Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Grace West and Noivas with coach Blake Shelton on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

Now that the coaches have hand-picked The Voice’s semifinalists, Season 23 FINALLY goes live on Monday to determine who will vie for the title in a ridiculously shortened format.

And, for the first time ever, The Voice will do so with live voting. Which means if you have a favorite on the show, you better be prepared to vote between 8 p.m. and about 9:45 p.m. eastern time, regardless of where you live.

Honestly, I put little credence or credibility in whatever happens during a Voice season in which contestants perform so infrequently.

Folks, D Smooth and Ryley Tate Wilson are in the semifinals based on just two solos and one duet.

On American Idol, contestants have performed seven solos and one duet SINCE voting began.

Nevertheless, here’s how I’m ranking the Top 8, with the understanding that California girl Gina will likely be a victim of live voting on East Coast time and Holly Brand will take her spot among the Top 5 who advance.

Gina Miles and Ryley Tate Wilson with coach Niall Horan on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

1. Noivas (Team Blake): When Chance allowed Noivas to be stolen in the battles, I wrote that he just gave Blake the winning contestant for Season 23. Nothing that’s happened since has changed my mind. Savion Wright’s voice is crazy good and his stage presence surpasses anything we’ve seen from anyone still on the show.

2. Sorelle (Team Chance): They’re different. They’re fun. And their harmonies are unbelievably good. They’re the Heichel sisters — Ana, Madi and Bella. My favorite of their performances came in the battles when they harmonized nearly the entire time they got to sing on Adele’s “Someone Like You.”

3. Ryley Tate Wilson (Team Niall): Just 15 when he auditioned, Ryley has sounded phenonmenal on his two solos — “Dancing on My Own” in the audition round and “When the Party’s Over” in the playoffs. I think giving him the playoff pass was a mistake because it took him off TV screens for an entire month. A big plus: Voice fans love young contestants.

4. Gina Miles (Team Niall): Her playoff performance of “Wicked Game” was her best yet, but she also sounded sensational on “Skinny Love” back in the battles. I love her tone and that plaintive cry in her voice. But she faces a big disadvantage with a home fan base on the West Coast on a night when live voting on East Coast time will determined who moves on.

Holly Brand and D. Smooth with coach Kelly Clarkson on The Voice. (NBC Photo)

5. Grace West (Team Blake): A 19-year-old, Nashville-based country songwriter, Grace has simply been one of the most consister performers on the show this season. Vocally, her audition (“Maybe It Was Memphis”) is still my favorite of her performance. Being a country gal singing for Team Blake in Blake’s last season gives her an edge in making the finale.

6. Holly Brand (Team Kelly): She’s another contestant who turned in her best performance yet in the playoffs. Her version of “Bring on the Rain” was masterful. And the former Miss Mississippi’s pageant experience has served her well, because she comes across as quite confident on stage. Her other edge: She’s sings country.

7. D. Smooth (Team Kelly): His knockout performance of “Location” was my favorite of his yet. He demonstrated great vocals and showmanship. He faces the same problem as Ryley — he was sidelined for a month because of the playoff pass — and he doesn’t have the novelty of being so young.

8. Ray Uriel (Team Chance): He’s displayed a lovely tone every time he’s performed, but those performances haven’t been particularly memorable. I graded his playoff performance as the fourth best on his own team. And he’s the guy Chance advanced in the battle round, allowing Blake to steal Noivas, the clear winner of that match.

Ray Uriel and the sister trio Sorelle with coach Chance the Rapper on The Voice. (NBC Photo)