After surviving last week’s brutal eliminations, the top 12 had a lot to prove with their performances this week.
Top 12 Performances
Sugar Joans
Pharrell’s very favorite contestant, Sugar Joans, was the first to kick off the top 12 live performances. Pharrell gave her the Talking Heads’ “Take Me To the River,” because he felt it was right in her wheelhouse, and that she has the “spirit of the most amazing soul singer.” Her performance was pretty great, though she spent much of the time going up and down a staircase in giant platform heels, which is pretty nerve-wracking as a viewer. Sugar’s talent is unquestionable, but it would be nice to hear a softer, more delicate performance from her.
Ryan Sill
Gwen chose Duran Duran’s “Ordinary World” for Ryan Sill, because he wouldn’t have to worry about those tricky aspects of performing, like…you know…moving, and dancing, and walking. The emotional, dreamy song was a perfect fit for Ryan’s voice. He struggled with his confidence in rehearsals, and looked a little nervous at the beginning of his performance (someone please make a GIF of his awkward swaying). But by the end, whoa boy, he was swinging for the fences. He pushed his voice to its limit, but he had all four judges on their feet, and Gwen thanking him for being her friend.
Jessie Pitts
Jessie Pitts was grateful for coach Blake’s save last week, and ready to mix it up a little bit this week. Blake gave her Swedish House Mafia’s “Don’t You Worry Child,” and Jessie decided to play piano, a skill she hasn’t yet demonstrated on the show. She started off simple, playing a glowing white piano, but was joined by the band when the song picked up tempo halfway through. She did a great job with the beginning, but it seems upbeat songs are not quite her forte, as she seemed overwhelmed by the song and the band.
Damien
Damien’s done emotional and sentimental on the show so far, so this week, Adam wanted him to change things up and be emotional and sentimental. He chose The Hollies’ classic “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” and though Damien was a little doubtful, Adam convinced him to trust him. And holy crap, was that trust well-placed. Damien sang the ever-loving crap out of the song, and Adam could not have been more proud.
DaNica Shirey
This is the part of the competition where contestants need to start making decisions that will set them apart from the rest of the pack. DaNica did that by choosing Radiohead’s “Creep” for her top 12 performance. She brought the idea to Pharrell, and he rolled with it, but he decided to change it up to make it a little more DaNica. The result was an interesting R&B take on the alternative hit. DaNica sounded incredible, and it was an interesting arrangement, but the more soulful groove of it took away the desperation that makes the original so unforgettable.
Taylor John Williams
Gwen chose “If” by Bread for Taylor John Williams, because she felt both Taylor and the song are sort-of secretly dark. This song would give Taylor the opportunity to sing straight, without all the blues inflections, and give America an opportunity to hear a different side of her voice. Taylor was a little intimidated by how vulnerable his performance of this song would be, but he was up for the challenge. It was a beautiful performance, and the coaches were very impressed.
Reagan James
A big bad woman of 16 years old now, it was time for Reagan to flip the script for the top 12. Blake chose Lenny Kravitz’s “It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over” for her performance, because he felt the rock/throwback R&B style would suit Reagan. She sounded great, except she dropped the end of her phrases sometimes, likely due to nerves-related breath problems. Adam called her on it, but Blake was blown away by his young contestant and her big potential.
Luke Wade
Luke Wade chose Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” for his top 12 performance. Even though it was the first contemporary record he’s performed on The Voice, he felt it was perfect, because he’s a romantic guy. Unfortunately, his performance went a little bit wrong right from the start, when Luke came in too early and panicked. Though he soldiered on, the flub affected the rest of his performance. The coaches applauded his recovery, as they always do in these situations, because no one understands that scenario better than they do.
Matt McAndrew
Matt McAndrew had a big week last week, when his performance of The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” won him a spot in the top 12. To follow that performance, Adam chose Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” because it’s a modern song that sounds like a different time, which is perfect for Matt’s style. Matt liked the choice, because it’s a deep song, and more of a rock song than he’s had a chance to perform thus far on the show. He poured everything he had into the performance, and though the coaches couldn’t hear him due to some sound issues, we could, and he was great.
Craig Wayne Boyd
Blake is so happy his boy Craig Wayne Boyd is still around, and he gave him a big challenge this week. Craig’s top 12 song was George Strait’s “You Look So Good in Love.” It’s a country classic, which meant that Craig had, as Blake put it, “tall boots to fill.” This would give Craig an opportunity to show off a more tender side, as opposed to the Southern rock we’ve seen from him so far in the competition. In rehearsals, Blake wanted to make sure he kept it straight, and in his performance, Craig kept it simple, straight, and beautiful. His coach felt it was yet another breakthrough moment.
Chris Jamison
Let’s be honest here: Chris Jamison is a handsome dude. So Chris Jamison singing Nick Jonas’s “Jealous”? Makes the average at-home viewer sweat just a little bit. While he worried in rehearsal about working the stage to the uptempo song, he seemed right at home for the entire performance. The song was perfectly suited for Chris’s voice, especially his falsetto, and he had the audience in the palm of his hand (the ladies in particular.)
Anita Antoinette
Gwen has bonded with Anita over their shared love of Jamaica. Anita is from Kingston, Gwen loves the nation so much she named her son Kingston. So it was no great surprise they chose Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” The song obviously means a lot to Anita, who feels it’s “more than a song, it’s a message to humanity.” Anita poured every ounce of passion and emotion she had into the performance, and it was beautiful. However, Tessane Chin did the same thing on season 5. While proudly representing your roots is a beautiful thing, does every Jamaican contestant have to fall into the same reggae rut?
The results of America’s vote will be revealed Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC.
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