S13.E18: Live Top 12 Performances

[Star Aristille]

From TV Guide:

The top twelve artists perform live in front of coaches Adam Levine, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, and Blake Shelton for America's vote.

This is a two-hour episode and the first live episode of the season.

[Star Aristille]

Songs for tonight:

Team Adam
Adam: "Against All Odds" by Mumford & Sons
Addison: "She Used to be Mine" by Sara Bareilles
Jon: "Why I Love You" by MAJOR

Team Miley
Ashland: "Delta Dawn" by Tanya Tucker
Brooke: "Praying" by Ke$ha
Janice: "The Story" by Brandi Carlile

Team Jennifer
Davon: "Love on Top" by Beyoncé
Noah: "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay
Shi'Ann: "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey

Team Blake
Chloe: "Thank You" by Dido
Keisha: "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight & the Pips
Red: "The Church on Cumberland Road" by Shenandoah

Make of these what you will.

Edited November 20, 2017 by Star Aristille

[peachmangosteen]

Wow, I actually like a lot of these choices. Shocking!

11 minutes ago, Star Aristille said:

Songs for tonight:

Addison: "She Used to be Mine" by Sara Bareilles

Dammit, this is gonna get me so emotional!

[Jabu]

Guess it's irrelevant with the song choices listed, but I'll do it, anyway.

Current team rosters/cheat sheets:

Team Adam
Addison Agen
Jon Mero
Adam Cunningham

Team Miley
Brooke Simpson
Janice Freeman
Ashland Craft

Team Jennifer
Davon Fleming
Noah Mac
Shi'Ann Jones

Team Blake
Keisha Renee
Red Marlow
Chloe Kohanski

[Star Aristille]

Well, the first night of the Lives actually wasn't bad at all!  In fact, it was very good!  Some band problems, as is expected with the early live shows, but still some good singing and music!

So now for the performances:

Brooke: She slayed this Ke$ha song.  Probably not the most technically perfect, but still really solid.  I liked that performance a lot more than her Playoff performance (which, granted, was also pretty damn good)!  She started rough but once she found the right spot, everything else was pretty spot-on.

Red: Uh . . . was this supposed to be good?!  I've heard better at county fairs!  This is so "performance you can see at any pub!"  Didn't like or care for this at all.  This, plus the band getting the best of him multiple times, has me absolutely hoping that he'll be in jeopardy tomorrow night, or at least one of the last ones called safe.  Then again, he's country and on Team Blake, so he'll probably be safe for a few weeks.  Damn it.

Shi'Ann: It's funny.  I listened to her studio version before the show, and it actually didn't sound too bad.  It was decent, in fact.  But this?  Her live performance?  Not as good as the studio version, but not terrible, either.  She really needs diction lessons, because I couldn't understand the lyrics in places.  She doesn't know how to enunciate well.  And surprisingly, not too many runs!  Still, I give her props.  She took a big Mariah song and did it well.  It wasn't perfect, excellent, or even great.  But it was somewhere between decent and good.  Still, she's not as popular as anyone in the top twelve, so it wouldn't surprise me if she charts low on iTunes and is the first one eliminated, after all, as I've been predicting.

Jon: Way too much falsetto.  Sounded good in parts, but kind of uneven in others.  Also, not a good thing when you manage to come off as quite boring in your performance.  I think that while he's one of the better technical singers and clearly is a performer . . . I still don't find him that great, in general.  Maybe it's because he still finds a way to come off way too polished, arrogant, and just plain disingenuous to me.  Intentional or not, I get such a cocky vibe from him.  Think he might skate past the vote this week, but I wonder about the weeks that follow this one.

Ashland: Seriously?  We seriously lost Moriah for her?  She had the right song for her, and she again shows that she has a good voice, but I think she lacks confidence and possibly star quality.  It went from okay to being a complete mess.  Well . . . at least it get better in the second half, but still not very, wholly good.  But it's country, so America will love her and put her through.  Plus, she was drowned out by the band in some spots, so it wasn't totally her fault.

Adam: This wasn't terrible, per se, but it was still pretty messy.  He was messing it up from the first line, really.  Even worse, it was his choice to do the song, so he can't blame Adam (the coach) for the poor job he did.  And worst of all, both Adam and Blake didn't shower him with praise.  They just continued to harp on his mistakes.  If there's a bus being driven over someone, it's definitely this guy.

Chloe: Now, here's where everyone started getting really good, IMO.  Not surprised that she struggled with her head voice, but I enjoyed everything else about it.  She did have to fight with the band, but I think she handily beat them.  The four-chair standing ovation was well-earned.

Davon: I knew he'd do well with a Beyoncé song, and he didn't disappoint at all!  I loved it!  I thought it was keyed too high at first, but I then remembered that it was Davon singing!  He can sing in any key!  This was damn near close to perfect, and I definitely think he'll get through tomorrow.

Addison: Oh.  My.  God.  She might be one of the best singers we have this season.  This was incredibly breathtaking.  There was a part in the ending where she got drowned out by the band, though, and it was so bad, it sounded like a sword was piercing her stomach, but it was her best performance up to this point.  One of my favorites tonight.  It's just terrible that she's on Adam's team.  Though at least he's actually trying with his song choices for her.

Keisha: Hmm.  Taking a Gladys Knight song and making a country arrangement out of it was an interesting choice.  And it was an interesting choice that was pretty good.  The vocals were very good, and the arrangement was cool . . . but not together, because the vocals still sounded R&B, and the arrangement was country.  I don't think it was better than Brooke, Davon, or Addison, but better than Chloe and everyone else who performed in the first half.  Could get through the votes tomorrow.

Noah: Once again, a great job done by him.  I never thought he'd do something as risky as trying Coldplay, but I'd say it was a risk that definitely paid off.  He had to fight it out with the band at least once, but otherwise, very strong and very solid.  Should absolutely get the votes to get by.

Janice: A few iffy notes at the start, but she came back and crushed it.  Great job!  She slayed that performance.  I'd actually never heard of that song before, but Janice made me want to listen to the original to see how she compares to it.  Nonetheless, as I said, she did a great job and was a worthy act to close the show (though I might've preferred her and Noah being switched around).

Very good episode.

Edited November 27, 2017 by Star Aristille

[Dots And Stripes]

I thought a lot of people had their worst performances yet including Davon, Ashland, and Adam. I love the song Addison performed, but I thought her timing was off and I was disappointed. Brooke's voice didn't seem to fit the song. I didn't like Jon's choice to stay in such a high register for so long. 

Janice was my favorite for the night. I thought Keisha was better than I was expecting. I voted for Janice, Brooke, and all of Team Blake.

[Cindyluwho]

Please send Red home.  

Miley looked lovely tonight!

Edited November 21, 2017 by Cindyluwho

[sweetcookieface]

Pretty good performances. Janice and Noah were my favorites of the night.

Team Adam
Addison Agen: Great job. She probably has my favorite voice this season, and the song seemed like a good fit, but for some reason I wasn't blown away.
Jon Mero: Impressive range! I didn't feel as connected to this as some of the other performances, but I definitely respect it.
Adam Cunningham: I like his voice, but I found this kind of forgettable (I must not have been paying much attention because I didn't even notice the mistakes).

Team Miley
Brooke Simpson: I only caught the end, but I''m starting to think she needs coaching to rein in some of the runs. I think she has such a beautiful, pure voice, but I get a bit turned off by all the runs (I even felt this way with her universally lauded Man's World performance).
Janice Freeman: I like how unexpected this was for her. In the beginning, I was thinking it was risky to sacrifice one of her comparative advantages (POWER!), but then she started belting, while still showing a softer side during some verses. Probably my favorite performance of hers and one of the best of the night.
Ashland Craft: OK, but forgettable.

Team Jennifer
Davon Fleming: I respect his ability, but this felt a bit sloppy to me for some reason.
Noah Mac: Maybe tied with Janice for my favorite of the night. It really just felt like I was at a concert.
Shi'Ann Jones: I thought she acquitted herself quite nicely.

Team Blake
Keisha Renee: Beautiful voice, great performance, but I wish she'd carve out her niche a bit more. Even though I"m not a country fan, I think it would be interesting to see a performance with more obvious country influences. 
Red Marlow: Boring.
Chloe Kohanski: This was one of those performances where I could see the critique going either way. I thought Blake's comment - that she's one of the most well-rounded performers - was an odd one, because I don't think that's true; she actually seems like she has a pretty limited range (some breaks in her voice at the higher notes) and she doesn't have a super powerful voice. However, I don't think all that matters; I love what she does. This didn't reach the heights of her Landslide performance (my favorite of the season), but she's still one of the ones I'm most excited to watch.

[Star Aristille]

Okay!  The first iTunes update for the season:

34. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
35. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
51. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
58. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
82. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
95. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
99. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
119. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
125. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
127. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
152. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
226. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

But there are still MST and PST bumps for which to account later on.  Be back once those come in.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Star Aristille

[Sharpie66]

Noah was his usual excellent self. I really liked how Keisha changed up Midnight Train even though the post upthread was spot on—the arrangement was country but the vocals were R&B, which led to tension that took power away from the performance. 

Biggest disappointment for me was Ashland doing Delta Dawn, which is one of my favorite songs. Waaaay too much volume throughout! This song needs to at least start out soft and delicate, and you can lead to belting it out by the end. 

Red can go home now, but Shi’Ann didn’t really do a great job either, IMO. She can’t hold a note without adding a really unnecessary run.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Sharpie66

[soamused]

Noah made me hack back into my long-abandoned itunes account so I could buy his songs.  Versatility and musicality - I agree that he was his "usual excellent self" and yet in a very different way than in past performances.

[Star Aristille]

Current results, now with MST bumps:

23. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
31. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
34. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
50. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
62. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
66. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
85. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
102. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
105. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
115. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
123. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
198. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

A few jumps, but Adam's the only one to pass someone up, nosing past Ashland.

But there is still the PST bump for which to account later on.  Be back once that comes in.

Really wouldn't be surprised if Shi'Ann's one of the bottom two tomorrow.  Despite Davon's current position, he's got an online following that'll keep him safe, I think.  It's Adam, Red, and Ashland who should be worried.

[Sharpie66]

Oh, a totally shallow comment—Chloe’s black and white outfit might be the best clothing choice ever made on this show. Seriously fantastic look on her!

[Star Aristille]

25 minutes ago, Sharpie66 said:

Oh, a totally shallow comment—Chloe’s black and white outfit might be the best clothing choice ever made on this show. Seriously fantastic look on her!

And it went perfectly with the "Thank You" background she had!

Anyway, no PST bumps just yet, but a few more jumps:

19. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
26. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
32. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
45. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
59. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
62. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
81. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
96. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
100. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
107. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
120. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
184. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

Source: http://www.livepopbars2.com/lpb1024.php?ref=lpb5&t=1511242651.

[Padma]

Why would Miley choose a done-to-death song like Delta Dawn and then let her take away any delicacy from it? I kept wondering if she were asked what it was about, if she would know.

Very disappointed about Keisha and "Midnight Train".  It could have been adapted for country--she should have immersed herself in country ballads so she could hear it differently. Even a song like "Country Roads" would have helped, I think. Instead it was exactly as Star Aristille said, "the vocal was still R&B and the arrangement was country."  Blake gave her a country arrangement for it, but in her head she was still hearing R&B.  He should have bailed on the idea and just given her a straight up country song.

I hope Chloe didn't peak with "Landslide". "Thank you" was meh to me. .

I think Adam's ego got in the way with Adam C. tonight. He probably wanted musicians in the audience to know that he caught the mistakes. He should have barely mentioned it as certainly few in the audience would notice (as is usually the case with performances everywhere). The way he went on left  a negative impression that probably wouldn't have been there otherwise.

I'm not blown away by Noah, but I see what people like. He has looks and a star quality and can deliver a performance. I was impressed that he seized the opportunity to try to brand himself as multi-talented, playing guitar and writing and recording his own arrangement. (I didn't like it, but who cares? He showed himself as a performer and is making people realize he's versatile and more than a pretty face.).  He actually does nothing for me, but I could see him wining with his combo.

Red or Shi-Ann should leave first. 

[Star Aristille]

Current results with PST bumps starting to come in now that the show has ended over there:

19. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
20. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
32. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
41. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
58. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
60. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
80. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
94. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
96. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
102. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
108. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
176. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

Adam has now nosed past Red, as well.

More of the bumps coming later a little later, probably after they've calmed down.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Star Aristille

[Sugar]

I agree that the first half was "meh", but the later contestants really made it worth watching.

Janice was my favorite of the night, and is now my favorite overall. I love that song, and I didn't think anyone could do it as well as Sarah Simmons did on her season, but Janice captured the raw emotion of it perfectly - and her voice sounds SO GOOD when she's doing rock-ish songs. I love her voice, I love her vibe, and I hope she continues to blow us all away. I'd be very happy with a Janice win. On top of having the talent and charisma, she just seems like such a sweet, genuine person.

This was the first time that I "got" Addison. Her previous performances left me bored and wanting more, but I thought this was beautiful, and she played with the dynamics of her voice really nicely. I think why I haven't warmed to her as much, is that she's the kind of voice that sounds great on the radio, but isn't that exciting to watch on a competition show like this. She needs to pick songs that aren't just at one level, but have moments where she can break out and do something special.

I did like Brooke, but I found her too "showy" tonight, and I'm no longer rooting for her as hard. I also don't think she has star quality despite having a great voice; I always have to be reminded that she's even on the show!

Loved Noah, and I think Adam hit it on the head when he referred to Noah's time-bending persona; he totally does look like a 1950's teen heartthrob and he acts like an old soul - but he seems perfectly at home doing Coldplay. It's very bizarre. I'm kind of interested in him doing an electro pop/rock version of standards/oldies , just to see what it'd sound like. Synth Pop Elvis? Electro Sinatra? I'm here for it.

I'm not feeling Keisha, and I question the whole country route. I'm thinking she may be marketing herself as a country artist just to stand out from other female diva/soul singers, because I do not get a country vibe from her at all. AT ALL. I get that she doesn't have a traditional country voice, and she can't really help that, but it's that she doesn't even sing in that style - all of her stylings and choices are straight gospel. It's like someone stated up thread, they give her a hat and necktie, a country song, and a country arrangement, but then she sings like a church singer. She has a killer voice for sure, but nothing she's doing is country.

I also felt that Davon's performance was messy; like he was doing too much and trying too hard. Mind you, that song is a BEAST, and I'm impressed that he was able to keep up, but it felt labored. Also, I think he started too high, because we missed the richness of his middle-lower register, which is one of his sweet spots. It also didn't have the build that I was hoping for, where by the time the key changes for the first time, it's a wow factor; instead it felt like he went big about a third into the song and then didn't have anywhere else to go.

JUDGES: Keep your damn shoes on. It was cute one or two times, but now it's just silly, and takes away from the artist. Just say they were good and move on.

[Star Aristille]

All right.  All PST bumps are in, so here are the current results:

17. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
20. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
21. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
39. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
50. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
52. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
75. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
90. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
94. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
97. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
100. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
171. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

So out of everyone, only Shi'Ann hasn't broken the top one-hundred.  Can you say "eliminated tomorrow," everyone?

Edited November 21, 2017 by Star Aristille

[Star Aristille]

Current iTunes results:

16. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
19. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
21. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
39. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
47. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
48. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
72. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
86. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
93. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
95. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
100. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
167. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

Addison, Chloe, Noah, Keisha, Brooke, Adam, Red, Davon, and Shi'Ann all continue to rise, with Noah and Davon each actually passing a competitor, with Noah overtaking Keisha and Davon overtaking Ashland.  Meanwhile, Janice and Jon stay the same.  Unfortunately, Ashland is the only one to actually fall, meaning her peak has likely already been reached.

More to come during the night.

[Star Aristille]

Here's another update:

16. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
18. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
21. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
39. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
44. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
47. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
70. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
86. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
93. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
94. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
99. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
164. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

Chloe, Noah, Keisha, Brooke, Davon, and Shi'Ann all continue to rise, with Davon now overtaking Red.  Ashland has also started to rise again, if only by one place.  Meanwhile, Addison, Janice, Jon, and Adam all stay the same.  Unfortunately (well, fortunately for most of us), Red is the only one to actually fall, meaning his peak was likely reached.

More to come.

[Star Aristille]

Final update before I turn in for the morning:

12. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
17. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
21. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
40. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
44. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
48. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
71. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
86. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
93. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
96. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
100. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
167. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

So Addison jumps up and nears the top ten.  Chloe is also the only other one to nose up.  Janice, Noah, Adam, and Davon all remain constant.  But Jon, Keisha, Brooke, Red, Ashland, and Shi'Ann all fall.

Final overall update for this week after I get up.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Star Aristille

[atlantaloves]

God, can any of these idiots sing on key, that was painful except for Davon and Janice. Yipes. 

[Kaiju Ballet]

I continue to be perplexed at the accolades thrown Chloe Kohanski's way. Maybe it's because I keep preferring the original versions (by far) of the songs she's given. While I liked her suit, I was distracted by the busy graphics and the thick chemical burn-looking makeup on her eyes. Unfortunately, I remember that more than her actual performance.

Poor Shi'Ann. I initially rooted for her because she does have undeniable talent, but she's just not ready yet to perform at this level. It's almost cruel to keep her. When the backup singers started walking onto stage to join her, she seemed to look even younger, like a kid trying to hold her own unsuccessfully among grownups.

Obviously it's not just a chronological age thing. Noah Mac was awesome in his performance and interpretation. In the opening montage, his speaking voice stood out from all the others--he wasn't featured as much but that little bit was golden. He's become the one I look forward to seeing.

Addison was my big surprise of the evening. Her tones were so sweet and controlled, I wasn't even distracted by the cheesy visuals on the screen. Her styling was perfect for her too. The whole performance was enjoyable, and a true standout.

I don't hate the opening spot going to Brooke and Janice closing the evening. Davon did well, although I still mourn not being able to see what Chris and Moriah would have done.

Totally agree with Star Aristille's assessment of Keisha. I want to like her, but that performance was not something I could root for. It was a mash up that didn't work.

[Magic]

Interesting that Chloe's performances now have three including this week in the top 200 (TAT 93, Landslide 65).  One of Addison's songs (AFM 167) also cracked the top 200.  One of Noah's previous songs is also still in the top 200 (ITAT 145).  Addison has made it to the top 10 and is now at 9.  That was a great song for her.  It is going to be interesting how things shake out the next few weeks.  Kind of interesting that Miley cut both Chloe and Addison.  I wonder if she is kicking herself now.  

Keisha needs to be making a lane for herself not muddying the waters.   If she wants to be country she should make herself stand out in that lane.  It's time to bring the fans together, not keep confusing them.

The band really can get in the way of hearing these contestants - a LOT.  You would think they would have learned to dial it down by now.  Even on iTunes the band is sometimes too loud.

[Mystery Author]

Quote

Noah Mac: Maybe tied with Janice for my favorite of the night. It really just felt like I was at a concert.

THIS! I could listen to both of them over and over. I'm giving Janice the edge, but not by much.

Poor Shi'Ann. I feel for the kid. But maybe with a good voice coach and the PR from her appearances on Voice (and her pretty face), she can carve out a nice career.

[viajero]

I’m still not sure how I feel about this episode.  I thought most of the contestants did fairly well, with the obvious exception of the total mess Adam made of his song.  But only Janice gave us her best of the season.  I thought that was also the best of the night.

Addison came pretty close and was my other favorite of the night.  Glad to see that she made it into the Top 10 on iTunes.

I wasn’t nearly as impressed by Noah’s performance as many here.  I normally like the way he changes things up, but this time I don’t think he really improved what is one of Coldplay’s weaker songs.  On the other hand, I did like what Chloe did with Thank You and can understand why she ended up second on iTunes. I do hope she does something a little grittier next week.

Brooke was better than last week, this time saving the runs for the later part of the song.  I was impressed by that lower register she showed off at the beginning.  But she still was not as good some of her earlier performances.

Jon was good as well, but I agree with Star Aristille that he overdid the falsetto.  

I still don’t know what to make of Keisha, but she did show us once again that she has a great voice.

I think the bottom-two should come out of Adam, Shi’Ann, Red and Ashland.

[SunnyBeBe]

I don't understand about Chloe and Thank You,  I found it painful.  Oh well......I don't get it.  

Loved Brooke. Praying she can hang in there. 

[Star Aristille]

On ‎11‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 1:07 PM, Magic said:

Kind of interesting that Miley cut both Chloe and Addison.  I wonder if she is kicking herself now.

Oh, she is.  She really is.  Now, granted, these happened during the pre-taped stages, when Miley had no way of knowing how popular Addison and Chloe would actually turn out to be with the viewers and voters.  That's always one of the pitfalls for the coaches during those stages.  They never know how well or poorly an artist on their team will be received till after they go home, watch, and see how they're perceived online.

Still, should Adam indeed win with Addison or Blake with Chloe, Miley's going to be regretting her choices for the rest of her life, I imagine.  Occasionally, Adam still drops regrets on social media about giving up Josh Kauffman to Usher from time to time, so choices like that can come back to haunt a coach every now and then.

Anyway, with the voting closed, the final results of this week are up:

9. Addison Agen - Team Adam: "She Used to Be Mine"
17. Chloe Kohanski - Team Blake: "Thank You"
22. Janice Freeman - Team Miley: "The Story"
40. Jon Mero - Team Adam: "Why I Love You"
41. Noah Mac - Team Jennifer: "Speed of Sound"
49. Keisha Renee - Team Blake: "Midnight Train to Georgia"
63. Brooke Simpson - Team Miley: "Praying"
88. Adam Cunningham - Team Adam: "Against All Odds"
92. Davon Fleming - Team Jennifer: "Love on Top"
94. Red Marlow - Team Blake: "The Church on Cumberland Road"
97. Ashland Craft - Team Miley: "Delta Dawn"
167. Shi'Ann Jones - Team Jennifer: "Vision of Love"

Congrats to Addison for getting the first multiplier of the season!  Also, Noah, Brooke, Davon, Red, and Ashland managed to move up in the final few hours, as well.  Chloe, Jon, and Shi'Ann all remained constant.  But Janice, Keisha, and Adam all fell in the final stretch.

And with Shi'Ann being the only one not to even make the top one-hundred, I'm more than certain she's one of the bottom two tonight.  Question is whom among Adam, Red, or Ashland will likely be there with her?

Edited November 23, 2017 by Star Aristille

[Mr. R0b0t]

Some folks have danced around this a bit, but I’m just going to let it fly....this season has sucked. Admittedly, I’ve been watching the singing reality shows from star search, to Apollo, and AI season 1 through today and still get goosebumps  when someone nails the performance-voice-song-arrangement combo. This seasons Voice has me rationalizing middling performances as good just trying to justify watching an episode. I still watch waiting for those moments that drive me to rewind the TiVo and go to iTunes. Chloe’s Landslide has been the best thing I remember from this season so far and now it feels like she’s chasing its ghost.  

 

The shoe thing is tired and has been since the first time. I do recognize that maybe it’s just not meant for me because some ppl seem to understand it. 

 

If you can’t slay Vision of Love like this or turn the song upside down via an original arrangement, don’t even try.  Just no.  

 

its easy to forget the tour de force she was at 20(!) given how she acts today. But to go out on that stage and do this.?  Shut. It. Down. 

[Star Aristille]

2 minutes ago, Mr. R0b0t said:

Some folks have danced around this a bit, but I’m just going to let it fly....this season has sucked.

If everyone else here has actually liked and/or appreciated this season, then no one's "danced around" anything.  I've found this season way more enjoyable than at least the last two.

[viajero]

Just a few days ago I was thinking that I would like someone to cover I Used to Be Mine this season.  I think its only been done once before on this show (and not very well).  But I never thought Addison would be the one to do it.  I think what made it work for her was that she didn't try to copy Sara Bareilles, but adjusted the arrangement up to match her own voice and style.  I can't say I like it as much as the original (which would be next to impossible), but I thought she did a great job.

 

2 hours ago, Star Aristille said:

If everyone else here has actually liked and/or appreciated this season, then no one's "danced around" anything.  I've found this season way more enjoyable than at least the last two.

I agree.  Even it this wasn't the best episode, overall this has been one of the best seasons in quite some time.  It is certainly far superior to Season 11, which for me was an all time low for this show.  That's the only season where I didn't even bother to watch the finale until like a week later.

Edited November 22, 2017 by viajero

[jhlipton]

My top picks: Addison, Noah, Keisha, Janice, Davon and, yes, dammit, Shi' Ann.

Bottom: Adam C., Red, Ashland.

I'm with @Padma -- it didn't feel like Ashland had the slightest idea what "Delta Dawn" was about. It's such a sad song, but you'd never know by the way she sang it.  And I knew Adam C. was going to ruin "Against All Odds" -- sometimes I hate being right!

[Bridget]

On 11/21/2017 at 2:38 PM, SunnyBeBe said:

I don't understand about Chloe and Thank You,  I found it painful.  Oh well......I don't get it.  

 

I'm with you!

[Bridget]

On 11/21/2017 at 0:07 PM, Magic said:

 

The band really can get in the way of hearing these contestants - a LOT.  You would think they would have learned to dial it down by now.  Even on iTunes the band is sometimes too loud.

I thought it was really hard to enjoy the performances, as crappy as many of them were, because the sound was just awful! They need to fire their Sound Tech because it was beyond painful. It was so hard for me to NOT notice the spotty audio glitches. Anyone else?

[jhlipton]

They need to hire the band from the INXS show -- they were awesome!

[SunnyBeBe]

I've been talking to a few other people that watch and they don't get the Chloe Thank You admiration at all either. We are now wondering if if it's Blake's fans trying to help him.  If he is passionate, then his fans buy it, even if, it's not all that.  Will be interesting to watch, especially with Red being in the bottom.  Hmmm......

[viajero]

10 hours ago, jhlipton said:

They need to hire the band from the INXS show -- they were awesome!

It's pretty much the same band; or at least it was when The Voice first started.  But I don't think there has been that much turnover.  It's still led by Paul Mirkovich and you still see many of the same musicians that have been with him going all the way back to RS-INXS days.  I think the problem isn't so much with the band, but rather an issue with the sound mixing. 

 

3 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I've been talking to a few other people that watch and they don't get the Chloe Thank You admiration at all either. We are now wondering if if it's Blake's fans trying to help him.  If he is passionate, then his fans buy it, even if, it's not all that.  Will be interesting to watch, especially with Red being in the bottom.  Hmmm......

I'm no Blake fan and I think Chloe is great.  I liked her right from the beginning, long before she was on Blake's team. I thought she had one of the best blind auditions.  The fact that she consistently does so well on iTunes and in various online surveys makes me think I'm not the only Chloe fan.  It's no coincidence that she still had 3 songs on the iTunes top 100 for most of this week.

[Bridget]

3 hours ago, viajero said:

It's pretty much the same band; or at least it was when The Voice first started.  But I don't think there has been that much turnover.  It's still led by Paul Mirkovich and you still see many of the same musicians that have been with him going all the way back to RS-INXS days.  I think the problem isn't so much with the band, but rather an issue with the sound mixing. 

 

Agree!!! 

My mom is a musician and I've been to more sound checks than I can count. I  have also had to advocate for musicians during their sound checks by talking to the folks at the sound boards to let them know what instruments were too loud, what needed a better balance and other issues they totally missed. I don't know what is being taught in "Sound Engineering Courses" these days, but if one has a good ear, it's not too hard to tell what needs to be done re: mixing and balance. I didn't notice it as much during night 2, but maybe they need a week to sort it out, which is one week too long in the real world.

The tell tale sign with the sound mixing/balance being awful was while I watched Adam C. struggle with "Take a Look at Me Now."  Those first 20 seconds say it all. If you watch the guitarist to his left, it's painfully obvious that he knows Adam C. can't hear him. Does it excuse Adam C. from forgetting the words? Of course not.

Remember a few seasons ago when the power went out while Kristen-with-the-short-blonde-hair (country singer) was singing? She kept going, like you do! I am giving him the benefit of the doubt; I think he was rattled by the sound issue(s), however, that is a sign (to me) that he can't hang with the realities of live performing. Those things happen and the show must go on. 

Maybe this season is cursed? Stephan on team JHud forgot the words during the Blinds? 

I've not been to the tapings myself, and the stage doesn't look any different, but maybe someone re-designed the studio and it indirectly impacted the quality of sound during a live show? Acoustics issues? New ceilings/flooring/walls?

PS: Did y'all know that Paul Mirkovich was the keyboard player for the band Nelson back in the 90s? Nelson was my first "real" concert, so when I saw his face on TV, I knew I recognized him. (During the encore of the Nelson concert, I even caught the towel thrown from the stage by the Australian guitarist Brett Garsed.)

[Star Aristille]

1 hour ago, Bridget said:

Remember a few seasons ago when the power went out while Kristen-with-the-short-blonde-hair (country singer) was singing? She kept going, like you do!

Oh, yes.  Kristen Merlin?  Season six?

[Bridget]

10 minutes ago, Star Aristille said:

Oh, yes.  Kristen Merlin?  Season six?

Thank you for the last name help! Yes! That's the one. She was AMAZING. I'm really shocked she didn't last very long in the competition; her voice was that of a star. (No pun intended!) I love the CEO of BS Prods/Sexiest Man Alive, but even I know when he spouts off about artists having "a powerful voice for country radio", no has had one (that I can recall of off the top of my head) as much as Kristen Merlin did.

I don't know if people didn't continue to vote for her (long after the tech glitch) because she was gay, and I don't want to make this into a political issue, but country fans (I'm one myself) are categorically conservative (I am not). Maybe the country fans threw their votes to Jake Worthington, which bums me out because I think Kristen is/was LIGHT years ahead of Jake, talent wise. 

[Star Aristille]

Just now, Bridget said:

Thank you for the last name help! Yes! That's the one. She was AMAZING. I'm really shocked she didn't last very long in the competition; her voice was that of a star. (No pun intended!)

She lasted a very long time, actually.  She got all the way to the semifinals (in spite of getting montaged through the first three pretaped rounds of the competition) and was primed to reach the finale (and she would've been Shakira's first artist to make it there).  Unfortunately, they changed the rules at the last second to push through Adam's last artist, the late Christina Grimmie, instead.

[Bridget]

15 minutes ago, Star Aristille said:

She lasted a very long time, actually.  She got all the way to the semifinals (in spite of getting montaged through the first three pretaped rounds of the competition) and was primed to reach the finale (and she would've been Shakira's first artist to make it there).  Unfortunately, they changed the rules at the last second to push through Adam's last artist, the late Christina Grimmie, instead.

I know - and I was so bummed. Top 5 is pretty impressive though, but I would have loved to have seen her take the "country spot" from Jake Worthington. I did not care for him. In my opinion, he didn't have any of the "star power", including a somewhat memorable voice, that many of the top 5 DO have, in some way, shape or form.

Unpopular opinion alert: I couldn't get into CG. I tried to see what the big deal was, but I just could not get excited for her performances.

I would have LOVED to have seen Kristen and Shakira go all the way! Talk about a dynamic duo!

[jhlipton]

7 hours ago, viajero said:

It's pretty much the same band; or at least it was when The Voice first started.  But I don't think there has been that much turnover.  It's still led by Paul Mirkovich and you still see many of the same musicians that have been with him going all the way back to RS-INXS days.  I think the problem isn't so much with the band, but rather an issue with the sound mixing.

Thanks for that.

[Bridget]

3 hours ago, Star Aristille said:

She lasted a very long time, actually.  She got all the way to the semifinals (in spite of getting montaged through the first three pretaped rounds of the competition) and was primed to reach the finale (and she would've been Shakira's first artist to make it there).  Unfortunately, they changed the rules at the last second to push through Adam's last artist, the late Christina Grimmie, instead.

Just saw your post - my WiFi is spotty today. I don't recall the rule change that season. Would you be so kind as to please refresh my memory? Many thanks in advance!

[Star Aristille]

5 minutes ago, Bridget said:

Just saw your post - my WiFi is spotty today. I don't recall the rule change that season. Would you be so kind as to please refresh my memory? Many thanks in advance!

Answered via PM lest this get off-topic.

[viajero]

On 11/24/2017 at 3:14 PM, Bridget said:

PS: Did y'all know that Paul Mirkovich was the keyboard player for the band Nelson back in the 90s? Nelson was my first "real" concert, so when I saw his face on TV, I knew I recognized him. (During the encore of the Nelson concert, I even caught the towel thrown from the stage by the Australian guitarist Brett Garsed.)

Paul was Pink's musical director for several years right before joining The Voice.  Lead guitarist Justin Derrico (the guy with the long curly blonde hair) also came over from Pink's band, as did other members of the original Voice band.  Drummer Nate Morton was one of the fan favorites on the RS-INXS band.  Pink's Funhouse Tour was one of the best live shows I've ever seen and much of the credit goes to Paul.  Also, on Pink's cover of Led Zeppelin's Babe I'm Gonna Leave You during that tour, Justin gave us one of the best guitar solos I've ever seen in person.

Paul and Justin continue to tour with Pink when their Voice duties permit.  In fact, Pink still performs that Zeppelin song when she has Justin with her, as can be seen from this video from a concert last summer in Budapest (I wish the quality of the sound was better but it will give you an idea)