The Voice 7 - Live Blog and Recap - The Blind Auditions, Part 3

Welcome to the live blog and recap of "The Blind Auditions, Part 3" on The Voice 2014 Season 7! More contestants compete step up to compete for a spot on one of the four teams coached by Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, and Gwen Stefani.

Who will fill their team first, and which singers will get those chairs turning? Could tonight's mix of performers potentially feature this season's winner?

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: NBC

RECAP

-After a recap of last week's show, and a preview of things to come, we see the coaches chatting backstage at Universal Studios Hollywood, where the auditions take place.

JOHN MARTIN opens the show!

-John majored in music in college, with an emphasis on piano and guitar. However, he didn't graduated because his father lost his job, prompting him to move back home to help his family. He drives a forklift in a warehouse and basically spends the majority of every day stacking boxes, and other mundane work. But music is and always has been his passion. John seems like a real cool, down-to-Earth guy, like a cross between Kris Allen and Dez Duron. I really hope he can sing, because I like him already.

-John sings "Sweet Pea", and he starts it off with a wonderful whistling segment. His voice has a beautiful tone, and he's got excellent control of it. His guitar-playing is great, to boot. This is without even getting into his look. Dude is a star waiting to happen. It's a practically perfect audition.

BLAKE, GWEN, and PHARRELL turn their chairs!

-Blake notes that John is a real hit with the ladies, while Pharrell makes note of his impeccable technique. Gwen loves John's authenticity, while Adam admits, for the first time in the history of The Voice, that Blake might actually be the best fit for him. Pharrell argues that Blake turning around first doesn't necessarily mean John should go with him. For his part, John admits he wants to make cheesy love music, and while Gwen and Adam claim that's exactly what they write, the guy's mind is all made up.

JOHN MARTIN chooses BLAKE SHELTON!

-Adam admits he feels a bit dirty, having helped Blake out. Still, I think John made the right choice. Blake has no one else like him on his team, and I'd be surprised if he gets anyone else like him at all.

WATCH: John Martin sings 'Sweet Pea' (VIDEO)

JESSIE PITTS is up next!

-Jessie talks about an accident she had when she was 7-years-old, as she ran into her mother while she was boiling water for eggs, leaving her with scars she had to spend her entire childhood treating. However, she recovered and found solace in music, getting a job at a record company. But she wants more out of life. She says she's spent eighteen years building up to these 90 seconds. Jessie adds that she'd be honored if anyone turned around, since she'd have the opportunity to learn from the best. She's adorable. Back-to-back lookers, to kick off the show tonight. I'm in no way complaining.

-Jessie sings "The Story" and gets Gwen to turn her chair in seconds. Blake quickly follows suit, as she's got that wonderful, pixie-like, indie tone that drives coaches on this show wild. Perfect song choice, to boot. It wasn't a flawless vocal, but she seemed just so overwhelmed with joy to be selected for a team that it seemed to overcome her. I loved this audition though.

GWEN and BLAKE turn their chairs!

-Pharrell says he loves the "yodeling" quality of Jessie's voice, while Gwen brags about hitting her button first, calling Jessie's voice angelic. Blake, however, says that "The Story" was actually the first song at his wedding, with Brandi Carlisle performing the song herself, although I'm not sure why that's supposed to matter at all here. Blake compares her voice to a bowl full of Lucky Charms marshmallows, which is a cute comparison, if nothing else. But I really don't think there's anything Blake could have said to change Jessie's mind, since her mind, much like John Martin's earlier, seems made up already.

JESSIE PITTS chooses GWEN STEFANI!

-Gwen admits that she and Blake have similar tastes in voices, which could make for some interesting face-offs in the future. Backstage, Jessie admits she initially thought she would pick Blake, but found herself choosing Gwen. That's two auditioners tonight who I feel have made the right pick in coaches.

WATCH: Jessie Pitts sings 'The Story' (VIDEO)

MICHAEL STEIN is up next!

-Michael is a 62-year-old "canter", which he describes as "a minister of music in the Jewish faith." He works with children from a very early age, teaching them the prayers through music. He writes a lot of his own stuff, covering tons of different genres. He has a country service, a rock and roll service, and more. His family plays with him in a band called The Rolling Steins, and has even played for multiple presidents. We even get awesome throwback footage of Michael in his youth, playing in The White House and alongside President Reagan. This dude has had an AWESOME life.

-Michael plays the fiddle to kick off his performance, before singing "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," which is a risky choice since the verses are spoken. It's almost a minute into the song before we figure out what he can do as a singer, and that's problematic. That said, when he actually does start singing, he's pretty good, particularly with the yodeling. He's also a hell of a talented musician. Unfortunately, it was simply the wrong song. Not a single chair turns.

-Blake enjoyed it, but wishes he'd have chosen a song that allowed him to showcase his voice a bit more. Pharrell agrees, but states that he thinks Michael is a talented musician. Gwen and Adam echo those sentiments, with Adam wishing he'd have known Michael was playing the fiddle himself, since he'd have loved to see it. Ah well, I can understand why no one chose him, even though I would have liked to see him stick around simply for variety's sake. But Michael takes his elimination in good spirits, bringing his family in for a group hug backstage and stating what a thrill it's been to appear on The Voice.

RICKY MANNING is up next!

-Ricky talks about being a ladies' man in third grade, and generally playing music his entire life along with all of his other siblings. He never went to college, and has had some family issues in the past, as his mother moved him and his siblings to Florida after she divorced his father. Once he graduated high school, he moved back to New Jersey to live with his father and to make a career in music. However, it mostly resulted in him doing little more than busking on the streets for money. He admits that this isn't a career, hence why he's on The Voice. His family is here to support him, and his father states he'd be really shocked if Ricky didn't turn at least one chair. Here's hoping his confidence in his son is well-founded.

-Ricky sings "Love Me Again," and while his voice isn't a blowaway, he has some REALLY good moments in this performance. I think he would have been even better served with a different song, maybe something less intense. Seriously though, he has great vocal control, hitting runs that others would completely miss, and hitting them every time he goes for them (well, except for that last run, but that's the only flaw in an otherwise solid performance).

PHARRELL and BLAKE turn their chairs!

-Pharrell loves the consistency of Ricky's voice, and talks about how great Ricky's runs are. However, Pharrell butters him up by saying that he can't go wrong picking either coach. Blake feels Pharrell is trying to subtly poison him to the contestants, but Pharrell insists he's just telling the truth, adding that no matter which coach he picks, he has a place on the show. Aaaaand that seals it...

RICKY MANNING chooses PHARRELL!

-Adam says he regrets not turning around, but honestly, I wouldn't beat myself up about it too much. Ricky is definitely good, but I don't think he's a contender. Backstage, he celebrates with his family, expressing how surreal it is to be on the show after watching every season.

WATCH: Ricky Manning sings ‘Love Me Again’ (VIDEO)

-We then get a montage of singers who failed to get through, including soul singer Mistee Merritt, R&B/pop vocalist Jeremy Cole, and country singer Samantha Thompson (I believe). All three seem very upset to be cut, although from the brief clips we see, I can sort of get why they were.

KELLI DOUGLAS is up next!

-Kelli has a six-year-old son named Alexander who is her complete opposite. He's very outgoing, whereas she's very shy. She's always known she had a talent for music, but she's had trouble overcoming her stage fright. So she went to college and majored in Corporate Communications, parlaying that into a career teaching kids, using music. She did that job for several years before deciding to (regretfully) leave it behind to give music another shot. Alexander gives an interview in which he says he loves his mother more than anything, and that he thinks she's a great singer. While this is cute, it sounds like Alexander is reading from a script.

-Kelli sings "Danny's Song," and it's a really good vocal. With each chair that turns around, she seems more flustered. But happily so. I wasn't expecting this song choice, but I loved it. She sounded nervous, but even still, she delivered a promising vocal.

ADAM, GWEN, and BLAKE turn their chairs!

-Blake sings the theme song to Dallas when he learns Kelli is from the city, while Adam gushes over Kelli and is accused of flirting with her. Gwen, however, notes that there are technical issues she can help Kelli with, before Pharrell notes that Kelli will light up any team she chooses. Blake takes issue with all these compliments, since Pharrell didn't even hit his button. Blake loved Kelli's audition and wants her on his team, and for once, I have no idea who a contestant should/will go with, as any of these coaches would be a good fit for her.

KELLI DOUGLAS chooses ADAM LEVINE!

-Adam is honestly as good a choice as any for her, since she needs to work on her confidence and her stage presence, and he's a guy with no lack of onstage charisma, even if he isn't the world's most exhilarating performer.

WATCH: Kelli Douglas sings ‘Danny’s Song’ (VIDEO)

BLESSING OFFOR is up next!

-Blessing is blind. BLIND! He lives in New York, but admits it's easier getting around than you might think, as he's memorized the entire subway system. When he was born, he was blind in his left eye, and developed congenital glaucoma in his right eye. He was getting the eye treated, and was slowly getting better until he was shot in the eye with a water gun, which detached the retina and left him permanently blind (man, that SUCKS). However, he's grown into a hell of a musician, and has developed a love for soul music. He actually hopes Blake turns around, which I wouldn't have expected. Carson really hopes Blessing does well, and so do I, honestly.

-Blessing sings "Just the Two of Us" with a headset microphone and a keyboard, and while the tone of his voice is lovely, he sounds really off-key. The judges don't seem convinced either, as 90% of the song passes by with no chair turns. However, some of his runs towards the end suddenly light a fire under the coaches' asses, earning one of the most sudden four-chair turnarounds ever.

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

-Adam reveals to Blessing that they all turned their chairs for him, and Blessing is thrilled. Gwen compares Blessing's voice to Pharrell's, and says this is partially why she loved it so much, adding that she loves Pharrell. "I love you too, Boo!" Pharrell says, with Blake adding that he's going to throw up. Adam says that while Blessing was a half-step off in the song, his recovery gave him confidence enough to turn his chair for him. Pharrell says that he hasn't heard a song written with country intentions performed with a voice like his. Blessing, however, wants to hear from Blake, who makes the case for why Blessing should join his team. Pharrell is worried about losing this one, as Blessing mulls over his decision.

BLESSING OFFOR chooses PHARRELL!

-Well, that was surprising, since he indicated earlier that he wanted Blake to turn around for him. But this is still a pretty good choice on Blessing's part. Blessing explains that he chose Pharrell because his track record in the business is undeniable. And that's a great rationale. Better to choose a guy for his experience in the industry, and less his success in the competition.

WATCH: Blessing Offor sings 'Just the Two of Us' (VIDEO)

TROY RITCHIE is up next!

-Troy loves to entertain, doing handstands for the contestants backstage, and showing off some of his voice impressions (including Stewie Griffin and Cleveland Brown from Family Guy). He talks about being a huge metal head back in the day. He's a child care leader who lives at home, at the moment. However, he's here to hopefully become the entertainer he was meant to be. He hopes Pharrell turns around for him, since he feels they would vibe well. Troy admits he's never had a vocal lesson in his life, and he seems eager to learn.

-Troy whips out a guitar and plays "Out of My League", sounding like a deeper-voiced version of Adam Levine. It's not a perfect voice, but it's certainly pleasant to listen to. Kind of a chill, relaxed voice that would fit perfectly with the 311 song catalog. I liked this quite a bit by the end, and I was surprised how much. Troy has the potential to really grow as a performer.

GWEN turns her chair!

-Adam congratulates Troy on his performance, since it's a big deal for a Californian to get Gwen Stefani to like him, since she's "The Queen of Anaheim and The World." Gwen says she pressed her button because she liked the top parts of his voice, and doesn't have enough guys on her team. Adam points out that she has dudes around her all the time, between her three sons, her husband, her No Doubt bandmates, and her fellow Voice coaches, and Gwen admits she had to hire three Harajuku girls to hang out with her so she wouldn't be surrounded by nothing but dudes all the time.

TROY RITCHIE is on TEAM GWEN STEFANI!

-Troy proudly displays his shirt, and while I don't know how far he'll go, I think he's a great fit for Gwen.

WATCH: Troy Ritchie sings 'Out of My League' (VIDEO)

COLE WILKINSON is up next!

-Cole lives on a farm, and talks about how that lifestyle has helped him become more diligent in his music. He attended a performing arts school as a kid, and says that music is the one thing he truly loves doing. He likes the pop music kind of sound, which is why he'll be auditioning with "Classic" by MKTO.

-Cole is the most surprising performer of the night, for me. I figured he'd be a bit of an awkward, quiet, country boy singer, yet he's a really upbeat, pop-fueled artist. He has some pretty cool dance moves, and some really good stage presence. His vocals aren't all there, but he doesn't have a bad voice at all. I think he's a bit too young, but there's room to grow, for sure. Unfortunately, he doesn't get any chairs to turn.

-In speaking with the coaches, he itemizes his entire family right down to the number of animals he has on the farm. Blake picks up that Cole was being active on the stage from how his voice sounded, and Adam asks Cole to show off some of his moves. He displays his moves while singing again, but Adam adds, "We can't hear any of that." He tells Cole to come back next year and keep still, since he has the potential to blow them away. And I agree. Had he not been moving so much, he'd have been able to really give them a vocal worth turning for. And now I feel bad, as Cole cries backstage, saying he really wanted to be on a team. However, he vows to return next year. Hell, he won't even have to wait a year. Just come back for Season 8!

MIA PFIRRMAN is up next!

-Mia talks about her parents, who were musicians in the 80s in a band called September. She always rips on them for their hokey 80s fashion, and MAN, are those outfits and hairstyles ridiculous (in a weirdly charming way)! She goes to a community college where she's had the opportunity to work on her voice, with the hope of nailing her blind audition. Her family can barely contain their excitement backstage, with her mother eagerly declaring, "She's so pretty!"

-Mia sings "Unconditionally," and while the opening is strong, you can tell the coaches are just waiting until the chorus before making any judgments. Luckily, she's every bit as good on the choruses as the verses, delivering one of the better auditions of the evening. The judges take the better part of forever to decide, but much like with Blessing earlier in the night, once they decide, they DECIDE. She gets four chairs in rapid order.

ADAM, BLAKE, PHARRELL and GWEN turn their chairs!

-Blake says that while it may not have had that much finesse, he loved her audition. Adam says that the spectacular moments were truly spectacular, but notes that she does need work. However, he felt it would have been a crime to allow her to go home at this point. Gwen says she's eager to see Mia try another song, and feels she can really help her. Pharrell was interested with her vocal choices, and had to turn his chair for her. The coaches then begin arguing with another for Mia, and Gwen asks if she knows who she's going to pick. Mia said she thought she did, but now she isn't so sure. She says it'd be an honor to work with any of them, but...

MIA PFIRRMAN chooses ADAM LEVINE!

-Mia thought she was going to go with Pharrell, but Adam just spoke to her, and she felt compelled to pick him. Backstage, she admits that her eyes were closed, and so she didn't even know she got a four-chair turnaround. I like Mia, and think she could be the next Jacquie Lee.

WATCH: Mia Pfirrman sings 'Unconditionally' (VIDEO)

-We then get a montage of others who got chairs to turn around: Adam scored pop vocalist Alessandra Castronovo (who sang "When Love Takes Over"), while Pharrell picked up alt-rock singer Jordy Searcy (who sang "Skinny Love"). Lastly, Blake picked up rocker Kensington Moore (who sang "Love Runs Out"). Some pretty good choices, all-around. I would have liked to have seen fill performances though. The "cannon fodder" edit helps no one.

WATCH: Alessandra Castronovo sings 'When Love Takes Over', Jordy Searcy sings 'Skinny Love', and Kensington Moore sings 'Love Runs Out' (VIDEO)

BREE FONDACARO is up next!

-Bree's father is a music teacher, and she helps his students out with vocal training. Her father is a little person, and he's also Bree's best friend. She looks up to him, and wants to make him proud. From what little we hear of her voice in the pre-performance segment, it's fantastic, so I'm feeling optimistic about her chances. Certainly helps that she has a very mysterious, alluring look to her as well.

-Bree sings "It Ain't Me, Babe", and I ADORE her voice! It's not only soft and vulnerable, it also has a touch of grit and anger behind it. She sounds like a cross between Stevie Nicks and Cyndi Lauper. This is immediately one of my favorite auditions of the night, and one of the only ones so far this season I might actually buy on iTunes. How she only turns one chair is beyond me.

BLAKE turns his chair!

-Bree is from Orange County, which gives her common ground with Gwen, whom Adam describes as the Ambassador of Orange County. The coaches all love her voice, although Gwen admits later that she already has an artist in Bree's lane. Pharrell, however, notes that while three of the coaches didn't turn for her, she got the attention of a "master", and so she's in good hands. For the most part, I agree. I think she and Blake could make for an interesting pairing. I hope Bree sticks around for a while.

WATCH: Bree Fondacaro sings 'It Ain't Me, Babe' (VIDEO)

ANITA ANTOINETTE closes the show!

-Anita is returning to the show after failing to get a chair to turn in Season 3. Carson shows her the past audition of "No Woman, No Cry" which, at the time, Adam described as lacking connection to the meaning and intent of the song itself. Since being rejected, she's battled severe stage fright. But she's ready to try again. She graduated from Berkley College of Music, and thanks her mother for all her progress, since her mother moved to America from Jamaica with only an eighth grade education, sending for her when she was eight-years-old. Together, they've built a life in America as a family. "I just want to sing," Anita says, of what could be her last chance.

-Anita sings "Turn Your Lights Down Low," and within moments, she's scored Blake and Gwen on her side. And it doesn't take long for her to score Adam and Pharrell as well. And she deserves all four chairs, in my opinion. It's a tender, meaningful vocal, even though she doesn't really apparently change up what she did from the first time, taking a serious song and making it somewhat light-hearted and uptempo. Still, this is a great audition.

GWEN, BLAKE, PHARRELL and ADAM turn their chairs!

-Blake shouts, "We know you!", and I have no idea how any of these coaches remember these rejected contestants from one season to another, if, in fact, they really do. Gwen says she'd have turned for Anita back then, had she been a coach in Season 3. Adam compares Anita to Tessanne Chin, who was on his team. However, Gwen combats this by asking what Anita has been up to since Blake and Adam didn't choose her. She says she loves Anita, and that Anita is exactly who she's looking for. Pharrell wants to help her write music that will touch people, while Blake says his background in country will help her forge more meaningful connections in her music. Gwen says that if she doesn't get Anita, she'll steal her down the line. However, Adam says if he gets Anita, he isn't giving her up. But Adam won't have to hold to that promise since...

ANITA ANTOINETTE chooses GWEN STEFANI!

-Gwen reveals that she named her son Kingston after Kingston, Jamaica. She feels this is a pairing that was destined to happen, and Anita affirms that she and Gwen just have a connection. Gwen is stoked to have won her first four-chair turn. I think this is a great choice, since this is totally Gwen's style.

WATCH: Anita Antoinette sings 'Turn Your Lights Down Low' (VIDEO)

-And that's a wrap! But to recap, here is where the teams stands...

TEAM ADAM: Kelli Douglas, Mia Pfirrman, Alessandra Castronovo

TEAM BLAKE: John Martin, Kensington Moore, Bree Fondacaro

TEAM GWEN: Jessie Pitts, Troy Ritchie, Anita Antoinette

TEAM PHARRELL: Ricky Manning, Blessing Offer, Jordy Searcy

-So what did you think of tonight's show? Do you agree with the judges choices, or do you disagree? Sound off in the comments! Until tomorrow night, thank you for hanging out. It's been a blast!

GOODNIGHT!