Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Season 5 of The Voice begins tonight at 8 p.m. I’ll be live blogging and grading each audition, so check back then.

Meanwhile, I thought it would be fun to look back at 10 of my favorite performances from Seasons 1-4.

The criteria for choosing these?

They had to come during a live show. In other words, no auditions, battle rounds or knockout rounds.

And I limited it to one performance per singer.

I won’t be surprised if your top 10 list differs from mine, so feel free to add your own favorite performance below. If you can include a YouTube link, all the better.

Here’s hoping for lots more memorable moments in Season 5.

10. Dez Duron — “Feeling Good” — Season 3

Part of what makes a show like The Voice so much fun is when someone other than a front-runner steps on stage with the perfect song and turns in an unexpected knockout performance. That’s what happened with Dez on this night, when he proved he had talent to back up those good looks.

9. Vicci Martinez — “Dog Days Are Over — Season 1

You’ll have to take my word on this one, but Vicci created one of the first “moments” on The Voice when she covered this Florence & The Machine tune, starting off on the drums, then going a little berserk as she stomped around the stage. Here’s a live version.

8. Tony Lucca — “99 Problems — Season 2

Remember when this song choice stirred up a little controversy. Lost in the drama was the fact that Tony Lucca, known for laid-back acoustic performances, took a hip-hop tune and turned it into a rollicking blues jam. Impressive.

To watch the performance, go here.

7. Michelle Chamuel — “Grenade” — Season 4

Michelle delivered several memorable moments en route to a second-place finish on the most recent season of The Voice. This was my favorite. Dare I say I prefer this version of the song to the Bruno Mars’ original.

6. Charlotte Sometimes — “Misery Business” — Season 2

I was unfamiliar with this Paramore tune when Charlotte decided to tackle it. It wasn’t until I watched the original version that I realized what a wonderful re-creation of the song she had done.

To watch the performance, go here.

5. Amanda Brown — “Dream On” — Season 3

Lots of singers have tried the Steven Tyler shriek on singing shows. Lots of singers have failed. Amanda Brown did not fail. And she had sounded great before unleashing the shriek. Voters failed by not putting her in the Season 3 finals.

4. Chris Mann — “Bridge Over Troubled Water” — Season 2

Lots of people have covered this song. But if there’s ever been a more spot-on vocal of a classic tune on The Voice, I can’t recall it. Chris finished fourth back in Season 2.

Watch the performance here.

3. Javier Colon — “Angel” — Season 1

It was vocals like this that made Javier Colon a deserving winner back on the very first season of The Voice. Sorry for the poor quality of the video, but finding a Season 1 performance isn’t easy. Besides, the brilliance still shines through.

2. Juliet Simms — “Cryin'” — Season 2

If you’re going to show up on stage wearing enormous black wings, you’d better turn in a stunning performance. Turns out that was no problem for Juliet back in Season 2, when she should have won The Voice.

Watch the performance here.

1. Cassadee Pope — “Stupid Boy” — Season 3

It was this cover of a Keith Urban song that convinced me that Cassadee Pope just had to win Season 3 of The Voice. Anyone who doubts Cassadee’s ability to put a country tear in her voice needs to see this performance. Cassadee’s debut album, “Frame by Frame,” lands Oct. 8.