Time just flies when you're watching The Voice. We're just two weeks into season eight with Ada Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams, and the teams all are starting to fill out nicely. After three talent-filled shows to kick off the seasons, things really slowed down tonight.
Yes, there were some talents, but none matched earlier stunners, like last nights India Carney. At the end of the day, this was a standard episode of The Voice. Coach banter, sob stories, auditions. La la la.
Here's who sang well:
The Good:
Jeremy Gaynor, "Superstar": Jeremy Gaynor is a solider about to have his first child, so he's leaving the comforts of that career for... music? I don't get the logic. ANYWAY. He has the buttery, soulful voice that any good R&B crooner should have, and he used it well on this Carpenters cover. It's yet to be seen how much range he has, but for the blind audition, it was a four-chair turner. Team Christina.
Brian Johnson, "Reason to Believe": Brian Johnson sees like a very good person. He gave up his career in music in order to take care of his father, who has multiple sclerosis. He was bullied in high school not just for his looks but for his high voice, though that is very much his strong suit now. Brian cut through this song like a knife, and he sold his brand of pop rock well. While he would be a logical choice for Team Adam, he was all about being a unique voice on his team, so he landed on Team Blake.
Corey Kent White, "Chicken Fried": So, this guy's fro Oklahoma, so he was always going to land on Team Blake. There's a very relaxed vibe surrounding Corey Kent White, and he brought that energy into the stage. Though there is a country singer inherently in Corey, there is a rock 'n' roll edge to him, with more rasp and gravel in his voice than a twang. It's unique, and though Team Blake is stacked with country singers, none are quite like this guy.
The Bad:
Briar Jonnee, "Take A Bow": This Rihanna song seems like a good choice for The Voice because it's basically all runs, but in application by Briar Jonnee, it gets a little boring. This grocery store clerk oversings "Take A Bow" in some points and leaves it to hang in others. Despite her pop leanings, Christina kept away from this one, leaving Pharrell and Blake to duke it out. And, of course, she went for Team Pharrell.
Koryn Hawthorne, "My Kind of Love": This teen (who works at Little Caesar's!) sings well beyond her years, with a tough yet smooth lower register that resonates throughout the room. The depth of her voice is unusual, and it definitely helps to make Koryn Hawthorne a standout performer, even if she definitely had some technical issues with hitting the notes right on the head. If she works enough with her coach Christina, she could fare decently on The Voice, but don't see her winning.
The So-So:
Ashley Morgan, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody": At first, this performance sounded a little bit like karaoke - and maybe it was the fairly cheesy song choice. (No offense, because we obviously know Whitney Houston is a star for all time.) But, Ashley Morgan built this song up and up, starting to really shine in the chorus. She has just the slightest bit of grit in her voice, reminiscent of Kelly Clarkson. And she pulled off the key change flawlessly. Despite some potential, there's no indication of who exactly Ashley is as an artist, and even she admitted that she wasn't so sure. That's a problem, and if she wants to move forward she has to learn who she is stat. Team Pharrell.
Lexi Davila, "Dreaming Of You": THIS POOR GIRL. She was so nervous that she was shaking. Because of these nerves, Lexi Davila lacked some charisma. She came, she sang her Selena song, and she stood cautiously as the judges debated her fate. Lexi's youthfulness was definitely audible in her voice, which I'm not a huge fan of, and her nerves were out of this world. So, she needs to get over that if she wants to make it past the second rounds. Team Adam.
Brenna Yaeger, "The House That Built Me": It takes a lot of nerve to sing a Miranda Lambert song to Blake Shelton's back, but for Brenna Yaeger, this song is personal. Her backstory is that she grew up in a log cabin, and her last happy childhood memories come from that place before her parents divorced. So, it's very personal. This emotion rolled out of Brenna, and it showed in the passion of her performance. She was a little too hushed for a country singer, and she needs to grow in confidence. Of course, she landed on Team Blake, and there's some stiff competition there.
Jack Gregori, "Ring of Fire": Wow, does this guy sound like a dad. Jack Gregori is an old school country singer, with a deep, silky baritone that was a perfect fit for this Johnny Cash classic. He's old and sounds it, but that works for him, giving The Voice a, well, voice that it hasn't heard in quite some time. This one went to Team Adam.
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