Season 5’s battle rounds wrapped up on The Voice this week, with the coaches completing their teams for the knockout rounds, with the help of some last-minute saves.
The Battles
Josh Logan vs. Michael Lynch
The first battle of the evening paired Team Christina contestants Josh Logan and Michael Lynch. Christina chose fellow coach Adam Levine’s band Maroon 5’s debut “Harder to Breathe” to give the guys “room to explore and bring their own energy.” Both men struggled in rehearsals to connect with an audience, but managed to come out of their shells a bit onstage. Josh seemed to be more relaxed and comfortable, while Michael bounced awkwardly around the stage. Josh actually sounded a lot like Adam Levine himself, and perhaps for that reason, Christina chose him as the winner.
George Horga Jr. vs. Juhi
Cee Lo paired young teammates George Horga Jr. and Juhi to perform Gavin DeGraw’s “Best I’ve Ever Had”. The performance itself started off on a rough note for George, literally, but he overcame it quickly, and put on a solid performance for the rest of the song. Juhi and George sounded great together, and Juhi was really able to show off the uniqueness in her voice and vocal style. The squeaks she added at the end of some of her notes were a little much, however. In the end, it was George’s absolute “all-or-nothing” dedication to music that convinced Cee Lo to keep him for his team. Fortunately for Juhi, Adam was shocked that Cee Lo didn’t choose Juhi, and quickly snatched her up for his own team.
Austin Jenckes vs. Brian Pounds
Coach Blake paired Austin Jenckes and Brian Pounds because they both have an edgy sound, but also the ability to be vulnerable. He chose The Bee Gees’ classic “To Love Somebody” to allow them to show this vulnerability. Austin’s biggest challenge in rehearsals was to pull back, and not show all his cards right at the beginning. Brian’s struggle was to not focus on himself so much, and just focus on the music. It turned out to be a great pairing, and both men sounded great in the performance. However, Austin’s raw emotion swayed all the couches, including Blake.
James Irwin vs. Matt Cermanski
Adam paired teammates James Irwin and Matt Cermanski because they both bring a lot of heart and soul to their performances. Adam chose his team mentor Ryan Tedder’s band One Republic’s hit “Counting Stars” for James and Matt, which gave them the added bonus of getting tips from the man himself. James took well to the song, and sounded great from the get-go. And while Matt lacked some confidence in himself, Ryan felt that he could easily sneak up and steal the battle away from his opponent. The performance itself was not the best from either contestant, and Adam felt both men still need work. However, he felt James was more connected in the performance, and capable of doing more, so he chose him as the winner.
Destinee Quinn vs. Lina Gaudenzi
Team Christina contestants Destinee Quinn and Lina Gaudenzi were paired by their coach to perform The Dixie Chicks’ “Not Ready To Make Nice”. The song was more Lina’s strength, and she was able to naturally throw in lots of ad-libs. Destinee was worried, as a more straight singer, that she was at a disadvantage. However, it was a rough rehearsal, as Lina couldn’t get out of her own head, and kept messing up the lyrics. When it came time for the battle, Lina’s vocals drew wows from the coaches, and the emotion of the song drew tears from Destinee’s own eyes. Christina was moved by the connection Destinee developed in this performance, and chose to keep her for Team Christina. But moments later, Adam stole Lina for his own team.
James Wolpert vs. Will Champlin
Adam paired James Wolpert and Will Champlin, not just because they both have sweet glasses, but because they are very similar artists, and Adam felt keeping them both on his team would be redundant. He chose Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” to take them out of their comfort zone. Will struggled with nerves in rehearsals, and it was affecting the technical aspect of his performance. James, however, was performing his bit a little too perfectly and polished, and needed to show some emotion and personality. Both contestants took these notes to heart, and brought their very best to the battle stage, but Adam chose James as the winner. Luckily for Will, Christina liked him enough to make him a member of her own team.
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