The coaches began to finalize their teams and began to use their final steal on night one of the Knockout Rounds. (Photo property of NBC)By: Jacob Elyachar
LET’s GET READY TO RUMBLE!
The Knockout Rounds are here!
Tonight, the artists must prove to their superstar coaches (Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, CeeLo Green and Christina Aguilera) that they are worthy of a spot in the Live Rounds.
Adding to the pressure was the coaches’ final chance to steal an artist they want to coach in the Live Rounds.
Which artists won their battles? Who was stolen? Your Voice recap starts right now…
The first pair of the night was Team Christina’s Amber Nicole and Josh Logan. Christina wanted Amber to show character from her while she did not want Josh to beat himself up! The 17-year-old kicked off the night with a powerful and passionate cover of Jessie J’s “Mamma Knows Best” while Josh made Stevie Wonder proud with his cover of “Livin’ in the City.” Christina chose Josh to represent her in the Live Rounds…however, both CeeLo and Blake fought for Amber and in the end, Amber stated that she wanted to be on Team CeeLo because…she loved a challenge!
Team CeeLo’s resident show-stoppers, Kat Robichaud and Monika Leigh, were the next pair to duel. Kat delivered a raw “You Oughta Know” that showcased attitude and fire in her eyes. It was a vocal touchdown! Monika infused soul into her song choice and took “Hit the Road Jack” to another level. While Adam sided with Kat, Blake recommended his former team member. In the end, CeeLo send Kat to the Live Rounds because of her performance.
The three-time winning coach paired two of his most unpredictable singers to battle together. Fan-favorite Holly Henry tackled Radiohead’s signature song: “Creep,” while Nic Hawk transformed Christina’s “Genie in a Bottle” into a neo-soul anthem. There were some flaws with both performances as Holly had pitch-problems during sections of “Creep” while I hated Nic’s arrangement. Despite the problems with both performances, Blake chose Nic to move on to the Live Rounds.
Adam paired two of his artists that received four chair turns together. Powerhouses Ashley DuBose and Tessanne Chin chose two favorite Top 40 hits of the past two years: Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.” I loved Ashley DuBose’s playful approach to the song and the risk that she took. However, Tessanne rocked out the original American Idol’s hit song with her impeccable vocal runs and kept her place on Team Adam!
Team Blake’s second pairing of the night was Briana Cuoco and Shelbie Z. While Briana sounded extremely pitchy during her rehearsal with Blake on No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak,” Shelbie Z had problems planning her stage presence with Carrie Underwood’s “Last Name.” Briana’s pitch problems amplified during the Knockout Rounds and it was a very unpleasant listening experience. Shelbie Z countered with a show-stopping rendition of Carrie Underwood’s “Last Name.” Blake stated that Shelbie Z outsang her competitor and sent her to the Live Rounds.
The second Team Adam pairing of the night was Grey and James Irwin. The enigmatic Grey chose Kelly Clarkson’s “Already Gone” while family man and second chancer James Irwin took on The Script’s “Breakeven.” Grey surprised me with her gorgeous vocal performance and James beautifully weaved the Irish rock band’s massive hit. This was one of Adam’s toughest decisions of the season…but in the end, Adam decided to pick Grey.
The divalicious coach only had room for one country singer on her team. Destinee Quinn dedicated her song choice of “See You Again” to two amazing women in her family. I loved her phrasing and took it to another level. Meanwhile, Olivia made Linda Ronstadt proud with her cover of “You’re No Good.” Christina decided to send Olivia to the live rounds and Destinee home.
CeeLo’s Jonny Gray and Cole Vosbury closed night one of the Knockouts with an incredible round. Cole kicked off the round with his cover of Passenger’s “Let Her Go.” I got chills listening to his cover and I think no matter what happens with his Voice journey, I think Cole has a bright future ahead of him.
Jonny closed the night with an intriguing take of the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out.” What I like about Jonny is that he is a good showman and having that quality along with a strong voice could really take him very far into the Live Shows. While the coaches were divided on which artist to pick, the “Forget You” singer chose Jonny to represent him in the Live Rounds. Adam and Blake fought hard to get Cole on their team…but in the end, Cole picked Blake as his new coach.
Tomorrow night, the Knockouts continue!
