S12.E02: The Blind Auditions, Part 2

[Vyk]

From TV Guide:

Quote

The blind auditions continue.

One-hour episode tonight due to Trump's Presidential address.

Edited March 2, 2017 by Vyk

[PhD-Purgatory15]

3 hours in and no montages, huzzah!

As much as I didn't want to see Savannah and her family go back to Alabama heartbroken.....that was not good. Seriously not good. Blake's 15 year old wasn't that great either. More controlled for sure, but nothing really distinctive about her voice either.

Jesse could be another Nick David or Laith. He's one to maybe watch on Team Adam. The last girl was good, but I didn't think it deserved the over-the-topness of Alicia's serenade. The first girl's 4 chair turn has already faded from my memory bank. Something, something ice skating coach....

[Quickbeam]

Ice skating coach+cancer. I was not terribly impressed with any of them tonight. Heard a lot of off notes and iffy song choices. 

 

ETA: boy, disaster really follows Judith Hill around! She's like the harbinger of doom. 

Edited March 1, 2017 by Quickbeam

[MaryPatShelby]

Jesse Larson wins for longest intro package.  Geez, I thought that would never end.

And obviously I didn't pay close enough attention to ice-skater's package, because I completely missed that she had cancer.  I liked her a lot though.

[JMarie99]

I liked the ice skater too. I don't think she had cancer. There was another girl whose dad died of cancer when she was one month old. 

The only ones I liked tonight were the first girl (ice skater) and the last girl, Lilli. She definitely had a retro vibe which I enjoyed. Alicia serenading her was too over the top, though. 

I thought that Nick should have gotten through over those two teenage girls. There was nothing special about them. And I hate the song "Hound Dog."

[weathered1]

I liked the ice skater's voice, too. I think she was the best of the night. 

One thing I can say about this season so far: the coaches really seem like they're enjoying themselves - they're joking with each other, laughing a lot, and just genuinely seem like they're having a lot of fun. This might be a mileage varies kind of thing, but that vibe had been missing for the past couple of seasons, imho. 

[Jabu]

Team rosters/cheat sheets:

Team Adam
Johnny Hayes (2)
Mark Isaiah (2)
Jesse Larson (1)

Team Gwen
JChosen (4)
Stephanie Rice (2)
Savannah Leighton (2)

Team Alicia
Anatalia Villaranda (4)
Felicia Temple (3)
Autumn Turner (4)
Lilli Passero (3)

Team Blake
Lauren Duski (3)
Brennley Brown (2)
Aliyah Moulden (3)

Names in bold indicate artists who've newly joined a team.  The number in parentheses represents the number of chair turns.  An asterisk indicates that this artist was montaged.

[Vyk]

I kinda agree that tonight was a bit underwhelming, talent-wise, save for a couple of them.  But nonetheless, I still had a wonderful time watching.  I guess that'll be a UO, but regardless, I enjoyed tonight.

Also, no montages!  Good form, show!  Keep this up on Thursday, maybe?

Okay.  The performances:

Autumn Turner: Very few people can take a Donna Summer song and do it as well as she did.  Well done.  Certainly worth the four-chair turn.  And I was as blown away as the coaches (especially Alicia!) when she hit that whistle tone at the end!  There's no question Alicia was probably the best bet for her, though I think Gwen's pitch would've convinced me to pick her, as well.

Jesse Larson: I did find it a bit criminal that he didn't get at least one more turn.  But given that he ended up having his sole chair turn be Adam, I'm not too worried.  He can have him.  His voice was excellent, but one-chair-turns never win, so I'm immediately counting him out.  Won't be surprised at all if he turns out to be easy fodder for Adam's team.

Aliyah Moulden: The performance was decent.  Nothing too good, but nothing too terrible, either.  As a three-chair-turn, I don't see Blake being too willing to get rid of her in the Battles, but I can see her age catching up with her in the Knockouts.

Savannah Leighton: Beautiful voice, but I can see why she only managed a two-chair turn.  A solid pop voice, but not one that's at expert levels yet.  Still, she seems like she has a sweet, rich tone that'll serve her well.  Let's see if Gwen does right by her, though.

Nick Townsend: I agreed with Alicia that while his voice was good, it was a bit too Broadway-like.  But I think if he returns, he could be a star.  He just needs some fine-tuning with his voice and perhaps a better song choice.

Lilli Passero: Definitely a good way to end the night.  She had a truly vintage sound that definitely had me feeling her the whole way through.  I was actually shocked that Adam was too picky and such a holdout when it came to her, since he likes vintage songs.  But as for her coach choice, I think she was about to pick Gwen until Alicia did her on-the-spot serenade.  After that, I agreed with Adam's tweet.  Gwen and Blake had no chance.  Alicia had her.

I have to say, Alicia's killing it, just as Blake said.  Her only artists thus far have been three- and four-chair-turns.  Gwen, whose pitches have indeed gotten so much better this season, has one four-chair-turn and two two-chair-turns.  Blake has a two-chair-turn and two three-chair-turns.  And Adam probably has the weakest team thus far with the sole (thus far) one-chair-turn and two two-chair-turns.  Still highly satisfying to see the men with no four-chair-turns yet.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Vyk

[vb68]

Oh man, I felt for Savannah because she basically had to pick Gwen after that push, but heaven help me, I did kinda want to see Gwen have the most awesome (and scariest) meltdown ever when she didn't snag the poor child.  Seriously it was a wee bit aggressive and awkward to go all  full throttle "Why don't little girls pick me?" on a 16 year old.

But , on the other hand, Alicia singing her pitch?  Badass! I wonder why Christina never thought of that. (If she did, I don't remember it.) 

[Sugar]

9 hours ago, Quickbeam said:

ETA: boy, disaster really follows Judith Hill around! She's like the harbinger of doom. 

Haven't seen the episode yet, but wasn't she a contestant from several years back? Back-up singer for Michael Jackson, I think. Did something happen to her?

[waving feather]

I thought Alicia was kind of annoying serenading the artists. It just becomes a showboat moment for herself and it went on too long (and obviously so staged). Even Lily looked confused like what is happening and she said after she had to pick Alicia because she sang to her.

[Wings]

The 16 year Gwen got through intimidation, clearly wanted Blake.  Shame on you Gwen.   

Well they got a lot of options to pair against better singers when the battle rounds begin. 

12 hours ago, weathered1 said:

One thing I can say about this season so far: the coaches really seem like they're enjoying themselves - they're joking with each other, laughing a lot, and just genuinely seem like they're having a lot of fun. This might be a mileage varies kind of thing, but that vibe had been missing for the past couple of seasons, imho. 

I agree.  I have enjoyed the banter and genuine fun they are having, too.  

On a 4 chair turn Alicia got the ice skater, Autumn.  I thought Alicia's pitch was lacking.  She did not do her earth goddess ramble about her soul but rather said the cliche, be free, be yourself.  I felt she phoned that in.  Autumn bought it because that is what she tells her students.   ???

[booboopbedoo]

Ohhhhhh Lilli!

Alicia you rocked it!

Best part of the evening!

I want to hear Lilli sing "Where the Boys are"

[ennui]

I enjoyed the jokes about Adam's sweater, because I was thinking all those same things on the first night. The stripes belong on a mime, or clown. It's probably a very expensive sweater?

Not sure where to ask this, but do the other coaches take their artists on tour? If I were competing, I'd choose Blake, simply because he seems to tour every summer and takes people from his team along. I don't think Adam, Alicia, or Gwen tour as frequently (but I could be wrong). 

Edited March 1, 2017 by ennui

[limecoke]

"You could win this whole thing!!"  Said way too much.

[ennui]

2 minutes ago, limecoke said:

"You could win this whole thing!!"  Said way too much.

It's like Publisher's Clearing House. Someone has to win, why not you?

[SnarkyTart]

Day 2 of nobody to root for.  I'm waiting for somebody, anybody, to make me hope they go far because I so want to see them sing again.   C'mon, show...

Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Give me one reason to stay here
And I'll turn right back around
Said I don't want to leave you lonely
You got to make me change my mind
(courtesy Tracy Chapman)

[Vyk]

3 hours ago, ennui said:

Not sure where to ask this, but do the other coaches take their artists on tour? If I were competing, I'd choose Blake, simply because he seems to tour every summer and takes people from his team along. I don't think Adam, Alicia, or Gwen tour as frequently (but I could be wrong). 

Pharrell took his entire season eight team who made the Lives (Sawyer Fredericks, Koryn Hawthorne, Mia Z, Caitlin Caporale, and Lowell Oakley) on tour with him, as did Christina with her season eight team who made the top twelve (India Carney, Kimberly Nichole, and Rob Taylor).  Allegedly, Adam took Matt McAndrew and Chris Jamison with him on one of his Maroon 5 tours, as well.  But that's all I can think of.

Edited March 2, 2017 by Vyk

[PepperMonkey]

Clearly, it's producer manipulated, but they can stop now with the Blake and Gwen sitting in a tree, k i s s i n g..... Even Adam calling them the lovebirds.... come on guys, we get it, we've gotten it for over a year now.

On to the show: yeah, some of the really youngies are getting on my nerves. Like I want them off my lawn right now.

My favourite of the night was the one who did Last Dance, but I FLOVE Donna Summer and think she's underrated as an artist because she did disco. Oh hell, maybe it was my favourite because I like the song so much. Haven't seen anyone yet at all who has totally blown me away. On the positive side of that, as someone else mentioned, we don't appear to have a presumptive winner yet, so that's good. But, yes, yes, a thousand times yes, to the poster who said "you can/will win this whole thing" is being overused as the new catchphrase.

And, probably unpopular opinion, I don't care for Blake AT ALL, but I do think he takes the best care of all his contestants after the show, whether they win or not. I had no idea Christina might have taken some of hers out on tour! That seems uncharacteristally unselfish of her - lol!

Edited March 2, 2017 by PepperMonkey

[Whimsy]

While I think that Alicia serenading Lilli was something Alicia obviously had planned to do at some point- I was still very impressed with Alicia's vocals.  I am not a real fan of her style of music, so I have not really listened to her music, but to just get up cold and sing like that was pretty amazing.  I don't think Lilli was necessarily worthy of that, even though I also kind of liked her. 

So far I am just not getting why there are so many three and four chair turns. 

I am also sick of the Gwen and Blake relationship talk.  Either they should not have had Gwen come back or they should just not really talk about it.  It's annoying.  Especially when Gwen tries to use her relationship with Blake as part of her pitch.  That is completely unfair to the other coaches. 

[SnarkyTart]

3 hours ago, GenL said:

While I think that Alicia serenading Lilli was something Alicia obviously had planned to do at some point- I was still very impressed with Alicia's vocals.  I am not a real fan of her style of music, so I have not really listened to her music, but to just get up cold and sing like that was pretty amazing.  I don't think Lilli was necessarily worthy of that, even though I also kind of liked her. 

So far I am just not getting why there are so many three and four chair turns. 

I am also sick of the Gwen and Blake relationship talk.  Either they should not have had Gwen come back or they should just not really talk about it.  It's annoying.  Especially when Gwen tries to use her relationship with Blake as part of her pitch.  That is completely unfair to the other coaches. 

A big old co-sign to everything you posted.  

[Vyk]

On ‎3‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 0:39 AM, vb68 said:

Oh man, I felt for Savannah because she basically had to pick Gwen after that push, but heaven help me, I did kinda want to see Gwen have the most awesome (and scariest) meltdown ever when she didn't snag the poor child.  Seriously it was a wee bit aggressive and awkward to go all  full throttle "Why don't little girls pick me?" on a 16 year old.

But isn't being more aggressive what several of us have wanted Gwen to be?  It didn't bother me at all.  Besides, Savannah's confessional afterwards indicated that she was all right with her choice.

[vb68]

Quote

But isn't being more aggressive what several of us have wanted Gwen to be?  It didn't bother me at all.  Besides, Savannah's confessional afterwards indicated that she was all right with her choice.

Well, yeah but there's a fine line. For me, it was obvious Gwen was irritated in the moment, and it showed. It was also pretty whiny. But I don't think I would have minded as much if the contestant was an adult. 

[MaryPatShelby]

On 2/28/2017 at 8:20 PM, Quickbeam said:

Ice skating coach+cancer. I was not terribly impressed with any of them tonight. Heard a lot of off notes and iffy song choices. 

 

When I said I missed that the ice skating coach had cancer, I was responding to this post.

[Noreaster]

On 3/1/2017 at 6:59 AM, Sugar said:

Haven't seen the episode yet, but wasn't she a contestant from several years back? Back-up singer for Michael Jackson, I think. Did something happen to her?

Yes, Judith Hill was a contestant on season 4.  She was going to tour with Michael Jackson as a backup singer (I believe she was going to be his duet partner on some songs) but then he passed away.  Then a couple of years ago, she started working with Prince.  She was with him a few days before his death.  Here's the NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/22/arts/music/prince-death-judith-hill-plane.html?_r=1  

[Noreaster]

On 3/1/2017 at 7:29 PM, Vyk said:

Pharrell took his entire season eight team who made the Lives (Sawyer Fredericks, Koryn Hawthorne, Mia Z, Caitlin Caporale, and Lowell Oakley) on tour with him, as did Christina with her season eight team who made the top twelve (India Carney, Kimberly Nichole, and Rob Taylor).  Allegedly, Adam took Matt McAndrew and Chris Jamison with him on one of his Maroon 5 tours, as well.  But that's all I can think of.

This doesn't sound right.  These coaches may have kept in touch with their contestants but didn't take them on tour. Touring means to have the contestants open for them or perform with them on a bunch of concert dates.  I don't even think Christina Aguilera has toured in years.  

I think the times when the coaches have brought their contestants on tour have been during the early seasons.  Adam did with Javier Colon (season 1) and Tony Lucca (season 2).  Blake did with his season 1 finalist (Dia?), hired Gwen Sebastian (season 2) as a backup singer, and then is touring now with Sundance Head (last season's winner) and RaeLynn (season 2).  Then there might be one-offs here and there, like Matt McAndrew might have opened for one of Maroon 5's dates.  I'm not 100% sure on this, just going off memory.  

[ennui]

On 3/2/2017 at 1:00 PM, GenL said:

While I think that Alicia serenading Lilli was something Alicia obviously had planned to do at some point- I was still very impressed with Alicia's vocals. 

I've seen this clip a couple of times, but it only reminds me of Wayne Brady on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, when they'd pick someone out of the audience and Wayne would serenade her.