Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The final four on The Voice — Barrett Baber, Jeffery Austin, Emily Ann Roberts and Jordan Smith. (NBC Photo)

For the first time in Season 9, we should be treated to multiple songs by each contestant in Monday night’s performance finale on The Voice.

If the show doesn’t deviate from its past format — and I haven’t seen any announcement that it will — each member of the Top 4 will perform two solos Monday night.

Then they’ll take the stage with their respective coaches for a third performance.

That means three chances for Barrett Baber, Emily Ann Roberts and Jeffery Austin to convince us that one of them should walk away with The Voice trophy Tuesday night instead of front-runner Jordan Smith.

Can they do it?

Well, the odds would seem stacked against them.

And count on The Voice to make the odds even longer because the show absolutely loves Jordan Smith.

But this cast is so talented, it should be fun to watch. And to hear.

The final rankings for The Voice Season 9.

1. Jeffery Austin, Team Gwen: Sorry, folks, I still think it’s Jeffery who has put together the most remarkable run on The Voice in Season 9. Last week, he did not have the backing of a full choir. He did not have a dazzling light show to set off his performance. Instead, he was forced to sing early in the show — again — and had oddly opening and closing doors as a backdrop. He still landed at number three on iTunes with a brilliant cover of Cher’s “Believe,” continuing a string of impressive performances no one had a right to expect from someone who walked away from a public relations job to audition for The Voice. For trivia buffs, he’s also only the second one-chair turn to ever make the finals.

2. Jordan Smith, Team Adam: If what everyone expects to happen happens … if what The Voice has been pushing to happen happens … if Jordan Smith wins Tuesday night, at least he provided us with “Somebody to Love.” That, folks, was a victory-worthy performance. A remarkable vocal. Perhaps Jordan’s best yet. Previously, he’d tackled a string of songs sure to be popular with fans, turning in one solid vocal after another. “Somebody to Love” was on another level, demonstrating that Jordan can be a fun and versatile performer as well. I just wish The Voice had let fans come to that conclusion over time, instead of pointing to Jordan as the worthy winner after his blind audition, then drumming that message home at every possible opportunity over the past two-plus months.

3. Emily Ann Roberts, Team Blake: I was hoping young Emily Ann would be the singer to deliver The Voice its much-deserved comeuppance. Here’s how it was supposed to play out. Emily Ann would be the only country singer to make the Top 4. Jordan fans would get complacent. And Emily Ann, with a solidified country music voting block at her back, would sweep to an unexpected win, spoiling the Jordan Smith victory party The Voice has been planning since Day 1. Alas, Barrett Baber also made the finals. And I don’t think either country singer will be able to beat Jordan with the country vote split in half. Oh, well, regardless of what happens this week, I won’t be surprised if young Emily Ann enjoys the most post-Voice success of anyone singing Monday night.

4. Barrett Baber, Team Blake: The senior member of the Top 4 at age 35, Barrett faced a dangerous scenario on Top 9 night. He was forced to sing first, and he decided to flip a non-country song, the only country artist to do so that evening. He still managed to crack the Top 10 on iTunes and won a spot in the finals based on fan voting, though seven other songs from the show topped his on the chart. Count on this: Others might think this week’s outcome has already been decided. Barrett Baber will take the stage with the same intensity as always, determined to prove that shouldn’t be the case.