Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Bryan Olesen during his show-opening performance on The Voice Monday night. (NBC Photo)

The Top 9 return to The Voice stage Monday night singing hometown dedications.

More importantly, they’ll be singing for a spot in the Season 25 finales.

Five singers will qualify for that finale, including four via fan voting following Monday’s show.

The final spot in that May 20 performance finale will be determined by an instant save at the end of Tuesday’s results show.

Voting is limited to one vote per email address, via The Voice app and website.

Considering they hadn’t seen The Voice stage for seven months, the Top 12 delivered a rousing night of music on Monday.

But with so few performances in Season 25 — some of the semifinalists have performed just three solos — I think it’s going to be possible for an artist to make a big impression with just one standout performance.

Here’s how Voice Views is ranking the Top 9 entering Monday’s show. Last week’s ranking appears in parenthesis.

1. Bryan Olesen (2) (Team Legend), 49, Lincoln, Neb.: Of the two guys at the top of this list, he turned in the best performance last week, opening the show with the oh-so-appropriate “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. I’m still predicting no one will stop Bryan this week. And that he might get the confetti shower May 21.

2. Asher HaVon (1) (Team Reba), 31, Selma, Ala.: Whatever he sings this week, I’m hoping it’s a song he can connect to without asking for Reba’s advice. Vocal acrobatics without a heartfelt connection are not likely to win Season 25 with a cast this talented.

3. Nathan Chester (7) (Team Legend), 27, Chicago, Ill.: Well, he certainly proved that excellent playoff performance wasn’t a fluke on Top 12 night, capping his fun show-closing performance with another split. I’m not sure he’ll make the finals. I’m sure he belongs among the Top 5 on this list.

4. Karen Waldrup (3) (Team Dan + Shay), 36, of Mandeville, La.: I was disappointed in her song choice last week (the singing show standard “I Hope You Dance”). But I still think she’s the most vocally skilled and best performer among The Voice’s country trio.

5. Maddi Jane (5) (Team Chance), 25, Chicago, Ill.: The right song choice, and Maddie Jane makes the finals. Because she’s a fine vocalist and one heck of a performer. An obscure choie or current song older Voice fans are unfamiliar with could bump her right out of those finals.

6. Madison Curbelo (6) (Team Dan + Shay), 21, Westfield, Mass.: She comes across as incredibly likeable and could nab a spot in the finals with an emotional performance or one that plays up her “ray of sunshine” personality. Last week’s song choice didn’t do a great job of either.

7. Josh Sanders (11) (Team Reba), 35, Kannapolis, N.C.: I think his heartfelt tribute to his wife, singing Thomas Rhett’s “Angels,” was the smartest song choice on Top 12 night. Josh executed it very well too. Will he make the finals? I won’t be shocked if he does.

8. Serenity Arce (10) (Team Chance), 17, of Jupiter, Fla.: She’s the youngest singer on a cast full of seasoned pros and will probably need to create a Voice moment to advance because I’m doubting many of the singers ahead of her on this list are going to stumble.

9. Tae Lewis (9) (Team Dan + Shay), 31, Goldsboro, N.C.: Tae lands here because he needed the instant save Tuesday night. But that instant save performance was easily the best of the four we saw, so don’t count out the possibility that he wins another.

Josh Sanders performs a song dedicated to his wife on The Voice Monday night. (NBC Photo)