S10.E09: The Battles, Part 4

[Tara Ariano]

The battle round continues. The advisers are Sean "Diddy" Combs, Tori Kelly, Patti LaBelle and Gwen Stefani.

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Master list for the KOs (Steals in Italics):

 

Team Adam

 

Brian Nhira

Caroline Burns

Jessica Crosbie

Katherine Ho (a rare double montaged entry into the KO's)

Laith Al-Saadi

Nate Butler

Owen Danoff

Ryan Quinn

 

Team Blake

 

Adam Wakefield

Angie Keilhauer

Brittany Kennell

Katie Basden

Lacy Mandigo

Mary Sarah

Paxton Ingram

Peyton Parker

 

Team Christina

 

Alisan Porter

Bryan Bautista

Daniel Passino

Joe Maye

Kata Hay

Maya Smith

Tamar Davis

Trey O'Dell

 

Team Pharrell

 

Abby Celso

Caity Peters

Emily Keener

Hannah Huston

Malik Heard

Moushumi

Nick Hagelin

Shalyah Fearing

 

As for tonight's episode, I just knew there was no way we weren't getting a chance to see the dueling Blues guitars. Thankfully Adam didn't get suckered into picking the person who maybe has more of the right "look" and room for upside. Laith rocked it. Do I think he'll survive the KOs? No probably not....I think he may be sacrificed at the alter of Owen who seems like the only remotely match up-able person on team Adam for him.

 

Well I missed my prediction. I thought Caity and Joe would close the show and the loser would get Christina's steal. They were seriously pushing the nerves storyline w/ Joe to the point where I was half expecting Pharrell to go his way which would've been an awful decision. I loved Caity's blind and didn't think tonight's battle was nearly as much of a struggle for her as the judges made it out to be.

 

Montages....Owen is still in. Yes. Oh look, a Blake country singer defeats a non-country singer. That's only happened 97% of the time in the show's history. And...Ayanna (the final successful blind) is out the door on a montage. Not shocking considering it happened to Sydney just last season.

 

Huzzah on Blake for his Fleetwood Mac song choice. Impressive. However, there's something about Brittany's voice that doesn't sit well all the way through her phrases and verses. Trey (who?) was alright. Pretty whitebread though. A number of more deserving steal possibilities (like Mike, Kristen, or even Chelsea) are already out the door.

 

One super annoying thing was the KO previews at the very beginning of the hour spoiled Joe and Owen as battle winners. Not great editing show. I'm sure Miley will be interesting next week as well... 

Edited March 23, 2016 by PhD-Purgatory15

[Primetimer]

The genius that is Sean 'Diddy' Combs never truly gets his due, while the Battles that seem the most fun never really get aired.

Read the story

[jjjmoss]

Hoping Alisan despite winning the first 2 rounds in iTunes sales doesn't pull a Sawyer/Jordan. I'm not even amazed by her yet.

[anonymiss]

I liked when Adam said he believes how important it is to "reward the person who was genuinely the best at that moment." They don't always do that, though, but at least he did then.

 

I'm looking forward to Miley. She's a bit of a trainwreck with her image but she a talented singer.

[frogzapper]

 

As for tonight's episode, I just knew there was no way we weren't getting a chance to see the dueling Blues guitars. Thankfully Adam didn't get suckered into picking the person who maybe has more of the right "look" and room for upside. Laith rocked it.

 

I liked when Adam said he believes how important it is to "reward the person who was genuinely the best at that moment." They don't always do that, though, but at least he did then.

 

I can't deny that Laith is very talented, but for me Matt was more interesting and I'm sorry to see him go. Laith did give a stronger performance, but I'm not a fan of his singing - listening to him makes me want to clear my throat.

 

 

One super annoying thing was the KO previews at the very beginning of the hour spoiled Joe and Owen as battle winners. Not great editing show.

 

I know, right? For a minute I thought their battles had already aired and I had forgotten or missed them!

 

I'm also very disappointed that Owen was montaged!  >:(

 

[Oscirus]

One super annoying thing was the KO previews at the very beginning of the hour spoiled Joe and Owen as battle winners. Not great editing show.

 

To be fair, they were both montaged, the show didn't give a damn about them. Between Owen, Payton and Moushmi all being montaged, I have to ask wtf is going on with these montage choices? Onto the battles:

 

Laith vs Matt- Laith got the easy win here. I think if Laith makes it into the live rounds that he can do some damage.

 

Caity vs Joe- Yea Caity won, but she failed to win definitively against someone with nerve problems. That's all that needs to be said about that.

 

Brittany vs Trey- Easily the best battle of the night, Christina made the right choice with that final steal.

 

From the preview I have to say that I have a feeling that Hannah vs Shaylah is going to be a deadly knockout round. Poor Daniel thrown into the buzz saw that is Allisan. :vomit @ Nick's song choice.

 

 

 

[kj4ever]

It's so weird that I don't have a clear favorite.  I usually have a couple I'm really rooting for by now.  Maybe they are in the montaged ones.  I know i really liked Owen and Moushmi so maybe they would have been my stand outs if I could have seen them again.  Hell they still standout with being montaged.  I probably couldn't name half the people in the battle rounds that were on TV to tell you the truth.

Edited March 23, 2016 by kj4ever

[The Mighty Peanut]

Just popping in to say my ex-husband went to high school with Laith and at one point knew him relatively well. I've met him a few times (all very brief encounters--I doubt he'd remember me), but he comes across as a very genuinely kind and humble person. I've seen him play a couple of times at a shitty bar inside of a Holiday Inn Express. This sounds really corny but when he plays all the conversation in the room totally stops. He has a huge charisma.

Edited March 23, 2016 by The Mighty Peanut

[Padma]

Just popping in to say my ex-husband went to high school with Laith and at one point knew him relatively well. I've met him a few times (all very brief encounters--I doubt he'd remember me), but he comes across as a very genuinely kind and humble person. I've seen him play a couple of times at a shitty bar inside of a Holiday Inn Express. This sounds really corny but when he plays all the conversation in the room totally stops.

He's one of my favorites so far, so nice to get that behind-the-scenes about him. Actually, I'm very impressed that the room in a crummy bar stops talking to listen to him. Really impressed! It's always horrible to see talented people used as background music for a very oblivious audience. I don't really want Adam's team winning again, but I'm hoping Laith goes far and gets a great boost from this.

 

I'm still annoyed that they didn't show Katherine, Owen and Moushimi.  The least they could do is put the full battles of people montaged up online. There's strong talent this season. I hope the pairings don't get rid of a lot of it in the knockouts, as so often happens. 

[kj4ever]

He's one of my favorites so far, so nice to get that behind-the-scenes about him. Actually, I'm very impressed that the room in a crummy bar stops talking to listen to him. Really impressed! It's always horrible to see talented people used as background music for a very oblivious audience. I don't really want Adam's team winning again, but I'm hoping Laith goes far and gets a great boost from this.

 

I'm still annoyed that they didn't show Katherine, Owen and Moushimi.  The least they could do is put the full battles of people montaged up online. There's strong talent this season. I hope the pairings don't get rid of a lot of it in the knockouts, as so often happens. 

 

I read an article with one of the contestants that was montaged a few years back.  They asked her if her battle round was anywhere, and she said that even THEY didn't get to see it.  Her and her partner for both the battles and the knock outs asked the producers if they could see the footage so that they could learn from it and they were told no that they didn't "keep" it.

[basiltherat]

The producers are such jerks! They could fit all the battles into the time allotted if they didn't have all the sob stories and the coaches' "banter" /cynical

[bluepiano]

I can't deny that Laith is very talented, but for me Matt was more interesting and I'm sorry!

 

I'm also very disappointed that Owen was montaged!  >:(

 

Laith still seems to me like someone who sings in the context of being a front man for a band, and nothing special just taken as a vocalist. (And I say that with all respect, as someone who has also played in Holiday Inn lounges).

 

Wasn't Owen a four chair turn? I thought he gave one of the two or three best blind auditions, and apparently I'm not alone. I was curious to see what was going to happen with him in the battle round, because he's not a shouter, and those are the types who often win the battles.

 

I wonder if TPTB have for some reason decided he's not their cup of tea. They certainly seem to be pimping Alisan. Was it Adam who said she could be this season's Jordan Smith? When I heard that I thought, please, why would you even want to plant that idea? The absolute last thing this show needs is a third winner in a row who seemed preordained.

Edited March 23, 2016 by bluepiano

[Padma]

I read an article with one of the contestants that was montaged a few years back.  They asked her if her battle round was anywhere, and she said that even THEY didn't get to see it.  Her and her partner for both the battles and the knock outs asked the producers if they could see the footage so that they could learn from it and they were told no that they didn't "keep" it.

That's pretty inexcusable.  And from his Twitter feed, it sounds as if Owen didn't know his battle wasn't going to be shown until the battles were over. https://twitter.com/owendanoff

[desertflower]

The montages suck, and I think pretty much everyone thinks so except for the producers. Why do they insist on doing it? Are they trying to have an element of surprise? It's just stupid.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

I had a feeling Owen was going to be montaged when I didn't get even a glimpse of him during the previews the night before (full disclosure: am all in on Team Owen) but I still have hope ... I think if he makes it into the live rounds he could have a lot of support! If the fanbase is even remotely like that of AI, he's pretty much the perfect WGWG (and is also a hell of a songwriter). 

 

I admit I haven't watched The Voice in years and have no idea exactly what the format is now (only started tuning in this season because I found out Owen would be on) ... so am hoping he'll be more prominent during knockouts (that is the right terminology, isn't it?).

[viajero]

I wasn't particularly impressed with the first two battles and would rather have seen the likes of Owen and Payton instead.  At least the right people won, which is about all that’s worth saying about them other than the fact that Pharrell continues to stand out for his lame song choices.

 

The final battle was pretty good and I do think Blake made the right choice.  For me, Brittany was the only performer we saw in this episode that I’m looking forward to seeing again in the next round.

 

All those montages makes it a bit hard to rank the performers and teams, but at this point I think my Top 12 are:

 

Team Pharrell: Hannah, Moushumi, Shalyah, and Emily

 

Team Christina: Alison, Tamar, Bryan and Maya

 

Team Blake: Angie, Adam, Mary, Paxton, Brittany and Payton

 

Team Adam: Ryan and Owen

 

Needless to say, I’m not happy that Pharrell seems to have matched up Hannah and Shalyah.  I just hope one of the steals comes from that battle.

[smlait]

Needless to say, I’m not happy that Pharrell seems to have matched up Hannah and Shalyah.  I just hope one of the steals comes from that battle.

 

Shalyah is probably being set up as a steal-back for Christina.

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Actually, on a re-watch of the KO previews at the end of the episode it looks like Pharrell pairs up Shalyah with Emily Keener. Which makes more sense as they'd be his two youngest female team members...

Edited March 24, 2016 by PhD-Purgatory15

[Oscirus]

Oops, my bad, I threw everybody off. That was clearly Emily with the guitar sitting there, I must've been confused by Shaylah fading into Hannah.

 

I still can't get over how horrible that Pharell matchup was. If there was a match that should've been montaged, it was that one.

 

 

As long as Pharell doesn't pair up  his two guys, he can't go wrong in the next round imo. If I had to pick the others who could go home I'd go with Caity and probably Abby.

Xtina's team will likely be Allisan, Tamara and who cares lets be honest the others will be happy to make it to the live show.

Blake's team, I'd go Mary Sue, Adam, Paxton and possibly Payton in that spot?

Adam's team, Owen Ryan, Laith, and he'll pick Caroline though I'd probably prefer  Brian or Katherine but only if she's montaged again for laffos.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Oscirus

[kj4ever]

That's pretty inexcusable.  And from his Twitter feed, it sounds as if Owen didn't know his battle wasn't going to be shown until the battles were over. https://twitter.com/owendanoff

Yep...The contestant that said they wouldn't let them watch their battles didn't know she was montaged until she watched the show!  Can you imagine sitting there with your friends and family all excited and then BOOM you aren't even on?  I'll try and find the link when I get home.

[DarkRaichu]

The producers are such jerks! They could fit all the battles into the time allotted if they didn't have all the sob stories and the coaches' "banter" /cynical

Hey now I actually like the banters. :D  The recaps on the other hand, were excessive

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Oscirus, I like a lot of your live show picks.

 

I feel pretty confident that Adam will pick Ryan, Owen, and Caroline (I thought she would actually beat the montaged Katherine in a battle, now I think she'll beat a double-montaged Katherine in a KO). His last spot is a toss up between Laith and maybe Jessica. His steal targets might come from Team Pharrell (Nick, Moushumi, Caity)

 

Blake will advance Adam, Katie, Mary Sarah, and Peyton. I think Laith or Emily K. could be a Blake steal (Caroline too if Adam decides to cut her).

 

Obviously Christina will advance Alisan, and then either Joe or Bryan and either Maya or Tamar (probably Tamar). I guess maybe Kata gets her last spot just because she gives her team a little more personality. For her steal maybe Paxton from Blake's team. There aren't a lot of wailers left on other teams.....so maybe stealing back Lacy/Shalyah is another option?

 

Pharrell's knockouts are going to be brutal. We already know Shalyah and Emily are going up against each other. I'd lean Emily but could easily see him picking Shalyah. I hope he goes in Hannah and Moushumi's direction. Last spot will probably be Malik or Nick's. It's almost impossible to pick a Pharrell steal so I'll just say I would lean towards it coming from Team Christina (maybe the loser of Joe/Bryan) or possibly Paxton from Blake's team again. He might even salvage Daniel who's being sacrificed to this season's juggernaut.

 

Re: Caity and Joe not being montaged....That's the second time in the show's history that Blake has given a battle duo a fun Madonna song (Peyton/Gina) and both times they montaged it. Makes no sense, we could've had a fun battle instead a funeral dirge...

 

Edited cause I just saw a new commercial that spoiled Moushumi's KO song choice of New Americana (by Halsey)...

Edited March 25, 2016 by PhD-Purgatory15

[limecoke]

Miley Cyrus? Really? I like the knock-outs but this may be too much for me. Perhaps she can share the finer points of singing in your underpants while performing lewd acts on a microphone stand.

Edited March 25, 2016 by limecoke

[Koffee Kup]

Miley Cyrus? Really? I like the knock-outs but this may be too much for me. Perhaps she can share the finer points of sinoging in your underpants while performing lewd acts on a microphone stand.

Living a Miley Cyrus free life I won't be watching the knockouts.

[sydneyjane]

 

Living a Miley Cyrus free life I won't be watching the knockouts.

Well, apparently, she is joining as a coach next season, so....I guess we need to get used to it.  I think she will be fine, though. I do find some of her antics annoying, but it looks like she's giving the contestants some good advice during the knockouts. And, she knows her music.

[bluepiano]

As this show is called "The Voice" it would be nice if they gave us mentors whose career is based on the quality of their singing, and not on humping inanimate objects in their underwear.

 

Miley Cyrus is going to be a coach next year? If true, that is really depressing news.

Edited March 26, 2016 by bluepiano

[gik910]

I would have gladly watched Laith and Matt perform for the whole show.  I felt like they were just getting started when the song ended.  It really was different and I think the show can use that...it adds a different layer. Plus Laith reminds me a bit of Nicholas David from season 3 (one of my favorite contestants ever!  Man, season 3 was great...)

[Craphole Island]

Trey looks like a young, bushy eyebrowed Jason Priestly and it was throwing me off!

[kj4ever]

Trey looks like a young, bushy eyebrowed Jason Priestly and it was throwing me off!

I think he looks like a young Elvis....

[anonymiss]

As this show is called "The Voice" it would be nice if they gave us mentors whose career is based on the quality of their singing, and not on humping inanimate objects in their underwear.

Miley Cyrus is going to be a coach next year? If true, that is really depressing news.

She does have a good voice though and she does know her music.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Re: Caity vs. Joe

 

I still can't get over how horrible that Pharell matchup was. If there was a match that should've been montaged, it was that one.
Well I missed my prediction. I thought Caity and Joe would close the show and the loser would get Christina's steal.

Caity vs Joe- Yea Caity won, but she failed to win definitively against someone with nerve problems. That's all that needs to be said about that.

 

 

I was glad to see this battle, and I loved Joe, despite his nerves.  He has at least as much talent as many who have appeared on The Voice stage, and I have liked him more than quite a few who have made it to the lives.  I was rooting for him to get stolen as well.

 

Caity had a very weird way of pronouncing "honesty".  Other than that, I have to admit she did well, but she was helped out a lot by being paired with Joe, who complemented her nicely.

 

Blake's battle of The Chain between Brittany-Trey was not good, and I'm very disappointed that he kept Brittany.  In my alternate universe, Trey should have won and Joe should have gotten the steal (instead of Brittany winning and Trey getting the steal).

 

I can't remember the middle battles too well.  I thoroughly enjoyed Laith-Matt, and wish Matt had been kept over one of these forgotten winners.