Idol Chatter & Voice Views

The battle rounds kick off Monday night on The Voice.

And the show has already leaked the Brynn Cartelli, Dylan Hartigan showdown, which you can check out below.

Sixteen singers head home during this round as each coach cuts their team down to six artists plus two stolen from other teams.

Here’s some things to keep in mind as the battles begin.

A wealth of experience: While the focus over at American Idol is clearly on very young talent (as in singers who are still minors), The Voice is fielding its most experienced cast ever in Season 14.

Fifteen of the 48 singers who made the show were 30 or older when they auditioned, many bringing a decade or more of performance experience to The Voice stage. The most 30+ singers the show had in any other season was 12.

In contrast, just five of the show’s 48 contestants were 30 or older in Season 10.

Ugh, those montages: Once again in Season 14, The Voice montaged singers who made the show. Five in fact — Megan Lee, JessLee, Jamella, Angel Bonilla and Jordyn Simone. The show aired full auditions from more than five singers who didn’t make the show, proving once again that the montages were unnecessary.

Okay, okay, I know, The Voice wants to create a little suspense over whether a singer gets a chair turn or not. But, for crying out loud, a Voice audition last 90 seconds. If The Voice can’t find time for an additional seven and one-half minutes of music in nine hours of airtime, something’s wrong.

How about cutting some of the silly skits, like Kelly Clarkson being denied entry to the room of champions? Or some of the feedback from coaches who don’t turn their chairs?

Be assured, more montages are coming during the battle round; six would be my guess. The big question: Will anyone get the double-montage treatment, like Alexandra Joyce in Season 12 and Andrea Thomas in Season 11. Both disappeared from the show before The Voice ever let us hear them sing.

Take away her caffeine: Speaking of Kelly Clarkson, if she returns as a coach, I certainly hope she tones it down a notch.

Look, she’s funny and spontaneous and certainly energized the coaching panel. And I can understand the show’s desire to have the original American Idol front and center as ABC relaunches Idol.

But there have been a number of occasions when Kelly’s been too over-the-top. That was especially true when she threw a fit about being blocked DURINGJohnny Bliss’ audition, making it all about her when the focus should have been on his four-chair-turn performance.

Those stingy coaches: Throughout the blind auditions, I got the feeling The Voice coaches were being stingier than normal with their chairs turns. That point was pressed home during the final week of auditions.

Just two chairs for Sharane Calister, Genesis Diaz and Stephanie Skipper? Just one for that wonderfully different performance by Shana Halligan? What in the world were the coaches hearing? What were they waiting for?

Turns out they were indeed being stingier than normal. The 97 combined chairs turns in Season 14 is the fewest since Season 2 (93). The five four-chairs — Terrence Cunningham, Justin Kilgore, Johnny Bliss, Pryor Baird and Hannah Goebel — are the fewest since Season 3.

Now, that promised sneak peek video.

Also see …
Season 14 battle round pairings
Meet Season 14’s Top 48
Which coach has the best team?
It’s time to block The Block
iTunes results from the blinds