Season Four: Blake's Country Army

[photo fox]

Shakira and Usher joined the show; Danielle eked out a win over Michelle. Discuss the feel-goodest season of The Voice here.

[kj4ever]

This was one of the most interesting seasons for me.  Adam tanked a totally stacked team, Blake marched on with his first ever all country team, Usher showed us a whole new coaching style, and Shakira was a welcome, refreshing change from Christina.

 

Sarah and Judith, in my opinion, were two of the most talented we've ever seen on this show, but both got progressively worse with Adam's mentoring.  Amber thrived, but his comments like "I hate America" when he realized Amber was safe and Sarah and Judith were not really pissed me off this season.  It was like Amber thrived in spite of him, and he only showed real interest in her once this chosen ones were gone.  Typical Adam.

 

Blake dominated with a team that I didn't think was near as good as some of the people on the show, but Blake has this stuff down.  I'll admit, I hate country music, but Danielle impressed the hell out of me with her voice.  So clear and so pitch perfect.  On stage, not so much - it didn't help that Blake gave her very mature songs that I don't know how in the hell she'd relate to them.  One of the funniest contestant/mentor performances were the two of them singing "Timber, I'm Falling in Love" or something like that.  Afterwards on the red carpet someone (I think BuzzTV) asked Danielle if it was weird and she just said, "No, I just acted like I was singing with my Granpa."  Ha!

[Lily Adler]

My personal favorites this season were Sasha Allen and Amber Carrington. Amber impressed me immensely with her performances from Pink's Try to Adele's Skyfall. I belittle Levine for saying "I hate this country" when she was saved over Judith and Sarah. Unlike those two, Amber actually improved as the show progressed and had a seemingly endless supply of breath to exert those glory notes for extended periods of time. Amber gave me wicked Kelly Clarkson vibes. Sasha and Shakira gave me happy feelings throughout the show. Those two were so fun to watch together, especially when Sasha was announced safe during elimination shows. Funny how both were eliminated at the same time when they were also paired in a Battle Round together.

 

Shakira and Usher were great additions, but seriously Shakira gave us perhaps THE WORST song choice of all time on this show. Never go boy band on this show unless you put a creative spin on the song itself, especially when it's one of the most parodied Backstreet Boys songs. Usher and Michelle were fun, but I didn't like Usher playing up the 'ugly duckling' angle with her during their coach-to-pupil sessions. She wasn't ugly by no means and was a pretty girl who had a dorky sense of style. =)

 

Also personal hate of this season, the Top 5 instead of a Top 4. The Swons and Holly should have been gone in the Top 6 and we should have had a finale with Amber, Sasha, Michelle, and Danielle. Damn this show and its ever-changing format. The Swons lasting as long as they did proved to us that the country vote is strong AND a duo can be more than just cannon fodder for the Battle Rounds. After this season I was all for anyone, but Blake for the next 10 seasons.

 

Favorite Performances:

 

Judith Hill - What a Girl Wants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMOCtUP9_Vc

 

Amber Carrington & Sasha Allen - Try

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5jHt6VX7EM

 

Amber Carrington - Stay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mUKrHG_nHc

 

Amber Carrington - Skyfall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5YPu4gIpy4

 

Sasha Allen - Before He Cheats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdMqzrE7hbU

 

Michelle Chamuel & Judith Hill - Sweet Nothing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDD8PE1BWzk

 

Judith Hill - #thatPower

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5qx5HSZQvU

 

Michelle Chamuel - I Knew You Were Trouble

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXIpAy9pksE

[viajero]

Amber and Sasha were also my favorites that season.  I agree with most of your best performances as well, though I would not include Judith's last one.  Instead I would include Michelle`s Grenade (my favorite of her performances), Amber's Sad, and Sarah's One of Us.

[Lily Adler]

I just liked how different the arrangement was from the original will.i.am song and reminded me of what Judith was capable of like with What a Girl Wants. I had forgotten Sarah's One of Us. It was the only time I actually enjoyed her perform.

[TheGreenKnight]

I would say, overall, this might be my second favorite season after the first one just because, like the first season, my favorite won. :p I had mostly tuned out of season 3 after Chris Mann ended up so far behind in season 2, but probably watched more this season out of curiosity over Shakira and Usher.

 

The only other contestants I had any feelings towards were the main Swon brother (not the skinny one) and Sasha. I might have liked Sasha more than I normally would've because she was on Shakira's team, but regardless I enjoyed her "Without U" and "Before He Cheats" performances. I never got what all the hooplah was about Amber and Michelle, but I've liked contestants others didn't before myself.

Edited May 18, 2014 by TheGreenKnight