Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The Voice Top 12 includes, from left, Shelby Brown, Amy Vachal, Korin Bukowski, Braiden Sunshine, Jordan Smith, Jeffery Austin, Barrett Baber, Madi Davis, Mark Hood, Evan McKeel, Emily Ann Roberts and Zach Seabaugh. (NBC Photo)

The Voice Season 9 finals begin Monday night. And that means it’s time to rank the singers for the first time.

Check back Monday at 8 p.m. for a live blog with song-by-song grades. I’ll be live blogging Tuesday’s results show as well.

Following the link attached to each singer’s name will take you to a profile blog, complete with video of all of the contestant’s performances so far in Season 9.

And if you disagree with the rankings, let me know by commenting below.

1. Madi Davis (Team Pharrell): Pharrell Williams proved what he can do with talented young cast members in Season 8. And Pharrell has a musically-wise-beyond-her-years contestant in 16-year-old Madi. Her reworking of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” last week was simply exquisite, not to mention the latest in a string of impressive performances.

2. Barrett Baber (Team Blake): At 35, he’s seven years older than anyone else in the Top 12. He’s also the polished performer among a relatively inexperienced cast. And it shows in the way he takes command of the stage. Remember, fellow country singer Craig Wayne Boyd was about the same age when he won Season 7.

3. Jordan Smith (Team Adam): This might be Voice sacrilege, but I do not hear God when Jordan Smith sings. I hear a young man who sings power ballads recorded by females very, very well. And before I move him up this list I need to hear something that tells me his post-Voice music would be as compelling as his vocals.

4. Zach Seabaugh (Team Blake): The 17-year-old was already gaining legions of fans before a few hip thrusts launched him into the Top 10 on the iTunes’ country singles chart last. And here I thought Viktor Kiraly would become the Season 9 heartthrob. Nope, that would be Zach, who’s proving pretty fearless on stage.

5. Shelby Brown (Team Adam): Her sassy take on Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good” was my favorite country vocal of the live playoffs, yet it lagged behind all of three of Team Blake’s country artists on iTunes. Hmm, should Shelby have joined Team Blake when she had the chance? Time will tell.

6. Jeffery Austin (Team Gwen): The way this 24-year-old has performed in the last two rounds, you’d never dream he stepped away from the stage for six years after high school. “Say You Love Me” from the live playoffs was his best performance yet. But I look at his social media numbers and wonder if he’ll have the votes to outlast the members of Team Adam and Team Blake.

Also see …
How the Top 12 rank on social media
How the 24 live playoff songs ranked on iTunes

7. Emily Ann Roberts (Team Blake): Could she become Danielle Bradbery 2.0? Oh, yeah. Especially with song picks as wise as last weeks’ cross between gospel and country. “In the Garden” cracked the Top 10 on the iTunes’ singles chart, yet the teen needed Blake’s save to advance. From now on, I imagine Emily’s fans will vote as fervently as they download.

8. Amy Vachal (Team Adam): The coaches have praised Amy, and not without reason. But her first three solos have been songs dating from 1931 (“Dream a Little Dream”), 1946 (“Sunday Kind of Love”) and 1936 (“The Way You Look Tonight”). That might not be the recipe for victory on a show where five teens have been voted into the Top 12.

9. Mark Hood (Team Pharrell): He’s the most charismatic performer on Season 9, but his track record on iTunes would indicate he’s not connecting with fans that way he should given his considerable talent. Perhaps more than anyone else, this 24-year-old from Chicago needs a breakout performance Monday night.

10. Evan McKeel (Team Pharrell): He’s one of five contestants remaining who turned four chairs with his blind audition and he’s been one of the show’s steadiest performers. And he made it into the finals on fan voting even though I thought “Overjoyed” was far from his best. Fans apparently disagreed; they made it a Top 40 hit on iTunes.

11. Korin Bukowski (Team Gwen): Her first live performance did not go well; her cover of “Adia” ranked dead last among the remaining contestants on iTunes. Here’s hoping she bounces back to knockout and battle round form, when she sounded splendid. She’s certainly one of the show’s most endearing contestants.

12. Braiden Sunshine (Team Gwen): That’s quite a lesson Braiden is getting on the importance of the voice on The Voice as Gwen plays with his hair style and takes away his glasses so he’ll look cuter for all the young female fans at home. Come on, Gwen, let the guy wear his glasses at least. Last week, he was having trouble seeing the coaches as they delivered post-performance critiques.