The final five contestants performed twice last night for America’s votes, coach Usher debuted his new single, and the semi-finalists visited their hometowns for the first time in The Voice history.
The contestants performed two songs each: Contestant’s choice, with a special dedication, and coach’s choice. There were a lot of standout performances this week, which undoubtedly made it very difficult for voters to pick their favorites. The contestants also got the chance to visit their hometowns, American Idol-style, for the first time ever on The Voice, though for the most part, these hometown visits weren’t as emotional as Idol‘s.
Usher kicked off the show with a sweaty performance of his new single “Twisted.” Once again proving himself to be a true showman, his performance took a classic Motown style and twisted it to make it current and his own. He sang, he danced, and he had the audience in the palm of his hand.
In a potentially interesting interactive element of the performance, fans tweeting with the hashtag “#VoiceTwisted” lit up glow bracelets worn by audience members. While the interactive idea is cool, they just looked like regular bracelets, so there was no way of telling how “interactive’ it really was.
Contestant’s choice and dedication
The Swon Brothers
The Swon Brothers were up first with a risky performance of Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page,” dedicated to their former bandmates. Usually known for their all-American, upbeat, harmony-laden performances, this performance was much more dramatic, and showcased Brother Zach Swon almost exclusively. Zach has served as lead vocalist in the past, especially in the earlier rounds, but this time is was entirely Zach, tearing up the amazing vocals, with brother Colton serving as a glorified backup singer. It was a big risk to take at this point in the competition, but one that will very likely pay off.
Sasha Allen
Speaking of risky performances, Team Shakira’s Sasha Allen chose to take on the biggest mistake any reality show contestant can make: Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” Seemingly dressed as Whitney’s ghost, Sasha has a beautiful voice, and gave a solid performance. However, no one will ever be able to match up to Whitney’s vocal, so no matter what, you’re already losing by comparison, no matter how many wind machines you have going. She dedicated the song to her children because the song’s message of unconditional love resonated with her, as that is how she feels about her children.
Amber Carrington
Amber dedicated her performance of Katy Perry’s “Firework” to her girlfriends back home who have supported her through breakups and her mother’s death, and signed her up for The Voice. Katy Perry herself warned Amber that it’s a tough song to sing, but she did a pretty decent job. It began as a more toned-down performance, to suit her country-tinged voice, but she ended up showing off all her power at the end. With fireworks going off on the screens behind her and pyro everywhere, it made for quite a powerful performance.
Danielle Bradbery
Danielle Bradbery dedicated her performance of Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am” to her parents and her friend, Hailey. The performance started with Danielle singing in front of an onscreen version of her baby book, showing pictures of Danielle through the years. She sang the heartfelt song to her spotlit parents in the crowd, and then joined them in the audience to finish the song. Her mom, indeed her “biggest fan,” as the song says, looked about ready to jump out of her skin with excitement and pride.
Michelle Chamuel
Michelle Chamuel had a very heartfelt dedication of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” to her coach Usher and his team, saying, among other things: “you’ve allowed me to be who I am, take the time to see that, and help me appreciate it as well.” The song is a classic, and her heartfelt dedication made it even more powerful. She stuck close to the original for most of the performance, before an enthusiastic fist pump triggered the gigantic clock on the stage behind her to shatter, which brought on an all-out squatting, belting, rock show from little Michelle.
Check out page 2 for the contestants’ hometown visits, and the coaches’ song choices.
Hometown visits and coach’s choice
Michelle Chamuel
Team Usher’s Michelle Chamuel went home to Amherst, MA and was greeted by a house full of family and friends in homemade Michelle t-shirts with glasses on them. She was surprised by her friend Bob, her bandmate from Ella Riot, the band she was in in Michigan when she auditioned for The Voice. She visited the Woodstar Café, where she used to work, and also got to sing “God Bless America” at Fenway Park.
Michelle took on Zedd’s “Clarity” for her coach’s choice performance, and while Usher apparently had to fight to convince her to sing it, it was another solid performance, and proved that Michelle is current and radio-friendly. The song was perfect for her voice, as she was able to belt pretty much the whole thing, and it had enough energy for her to keep the crowd moving. The coaches, as usual, had nothing but praise for Michelle, and are getting tired of waiting for her to screw up.
Danielle Bradbery
Danielle Bradbery went home to Cypress, TX, near Houston, and was greeted at her house by a crowd of friends and family. She then went to her high school, Cypress Ranch High School, where the cheerleaders and marching band were lined up outside to welcome her. Inside, she sang for over 1,000 of her classmates, and found out she’d be singing the national anthem for the Houston Astros.
Her performance of “Please Remember Me,” for which original artist Tim McGraw had earlier sent his well-wishes, was spot-on and technically perfect, which is outstanding for someone her age. However, where her age and inexperience does begin to show is in her lack of ability to connect with the emotions of the song she is singing. Her face is expressionless as she performs, until she pulls out a big smile once the song is over. She is very talented, and very likeable, and if she masters that one little issue, she’ll be unstoppable.
The Swon Brothers
The Swon Brothers had an exciting return home to Oklahoma, as they were welcomed by their family and friends, dogs, and even Nanny Swon. They also visited their former workplace, the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, which awarded coach Blake Shelton the Rising Star Award back in 2003. In a special ceremony, The Swon Brothers were awarded this year’s Rising Star Award, which was very emotional for them, and earned them congratulatory wishes from Oklahoma natives Vince Gill and Blake. Fans mobbed the streets on the way to their very own “Swoncert” at the Muskogee Civic Center, where the Muskogee County Commisioner declared June 9-13 “Swon Brothers Week.”
Blake chose Kenny Loggins’ “Danny’s Song” for the Swons second song, and it ended up being another Zach Swon solo performance. It’s hard to be upset by the duo basically becoming a solo act this week because Zach Swon was absolutely incredible in both his performances. He could very well have won this whole competition on his own, but we’re very glad he brought Colton along with him, because the family act is unstoppable. Even Blake said that this week would be looked back on as a pivotal moment in their career.
Sasha Allen
Sasha Allen went home to her hometown of New York, NY, to see her family, whom she had been missing very much. She was able to surprise her daughter, Sierra, on her way home from school, and they had a tearful reunion. The visit reconfirmed Sasha’s determination to stay in the competition in order to make a better life for her family. Sasha also got to perform at her old stomping grounds, The Village Underground, where she used to perform during college.
In a super-awkward contrast, immediately following the emotional video package, Sasha performed a sexy version of Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls.” Awkward transition aside, it was a great performance, once again focusing on the sassier side Sasha she brought to the stage with last week’s performance of “Before He Cheats.” She seemed more comfortable and at home on stage, and the performance had a vibe of her own personal Sasha concert. Or maybe it was the giant blinking letters spelling out her name behind her on stage.
Amber Carrington
Amber went home to Rockwall, TX, and was greeted by a pile-on of her biggest fans: her little brothers and sisters. She also visited The LaRue Boutique, where she used to work, and met with her supportive and emotional friends. She stopped by the Rodeo City Music Hall, where she performed as a kid, and where she was when she found out her mother had passed away. At a later concert, she was given the key to the city of Rockwall, and June 6 was named “Amber Carrington Day.”
Amber sang coach Adam’s band Maroon 5’s “Sad,” which was the perfect choice for the emotional singer. It was a simple performance, with no flashy pyro or screen graphics; just Amber by herself on a smoky stage, relying on the power of her vocals alone. She absolutely nailed it, not only giving a pitch-perfect performance, but conveying the emotion of the song, without overdoing it. Adam was thrilled, and said she sang the song better than he did.
Tune in tomorrow night to find out which three contestants will be advancing to next week’s finals. Plus, last season’s finalists Terry McDermott and Nicholas David, and season 2 finalist Tony Lucca will all be performing.