The Voice 7 - Live Blog and Recap - The Blind Auditions, Part 2

By Nick Roman ·

Welcome to the live blog and recap of "The Blind Auditions, Part 2" on The Voice 2014 Season 7! More contestants compete for a spot on the show, as coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, and Gwen Stefani add more artists to their respective teams with the hopes of potentially winning The Voice Season 7.

Last night's show was an interesting premiere, as some contenders stepped forward with potential for the win, while some people got through for reasons I can't entirely explain. Will tonight be a knockout? Or will it be a mixture of great performers and inexplicable choices by the judges?

Add your thoughts in the comments below, and keep refreshing for analysis, thoughts, and videos of the night's blind auditions! Rickey will be posting individual videos as the night rolls on. So let's get this show on the road!

Credit: NBCUniversal

RECAP

-We open with a recap of last night's premiere, as the coaches talk about the selections they've made and what they're looking for in the artists they want for their team. Backstage, Pharrell does a psych profile on each of the opposing coaches, saying that Adam uses his sweetness while Blake uses his Southern charm, whereas Gwen uses her natural awesomeness to reel people in.

DANICA SHIREY opens the show!

-DaNica talks about singing at the Apollo as a teenager and winning, going on to record a five-song demo. However, as much as she loves singing, she hasn't been performing lately because of how difficult it's been since losing her father to cancer. He had always encouraged her, but now her confidence is shaken. She's spent the last four years as a stay-at-home mom to her daughter, and a loving partner to her fiance. But as a hardcore fan of The Voice, DaNica feels she can do this. But not just for herself or for her father's memory, but to give her daughter a better life. Here's hoping she's good.

-DaNica sings 'Big White Room', and she does some of the CRAZIEST runs I've ever heard on The Voice. Seriously, this performance is absolutely frigging insane, and she's immediately jumped to the top of my favorites. And her hometown isn't all that far from me! Let's go Pennsylvania!

ADAM, GWEN, and PHARRELL turn their chairs!

-Adam argues that DaNica should choose him because he's won The Voice, whereas Gwen reminds her that Adam didn't win last season. Gwen kind of gives her a backwards compliment by saying she can help with DaNica's look, before saying she just wants to turn back around and go back to listening (um...okay, Gwen). Pharrell argues that Adam and Gwen have a lot to offer, but so does he. "Please be on my team," he pleads. "We'll do whatever music you want to do. It doesn't have to be R&B." Blake thinks she should go with Pharrell. "Make him happyyyyyyyyyy," he sings, and OKAY WE GET IT, "Happy" was a hit song. Sheesh.

DANICA SHIREY chooses PHARRELL!

-But back to DaNica, as she breaks down in tears of joy. I'm already really excited to see where she goes in this competition. She's just SO good, with absolutely stellar vocal control.

WATCH: DaNica Shirey sings 'Big White Room' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

JOE KIRK is up next!

-Nashville resident Joe Kirk talks about singing in his family's music group, comparing it to The Partridge Family. He loves his brothers and wants to do them proud, calling them his inspiration. He also wants to give back to his mother, who gave up her own career as a professional singer to raise them. However, Joe expresses his nervousness, saying he's never really sang without his family before.

-Joe sings 'Lego House', and although the first verse is pretty average, he still manages to get ALL FOUR COACHES to turn their chairs before he even reaches the chorus. Naturally, the song gets much better as he goes on, so I can understand why the coaches turned. The boy has lovely tone, and there's tons of room for growth there.

ADAM, GWEN, PHARRELL, and BLAKE turn their chairs!

-Blake tries to bond with Joe over their shared Nashville connection, prompting Pharrell to call him the "Nashville Whisperer." In defense, Blake wears a mock version of Pharrell's Smokey the Bear hat, for...reasons, I guess. Adam feels Joe is like his little brother, while Gwen relates being in a band with her own brother for nine years. Pharrell praises Joe on the strength of his vibrato, and...well, it doesn't really feel like anyone is making an argument for why Joe should pick them. And, in lieu of a convincing argument, most contestants just go with the default choice. Which is exactly what Joe does....

JOE KIRK chooses ADAM LEVINE!

-"It's more than a dream now. It's so amazing," Joe says. He's such a likable kid, and his voice has plenty of potential. I wasn't as over-the-moon about his audition as the coaches were, but I definitely can see the upside in Joe.

WATCH: Joe Kirk sings 'Lego House' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

MENLIK ZERGABACHEW is up next!

-Menlik talks about his parents emigrating to the United States. His father was a janitor while his mother worked at McDonald's so they could save up to open up a soul food restaurant. Menlik got into singing while messing around at his friend's place, but was quickly convinced to pursue it seriously, resulting in his decision to drop out of school. His parents didn't support his career at first, but they're supporting him now, which means the world to Menlik.

-Menlik sings 'Santeria', and it's a pretty good vocal. Almost no shakiness or excessive vibrato. Just loads of confidence, and a pretty smooth voice with considerably strength behind it. This was an impressive performance, and Blake surprises by being the first (and for a while, the only) coach to turn his chair for Menlik. However, Gwen turns her chair at the last minute to throw her name in the race...

GWEN and BLAKE turn their chairs!

-The coaches fawn over Menlik, as Blake feels he basically has no chance now that Gwen turned her chair. But all Menlik wants to know is if the coaches will let him sing reggae. It's a cute little exchange, with Menlik showing himself to be a bit of a charmer with how he jokes around with the coaches: after Gwen offers him a Team Gwen shirt, Menlik asks Blake if he can offer the same perks. Blake responds that he can make Menlik a drink, to which the singer responds, "Hey now!" I dig this guy a lot. But, as with Highlander, there can be only one.

MENLIK ZERGABACHEW chooses GWEN STEFANI!

-I'm not sure if he'll be another Tessanne Chin or another Preston Pohl, but I like Menlik as a man, and I like his voice quite a bit, to boot. So I like his chances of hanging around for a bit.

WATCH: Menlik Zergabachew sings 'Santeria' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

JIMI MILLIGAN is up next!

-Jimi talks about getting into music thanks to his father, who died when he was 19. Jimi has gone on to become a dedicated father and a passionate musician, and I already like him based on the Philadelphia connection (what can I say? I'm territorial like that. GO PENNSYLVANIA!).

-Jimi sings 'Get Ready' by The Temptations, and it's a pretty good vocal, although I think he could have chosen a better song. This just feels far too safe. With a different song, I think he really could have surprised the coaches and inspired one or two chair turns. Unfortunately, he doesn't get any chairs to turn.

-All the coaches agree that Jimi can sing, but Pharrell thought it wasn't the right song choice, while Gwen felt Jimi didn't take enough risks. And I agree. The dude clearly has a solid voice, but it just wasn't special enough for what these coaches seem to be looking for, as an old-fashioned sound doesn't seem to be a priority this season.

REAGAN JAMES is up next!

-Reagan is just 15, and is a native of Kelly Clarkson's home town. He talks about how amazing Kelly is, before detailing her own background, as she took to the stage for the first time at around age eight or nine. From then on, she knew what she wanted to do with her life. Of course, she had to give up sports to pursue music full-time, but she's confident about the choice she made. Her voice is pretty deep for a 15-year-old girl, so I'm interested to hear how she sound.

-So Reagan actually has a wonderfully wispy voice, with genuine power behind it. Her voice is almost a contradiction in itself. She sings 'Give Me Love' by Ed Sheeran, and this is one my favorite auditions so far. Very passionate, and full of character. Reagan just has "it", in my opinion. Apropos of nothing/everything, Gwen is kind of getting on my nerves with her tendency to see another coach hit their button and decide to immediately hit hers. But as long as she manages to get through one critique without yet another "When I was 17, I started my band..." anecdote, she can hit her button all she wants.

BLAKE and GWEN turn their chairs!

-Aaaand Gwen immediately leads off with talk of being a 17-year-old who started her own band, No Doubt. Except the anecdote actually fits this time, since Gwen can relate to Reagan's experience. A bidding war starts, and Pharrell admits his own regret for not turning for Reagan, particularly after he learns that R&B is her favorite genre. But Reagan has to make a choice, so...

REAGAN JAMES chooses BLAKE SHELTON!

-That was surprising. Hell, Blake himself seems surprised. He's so happy he sings 'Hella Good' at Gwen, as I wonder if Blake is really just going to be the coach who sings other coaches' songs back at them all season. For his part, Pharrell vows to steal Reagan the very first chance he gets, calling her "the one that got away".

WATCH: Reagan James sings 'Give Me Love' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

TAYLOR PHELAN is up next!

-Taylor was once part of a successful indie rock band. However, when his daughter was born, he realized he couldn't be the kind of father he needed to be for his daughter while still being in the band, so he quit. He credits his mother for the quality of life he's enjoyed, since she worked as a single mom to give him a shot at a better life. His father was in and out of jail, and they never really had a relationship, which is why his mother is so proud of him, since he's a great father despite never having had an example of fatherhood himself. Taylor says his goal is to provide a better life for his family, in the same way his mother did for him.

-Taylor sings 'Sweater Weather', and this is a very complete performance. Not only is his voice absolutely stellar, he's got some cool movements while performing, as possessed by the rhythm. I loved this to pieces, even though 'Sweater Weather' has never been my favorite song, really. Could Taylor be a real threat in the competition? Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he became a contender for the title.

ADAM, GWEN, BLAKE and PHARRELL turn their chairs!

-The coaches fall over themselves trying to win Taylor's approval, with Gwen again bringing up having been in a band all her life, while Pharrell gives Taylor a standing O, and Blake and Adam extol the virtues of their mentorship. It's kind of a free-for-all, since Taylor could realistically fit in with any of the four coaches. He makes his decision...

TAYLOR PHELAN chooses PHARRELL WILLIAMS!

-A great choice, as I feel Pharrell can really bring out the best in Taylor. Pharrell goes backstage and greets Taylor's family, and I love that he and Taylor are hitting it off already. Could produce some interesting results.

WATCH: Taylor Phelan sings 'Sweater Weather' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

CAITLIN LUCIA is up next!

-Caitlin is a quirky one, but adorably so. She collects Pez dispensers and gigs at malls and other unexpected public places. She recalls singing in high school, but feeling unsatisfied due to her own desire to stand out. In a lovely little moment, she has trouble describing what a Pez dispenser actually is, and I really hope she's good, because she's just so frigging cute that I want her to stick around.

-Caitlin sings 'You're the One That I Want' from Grease, and she seems like exactly the kind of quirky artist the coaches tend to go for on this show. Her voice seems a bit shaky, but I get the feeling it's more nerves than any lack of skill on her part. It's a decent performance, but by now means a blowaway. Unfortunately, decent isn't enough to get any of the coaches to turn their chairs around.

-In their critique, the coaches are kind but critical. Blake notes that Caitlin tackles her vowels in such a way that he found himself concerned whether or not she could actually hold a note. However, Caitlin takes all the advice in stride, thanking the coaches and saying she's simply glad to be here, and to take their advice as a way to help her grow in the future. That's a great attitude to have, honestly.

SUGAR JONES is up next!

-Sugar looks up to her father, an 80s singer who's worked with everyone from Janet Jackson to Sergio Mendes. She wants to follow in his footsteps, although she's a bundle of nerves as she waits backstage in the most ridiculous platform heels this side of Lady Gaga. Seriously, why would you even wear shoes like that? Maybe it's that I'm a dude, but that looks excruciating.

-Sugar sings 'Chain of Fools', and...eh, I didn't love this. It just seemed a bit shouty in places. That said, I really, really like Sugar the person, and I think she could kill it with a better song choice. Of course, my opinion doesn't really matter when you consider that she's able to get two chairs to turn around. And enthusiastically, to boot. Granted, both chair turns come at the last conceivable minute...

GWEN and BLAKE turn their chairs!

-Sugar remains coy when Pharrell asks if she was born with the name Sugar, but he doesn't care, saying she probably vomits in key. Blake says Sugar has one of his favorite voices ever on this show, which has me wondering why he waited until the last minute to turn his chair. Gwen pleads her case, but honestly, I'd be kind of shocked if she chose Gwen, if only because of how much harder Blake was lobbying for her. Of course, I say this, and...

SUGAR JONES chooses GWEN STEFANI!

-Even Gwen can't really believe it. She's thrilled, but continues acting as if she misheard Sugar. Backstage, Sugar is all tears, proudly displaying her Team Gwen shirt. I hope Gwen gives her some better songs as the competition rolls on. I'm not sure soul is her pathway.

WATCH: Sugar Joans sings 'Chain of Fools' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

Watch more Sugar Joans videos

TAYLOR BRASHEARS is up next!

-Taylor is a cashier on her brother's food truck, and she feels it's one of the coolest jobs ever. However, Taylor's real passion is music, as she progressed from obsessively learning the fiddle to developing her singing voice. Eventually, she formed a band with three other guys, advancing her craft in and around Nashville. Taylor is hoping for the best, since she doesn't actually want to spend the rest of her life on a 90 degree food truck, even if it is a job she enjoys.

-Taylor sings 'You Ain't Woman Enough', which is my absolute favorite Loretta Lynn song. And while it's shaky in places, I think she does the song justice. She has a wonderful country tone, and a subtle, understated stage presence. I like her. And her audition is one of the more surprising ones so far, as Adam and Pharrell turn their chairs early on, while Blake holds out until the very last note of the song.

ADAM, PHARRELL, and BLAKE turn their chairs!

-Adam says that while he might not seem like a good fit for a country artist, he references his friendship with Blake as proof that he can gel with country music. Pharrell says that despite his more limited familiarity with country artists, he can still offer a lot to Taylor's development. Blake tries to make his case, but Adam interrupts to remind Taylor that Blake almost didn't press his button at all. Blake defends himself by saying that he was waiting to hear all of the various country notes in her voice, adding that he couldn't help being sold on her voice after he heard everything he wanted to hear in it. Taylor makes her decision, and...

TAYLOR BRASHEARS chooses BLAKE SHELTON!

-Taylor thinks Blake can help her grow, while Blake feels that Taylor is a great throwback, vintage country artist. I don't disagree. Anyone who sings Loretta Lynn is a-okay, in my book.

WATCH: Taylor Brashears sings 'You Ain't Woman Enough' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

ANDY CHERRY is up next!

-Andy talks about singing in the church and meeting the love of his life, before delving into the unfortunate background of his failed record deal. He had a deal that fell through, leaving his family scraping by, paycheck-to-paycheck, as he works retail. Andy sees the blind auditions as his second chance, and believes that getting a chair to turn would be validation that he made the right choice in not giving up.

-Andy sings 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' by Tears For Fears, and I thought this was a wonderful performance. Andy has equal parts subtlety and power. He's not the best singer of the blind auditions tonight, but I think he offered up some really unique vocal choices. I was actually stunned (STUNNED) that not one single coach turned their chair. I thought Any was way too good to go home, and this was the first time I felt the coaches genuinely made a mistake.

-Blake admits that he's probably too married to the original, but he felt Andy did a disservice to the song by changing up so much of the melody. Gwen mostly agrees, although Pharrell praises Andy for showing his own uniqueness. Yet Adam feels that if a song is written with such a vocally dynamic chorus, it should probably be sung as intended by the original artist. Andy understands that he may have tipped the balance against him by deviating too far from the original, but I kind of feel as though it was a catch-22. Change it up too much, and you're accused of disrespecting the original. Don't change it up enough, and you're just copycatting the original. The only solution would have been to go with a different song. Hopefully, Andy comes back and really nails it, because I feel he deserves to be there.

MAIYA SYKES closes the show!

-Maiya talks about her parents' musical background, working with such acts as Earth, Wind, and Fire. However, education was important to her parents, and so they encouraged her to go to school. She eventually went to Yale, and triple majored in Music composition, political science, and African-American Studies! She had planned on being a lawyer, but her mother talked her into giving music another shot. Maiya already wins me over with her great sense of humor, saying that if you're Armenian and have gotten married in California, she's probably sang at your wedding over the past few years.

-Maiya sings 'Stay With Me', and gets all four coaches to turn their chairs within the first ten seconds. This is a performance that's exactly the kind of modern soul vocal that coaches tend to love on this show, even though I often find them shouty and over-the-top. However, Maiya is different because of her emotional engagement with the song. She has such soul that I just don't care if it gets shouty or not. Maiya has a killer voice.

ADAM, BLAKE, GWEN, and PHARRELL turn their chairs!

-Gwen talks about Maiya as if she's already a part of Team Gwen, whereas Adam insists that they won't take her talent for granted on Team Adam. Pharrell, meanwhile, rises to his feet to address Maiya. "I promise to only push your ambitions, not mine," earning an "ooo!" from Blake. Gwen, hwoever, tries to ply Maiya with promises of clothes and shoes. Pharrell then says that he doesn't need to sell her on his brand because Maiya is her own brand. Maiya thinks the coaches are hilarious, and is shocked they've come out swinging. Adam says he has two Voice trophies while Blake argues he has three trophies and a credit card for clothes, if that's what she wants. Pharrell, meanwhile, says she can win her own trophy if she joins his team. Maiya says that while she'd be honored to work with any of the coaches, Pharrell stood up for her so...

MAIYA SYKES chooses PHARRELL WILLIAMS!

-Pharrell's team is getting pretty strong, in my opinion. I'm not sure if I'm ready to call Maiya a contender just yet, since I feel like we've had a lot of singers just like her over the years. But many of those soul singers have done well on this show, so there's no reason to suspect Maiya won't.

WATCH: Maiya Sykes sings 'Stay With Me' on The Voice 2014 (VIDEO)

-And that's a wrap on the second night of Blind Auditions! To recap...

TEAM ADAM adds Joe Kirk.

TEAM GWEN adds Menlik Zergabachew and Sugar Jones.

TEAM BLAKE adds Reagan James and Taylor Brashears.

TEAM PHARRELL adds DaNica Shirey, Taylor Phelan, and Maiya Sykes.

So what did you think of the second night of Blind Auditions? Did the coaches make the right choices? Is the potential winner in this lineup? Sound off in the comments! Until next week, thank you for joining me for the live blog!

GOODNIGHT!

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