The Voice Season 16 Recap – Top 24 – Live Blog and Videos

For the first time, Apple streams will count as votes. Limit ten streams per eligible song per Apple ID. The artist with the most streams on their eligible song(s) at the close of voting period will receive an Apple Music Bonus. Check out all the song spoilers, with links to iTunes below.

The Voice 16 Top 24 Song Spoilers – What Will the Contestants Sing?

For how to vote this week and beyond, check out our The Voice voting guide:

How to Vote on The Voice 16: Everything You Need to Know

Host Carson Daly will reveal the 12 artists moving on to the finals. Additionally, the winner of the Comeback Stage will face off against one of the eliminated Cross Battle contestants for a 13th spot in the finals. 

Carson reminds viewers that the Top 24 are made up of uneven teams. Sads. Will Team Adam Levine be obliterated this week?  We’re starting off with Team Kelly Clarkson. Woot woot. Kelly’s big advice? Be yourself.  Before the singing, a video clip introducing her team. 

Rod Stokes – Team Kelly Clarkson – Midnight Rider by Allman Brothers – Hello cannon fodder. Rod has some formidable competition in the country/country rock genre. He’s the least of them. He’s sweating a lot tonight. Perhaps he understands his fate. No judges comments! Many performances to get through –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erQJqRZu7ao

Matthew Johnson – Team Kelly Clarkson – Ordinary People by John Legend – Matthew is a likable and talented singer. He puts a smile on my face. Nice, buttery vocal performance of a sweet modern hit. John seems to be really enjoying it. Matthew doesn’t change up much here, but he delivers a controlled, tasteful performance. Nice. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6EG0KwFmvA

Rebecca Howell – Team Kelly Clarkson – Wild One by Faith Hill – My biggest problem with Rebecca has been her song choices. This Faith Hill song is tolerable, at least. She seems a little nervous, maybe? This feels a little off. Kelly is up on her feet. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32sbALL4SW0

Presley Tennant – Team Kelly Clarkson – Nothing Breaks Like a Heart by Mark Ronson – I love Presley. I’m not usually a big fan of the teen singers, but she’s one of my favorites. Interesting song choice. Presley delivers those big notes effortlessly and with a TON of passion.  She doesn’t have the disconnect problem that so many young artists struggle with. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfagprYK3rc

Abby Kasch – Team Kelly Clarkson – I Got the Boy by Jana Kramer – Abby deserved to be saved last week. She’s underrated in this competition. I like her better than Rebecca, to be honest.  –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfRP9qQ7jgo

Jej Vinson – Team Kelly Clarkson – Love Lies by Khalid ft Normani – I prefer this performance to last week’s “Versace on the Floor,” which I didn’t really buy. This week, Jej delivers an impassioned and heartfelt performance punctuated by gorgeous runs. My favorite of his performances so far. – AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_qxw1pKHY0

Interesting that the artists performance order is divided by team, considering the singers will move on to the next round randomly. Also, it’s amazing how much music can be squeezed into 2 hours sans video packages and coaches comments. I do not miss the hijinks.

Team John Legend is up next. John advises his artist’s to concentrate on their strengths. Let’s look at a video package featuring his six singers!

Lisa Ramey – Team John Legend – The Weight by The Band – A rootsy 70’s classic? That’s an interesting song choice. I like Lisa’s rock soul vibe a lot. She’s another underrated artist. Strong vocal and an entertaining delivery from Lisa.  –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMgJfMKNGRM

Jacob Maxwell – Team John Legend – Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler – This song choice is…I don’t get it. He delivers a very sweet and sincere performance. Still, it’s the big notes that make this song work. Jacob doesn’t have the heft to deliver the song properly. And I love his tone! But not this song. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU98RLu_N3Q

Commercial break! The Top 24 sing a ditty–Good to Be Alive by Andy Grammer–for Marshalls. Commercial synergy, people, dancing around a Marshalls. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be3OMd3Sza4

Jimmy Mowery – Team John Legend – Youngblood by 5 Seconds of Summer – Now, this is a good song choice. Jimmy is actually a credible pop singer. His type of artist usually don’t go far in the competition. Chris Jamison from a few seasons ago is an exception. But he was a versatile and soulful singer.  –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNPXvVM6-AE

Celia Babini – Team John Legend – The Chain by Fleetwood Mac – Celia started on Team Adam. She kinda blew it in the Cross Battles and lost her match up. John stole her. Will she redeem herself this week? For the most part, yes. But still, her best performances are behind her.  Her lower pitch is unique, but she needs to work on her pitch. She’s moving around too much. She doesn’t need to be leading the audience in a bunch of hand waving. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjMp3sQXTls

Maelyn Jarmon – Team John Legend – Fallingwater by Maggie Rogers – Ohhh. Maelyn is my favorite. What an exquisite stylist. Beautiful tone and effortless phrasing. Also, an A+ song pick. I hope she wins.  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z4gxDNoxGw

Shawn Sounds – Team John Legend – Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder – Shawn doesn’t bring anything new to “Higher Ground,” but this is a solid performance. The song choice is good, but a bit predictable. John is on his feet! –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skT2OYYdPlg

That’s it for Team Legend. Team Adam Levine is next. Team Adam clip is short. There are only four artists on his team. He’s got some good ones, however. 

Kalvin Jarvis – Team Adam Levine – Mine by Bazzi – Ehh…Julian King should have won his Cross Battle last week. Kalvin has some pitch problems he needs to work on – AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3IwfuQKGqs

Betsy Ade – Team Adam Levine – Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet – Betsy is this season’s rocker, and I am not complaining at all. She’s accompanying herself on electric guitar. Got some early aughts rock music here–good song choice for Betsy. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1GSWcVVRBc

Mari – Team Adam Levine – Work it Out by Beyonce – Mari funking out with some Beyonce. I like it. Mari does the retro yet modern thing really well. And I love her look–the natural hair and big bell bottoms. She has a few shaky moments, but it’s an entertaining and energetic performance, nevertheless –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT8MYAqfDvs

Domenic Haynes – Team Adam Levine – Love is a Losing Game by Amy Winehouse – Domenic is a unique stylist and maybe not suited for The Voice. But he takes risks and I like that. This isn’t my favorite performance from him, but I still hope he advances. – AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eUTRj4uE80

Welp. The last 45 minutes will be devoted to all 8 members of Team Blake Shelton. “As a coach, I try to do the complete opposite of Adam,” says Blake. Guess we weren’t going to escape coaches antics tonight, after all. 

Andrew Sevener – Team Blake Shelton – Boots On by Randy Houser – He beat The Bundys in the Cross Battles, which was surprising. They sing beautiful harmonies, he’s a generic country singer. A solid singer, Andrew hasn’t done much to distinguish himself – AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G9REhIT5-c

Selkii – Team Blake Shelton Iris by Goo Goo Dolls – Selkii stumbled in the Cross Battles and was saved by Blake. She’s redeeming herself this week, with a lovely rendition of a 90s classic. She brings some creative phrasing to this rendition –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYXkeZHAW1M

Oliv Blu – Team Blake Shelton – The Girl from Ipanema by Stan Getz – Olive’s jazzy interpretation of The Girl from Ipanema isn’t perfect, but she gets a million points for a creative and daring song choice. She seemed a little nervous. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLHq1OdvvRk

Gyth Rigdon – Team Blake Shelton – I Want to be Loved Like That by Shenandoah – This is the right night for Gyth to perform a pretty and heartfelt country ballad. He’s a very good storyteller.  –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vSmoZDYtQg

Kendra Checketts – Team Blake Shelton – Bad Guy by Billie Eilish – I wasn’t impressed with Kendra’s Cross Battle performance, but she’s kinda killing it here. Interesting song choice. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wFWE1lLOSU

Carter Lloyd Horne – Team Blake Shelton – Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley –  COOL OUTFIT BRO. I also like his hair. Covering Elvis is predictable, but his throaty soulful tone is appealing. Carter came out of nowhere and is a bit of a dark horse right now. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln-RzdUkurE

Kim Cherry – Team Blake Shelton – Waterfalls by TLC – Kim sits behind an electric piano, before launching into her party trick–rapping!  Her voice is stong enough–no gimmicks needed. –  AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIl3xRyXZAo

Dexter Roberts – Team Blake Shelton – Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You by Brooks & Dunn – Former American Idol finalist, Dexter Roberts, gets the pimp spot. Good for him. However, tonight I prefer Gyth and Carter as far as country singing is concerned. – AUDIO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac9gDclIFJ0

So…that was a lot of music to digest at one time. It’s hard to even consider which artists will move on.