lewis, but I really don't think he's comfortable coaching anyone who isn't country. And I think that Pharrell and Adam also prefer to work with singers who are closer to their personal styles. Maybe it's only because she knows she has to work harder to get people, but Gwen does seem to be responding to the ability of the singer, and not just going for a certain type.

Edited September 29, 2015 by bluepiano

[PepperMonkey]

I am almost offended when they shout OH MY GOD when someone is 16 or 17. Holy cow, guys, it's 2015 and we've seen 16 year old singers since AT LEAST the fifties. Gwen! You were 17 when you started with No Doubt, which you bring up every five minutes, so why is that age so amazing??

 

The last couple: jeebus. That guy was so hokey. There was something so intrinsically smarmy about him that he made my skin crawl and that was before they sang. She wasn't as cheesy, but cripes. Here's hoping Pharrell will smartly get rid of them on the battle rounds, and that no one else is stupid enough to pick them up. Or if they do, it would just be for more cannon fodder. Their whole shtick was cringeworthy, even the "surprise" proposal.

[DownTheShore]

To be fair, I did like their harmony. It will be interesting to see if they can do more than that, though.

I predict an Everly Brothers song in our future...

[saber5055]

This show disappoints me when all the contestants are teenagers (or younger) and this show "means everything" to them, like they'll be living in a box under a railroad bridge next year if they don't win it all, it's the end of their lives. Hollywood is full of actors waiting tables to pay the bills. You can do that too while waiting for a break. There is life after this show.

 

Then, such a huge deal is made of the bald buy being 45.  IMO, he was the best singer of the night. I wish the show would encourage and focus more on people who are adult enough to be able to use a break. Instead, he's sort of the "freak" of the group, even if he is the freak who can sing the best.

 

Meal ticket for the parents ... so much word to that thinking. I hate all the squealing parents when a chair turns.

 

Love that Blake recognizes people.

 

I flipped the channel when the last guy got on his knee to propose. Please. There is WAY too much of that cr*p happening on reality shows lately.

[viajero]

I tend to like it when contestants change songs up and take risks.  Thus, I think Lindsey and Morgan were probably my favorites of the night even though both lost a bit of control when the chairs turned around.  I also liked the tone of Madi's voice, though she was another young one who lost it a bit when the chairs turned.

 

I thought Manny and the Sam Smith wannabe had the best vocals In purely technical terms.  But both seemed to be doing their best to sound as much as possible like the original versions of those songs. 

[MyOklahoma]

For the sneerers: The Jubal and Amanda proposal was spontaneous. The shocked reactions of the coaches, families, and even Amanda were genuine. They are entirely real: What you see is what you get. You may not like that, but absolutely nothing was faked. I was there.

[photo fox]

I'm not personally suggesting that the proposal was scripted.  I just thought it was vaguely inappropriate and emotionally manipulative.

 

I mean, if they hadn't gotten a chair turn, would he have still done it?

[Whimsy]

I'm watching this now, but I'm confused- that married couple "left their reception" because they were holding auditions in Austin but when Carson was interviewing them they had been married for 4 months.  Where did those three months go?  Did he flop that audition and try again?  I'm confused.

[blueray]

I'm watching this now, but I'm confused- that married couple "left their reception" because they were holding auditions in Austin but when Carson was interviewing them they had been married for 4 months.  Where did those three months go?  Did he flop that audition and try again?  I'm confused.

From what I remember reading I think on here actually. Is that there are multiple auditions before they even make it to the judges. That way they get rid of all the joke acts (minus that couple last episode).

[Whimsy]

From what I remember reading I think on here actually. Is that there are multiple auditions before they even make it to the judges. That way they get rid of all the joke acts (minus that couple last episode).

Thanks. I knew that, but didn't realize it was a months long process.

Just finishedwatching and I didn't like that couple either. Seven Bridges road as performed by the Eagles is one of my all-time favorite songs. I hated what they did to it. I was interested in the story, though. So, did the Eagles steal the song?

[Sunnyside]

Manny, Madi, and the Hugo Boss commercial. That is all.

[PhD-Purgatory15]

I got so, so happy when the last duo said they were doing "Seven Bridges Road". And then they went and disappointed me by about 30%. Methinks they will quickly be axed from Pharrell's team. My other immediate thought was....will we get any other duos, or just this duo who was conveniently in need of a public platform for a marriage proposal.

 

I never quite know what to make of Blake's "memory" when it comes to recognizing people (particularly from Nashville), but the multiple preview clips of the dude sobbing about how he lost everything and the Voice was his going to be his second chance made me predisposed to hate him irrationally. Even doing a Black Crowes song couldn't bring me over to his side.

 

Liked Madi and Jeffery. Wondered if Jeffery came at the end of the auditions where a couple of the guys teams were already completely full. After that awful Mississippi Queen girl inexplicably managed 2 or 3 chairs it made no earthly sense how Gwen would be the only judge to recognize his talent. I did like his observation that Gwen could help stage presence and performance skills....in a vacuum she absolutely should be able to impart some of that knowledge to him.

 

I said after the second episode that Emily Ann Roberts was going to have a quick stay on Team Blake, and I think we found her conqueror tonight in the girl that moved to Nashville solo at 16. Loved her song choice too. Cheap Trick FTW.

 

Little surprised that Manny didn't go w/ Blake, he's sort of the Voice's second or third coming of Terry McDermott who rode Blake's wide selection of classic rock songs all the way to a runner up finish. As people upthread have noted, as long as Adam doesn't go ageist he should be a live show participant on that team.

 

If Gwen pairs up Ellie and Lyndsay in either the battle round or the KO's....I will throw a remote.

 

WTF w/ the Cameo guy? That might be one of the all-time worst no chair turns in Voice history. That was a moderate size trainwreck. Caleb (the big sixteen year old) clearly wasn't ready, but more worrisome is the fact that even when he is "ready" his voice is too similar to Garth. That has to change if he wants to be anything other than a singer in a cover band or tribute artist.

[Grandma Saracen]

I liked Lindsey's spiel about Vacaville, because I live in the general area and take delight in calling it Cowville among friends. I also liked her singing, so that was bonus! I got pretty annoyed with all the cheesiness, and not much caught my attention in this episode. I took notes, though, and seemed to like Lindsey best for the night, but also to like Morgan and Tyler. I agree with PP that it'll suck if Ellie & Lindsey are put up against one another - can only hope one will be stolen. 

Edited September 30, 2015 by Grandma Saracen

[klarsonovsky]

One of the things I like about him is that he usually remembers people he's seen before, or that have auditioned before....that "I KNOW YOU!" is so nice.

 

Agree, but also: 

I do NOT think coaches have advance intel or instructions to turn for certain contestants, but DO think that as soon as performance ends they are probably getting a lot of info from producers-- what leading questions to ask, heads-up on people they should recognize, etc. I don't have a problem with that-- it's reality TV-- just hope I'm right that the initial chair turns are nor producer-manipulated.  And it's not surprising that most of those moments go to Blake, because they fit into his Voice persona.

 

*For anyone who watched earlier seasons, this makes me really wonder about Christina's failure to recognize Tony Lucca back in season 2. Did production fail to get her the info on time? Did they decide not to tell her because it worked better with HER Voice persona as the Bitch? Or did they tell her and she decided to wait until after to acknowledge it because it wasn't relevant to evaluating that performance?

 

 

[Padma]

Maybe I'm naïve, but I don't think producers tell Blake who these people are. Some people would genuinely remember them, especially if in addition to being in the show, they also watch it later. Adam doesn't seem so likely to be that guy, but Blake does.  The duo did seem far from being a spontaneous proposal, but I thought the coaches' acting (if it was acting) was quite good--including Adam pointing out that Blake was legally able to officiate.  (That would have been -really- cool.)                                                                                      

[Amy Beth]

Manny the 45 yo had the best voice, but he has so many bad performance habits. He reeked of karaoke pantomime. I really hope Adam can cure him of it.

I was pre-disposed to hate Jeffery because of the dumb way he spells his name, but he won me over.

[Noreaster]

Agree, but also: 

I do NOT think coaches have advance intel or instructions to turn for certain contestants, but DO think that as soon as performance ends they are probably getting a lot of info from producers-- what leading questions to ask, heads-up on people they should recognize, etc. I don't have a problem with that-- it's reality TV-- just hope I'm right that the initial chair turns are nor producer-manipulated.  And it's not surprising that most of those moments go to Blake, because they fit into his Voice persona.

 

*For anyone who watched earlier seasons, this makes me really wonder about Christina's failure to recognize Tony Lucca back in season 2. Did production fail to get her the info on time? Did they decide not to tell her because it worked better with HER Voice persona as the Bitch? Or did they tell her and she decided to wait until after to acknowledge it because it wasn't relevant to evaluating that performance?

I'm so cynical about this show.  I don't believe anything anymore.  Blake "knowing" that the one guy had a record deal sounded so fake to me.  I think the producers definitely feed some questions to the coaches after the chairs are turned.  It also wouldn't surprise me if the producers tell the coaches not to push their buttons sometimes.  Like (and I'm completely guessing) if Gwen is having trouble filling her team, the other coaches are told to stop pushing their buttons so she can actually get some decent contestants.  

 

As to your Christina/Tony Lucca question, my guess is the whole thing was genuine and the producers didn't tell Christina until after the coach-picking process. I think the show was less of a machine then and the producers were less involved.  Or I could be completely naive.  

[MaryPatShelby]

I go back and forth on whether the coaches are prompted; but whenever they recognize someone from a past season I swing to believing they are fed the info.  This show is in it's ninth season; the singers have to start running together just in the current season, much less specifically remembering someone from maybe two seasons ago?  Hard to believe. 

 

But how are they fed this info?  They're definitely not wearing earpieces-the best I can come up with is they have a screen in front of them (attached to their chairs) that we can't see, which says things like "this girl from season 5 worked on a peanut farm" or something.

[Kcat1971]

I go back and forth on whether the coaches are prompted; but whenever they recognize someone from a past season I swing to believing they are fed the info.  This show is in it's ninth season; the singers have to start running together just in the current season, much less specifically remembering someone from maybe two seasons ago?  Hard to believe. 

 

But how are they fed this info?  They're definitely not wearing earpieces-the best I can come up with is they have a screen in front of them (attached to their chairs) that we can't see, which says things like "this girl from season 5 worked on a peanut farm" or something.

 

Well we know they have little notebooks maybe those contain some information.

[Amy Beth]

I don't think the coaches are fed info. I think that the way the Blinds are edited give the impression that they are more with it than they are. Contestants have said that they were up there for 20, 30 minutes. Information is elicited as they talk, but the edits make it look like it was almost instantaneous recognition.