Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Janice Freeman and Katrina Rose with Carson Daly following the battle they both survived on The Voice Season 13. (NBC Photo)

Jennifer Hudson used a steal to pick up Katrina Rose from Team Miley Cyrus. And Miley no longer has an all-female team after adding Stephan Marcellus.

But the “steal” of the night might have belonged to Adam Levine, who picked up teenage singer-songwriter Addison Agen after she and Karli Webster delivered a marvelous performance of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

Monday’s nine battles — three were montaged (boo! hiss!! Ugh!) mean just three battles and one steal remain heading into Tuesday night’s show.

The singers we haven’t heard from include Ashland Craft and Megan Rose of Team Miley, Natalie Stovall and Adam Cunningham of Team Blake and Ignatious Carmouch and Eric Lyn of Team Jennifer.

The lone remaining steal belongs to Blake, so we know it isn’t going to Natalie or Adam. We also know that Megan and Ashland are the country singers on Team Miley.

Hmm.

On to my recap of Monday’s show.

BEST OF THE NIGHT

Team Miley

Matchup: Addison Agen vs. Karli Webster
Song: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
Background: Karli turned three chairs with her performance of “You’re So Vain.” Her cover then became just one of four in the blinds to crack the Top 200 on iTunes. Addison, one of the teens to watch in Season 13, sang Ray LaMontagne’s “Jolene” and turned two chairs.
Outcome: Miley, regretting her decision to pair these two together, awarded the win to Karli. Adam Levine and Jennifer Hudson tried to steal Addison. She went with Team Adam.
My take: Kudos to Miley for the arrangement. Kudos to Karli, who has a magnificent voice, and Addison, who might be the show’s female Sawyer Fredericks, for pulling it off. The loser here was Miley. If her goal is to win the show, she shouldn’t have risked losing either singer.

RUNNER-UP

Team Miley

Matchup: Janice Freeman vs. Katrina Rose
Song: “Woman” by Etta James
Background: Kickboxer / singer Katrina coveed “Kozmic Blues” in a montaged performance and prompted a turn from Jennifer. Janice was one of the standouts on the season premiere when she turned two chairs singing “Radioactive.”
Outcome: Janice was declared the winner by Miley; Katrina was stolen by Jennifer Hudson.
My take: I’d watched enough YouTube video of Janice to know she’s a helluva vocalist and performer. But thankfully, Katrina was stolen. From the opening screech, she attacked that performance like a performer who was not going to be denied. She’s the singer who had my attention from start to finish.

BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THE NIGHT

Team Jennifer

Matchup: Shi’Ann Jones vs. Stephan Marcellus
Song: “Oh Darlin’” by the Beatles
Background: Stephan is the singer who muffed the opening of his blind audition performance of “Take Me to Church,” but still got Jennifer to turn. He’ll square off against Shi’Ann Jones, the youngest singer in the competition. She turned two chairs with “Drown in My Own Tears.”
Outcome: Shi’Ann was declared the winner; Stephan was stolen by Miley Cyrus.
My take: Three surprises, in fact. Shi’Ann sounded much better and was much more composed than you’d expect from the youngest singer on the show. Stephan, a one-chair turn who flubbed his blind audition opening, delivered some incredible notes. Then Miley stole a male artist, so she no longer has an all-female team.

THE COACHES GOT IT RIGHT

Team Adam

Matchup: Brandon Brown vs. Jon Mero
Song: “I Wish it Would Rain” by the Temptations
Background: Jon turned four chairs with Bruno Mars’ “Versace on the Floor.” It then became one of just four blind audition covers to crack the Top 200 on iTunes. Brandon did pretty darn well himself, prompting three chair turns with a cover of “Georgia on My Mind.”
Outcome: Jon was declared the winner. Brandon was eliminated from the show.
My take: Adam was kind; this wasn’t close. That’s not a knock on Brandon. It’s a nod to how tremendous Jon sounded. Remember, he has a 10-year edge in experience.

Team Blake

Matchup: Red Marlow vs. Ryan Scripps
Song: “Fishin’ in the Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Background: As he has a habit of doing, Blake pairs up two country singers. Red turned two chairs in the blinds with “Swingin'” by John Anderson. Ryan sang “Body Like a Dirt Road” in a montaged performance. Blake was the only coach to turn.
Outcome: Blake awarded the win to Red; Ryan was eliminated from the show.
My take: Red was certainly in his element on this song and sounded it. He also takes the award for best line of the note when he explained his red boots this way: “When you’re as ugly as me, you gotta draw all the people’s eyes down to your feet.”

Team Adam

Matchup: Anthony Alexander vs. Michael Kight
Song: “I Feel it Coming” by The Weeknd
Background: His dad used to be a cameraman for The Voice, and now Anthony is a contestant after turning three chairs singing “Redbone” in the blinds. Michael, who has played guitar for Season 4 standouts Amber Carrington and Caroline Glaser, won Adam over in the blinds with Maroon 5’s “Sugar.”
Outcome: Adam declared Anthony the winner; Michael was eliminated.
My take: I didn’t care for the song choice, especially for Michael. Anthony’s falsetto carried that match.

JEERS TO THE VOICE

For three more montages. And especially for the fact that Alexandra Joyce — who turned three chairs in the blinds — and Anna Catherine DeHart were montaged for a second.

Again, cut the behind-the-scenes fat, producers, and there’d be time to show all the performances and treat viewers to more music.

That is what The Voice is supposed to be about, right? Music?

Team Adam

Matchup: Emily Luther vs. Gary Carpentier *
Song: “Send My Love” by Adele
Background: Gary nabbed the very last spot on the show with his cover of Michael Buble’s “Home.” He gets a tough draw, being paired up with former Charlie Puth duet partner Emily Luther (something The Voice has curiously failed to mention). She turned three chairs with her blind audition cover of “Summertime.”
Outcome: Emily won; Gary was eliminated.

Team Blake

Matchup: Kristi Hoopes vs. Anna Catherine DeHart
Song: “Independence Day” by Martina McBride
Background: Blake matches up two of his female country singers. Anna Catherine was montaged in the blinds when she sang “I Could Use a Love Song.” Krist Hoopes calls herself the hippi chick with a twang and got three chairs to turn singing “Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love.”
Outcome: Anna Catherine won; Kristi was eliminated.

Team Jennifer

Matchup: Alexandra Joyce vs. Jeremiah Miller ***
Song: “One Call Away” by Charlie Puth
Background: The former wrestler, Jeremiah got Jennifer to turn for his performance of “Slow Hands.” Alexandra turned three chairs with Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” and The Voice still decided to montage the performance. All together now: Boo! The Voice.
Outcome: Jeremiah advanced; Alexandra was eliminated.