Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The Voice goes live Monday and Tuesday night, with 20 singers vying for 12 spots in the finals.

If this works the way it has in the past, fan voting will determine two of the artists who advance from each team.

Then a third artist per team will be awarded a save into the finals by his or her coach when results are announced during a special Thursday night episode.

Judging from a tweet I just read from Kat Robichaud, it sounds like singers from Team Adam and Team Blake will take the stage Monday night, followed by the rest of the top 20 on Tuesday.

I’ll be blogging about all three shows, though perhaps a bit later than usual on Tuesday and Thursday thanks to election night in Pa. and a Phillip Phillips concert in York.

Here’s a look at the artists who remain, and who I think is most likely to advance.

Preston Pohl performs during the knockout round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

TEAM ADAM

Grey (won battle and knockout rounds)
James Wolpert (won battle and knockout rounds)
Preston Pohl (won battle and knockout rounds)
Tessanne Chin (won battle and knockout rounds)
Will Champlin (stolen by Christina after battle round, stolen back by Adam after knockout round)

Judging by how well he’s been received on the show, it’s hard to believe Preston Pohl was a guitarist and not a singer when he performed with the Christian band StorySide: B. I’m pretty sure we’ll be hearing his unique rasp for at least another week. Tessanne Chin has a huge following back in Jamaica and 247.000 followers on Facebook. She’s also coming off a very strong performance in defeating four-chair turn teammate Ashley DuBose in the knockout round. The third spot — it’s a tossup and could very well come down to which of the remaining three turn in the best performance Monday night. Don’t count out Will Champlin, though he needed saves to survive the last two rounds.

Ray Boudreaux performs during the knockout round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

TEAM BLAKE

Austin Jenckes (won battle and knockout rounds)
Cole Vosbury (stolen from Team Cee Lo after knockout round)
Nic Hawk (stolen from Team Adam in battle round, won knockout round)
Ray Boudreaux (won battle and knockout rounds)
Shelbie Z. (won battle and knockout rounds)

Ray Boudreaux has been one of the most impressive male singers in the competition to date. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t sail into the top 12 on fan voting. Sassy Shelbie Z. has been the most impressive female country singer so far. I’ll be surprised if Blake doesn’t save her if the fans don’t come through with enough votes to do so. Austin Jenckes and Cole Vosbury are folk singer-songwriter types. Austin was brilliant two weeks ago in the battle round; Cole had the best-selling song from any team in the knockout round. Who does best Monday between them will likely determine the third spot.

Matthew Schuler performs during the knockout round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

TEAM CHRISTINA

Jacquie Lee (won battle and knockout rounds)
Josh Logan (won battle and knockout rounds)
Matthew Schuler (won battle and knockout rounds)
Olivia Henken (won battle and knockout rounds)
Stephanie Anne Johnson (stolen by Cee Lo after battle round, stolen back by Christina after knockout round)

Matthew Schuler created a Voice moment with his rendition of “Cosmic Love,” perhaps the best performance on the show so far this season. He’s a lock for the top 12. I can’t help rooting for Jacquie Lee. She shows up on stage looking like a homecoming queen, then surprises you with her big voice and remarkable range. And she’s the youngest singer to make the top 20. I have to think Josh Logan has the inside track on the third spot in the finals, though he’s been overshadowed by some of the other male singers on the show to this point.

Jonny Gray performs during the knockout round on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

TEAM CEE LO

Amber Nicole (won battle round, stolen from Team Christina in knockout round)
Caroline Pennell (won battle and knockout rounds)
Jonny Gray (won battle and knockout rounds)
Kat Robichaud (won battle and knockout rounds)
Tamara Chauniece (won battle and knockout rounds)

The Voice finals would seem empty without Kat Robichaud, who has dazzled with her vocals and her stage presence through three rounds. With her love for theatrical rock and Cee Lo Green as a coach … well, magic could happen. Jonny Gray is Kat’s male rocker counterpart. Barring a major stumble, he should advance. And I expect the third spot to go to Caroline Pennell, who seems to have struck a chord with viewers judging from the reception of her songs on iTunes.