The Voice 8 Recap Knockout Round #3 Live Blog and VIDEOS

It’s the FINAL NIGHT of The Voice 8 Knockouts! Who will be eliminated? Who will move on to the Top 20? We’re live blogging the performances and results right here! Nate Ruess of Fun. is the celebrity adviser.

Tomorrow: Clip show! We won’t be live blogging. Christina is the only coach with a steal left. Who will she take?

Lots of GREAT talent advanced to the Top 20, which is looking really solid. I can’t even pick a front runner yet, the bench is so deep! These next cuts are going to be brutal. I’d say Team Pharrell is the strongest team. But each coach has at least ONE extremely strong team member. We’ll see you NEXT Monday for the beginning of the Live Playoffs!

Barry Minefield vs Tonya Boyd Cannon – Team Adam Levine – Tonya lost everything after Hurricane Katrina. She teaches a prison choir. Barry is the singing chef from Palm Springs. He’s the oldest in the competition.

Tonya Boyd Cannon – “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder – They kicked off their mentor session with a little Stevie sing along. Adam suggests she throw away some of the lines, rather than elongate all of them, in consideration of Stevie’s syncopation. Nate thinks Tonya has great energy and is up for the challenge. Adam thinks she’s consistent, but there ‘s more work to do. “Give me more church,” says Adam. And this performance is REALLY boring. She sucks all the funk out of Stevie. A very adult contemporary version of the song. Too loungy. Girl can sing but…Zzzz – Download from iTunes

https://youtu.be/SWmKOlxyJsc

Barry Minefield – “What You Won’t Do For Love” by Bobby Caldwell – Adam is surprised by his upper register. They raise the key a half step to take advantage of it. Adam and Nate are amazed by how great he is. Barry is totally feeling this. I’ll give him points for bringing the emotion. It’s so old fashioned. It’s like travelling back to the late 70’s, though. I’d still give it to him instead of Tonya.

https://youtu.be/kVkNAGsorkk

Blake calls them both “an act.” He can’t choose. Christina calls them both crazy talented. Pharrell loved them both too. He also can’t choose. He wishes he had a steal. Adam appreciates both the singers’ comfort level on stage. Tonya wins the Knockout. Barry is eliminated. For Barry, I think it was death by middle age.

Brooke Ade vs Kelsie May – Team Blake Shelton – She’s a young, inexperienced country singer. Brooke’s mom has Lupus.

Kelsie May – “Tim McGraw” by Taylor Swift – Nate never heard of the song, and thinks it’s funny that Taylor named a song after another singer. Blake realizes that Kelsie, an old school singer, has taken herself out of her comfort zone. In rehearsal she is REALLY OFF KEY. Like painfully so. Blake and Nate are wondering if she should try for big notes. They don’t belong in the song, anyway. Whoa. She takes them out, but is STILL really off pitch in the live performance. Great tone, but wobbly on those notes. Her phrasing could be more dynamic, too. That was very dull.

https://youtu.be/zng1tqE4aKE

Brooke Adee – “Electric Feel” by MGMT – She was a little intimidated by Nate! He thinks she’s got lots of personality, but has a long way to go. He suggests she stick to the melody and work the stage more. Blake realizes she has more potential than he thought. Brooke attacks the song with confidence and verve. After the first bar, it’s clear who the winner of this battle is. Poor Kelsie. She knows she’s getting whomped. Very energetic performance from Brooke! Love her voice. – Download from iTunes

https://youtu.be/Obc1sWH5u1g

Christina believes they both have strengths. She likes Kelsie’s purity. Christina won’t pick. Pharrell thought Brooke’s song sounded like a b side to a Motown song. Adam thinks they are evenly matched, but he would pick Brooke. Blake has no criticisms for Brooke. Kelsie was pitchy, but still compelling. C’mon Blake. It’s obvious. After fake-dithering, Blake chooses Brooke – Brooke wins the Knockout. Kelsie is eliminated.

India Carney vs Joe Tolo – Team Christina Aguilera – India is a California music major. She studied opera. Joe was a nursing student in college.

India Carney – “Big White Room” by Jessie J – Christina says vulnerability is the key. Keep pulling the heart strings, she says. Nate is impressed with India’s vulnerability, but he wants to see more of who she is. India has a really unusual vibrato and tone. Her opera training comes through her theatrical approach to the song. A very compelling performance. Couple that with great phrasing and dynamics–she’s got potential to go deep in this competition. She’s so clearly the winner of this battle. – Download from iTunes

https://youtu.be/PvlMw5gUB5s

Joe Tolo – “One of Us” by Joan Osborne – He’s led the worship service at church. Christina thinks he has incredible dynamics and soul. He made the song his own. Nate says Joe has to win the audience over. Joe isn’t a terrible singer, but there’s nothing special about this performance. He holds a few notes, but the phrasing is pedestrian. I’m smelling cannon fodder!

https://youtu.be/E4wtEACa2C4

Pharrell thought it was breakthrough moments for both. Pharrell loved her theater. He’d give it to her. Adam calls India a “beast.” Blake compliments Joe’s powerful voice, but India is powerful as well AND takes the song to other places. Christina loves Joe’s tone and range. India engaged the entire room. She chooses India, of course. India wins the Knockout. Joe is Eliminated.

Jacob Rummell vs Lowell Oakley – Team Pharrell Williams – Lowell is the old school crooner. Jacob is a recent high school graduate with a sweet high voice.

Jacob Rummell – “Life of the Party” by Sean Mendez – Nate calls his tone like butter. Bring everybody in, says Nate. He needs to work on connection. Don’t camouflage into the stage, says Pharrell. His voice is so pretty! Jacob could be the perfect teen star. Are you paying attention Disney? There are a few pitch things here and there (especially the high falsetto), but a solid performance. He’s also REALLY likable.

https://youtu.be/LPk7y8xnUx0

Lowell Oakley – “My Girl” by the Temptations. – Nate suggests he belt parts of the song, rather than just croon. His voice cracked, but he kept going. Don’t be afraid to take chances, says Pharrell. Nate thinks his vulnerability is his strength, but he has to be confident. But then…there’s something special about Lowell. He’s got personality, along with a great voice and an unexpected way with a melody. He’s more mature than Jacob. There were a couple of wonky, weird moments, but I appreciate that he took some risks–hitting super low and high notes. – Download from iTunes

https://youtu.be/V7_dZQHQLJw

Adam thinks Lowell has the right approach, but the role he played overshadowed. Blake finds Jacob infectious. Christina was down with Jacob’s performance. She felt Lowell was too calculated. Pharrell felt Lowell stumbled a little. Jacob has potential. He chooses Lowell, nevertheless. He wishes Jacob had used more of his range, so he chooses Lowell. That’s kind of a lame reason? Pharrell advises Lowell, going forward, to show us what’s in his heart. Lowell Oakley wins the Battle, Jacob is eliminated.

Rob Taylor vs. Treeva Gibson – Team Christina Aguilera – Rob’s mom had a stroke. Treeva grew up with 2 deaf parents. She has hearing issues herself.

Rob Taylor – “Love and Happiness” by Al Green – They both love his energetic rehearsal. Christina wants him to use his falsetto even more. Rob feels Christina is challenging him. Rob really comes alive when he hits his falsetto at the end. Why didn’t he do more of thst sooner? I spent most of the performance waiting for a payoff. His falsetto is money. – Download from iTunes

https://youtu.be/v42j3zcWCo4

Treeva Gibson – Chasing Pavements by Adele – Treeva has to work on her transitions. Don’t hold back, Christina says. Nate caterwauls an off key version of the song, giving her tips on how to move like a weirdo. I don’t think he’s helping. Christina coaches her to let her guard down. I like the arrangement, but she loses her nerve on the chorus. The song is ultimately a bigger bite than she can chew. She has a nice upper register, but lacks control. Rob definitely won that.

https://youtu.be/Y2aKb0AqzR8

Pharrell feels Rob harnessed the song well. Treeva was a little shaky. Pharrell would go with Treeva, though. Adam acknowledges that Adele is really hard and that Treeva had some great moments. Blake likes aspects of both performances. Christina is proud of Treeva, that she incorporated the notes she was given. Christina felt Rob made the song his own. Rob wins the Knockout. Treeva is eliminated. Christina gives a tearful Treeva a big hug.

Joshua Davis vs Lexi Davila – Team Adam Levine – Josh is an old school folkie and a dad. She’s a junior in high school.

Joshua Davis – Arms of a Woman by Amos Lee – Joshua sings the song for his wife. Adam warns him not to be lulled. Maybe explode a little at the end. Nate says watch the growls. They sound insincere. Wow. I’m really impressed with this rendition. It’s so raw and soulful. He must really love his wife! Defintely the performance of the night. Pitch perfect. – Download from iTunes

https://youtu.be/H89Yj29r5uY

Lexi Davila – Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding – Nate covered this song. He says not to think about it too much. Oh. She sounds a little flat on the high notes! But the coaches are impressed. Nate thought the ending was better than the beginning. He knows she can do better. But in the end, they are both wowed. This is a really hard song to sing! It requires a lot of rangy singing. Her live performance had a shaky start, but she hit her stride near the middle, navigating a few tricky notes. As she gains confidence, she moves around the stage too. Pitting her against the experienced Joshua is kind of unfair. – Download from iTunes

https://youtu.be/Qbm9t2ReV5Y

Blake wants to spoon with Joshua. Ha. He’s impressed with Lexi’s range, but would go with Joshua. Christina thinks Joshua pulls on the heartstrings, but Lexi was the great surprise. She compliments Adam for his coaching. She’d give it Lexi. Pharrell calls Joshua’s performance masterful. Pharrell admired the way Lexi sang with accuracy. Adam felt Lexi met the challenge in front of her. But, he chooses Joshua. Joshua wins the Knockout. Christina steals Lexi.

The Voice 8 Top 20

Team Adam