The Voice US 10: Finale

It’s curtain call for the 10th season of The Voice and even if Adam Wakefield of Team Blake has presented himself as a threat to the inevitable win of Alisan Porter, I still think she got this on the bag. With early pimping, the producers wanting to break the girl curse and a lot of celebrities rooting for Alisan, there is no way Curly Sue won’t win the crown.

Anyway as for the final showdown of the top 4, I find it a bit underwhelming. Probably because I was looking for something exciting and variety. Nonetheless, it is what it is and we were treated with some really good – predictable – performances.

Oh, I am a bit excited with next season. I wonder what will Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys bring in as the new coaches.

Now on to the rankings.

COVER SONGS

[4] LAITH AL-SAADI
White Room
Team ADAM

– It is what is expected from Laith. Nothing really new. Not bad at all. 6

[3] ADAM WAKEFIELD
When I Call Your Name
Team BLAKE

– Like Laith, this is something you predictably get from Adam! While predictable, his gorgeous tone really stands out. 7

[2] HANNAH HUSTON
Every Breath You Take
Team PHARRELL

– Props to the risk they took on the arrangement of the stalker song. It’s interesting. A bit acquired. But I like that it wasn’t expected. 7.5

[1] ALISAN PORTER
Somewhere
Team CHRISTINA

– Undeniably, the strongest out of 4. Her vocals were solid and spot on. 8

ORIGINAL SONG

[4] ALISAN PORTER
Down That Road
Team CHRISTINA

– Generic. Predictable. This isn’t bad and this showed probably what kind of artist will be post-The Voice but I, on a personal level, just didn’t feel it. 6

[3] LAITH AL-SAADI
Morning Light
Team ADAM

– Same with Alisan. It is the usual Laith. The single isn’t bad but it is not groundbreaking too. 6

[2] ADAM WAKEFIELD
Lonesome, Broken & Blues
Team BLAKE

– Raw and has potential. While just like the singles of Laith and Alisan, Adam played with his strengths. But what I adore in this is the potential of it to do well in country radio. Probably, Adam’s tone is what I enjoy the most from here. 7

[1] HANNAH HUSTON
I Call The Shots
Team PHARRELL

– Surprisingly, I know not all people will agree with me, Hannah’s single is what I liked best. Not the most hook friendly single but it has tons of potential. The chorus is quite repetitive but it works and Hannah’s tone is solid here. Maybe the rhythm needed rework but I digress. I enjoyed this. 7.5

The Voice US 10: Semi-Finals

And the bloodbath happens tomorrow as the remaining 8 artists will be cut in half for next week’s season finale. While I thought that is such a tragic event, I am not complaining really for I thought everyone delivered really well.

So now, let us rank the semi-finalists:

[8] PAXTON INGRAM
I Would Do Anything For Love
Team BLAKE

– There are parts in this performance that sounded really good. But the vocals got a bit shaky in the middle and end. Still, I think this is a pretty decent showing from Paxton. 6

[7] BRYAN BAUTISTA
Hurt
Team CHRISTINA

– If only he stayed on the piano no? The first half was divine but the second half sounded a bit dragging and his notes got wobbly. 6.5

[6] LAITH AL-SAADI
One & Only
Team ADAM

– Wow. I didn’t expect this to be this good and the way Laith navigated his notes sounded terrific. The right amount of grit and the power he showed created a nice texture on his version of this Adele hit. 7

[5] SHALYAH FEARING
And I Am Telling You
Team ADAM

– I may be in the minority but I thought this sounded quite good for my taste. I like her texture here. Sure, some parts sounded problematic and the high registers sounded forced but I thought this is one of her better performances in the lives. 7

[4] MARY SARAH
I Told You So
Team BLAKE

– Two in a row. Mary showed her soft side but her tone never sounded this good. It was a terrific take with so much confidence, mellow and power. Lovely! 7.5

[3] ALISAN PORTER
Desperado
Team CHRISTINA

– Sure the runs sounded overdone but I don’t mind. Alisan delivered a beautiful, lovely vocal performance. Her vocals were controlled. Her phrasing is gorgeous. 8

[2] HANNAH HUSTON
When A Man Loves A Woman
Team PHARRELL

– Hannah has this quality of her voice that stands out on her own. It is very recognizable that anything she sings sounded like hers. Hannah navigated the performance with so much gusto. Her tone is beautiful. Her phrasing sounded divine. And her ad libs were lovely. 8

[1] ADAM WAKEFIELD
I’m Sorry
Team BLAKE

– Holy guacamole! This sounded better than Blake’s version. And this might have sealed him as a possible upset to Alisan Porter. The vocals here were solid and beautiful. I am impressed. 9

The Voice US 10: Top 9

It was surprisingly a solid night for the show. Almost every one gave a good to outstanding performance.

I’m hopeful that the bloodbath of eliminations for next week will be filled with stellar performances.

On to the rankings..

[9] NICK HAGELIN
Hold On, We’re Going Home
Team CHRISTINA

– His tone is the usual thin one but surprisingly this is way better than his previous performances. There are some parts that sounded pretty here. 5

[8] ALISAN PORTER
Cryin’
Team CHRISTINA

– When she started screaming, it felt like she was showboating. Then I lost it. 5

[7] PAXTON INGRAM
I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Team BLAKE

– My concern with Paxton is that you can’t really identify the kind of artists he wants to be. The song choices are in the range of Celine Dion to Whitney Houston to Selena Gonez to name a few and I am a bit confused. This wasn’t bad but I guess he hit his one trick stride during Top 11. 6

[6] SHALYAH FEARING
A Change Is Gonna Come
Team ADAM

– Control. Still, the technicals are what is killing Shalyah. She sounded decent but there is no deptness to this that will elevate her to something memorable and outstanding. 6.5

[5] ADAM WAKEFIELD
Love Has No Pride
Team BLAKE

– Solid but it is the expected showing from Adam. But there is no denying that this sounded fantastic with his pitch and tone on point. I just wanted more connection from him and yes, something unexpected. 7.5

[4] LAITH AL- SAADI
We’ve Got Tonight
Team ADAM

– I actually like this. His tone complimented the song and it has that build up that is solid and good. His tone is decent and the performance is quite lovely. 8

[3] HANNAH HUSTON
Say You Love Me
Team PHARRELL

– It took a while before she builds it up. Her tone is simply gorgeous. The vocals were outstanding and the transition is flawless. Lovely! 8

[2] MARY SARAH
My Church
Team BLAKE

– Where did this come from? There’s just that fire and passion and confidence from Mary that is oozing naturally. Her tone sounded wonderful and the performance is almost pitch perfect! Great job. 8.5

[1] BRYAN BAUTISTA
1 + 1
Team CHRISTINA

– Welcome back Bryan! This was outstanding and I hope it is enough for him to gain back the momentum and gain more fans. The overall performance is simply stellar. 9

The Voice US 10: Top 10

When will season 10 end? Haha. Suddenly, I just got tired from this season. The performances were inconsistent and the coaches are just professional cheerleaders now. Thank God there is still the likes of Hannah Huston and Alisan Porter but what the hell happened to the dark horse that should be in Bryan Bautista?!

Anyway, here is how I rank tonight’s top 10.

[10] DANIEL PASSINO
I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing
Team PHARRELL

– Whyyyyyy. 1

[9] NICK HAGELIN
I Can’t Help It
Team CHRISTINA

– The repeatedly used of his weak falsetto is starting to annoy me. Christina, his coach, is a fantastic vocalist and she should have teach him to use it wisely. His vocals is almost non existent in parts but then to be fair, there are parts when he uses his non-falsetto voice, he sounded good. 5

[8] PAXTON INGRAM
It’s All Coming Back
Team BLAKE

– This is not bad but it is far from what he has showcased last week. This is a good move for Blake to keep him more focused on the vocals side than all the extravaganza of performing because it seems that the audience is digging him more on that. Next week if he stays, would love to hear him sing more current and vocally competent. 6

[7] MARY SARAH
Stand By Your Man
Team BLAKE

– Well this is not bad at all and I thought Mary delivered a pretty good performance. But she seems to be forgettable that at the end of the episode, I completelt forgot her performance. I she stays, probably The Band Perry’s “Done” or Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” would give her a shining moment. 7

[6] BRYAN BAUTISTA
Promise
Team CHRISTINA

– Nick Hagelin should take some falsetto classes from Bryan Bautista because this guy uses his falsetto so good and slick that I melted instantly. More so, his transistions were pretty and gorgeous and his vocals were lovely. But then, I know he can still do better than this because we saw him do that in the early rounds. 7

[5] SHALYAH FEARING
My Kind Of Love
Team ADAM

– I must say, I actually liked this and I thought Shalyah sounded pretty good to it. She managed to control her nerves and showed dynamics that I haven’t heard from her. Her tone sounded terrific and the phrasing is quite riveting. She just needs to be more consistent but I digress. 7.5

[4] ADAM WAKEFIELD
I Got A Woman
Team BLAKE

– I didn’t expect this from Adam but I could also get away from him totally stripping the song down to that piano themed performance but I digress. This is solid and vocally strong. If only if it was a little bit dirtier but who knows. 7.5

[3] LAITH AL-SAADI
The Thrill Is Gone
Team ADAM

– Ooh and the grit is heard in here. Laith delivered yet another solid performance and I am not complaining. Sure, it’s not groundbreaking but with a season that is turning out to be a dud, who am I to ask for more. Kidding. Seriously, this is pretty good with a good touch of current vibe. 7.5

[2] HANNAH HUSTON
Rolling In The Deep
Team PHARRELL

– Oh, Hannah! I absolutely loved this. I was going back and forth of who to put on the top spot but I guess putting Hannah on a bridesmaid position for this week won’t hurt. I think her taking the song straight up is what made Alisan be on the top spot. This is a straight cover but I am glad that Hannah had the guts to make some melodic changes and delivered a wonderful, solid and riveting performance. 8

[1] ALISAN PORTER
Let Him Fly
Team CHRISTINA

– Holy cow! One word that came out of my mouth after just the few verse: FINALLY!!! I have been waiting for her to give us something subdued and more on connection and she gave it to us in flying colors. Alisan just sealed her spot as the front runner and her road to the crown is like a walk in the park if she keeps on performing like this. 8.5

The Voice US 10: Top 11

What is happening?! I am starting to think that this could end up to be a dud season to be honest. The competition is just boring me now to be honest. I don’t know. I am starting to feel disconnect and unexcited about the season.

Anyway, here is how I rank the top 11.

[11] NICK HAGELIN
Your Body Is A Wonderland
Team CHRISTINA

– Yikes. It’s official, Nick is such a cute guy. That’s it. 4

[10] DANIEL PASSINO
Time After Time
Team PHARRELL

– Stop all this cheesy breezy karaoke-ness. 4.5

[9] SHALYAH FEARING
The Climb
Team ADAM

– Seriously Adam? After going up to the mountain last week, you made her sing about her “climb”?! What’s for next week? Going the distance? Haha. Look, the song choices were just on the nose for me but more than that Shalyah’s technique is really flawed that I wish Adam would concentrate in helping her that. Her vocal control is ridicuously non-existent. 5

[8] OWEN DANOFF
Fire & Rain
Team ADAM

– I had high hopes from Owen and then I fell asleep. 5

[7] BRYAN BAUTISTA
Just The Way You Are
Team CHRISTINA

– Why Christina, why?! I appreciate the idea of making it his own but instead of making this contemporary song go to the next level of awesomeness, Bryan got stacked to this retro vibe going on with the Bruno Mars ditty that I personally think didn’t really work at all. I miss Bryan and how he effortlessly nails his performances prior the live shows. Bring it back!!! 5.5

[6] ADAM WAKEFIELD
Lights
Team BLAKE

– Did I prematurely declare him as a dark horse last week when suddenly he gave a decent but very disconnected performance tonight? Vocally it was still good but then I felt cold after watching his performance. 6

[5] MARY SARAH
Johnny & June
Team BLAKE

– Decent but I am not sure if Blake is really giving her the right song choices that will highlight her vocal techniques and how potentially would place her in the competition. Because right now? She is a decent, generic but forgettable country singer from Team Blake. 6

[4] ALISAN PORTER
Stay With Me Baby
Team CHRISTINA

– Yikes. After her solid performance last week, Alisan delivered a very disconnected yet vocally strong performance. I think it is due to her not really wanting this song to sing but she suck it up although I could really feel how she didn’t really connect to this. 6.5

[3] LAITH AL-SAADI
Make It Rain
Team ADAM

– Woah! The bluesy-jazzy feel backed up with that grit and beautifully phrased verses from Laith just saved the whole night of underwhelming performances. I didn’t expect this from him. 8

[2] PAXTON INGRAM
Break Every Chain
Team BLAKE

– Interesting. I am so ready to write him off but then again what do I know when he survived last week’s elimination despite some poor itunes rankings and performing early. But then he turned it around this week and delivered this passionate vocal performance. No it wasn’t perfect but I am pleased. 8

[1] HANNAH HUSTON
I Can’t Make You Love Me
Team PHARRELL

– While I thought it could be better if she took it more in a tender, intimate version, for what is worth, this is still a solid, beautifully phrased and gorgeously sang performance. 8.5

The Voice US 10: Top 12

At some point of tonight’s episode, I am thinking if we really had the right final 12 people but then I digress. Tonight was a mixed bag for me. The usual artists delivered while some were either settled with terrible song choices or was just really underwhelming.

Nonetheless, here is how I rank the Top 12:

[12] NICK HAGELIN
Mine Would Be You
Team CHRISTINA

– His vocals faded away in the background, I’m starting to wo der if he moved forward only because of his good looks. Nick needs to find a song that will suit him more than him trying to fit in the song. 5

[11] PAXTON INGRAM
Hands To Myself
Team BLAKE

– It’s an interesting song choice and I like that Paxton is entertaining the audience with this upbeat vibe he has going on but his vocals were just really inconsistent with most of the time, I find the performance more on the annoying side na. 5

[10] DANIEL PASSINO
Human Nature
Team PHARRELL

– It’s so cheesy, I suddenly had lactose intolerance. 5

[9] MARY SARAH
So Small
Team BLAKE

– I have been pointing out how Mary Sarah is sounding like Carrie but then once she took this Carrie song, she fails miserably. Her high notes was sharp. She hit a couple of flat notes and somehow she got me uninterested with her. Probably if she took the song to a more intimate level, that would highlight her generic but capable voice. 5.5

[8] OWEN DANOFF
7 Years
Team ADAM

– Owen is a good storyteller and on paper, this should be a homerun but somehow it just didn’t work. His vocals were shaky. His performance is bland and on the edge of boredom – if not – already a snoozefest. 6

[7] LAITH AL-SAADI
Born Under A Bad Sign
Team ADAM

– Nothing really bad about this but thag tone of his is keeping me off track. It just for me isn’t an appealing sound. And probably it is with the song choice too. I just wasn’t got excited. 6

[6] BRYAN BAUTISTA
Kiss From A Rose
Team CHRISTINA

– Christina, where’s the guy who sang “Sorry”? This was in no way a bad performance but it just suck out the things that made Bryan one of the dark horse of the competition. 6.5

[5] EMILY KEENER
Lilac Wine
Team PHARRELL

– While not great, it wasn’t bad too. The vocals were fine albeit some sleepy moments but I digress. 7

[4] SHALYAH FEARING
Up To The Mountain
Team ADAM

– Control. Shalyah could’ve been that dark horse if only Adam could coach her the right techniques and essential in having a flawless vocal performance. While not bad, there are parts that made this performance a bit off. 7

[3] HANNAH HUSTON
Something’s Got A Hold On Me
Team PHARRELL

– The consistency of Hannah is quite a pleasure to watch and this showed a more upbeat side of her and it proved that she can do versatility. Now if only she is singing something more contemporary because she’s been doing classics that I feel like the younger audience isn’t connecting with her yet. 7.5

[2] ADAM WAKEFIELD
Soul Shine
Team BLAKE

– Woah! Adam is really something rare that I enjoy listening too. His vocals here is gorgeous. His control is lovely and the phrasing is just wonderful. 8

[1] ALISAN PORTER
Stone Cold
Team CHRISTINA

– Great! Finally something that she had control on vocally with great nuances and right amount of power. Her ad libs sounded gorgeous and it didn’t felt like she was showboating. 8.5

The Voice US 10: Live Playoffs (#TeamPharrell)

What. just. had. happened. I’m speechless. We do know that Pharrell has the tendency to give his artists the most boring, outdated song choices but how his whole team crash and burn on this episode is beyond me. Even with the ones I expected to deliver wasn’t able to do so.

So with no further adieu, here’s how the night went.

[6] CAITY PETERS
I’ll Be Waiting

– Yikes! WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE GIRL WHO ASTONISHINGLY DELIVERED A SOLID KNOCKOUT PERFORMANCE. Bring her back!! 2

[5] LACY MANDIGO
Love Is A Battlefield

– Clearly, Lacy is too young for this but the main thing is I don’t really think she and the coaches knew what kind of artist she fits in. Lacy became the cannon fodder that she was pegged on in the first place. 3

[4] EMILY KEENER
Still Crazy After All These Years

– I seriously dozed off halfway of her performance that I had to rewatch it again. Yup, that’s how boring it was. 3

[3] MOUSHUMI
Love Yourself

– Song choice, I thought would be a good fit for Moushumi but the arrangement and performance itself is painful – at least for me. Her tone sounded uneven. Her notes were inconsistent. But the whole thing was a big blah. 4

[2] DANIEL PASSINO
When I Was Your Man

– For a comeback artist to perform better than more than half of Pharrell’s team, you know that Pharrell is making interesting choices this season. Haha. Daniel is a capable singer and his take on this song is decent but a bit forgettable. 5.5

[1] HANNAH HUSTON
Ain’t No Way

– I had high hopes from Hannah especially after she time to time keeps om impressing me but tonight she fell short from what I expected and her inconsitent vocals made me think that her voice is choosing particular song choices that will masterfully make her shine. Tonight, Hannah hit a couple of sharp and flat notes and her phrasing sounded a bit uneven. 6

The Voice US 10: Live Playoffs (#TeamAdam)

To be fair, #TeamAdam actually delivered better performances than #TeamPharrell which is surprising especially knowing that Pharrell’s team is stronger. But then again, this is still an underwhelming showing from a group that at the course of the season, I thought, will be one of the best seasons of the show in terms of talent.

Anyway, here is how I rank Adam’s team.

[6] NATE BUTLER
Sara Smile

– Zzzzz. Why choose him over Mike Schiavo for your comeback artist Adam? 3

[5] BRIAN NHIRA
Alive

– Painful. Brian could do better than this. I do appreciate he wanted to take his performances to the next level and taking a Sia hit would be tough but it could either be a hit or miss. He missed so bad. 3

[4] LAITH AL-SAADI
With A Little Help From My Friends

– Look, Laith sang the song decently but I feel like I’ve seen this from him already. Is he one trick pony or he just performs a good cover but not really giving that lasting impression? 6

[3] SHALYAH FEARING
Listen

– The predictability of the song choice and the diva runs were obvious recipe of a safe bet to the next round. Shalyah has this raw, natural gift but I hope Adam will find a way to elevate her from a singer to an artist. She could sing and the flawed but decent cover of this Beyonce song showed that she can be a threat. 6.5

[2] CAROLINE BURNS
All I Want

– Woah! Caroline surprised me tonight out of all the artists that performed in both teams. Her rendition of All I Want isn’t perfect but there is an amount of goodness to it that I did not expect. Her tone sounded better and her phrasing is quite beautiful. 7

[1] OWEN DANOFF
Hero

– Owen is a fantastic story teller and this kind of song choice could really bring him to the finals. No, this isn’t really spectacular in any means but with a string of ridicuously bad performances? who am I to complain about this. 7.5

The Voice US 10: Live Playoffs (#TeamChristina)

I kinda expected #TeamChristina to slay this round of the competition as until now I am not sure who will make up her final 3 going to the Final 12. Probably, Alisan Porter is a lock but this is The Voice. You will never know. I mean, Christina’s team is stacked with one sexy R&B dude, a balladeer hearththrob, a front runner, a solid diva belter and a rocker chick. Not to mention for her comeback artist, Christina added another hearthrob with a backstory. But somehow her team fell short to the expectations amidst some decent to good performances.

Nonetheless, here is how I rank her team.

[6] TAMAR DAVIS
Rise Up

– What just happened? Tamar just went overboard with her vocal acrobats and she fell so bad, it hurt her chances to continue. 2

[5] KATA HAY
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

– Kata is all personality for me and I love that about her. While it was smart for Christina to showcase her vocals with this song – I thought she did a decebt job – I am afraid that it will not be enough. Her vocals aren’t perfect at all but I was satisfied. 7

[4] ALISAN PORTER
CRY BABY

– This is a case of perfect vocals but left me cold. Probably because it was missing that special touch. Her runs felt precise albeit sounded like she’s showboating. I think I needed more emotional investment from her because so far she’s giving us really on the spot vocal performances but not something you will watch over and over again. 7.5

[3] NICK HAGELIN
Stay

– I may be in the minority for this but I actually like this performance more than Alisan. The vocals were not as perfecf as Alisan but I felt him. There are parts that were really good and while the performance is flawed, I still thought he made a good case for him. 7.5

[2] BRYAN BAUTISTA
Pillowtalk

– Bryan’s Pillowtalk is no way bad but coming from that fantastic Knockout performance, this is a bit underwhelming from him. Still, good performance though. He showed his vocal dynamics well, his personality is well played and there is just an effortless charisma from him that is undeniable. 8

[1] RYAN QUINN
I’m Not The Only One

– Yes Ryan! This gorgeous man pulled a well delivered version of this Sam Smith hit. He gave a nuanced performance. His vocals were lovely. He gave dynamics from those gorgeous power high notes to the soft notes that registered like butter. My only problem: He performed in the death spot which is too early, I am not sure if people would remember to vote for him. But how can you miss out on this gorgeous man?! 8.5

The Voice US 10: Live Playoffs (#TeamBlake)

#TeamBlake surprised me tonight as I never expect how diverse and surprisingly strong his team is. More so, there are actually artists in his team I never thought I would say that I enjoy their performances tonight. I just hope tomorrow night, for his coach save he will choose wisely and I hope America vote the right ones too.

[6] MARY SARAH
(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden

– I saw a good potential from her and with a tone reminiscent to Carrie Underwood, I thought this girl could do well on the competition. But she seems to be falling flat to my expectations and her performancr tonight, I find really blah. 5

[5] PAXTON INGRAM
How Deep Is Your Love

– The song choice is quite interesting and showed us the entertainment side which is Paxton’s strongest point. But the vocals suffered badly as he hit a lot of sharp and flat notes and the performance went all over the place. 5.5

[4] JUSTIN WHISNANT
Here’s A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)

– When I found out that Blake is bringing back Justin for I thought he got robbed during the Battles, I was excited but the song choice didn’t do well for him sadly. I thought he was better than this. 5.5

[3] KATIE BASDEN
Georgia Rain

– Georgia Rain is an interesting choice from Katie and she’s this vocalist that I always think is very dependable. But how I wish she’d go more contemporary and went more familiar with the song choice. This was vocally decent not as strong as her knockouts and battles though. 7 

[2] ADAM WAKEFIELD
Seven Spanish Angels

– Adam is a serious threat. His grip with his vocals is superb and his grasp with his notes is admirable. He knows how to play with his strengths. Now what I want to see from him is something unexpected and that I think will bring him to the finals and be treated as a serious dark horse. 7.5

[1] JOE MAYE
Long Train Runnin’

– At first this will be corny and cheesy but I was proven wrong. Joe would always go overboard with his vocals and dynamics but tonight, he found a way to mix power and delicate nuances to a really good performance. 8