Destiny Rayne earned a well-deserved save while Alex Guthrie, Katie Kadan and Myracle Hollowyay scored battle round wins on The Voice Monday night.
But the montages also returned. And, after 17 seasons, The Voice still hasn’t figured out how to put a full-length version of a montaged performance on YouTube.
Double ugh!
I don’t know. Lose the “oh, I can’t believe I get to work with so-and-so” comments, the style tips from Gwen and some of the rehash footage and I’d think The Voice could find time for five more minutes of music.
Especially on a show that’s supposed to be about music.
Here’s a recap of Tuesday’s show. I strongly disagreed with one outcome. In the other two we heard, the coaches got it right.
TEAM KELLY CLARKSON
The matchup: Alex Guthrie and Injoy Fountain.
The background: Kelly said she paired them because they’re both soulful singers. Alex, 25, of Marietta, Ga., turned two chairs with “Love and Happiness.” Injoy, 29, of Wichita, Kansas, turned two chairs with “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande.
The song: “Home” by Marc Broussard
The feedback: Blake called Injoy’s infectious performance. John loved everything about Injoy’s effort. Gwen thought Alex did exceptionally as well. Kelly compliments Alex’s low notes. Kelly said she was basing her decision on who would round out her team.
Kelly’s decision: Kelly named Alex the winner. No one stole Injoy, so she headed home.
My take: Injoy, looking very stylish in that red hat and dress, killed that song with a swampy vocal and tons of stage presence. With vocal firepower to spare And she didn’t even know the song going in. Kelly said she was looking for someone who would do something bold on stage, then failed to follow through.
TEAM GWEN STEFANI
The matchup: Elize Azkoul and Myracle Holloway
The background: Elise, 28, of Atlanta, Ga., turned one chair with Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons.” Myracle, 44, of Los Angeles, Calif., turned two chairs with “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars.
The song: “Breathe” by Ariana Grande
The feedback: Blake thought Myracle took the battle. John compliments Elise on an impressive run. Gwen seemed torn, and noted both singers turned in emotional, passionate performances.
Gwen’s decision: She awarded the win to Myracle. No one stole Elise so she was eliminated.
My take: Splendid vocals by both of those lovely ladies. There was no shortage of vocal gymnastics during that duet. I’d give the slightest edge to Myracle because of that vulnerable and unique break in her voice.
TEAM JOHN LEGEND
The matchup: Destiny Rayne vs. Katie Kadan
The background: Destiny, 23, of Coral Springs, Fla., turned two chairs, performing “To Make You Feel My Love” by Adele.
The song: “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John. Katie, 38, of Chicago, Ill., turned four chairs, performing “Baby, I Love You.”
The feedback: The two earned a standing ovation. Blake said Katie’s performance is an “eruption.” But he said it was Destiny’s ability to keep up with the vocal dynamo that made it a battle worth watching. John applauded both on fine performances.
John’s decision: John awarded the win to Katie, calling her a superstar. But Destiny’s going no where because Blake and Gwen both push the steal button for Destiny. And Destiny opted to join Team Gwen.
My take: Not crazy about her style choices, but Katie is a vocal force and delivers tons of personality on stage. Because this is The Voice, she absolutely had to advance. But Destiny held up very darn well in what had to be rather intimidating circumstances, so I was thrilled to see her get the save.
MONTAGED (UGH!!!)
TEAM BLAKE
The matchup: Cali Wilson vs. EllieMae
The background: Cali, 28, of Salem, Iowa, turned three chairs with “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks). EllieMae, 21, Jerome, Idaho turned one chair with “Merry Go Round” by Kacey Musgraves.
The song: Kelsea Ballerini’s “Miss Me More”
The outcome: Blake awarded the win to Cali. No one stole EllieMae, so she was eliminated.
TEAM LEGEND
The matchup: Matt New versus Max Boyle
The background: Matt, 29, of Midland, Texas, turned three chairs with “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee. Max, 23, of Toledo, Ohio, turned two chairs with Ed Sheeran’s “Wayfaring Stranger.”
The song: “Let Me Love You” by DJ Snake
The outcome: John awarded the win to Max. No one stole Matt, so he was eliminated.
Alex Guthrie Cali Wilson Destiny Rayne Elise Azkoul EllieMae Injoy Fountain Katie Kadan Matt New Max Boyle Myracle Holloway The Voice The Voice Season 17
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3 Comments
Really thought Elise Azkoul did an outstanding job tonight. Thought she showed a lot more of what she can do with her voice!
I was quite impressed with her too. Really wish they held all of the steals and all of the saves until after all the battles were held, then brought all who didn’t advance back to the stage. It would be fairer to everyone who doesn’t win a battle.
That is one format tweak I would definitely like to see, Mark. After the initial taping session, the steals are often gone. A source from the Season 17 Knockout audience said that all four coaches used their steals during the first day’s morning filming, so contestants who lost that afternoon or the second day could not be stolen. Waiting until the end of each round would allow the panel some time to consider their save and steal options rather than making spontaneous decisions. The producers seem to promote drama, and that change offers more excitement than the current steals do since host Carson Daly typically reveals them before airing the two performances.