The Voice kicked off its sixth season this week with Usher and Shakira returning to their posts, and some awesome blind auditions whipping the coaches into the same competitive frenzy we’ve come to love.
Season 4’s coaching team is back together, as Usher and Shakira have returned to join Adam Levine and Blake Shelton to try to break the veterans of their winning streak. Adam and Blake are the only coaches to have won the competition, with Adam taking seasons 1 and 5, and Blake pulling a three-peat in seasons 2, 3, and 4.
Shakira claims she was hormonal the last time she was on the show (she gave birth to son Milan between taping the blind auditions and the battle rounds), but this time her head is clear and she is “focused as laser.” Usher has a little more hair than he did in season 4, but he is still just as intense, and seems intent on bringing home a win this year.
Early Favorites
In addition to the early favorites we previewed, Bria Kelly and Christina Grimmie, (who chose Team Usher and Team Adam, respectively), there were many other talented folks that we can look forward to seeing more of as The Voice progresses to the next rounds.
TJ Wilkins
TJ Wilkins grew up in a rough part of L.A., but with his mother’s help, he stayed out of trouble and got into music. He took on a very recognizable song with Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets,” but he still managed to make it his own. His falsetto and his runs were all magnificent. Adam, Usher, and Blake all turned for him, and even though Shakira endorsed Blake, TJ went with Usher, who had a lot of nice things to say about his creativity and musicianship.
Dawn and Hawkes
Singer-songwriter couple Miranda Dawn and Chris Hawkes make up “Dawn and Hawkes.” Since they are both musicians, they are waiting for their big break so that they can support themselves and buy a house. Adam was absolutely nuts about their performance of The Beatles’ “I’ve Just Seen A Face,” calling it his favorite Voice performance, ever. Shakira wasn’t backing down either, but even Blake’s support for Shakira wasn’t enough to beat Adam’s desperation and flattery, and Dawn and Hawkes chose Team Adam.
Jake Worthington
This was not Jake Worthington’s first appearance on the show, but his first audition last season did not go so well (awkward dancing, anyone?). This time, however, he lost the cowboy hat, played his guitar, and stood still. His performance of Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” was straight-up perfect, beautiful country. It was exactly what he needed to do, and he went from no turns last time, to Blake, Adam, and Shakira all turning their chairs for him. Blake was thrilled that he returned, and even though Shakira almost unintentionally seduced him onto her team, and Adam fell to his knees to beg Jake to choose him, Jake unsurprisingly went with Team Blake in the end.
Delvin Choice
Delvin Choice first auditioned last season with NeYo’s “Closer,” but didn’t get a single chair to turn. The coaches advised him to come back and sing a more emotional song, so this time he chose Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You.” This performance got all four coaches to turn their chairs. Adam pointed out that he had already started coaching him in season 5 (since he was the one who told Delvin to pick a different song after his first audition,) and whether or not that won him over, Delvin chose Team Adam.
Deja Hill
16-year-old Deja Hall chose Cyndi Lauper’s inspirational “True Colors” for her blind audition, and Deja’s beautiful voice singing the classic song earned her three chair turns from Blake, Shakira, and Usher. Usher and Blake argued over a particular note in her performance, and who was the better coach for her, but Shakira’s personal appeal to Deja was what won out in the end. But it’s possible Deja went with Team Shakira because Blake’s offer to adopt her just scared her off.
Cary Laine
Wife and Mom, Cary Laine, took on The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two,” and her rip-roarin’ performance not only lead to a four-chair turn, but also one of the weirdest coach battles ever. Cary got to play musical chairs in everyone’s spinning red chairs, Usher tried to talk her into switching out her cowboy boots for some sneakers, and Blake reminded her of the weight he pulls in the country music industry. But after all that, Cary took a chance on Adam, who said he could offer her a little something different from stuck-in-his-ways Blake.
The Voice blind auditions will continue next Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC.