The Voice 2014 - Recap - The Battles, Round 2 Premiere - Video
Welcome to the live blog and recap of "The Battles, Round 2 Premiere" on The Voice 2014 Season 6! Which singers will survive the second Battle Round? Will any coaches use the Steal?
Chris Martin is here for the new change in format, as we ditch the Knockout Round (a mistake, in my opinion) for a new, more intense phase of the Battle Round, with the Coldplay frontman guiding every single one of the remaining artists into vocal combat. Will the matchups pick up the slack after the first round of Battles largely underwhelmed? Will a frontrunner emerge? Will your favorites avoid getting montaged?! Find out, as "The Battles, Round 2" begin!
Credit: NBC
Add your thoughts in the comments below, and keep refreshing for analysis, thoughts, and videos of the night's big matchups! Let's get this show on the road!
RECAP
-We get a preview for the night to come, a clip that lasts damn near TWO whole minutes! I swear, just air the damn show! Let the talent speak for itself. Is the show really that hard up for viewers that we have to show so damn much in the preview? Anyway, it's kind of a minor nag. So onto the first battle of the night...
TEAM BLAKE: AUDRA MCLAUGHLIN VS. MEGAN RUGER
-Blake says that both girls occupy the same sort of niche on his team, and so one will have to go. They show the girls their battles as a way of illustrating why he picked them. He then gives the girls a short list of songs to choose from, leading to a lot of hemming and hawing as the singers have to choose on their own, coming to an agreement. Ultimately, they settle on "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus.
-We get our first mentoring session with Chris Martin of Coldplay, and Blake says the only drawback to Martin's presence is that the other three coaches get to work with him as well.
-"Does she twerk in this song?" (Chris Martin is already earning that paycheck)
-On the first run-through, Blake isn't impressed at all. However, the girls work with Chris, who give them a sense of stage presence and how to make the most of their vocals on the track. All in all, they both end up sounding pretty damn great. I mean, I probably wouldn't have chosen "The Climb," since it's such a treacly song. But this has the potential to be a solid battle.
-Both women are incredibly powerful vocalists. But Audra, in particular, took me by surprise. I had no idea she had such pipes, overpowering the much more rock-tinged Megan. In my mind, Audra won this one pretty handily. But I guess it all depends on what Blake is looking for: rock chick or sweet girl next door? Given his past proclivities, I'd argue Audra has this in the bag.
-Usher said it was a rough start for Megan, but she recovered nicely. He adds that he expected Audra to stumble but she never did, so he would award the round to her. Shakira feels Audra connected to the lyrics of the song, and admits that while Megan was more "technically accurate," she felt a deeper connection to Audra's vocal. Adam feels Audra is one of the best vocalists in the entire competition, but says that Megan was able to hang with her on the big notes, which means this is going to be a tough one for Blake. Blake agrees, arguing that Audra is an outstanding vocalist, but noting that he identifies more with Megan. He gives it consideration...
AUDRA MCLAUGHLIN WINS THE BATTLE!
-Blake hated having to send home Megan, but feels Audra is unique, saying he could potentially win this thing with her. Megan, for her part, thanks the coaches, saying that people who didn't know her before know her now. Blake hugs her and asks her to keep in touch, and her spirits are high as she leaves. Adam, for his part, says he's saving his steal for someone that blows him away, although he does give credit to Megan for her performance.
TEAM USHER: CIERRA MICKENS VS. TJ WILKINS
-Cierra and TJ are both intimidated by one another's vocal prowess, with Cierra feeling it's "The Battle of the Soul Singers."
-They go through possible song choices, including "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted." But they ultimately decide to take a page out of the Justin Guarini playbook and pick "Get Here" by Oleta Adams.
-TJ is starstruck by Chris Martin, and is giddy that they're able to connect over their shared interest in windsurfing. During their session, however, Usher warns against the rough transition between head voice and singing from the diaphragm, because it needs to be smooth. He also says that an artist has to take ownership over what he or she is singing. When he performs, he thinks of his commitment to his children, and feels both TJ and Cierra need to make a similar emotional connection with their song.
-So it's time for the battle, and I'm guessing Usher must have heard the news that Pharrell is joining The Voice next season, since he's trying to outdo him in the "silly hat" department. Seriously, Usher has on a Davy Crockett-style raccoon cap. And even more stunning? He's totally making it WORK.
-This battle is pretty damn solid, but it's also an interesting comment on the nature of Battles on this show in themselves: TJ is at his best in the beginning, when he's delivering a more restrained, Donny Hathaway-esque vocal. But once Cierra starts kicking it into high gear with the runs and the belting, TJ starts straining to match her. He mostly keeps up with her, and even overtakes her towards the end for a small bit, but I feel Cierra ultimately comes out on top. And that's how battles should work, in theory: two people bringing out the best in one another like one big game of one-upmanship.
-Shakira gives the duo a standing O, while Blake marvels at the skill of both vocalists. Adam throws down the gauntlet and says he's shedding a tear for the other singing competitions, since The Voice is the best one. He has no idea how Usher will choose between the two. For his part, Usher seems torn on his deliberations, although the drama is undercut somewhat by the silliness of his headgear. But I still kind of love it regardless. Oh yeah, the result...
TJ WILKINS WINS THE BATTLE!
-Hmmm, I didn't see that coming. TJ is understandably thrilled, while Cierra is gracious in defeat. She says she took everything Shakira taught her and brought it to Team Usher. She thanks both coaches for taking a chance on her. A class act, all the way through.
TEAM BLAKE: JAKE WORTHINGTON VS. TESS BOYER
-Tess is surprisingly hyped to work with Jake, saying he has a really great, powerful country voice. After they rewatch his past performances, I can't say I disagree with her. But she has a hell of a voice in her own right.
-Tess and Jake ultimately setlle on "Have a Little Faith in Me" by John Hiatt, and I think this is a PERFECT choice for their voices. I genuinely believe Tess is going to surprise people here.
-During their session, Blake takes issue with Jake's phrasing, while Tess takes the opportunity to shine. It impresses Jake, who feels Tess might actually have a lower, deeper register than he does. Chris Martin is similarly impressed, and hey, given his ex-wife's attempt at a country music career, I'd argue he at least knows what current country music sounds like.
-Before the battle, Tess worries that a loss will mean having to return to taking pre-law classes which, when coupled with Audra's worry about returning to med school, doesn't exactly have me feeling bad for any of these people. Well, okay, I guess I'd be a bit more worried for Tess, since there are far fewer decent jobs in law than there are in medicine, if my friend's adventures in the field of law have been any indication.
-Okay, maybe Tess won't surprise people after all. I mean, she isn't bad at all. Not in the slightest. But Jake won this pretty easily, in my opinion. That dude can SING. He's sort of like Alex Preston though, in that he sounds so into it when you're just listening to him, but when you're watching him too, there's this sort of disconnect between how emotionally connected he sounds, and how awkward he looks while performing.
-Usher thought it was a great battle, while Shakira says Tess blew her away. Adam mostly sticks with platitudes, saying he felt like he was at one of Blake's CMA performances, and adds he doesn't envy Blake's decision. Blake agonizes over his decision as we head to commercial break. Although, if you're reading this after the fact, we get to Blake's decision RIGHT THIS MINUTE...
JAKE WORTHINGTON WINS THE BATTLE!
-In explaining his decision, Blake says that when he feels as though a battle is a tie, he has to go with loyalty, so he picked the Team Blake original. So, essentially, Tess lost for not having been with Blake since the beginning.
-Of course, this isn't the end for Tess, as all three of the other judges hit their buttons!
-Usher argues that Tess should pick her, since he'll fight for her. He even sings "Reunited" to get her to come back to his team. Shakira says that Tess is the best female voice in the competition, and then starts randomly name-dropping Blake and Miranda. Adam, for his part, says he wasn't a big believer in the beginning, but he has become a believer to a very large degree. He notes that Usher abandoned her once, with Shakira adding, "Who does it once, will do it twice," drawing an "ooooooo" from the audience. So now the ball is in Tess Boyer's court. In a bit of a surprise, to me at least, she picks Shakira.
SHAKIRA STEALS TESS BOYER!
-Tess says it was Shakira's heartfelt speech that swayed her. Adam, meanwhile, feels Tess could possibly run away with the entire competition. I'm not sure about all that, but she certainly is a survivor. And she deserves to still be there.
TEAM ADAM: CHRISTINA GRIMMIE VS. SAM BEHYMER
-While watching back their battles, Christina notes that she's gone from making YouTube videos to performing on a big stage, so now she'll have to kick it up a notch.
-Both girls pretty much lose their minds when they walk in and see Chris Martin. Christina tells him "Violet Hill" is the greatest song ever, and changed the way she listens to music. Chris seems genuinely touched, and it's probably my favorite moment of the show so far.
-The girls picked "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic, and Adam isn't thrilled about Sam's "squirrely" parts, and is similarly iffy on Christina's penchant for overdoing it. Chris, however, says that "some melodies are so good, I feel like you shouldn't mess with them." They run through it again, and the girls seem a bit more comfortable in the track, although I don't think either singer sounds all that great on it. Adam warns against going too far, saying the potency of what they're doing is enough to get them to the end without going over the top. This seems like it'll be a pretty even battle, and not a blow away. But then, how many battles ever are blow aways anyhow?
-Before the battle, Christina gets a pep talk from her mother, and notes that if she loses this battle, she has to go back to doing YouTube videos. And, you know, the 2,548,035 subscribers she has.
-Right off the bat, I'd argue that the first twenty seconds of this performance is the best either Christina or Sam have sounded since the competition. Once the tempo picks up, it's a bit iffier. Sam misses some notes here and there, while Christina remains in pocket -- but so deeply in pocket that she isn't really that audible. Still, both girls have tremendous nuance to their vocals, even if I think this is absolutely the wrong song for them. If I had to pick, I'd go with Christina by a hair. Although they really need to get her out of all these white blazers for the playoffs. Variety, girl!
-Blake calls Christina "a little ball of dynamite," which...yeah, I don't even know. He says Sam has a very complicated sound, but puts it together in such a way that she makes it sound easy. So he'd pick Sam. Usher, meanwhile, feels Christina has a comfort onstage that can't be taught. He then praises Sam for being in the moment at all times. Shakira likes Sam, but feels she still hasn't found her style. She notes that Christina has more confidence and a certain maturity, but she just doesn't know. Adam is proud of both singers, and notes that there is no right decision here. "I'm just gonna make a gut decision..."
CHRISTINA GRIMMIE WINS THE BATTLE!
-She's stunned, and is amazed that Adam sees that kind of potential in her. Sam says she's learned so much, and is excited for her future. No steal.
-Adam says that while Sam was more consistent, Christina just seemed more ready. Backstage, he calls Christina his "homegirl". Should be interesting to see what Christina can do on the live shows. She's got so much hype behind her that I think people will be holding her to a higher standard than other singers. Especially since having over 2 million YouTube subscribers means she'll probably be sticking around for a while.
TEAM SHAKIRA: PATRICK THOMSON VS. JOSH MURLEY
-They both came from Team Adam, and were picked up by Shakira, so these two are well-acquainted. They watch their battles back, and Patrick compares it to watching football to prepare for the next big game, which really isn't the worst analogy in the world.
-Josh is worried about Patrick's tone, since he's got a unique kind of rasp. He could be in trouble. Patrick, for his part, is awestruck to meet Chris Martin, and notes how great it is to meet all these award-winning artists.
-The guys settle on "Run to You" by Bryan Adams, and it's a bit rough. Chris feels that sometimes singers need props, since it doesn't exactly work for them to be jiving around during the parts in which they're not singing. So he recommends the guys use mic stands, and the effect is immediate, as they both seem a thousand times more comfortable onstage. Chris mentions it was like listening to two completely different artists. Shakira feels both guys are pretty damn close to perfect, so it's going to be a tough battle.
-Both singers meet with their families before the battle. Josh is doing it for his child, while Patrick is doing it for his mom, who believed in him more than he ever believed in himself.
-The guys hug it out to start the battle, which is kind of adorable, actually.
-Josh and Patrick are both good for their own separate reasons. Patrick has this wonderfully deep, raspy quality that Josh just can't match. Conversely, Josh has a smoothness and cadence that I feel is just as compelling. This is probably the tightest battle of the night so far. I feel both guys do an outstanding job showcasing their talents, with there being no clear winner, but two clear powerhouses. Totally dug it.
-Adam has no idea how to choose, while Blake says he'd probably go with Patrick. Usher loved Josh's confidence, but notes that Patrick kind of took the lead with the second verse. Adam compares it to a boxing match, and Usher agrees, saying that Josh wanted to show control with the restraint of his vocal. Shakira thought both men gave an amazing, solid performance. But she can only pick one, and so because she needs a voice like his, Shakira makes her choice...
PATRICK THOMSON WINS THE BATTLE!
-Aww, I liked Josh. Although, realistically, I couldn't see him finishing any higher than James Wolpert did, at best.
-Josh is honored to have even made it this far, and thanks the coaches for the opportunity. No steal. Shame.
TEAM ADAM: DELVIN CHOICE VS. JOSH KAUFMAN
-Delvin reveals that after he got the chairs to turn, he went right back to working part-time at Starbucks, but now he's here to take things farther. Josh, meanwhile, says he's here because he has a family that counts on him and roots for him.
-They pick "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours" and right away, they both sound pretty damn great. Adam is immediately miffed at himself for pairing the two, since now he'll have to lose one of them. Chris Martin calls their performance "brilliant," and says he feels like Josh can "really do some damage" with his soulful tone. Adam feels Josh is tentative because Delvin has such a huge voice, while he notes that Delvin runs the risk of getting too "monstrous" with his voice. Basically, it's the powerhouse vs. the smooth crooner. I prefer Josh to Delvin by a wide mile, but Delvin has certainly impressed me in the past. I've never seen a returnee improve so drastically from one season to the next.
-Delvin says he'll be performing this song for no one else but his grandmother, while Josh notes he's doing this for his family, and that the rest of his career starts with winning this battle.
-The song is kind of overwrought on a show like this, but I think Delvin and Josh both do a lot more with it than many other people have done on shows like this. It almost sounds like an entirely new song, although still not at all contemporary. This is just one of those songs that is very much of its moment in time, and can't really be made to sound current. At least not with its original arrangement, which is what we've got here. Still, Josh does some absolutely outstanding things with his voice here that I didn't even know he could do. And Delvin does a hell of a job hanging with him, showing more in this vocal than he has in any performance so far. Color me impressed. Seriously, they both deserve to stay.
-Blake inadvertently ends up flirting with Delvin and tells Josh he's sexy to balance it out. He notes Delvin's "studly" singing, and says he'd go with him. Usher is completely blown away, and says Delvin and Josh are both powerful vocalists. He says they both came out of their shells, having declared this the best battle of the night. Shakira says she expected Josh to take this easily, but the shock factor alone has her picking Delvin. Adam pretends to quit the show to avoid having to pick between the two singers. He says that, on both sides, there's so much he could do going forward with either artist. So no matter whom he picks, he's losing someone great. And so Adam mulls it over and makes his choice (no pun intended)...
DELVIN CHOICE WINS THE BATTLE!
-Adam notes that while both men were four-chair turns, Delvin is a real contender. He calls his voice "earth-shattering". I wouldn't go quite that far.
-Delvin says he's simply happy his work has paid off so far, but notes that he still has more work to do.
-And before Josh can even get a word out, we have a steal!
USHER STEALS JOSH KAUFMAN!
-Usher says he feels Josh delivered one of the best performances of the battles, and says they could go all the way. He adds that he wants to know more about Josh, calling him an asset to Team Usher.
-Josh is overjoyed and hugs his family backstage. Usher, for his part, notes he was going to steal the loser, no matter whom it was.
-And that's a wrap! What did you think of the Battles tonight? Did the right artists go through? Sound off in the comments!