Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The battle rounds begin tonight on The Voice. Here’s a look at who will be competing to advance on Cee Lo Green’s team.

Vicci Martinez (defeated Nikki Dawson in Battle Round)

This 26-year-old is among the more seasoned singer-songwriters on The Voice, with CDs to her credit dating as far back as 2003 (“Sleep to Dream”) and including two full-length albums (“I Love You in the Morning” and “I Could Be a Boxer”) released in July. She labels her music acoustic / blues / folk rock on her MySpace page. You can also check out music on her website.

Videos

“Fire in Her Eyes”

“Matchbox”

Kelsey Rey (lost to Tori and Taylor in Battle Round)

The beauty on The Voice, this 19-year-old is the gal who was thankful for the blind audition because she’s always been known as the pretty girl who could sing rather than vice versa. Of course, if that’s an image you’re trying to dispel, frolicking in a bed in a bikini in your “Masquerade” video might not be the best idea. But the video was an international hit, and you can check out more Kelsey, like “Hot Bangin’ Supa Sexy” on her MySpace page or website.

Videos

“Masquerade”

The Voice

Tje Austin (lost to Nakia in Battle Round)

He was adopted when he was 4 days old into a large, multi-racial Mormon family, one of eight siblings, according to The Voice website. And he now calls Sweetwater, Texas, home. Like many contestants on the show, he’s not exactly a novice, having released albums in 2008 and 2010 and a single (“City of Me”) off a planned third album in February. Check out more of his music on Myspace, where he classifies his music as Neo-soul, pop and R&B.

Videos

“Beautiful”

“No One”

Nakia (defeated Tre Austin in Battle Round)

He’s the 36-year-old from Austin, Texas, who Cee Lo identified with because he doesn’t exactly have the pop star look. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he auditioned with Cee Lo’s mega hit “Forget You.” Nakia used to be part of a blues group called the Southern Cousins. He has two albums out, “Playing the Cards” (2007) and “Water to Wine” (2009). You can check out more of his blues/root music/soul on his MySpace page.

Videos

“That’s the Way God Planned It”

“Somebody’s Sleeping in My Bed”

Tori and Taylor (defeated Kelsey Rey in Battle Round)

These teens aren’t newcomers to the reality show business, having appeared on the FOX show “American Juniors” back in 2003. The sisters from Santa Maria, Calif., have been singing together since they were kids and were planning to audition for The Voice separately, until an aunt convinced them to do otherwise.  They classify their music as alternative/pop on MySpace. “Stuck Like Glue” was their ticket to Team Cee Lo.  By the way, Tori’s the blond; Taylor the brunette.

Videos

“Leave the Pieces”

“Stuck Like Glue”

Emily Valentine

This 23-year-old previously made it to the Hollywood round on American Idol as Emily Wynne-Hughes and is former frontwoman for the punk band “Go Betty Go.” She sang Pink’s “Sober” to win a spot on Cee Lo’s team.  Go Betty Go has an EP and CD (2005’s “Nothing is More) on iTunes, and you can hear Emily sing with the group on its MySpace page, or listen to a couple of Emily Valentine tunes on her MySpace.

Videos

“Sober”

“Hit the Road Jack”

Curtis Grimes

It doesn’t seem logical, but he’s a country guy picked for Cee Lo’s team after singing Blake Shelton’s “Hillbilly Bone” during the blind audition. He released “Lonely River,” an album of country tunes in 2009. He’s from Gilmer, Texas, and says he taught himself to play guitar after breaking up with a girlfriend and has been playing ever since. You can check out more of his music on MySpace.

“A Girl Like You”

“Hillbilly Bone”

Niki Dawson (lost to Vicci Martinez in Battle Round)

This 19-year-old from Jacksonville, Fla., describes her music as Christian/club/pop on MySpace, where you can listen to her cover “Free Yourself” and several other songs, including “Summer Time” and “Why,” singles she released last year and that are available for download from iTunes. She sang “Teenage Dream” for her blind audition.

Videos

“Breakeven”

“He Wants It All”