S10.E05: The Best Of The Blind Auditions

[Tara Ariano]

A best-of recap of the blind auditions includes previously unseen footage and a peek at the battle round.

[DownTheShore]

Oh lord, Gwen is going to be Blake's guest coach. While I don't have a problem with her and she'll probably do a good job, couldn't they have gotten someone new?

[jjjmoss]

Well, I think if anything the producers would've pushed for it in the hopes that seeing more direct Blake/Gwen interaction would attract extra viewers.

[LakeGal]

I really suspect that a lot of Blake's last minute turns were to help Christina.  The show would love to see Christina win.  It wouldn't look good for her return if her team is made up of mostly 1 chair turns.  When Christina was the only one turned Blake hit his button at the last minute.  Then they had the fake fight between them for the singer before the singer picked Christina.  I don't think Blake ever expected those singers to pick him.  He was giving Christina more attention.   

[DownTheShore]

Thinking about that, I suspect that you might be right.

[PepperMonkey]

I didn't watch this because I didn't understand why they were doing such a show when the teams were clearly not full yet.

 

Gwen's going to be Blake's coach, huh? I was really enjoying the Gwen-freeness of Season 9, even though there aren't that many great singers. I guess at the very least, she can help make them over. I thought she and Blake would be over by now, but it must be true love. Hopefully, she'll only be around for the knock-outs, or whatever they're called now.

 

Yes, Lake and Down, I thought Blake's last minute turns were just to mess with her. I've enjoyed having her back on the show so much. She and Blake always seem to have so much fun together.

[kj4ever]

I really suspect that a lot of Blake's last minute turns were to help Christina.  The show would love to see Christina win.  It wouldn't look good for her return if her team is made up of mostly 1 chair turns.  When Christina was the only one turned Blake hit his button at the last minute.  Then they had the fake fight between them for the singer before the singer picked Christina.  I don't think Blake ever expected those singers to pick him.  He was giving Christina more attention.   

 

I thought this too.  Blake is such a great guy.  I want to punch all of the female coaches for their whole "A GIRL needs to win this year" pitch.  If they got someone like Alicia Keys to be a judge a girl probably would win!  I like Shakira and Gwen because they seem like awesome people, but let's face it - they aren't the best coaches in the world.  Then Christina ends up with a bunch of screaming belters and has only made it into the top six with Jacquie or however she spells it (not counting when the show gave each coach a spot)

[candall]

I enjoyed this Best Of episode.  It didn't have any of the "no chair" disappointments--those always hurt my heart.  Some of those familiar song re-stylings were amazing.

 

I've only watched this show sporadically in the past and I thought Blake was the 800-pound gorilla judge, was surprised to learn Adam's won four out of ten times.  He must be the board leader?

 

Isn't the next phase where the judges kick out half of the contestants they just swooned over?

[Wings]

Gwen helping Blake to do some makeovers is no small thing.  Image plays a big part.  

 

Patti LaBelle, nah.  Don't dislike her, would prefer someone younger.  And I am old!  I

I enjoyed this Best Of episode.  It didn't have any of the "no chair" disappointments--those always hurt my heart.  Some of those familiar song re-stylings were amazing.

 

I've only watched this show sporadically in the past and I thought Blake was the 800-pound gorilla judge, was surprised to learn Adam's won four out of ten times.  He must be the board leader?

 

Isn't the next phase where the judges kick out half of the contestants they just swooned over?

 

 

How many has Blake won and who else has won?

Edited March 10, 2016 by wings707

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Those with eagle-eyes watching last night, how many battle round pairings were spoiled?

[Bookworm13]

wings707, Blake has 4, Adam has 3, Usher has 1, and Pharell has 1.

Edited March 10, 2016 by Bookworm13

[jjjmoss]

Blake has 50% of all T2 contestants, with 4 of them winning.

Adam has 4, with 3 winners.

Pharrell won with his only. Usher won with one of his two T2 contestants. 

CeeLo and Christina each have one runner-up.

[Padma]

I really suspect that a lot of Blake's last minute turns were to help Christina.  The show would love to see Christina win.  It wouldn't look good for her return if her team is made up of mostly 1 chair turns.  When Christina was the only one turned Blake hit his button at the last minute.  Then they had the fake fight between them for the singer before the singer picked Christina.  I don't think Blake ever expected those singers to pick him.  He was giving Christina more attention.   

I can't believe I never thought of this because I used to feel so bad for ... I think it was CeeLo, may have been Gwen and Shakira too,...for only being able to get one chair turns. Blake and Christina had me completely convinced that he was just doing a little annoying competitive schtick to add to the (fake) drama of her return and help her create a more feisty character for the audience than the other two women (not hard). 

 

But I think you're absolutely right and that between Blake's last minute buzzing in and a lot of clever editing, we got to see Christina on an equal footing with the others. (Maybe the others "letting her have" a couple of singers, too, knowing that people so outside of Blake's genre--and his sometimes-insipid and irrelevant pitches--might not choose him.) He's such a nice guy that he's perfect to play that part. Well done, show!

 

I think this season has some of the strongest talent we've seen overall.  But then Christina's awful duet (seriously, I had to put all the runs and shouting on mute--couldn't she have just SUNG it, with a LITTLE embellishment?  Guess not) reminded me of how so many people are great in their audition and then never reach that level again.  Not sure why this is--I think sometimes bad coaching as when Christina has the chance to turn someone into a belter with lots of runs (ugh)--and sometimes poor song selection, as in Pharrell's fascination with the overly familiar songs of the 1970s and 80s.  Adam pushes people out of their genre which can work out well or badly. (Hopefully he'll let Owen do as he wants. That was an amazing version of DTT in that it brought new feeling into such a familiar song.  

 

There are some real standouts so far. I hope they won't get lost (vocally and show-wise) in the coaches' battleround pairings and song selections.  I know the BR is a favorite gimmick for the show and sometimes results in some really good duets. But it has also led to some premature eliminations of people who I thought had a real chance to make it to the end (at least F6).  Good talent this season, but it's too bad that with 48 good singers, some will have to be cut (won't miss Kata, though, or Peyton who sang well, but as a very good karaoke version of SN...That would make it 46, except I think Peyton will probably stay awhile on looks..)

[candall]

Blake has 50% of all T2 contestants, with 4 of them winning.

Adam has 4, with 3 winners.

Pharrell won with his only. Usher won with one of his two T2 contestants. 

CeeLo and Christina each have one runner-up.

Hmm, I could've sworn they talked about Adam's "four wins" last night.  Sorry I got that wrong.

Edited March 10, 2016 by candall

[kj4ever]

Gwen helping Blake to do some makeovers is no small thing.  Image plays a big part.  

 

Patti LaBelle, nah.  Don't dislike her, would prefer someone younger.  And I am old!  I

 

 

How many has Blake won and who else has won?

I hear you...Christina needs someone young and fresh.  Patti LaBelle is amazing but hell she hasn't had a hit even longer than the last time Christina did (on her own).  Maybe if she got someone young and fresh it could help Christina too.

 

It seems like they are coddling Christina and trying to make her feel like everyone doesn't love Gwen/Shakira more than her.  And seriously not everyone does, but I bet the majority do.

[Wings]

I hear you...Christina needs someone young and fresh.  Patti LaBelle is amazing but hell she hasn't had a hit even longer than the last time Christina did (on her own).  Maybe if she got someone young and fresh it could help Christina too.

 

It seems like they are coddling Christina and trying to make her feel like everyone doesn't love Gwen/Shakira more than her.  And seriously not everyone does, but I bet the majority do.

 

 

I would like to see Jlo and Harry replace Christina and Pharrell and I know that is NOT a popular opinion.  LOL!   I like Pharrell personally but find him luke warm as a contender.  

[DownTheShore]

I think that Patti LaBelle is a sop to us older viewers who sometimes don't know all of the latest, greatest song meisters. For example, I didn't know who the hell Sam Smith was when they all started singing his praises. I also have no idea who Tori Kelly is, and she'll be mentoring Adam's team.

Patti I'll enjoy watching because she has a great voice. I'm also looking forward to P. Diddy because I want to get a sense of him as a person, instead of merely a celebrity image. That's what I really enjoy about the mentors - getting a better sense of the skills and savvy that has put them at the top of their field. I know that I've come to appreciate all the artists so much more because of their coaching. Not coming from a musical background, I never truly realized the amount of work it takes to get a song right.

[Sharpie66]

Tori Kelly is a really talented singer who took off on YouTube after appearing briefly on American Idol. She was up for a Best New Artist grammy this year. She has a great ability to scat as well as belt.

[Cramps]

I'm enjoying Christina a lot more this season than I used to. She seems more fun and comfortable with the guys and less like a diva hothouse flower. She also fights harder for contestants than the other female coaches have , which I like.

[jjjmoss]

Tori Kelly is a flop who despite boatloads of promo performances still can't manage to crack the top half of the Hot 100. Most people don't know her, regardless of age.

 

Sam Smith is huge though, with big awards and millions of albums and singles sold.

[viajero]

Calling Tori Kelly a flop is more than a bit harsh.  She may not be a phenom like Sam Smith and may never quite become another Katy Perry, but she's a talented well respected young singer-songwriter with a growing quite enthusiastic fan base and generally positive critical reviews.  She's only put out one album so far, which included two singles that already went gold and a third that could still get there.  As is often the case, the true test will be whether her sophomore album can build on this initial success, but its quite premature to assume that it won't.

 

Plus, i think her experience in getting completely shafted on AI and then overcoming this setback by starting from the ground up, putting out her own music on YouTube and doing gigs at small out the way clubs until she was finally noticed by one of the big boys (namely Scooter Braun) could be quite relevant to the Voice contestants she will be mentoring.

 

I think you'll also find that most young people quite definitely know who she is.

Edited March 11, 2016 by viajero

[kj4ever]

Calling Tori Kelly a flop is more than a bit harsh.  She may not be a phenom like Sam Smith and may never quite become another Katy Perry, but she's a talented well respected young singer-songwriter with a growing quite enthusiastic fan base and generally positive critical reviews.  She's only put out one album so far, which included two singles that already went gold and a third that could still get there.  As is often the case, the true test will be whether her sophomore album can build on this initial success, but its quite premature to assume that it won't.

 

Plus, i think her experience in getting completely shafted on AI and then overcoming this setback by starting from the ground up, putting out her own music on YouTube and doing gigs at small out the way clubs until she was finally noticed by one of the big boys (namely Scooter Braun) could be quite relevant to the Voice contestants she will be mentoring.

 

I think you'll also find that most young people quite definitely know who she is.

She's playing the 4,400 seat theater in Rosemont this May and my nieces are freaking out about going and seeing her, so yeah I'd say the young people most definitely know who she is even if she isn't selling albums like Taylor Swift.  Speaking of TS, if people didn't know Tori Kelly before they probably had their interest peeked when Tori did that bitch please face during TS's acceptance speech, which was probably one of the best moments of the Grammy's this year...lol  Oh and she did a pretty amazing duet too...