The Voice 7 - Live Blog and Recap - The Blind Auditions, Part 5
Welcome to the live blog and recap of "The Blind Auditions, Part 5" on The Voice 2014 Season 7! Coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, and Gwen Stefani continue to fill up their teams as more singers try to get those chairs turning on the Blind Auditions! We're nearing the end of Blind Audition, as each coach has only two spots remaining! The competition is already heating up as the teams take shape.
But what about tonight's show? Which singers will get those chairs turning? Could the winner be in tonight's group of auditioners?
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
-We open with the judges chatting backstage before heading to the studio for the first audition...
MATT MCANDREW opens the show!
-The Philadelphia native teaches voice and guitar lessons, while also sharing an apartment with his sister and mother. He juggles all his time commitments with gigging around the city. He wants to win The Voice in order to give back to his mother, since he wants to be able to take care of her. He has lots of tattoos and jokes about possibly renting out space on his body if he wins The Voice. I like him already, because the guy has a good heart. Not that this is a rare quality in a lot of auditioners (it's actually kind of surprising how no one ever seems to be a jerk on this show), but I feel it's worth noting.
-Matt sings "A Thousand Years" and while I didn't love the audition, I did like it very much. Matt has a wonderful, unique tone to his voice. I'm actually surprised at how quickly he's able to get the male judges' chairs turning, as his voice builds to a crescendo along with the song. But when gets to that crescendo, it's tremendous.
ADAM, BLAKE, and PHARRELL turn their chairs!
-Adam loves Matt's uniqueness, while Gwen compliments his tone. Pharrell and Adam then get into an argument about collaboration, as Pharrell states that if you ask anyone, they'll tell you that he leaves his ego at the door. However, Blake says he's a solo artist and doesn't give a crap about collaboration. He tries to get Matt to come to Team Blake. But when Matt makes his decision, it's the expected one...
MATT MCANDREW chooses TEAM ADAM LEVINE!
-This was the right call for Matt, as he and Adam come across as kindred spirits to me.
WATCH: Matt McAndrew sings 'A Thousand Years' (VIDEO)
BRITTANY BUTLER is up next!
-Brittany's mother had had Crohn's Disease since she was a little girl, but Brittany's mother and grandfather raised her together. It was her grandfather who got her hooked on classic standards. He also got her the first guitar she ever owned, along with a camera to start posting on YouTube. She developed her talent and even received a scholarship to
Berklee College of Music, which helped her grow considerably. Unfortunately, her grandfather passed away in 2009, but she wants to make him proud by scoring a spot on one of the four teams.
-Brittany sings "Girl From Ipanema" and I really, really loved this audition. She has such a confident voice. Not a single note of nervousness in her tone. She also has terrific stage presence to go along with her unique look. She's just such a package artist, and is rare in a competition like this. Not everyone takes that jazzy direction.
GWEN and PHARRELL turn their chairs!
-Adam and Blake tease Gwen and Pharrell about their first face-off, and about how they'll "nice each other to death." And they prove Adam and Blake right, as Pharrell tries to lure Brittany to his team, only to tell her that she'd also be a perfect fit on Gwen's team. Adam accuses them of trying to take each other down with rainbows and happiness, while Blake states that "the first handful of cotton candy has been thrown" in their war with one another. Proving his overall sweetness, Pharrell gets the crowd going in a chant that Gwen is awesome. But when the time comes for the choice...
BRITTANY BUTLER chooses TEAM PHARRELL WILLIAMS!
-Not surprising, since Pharrell has a jazzier sensibility than Gwen. Granted, it's not like he's a jazz artist or anything, but listening to his music, I think he has a better grasp of the genre.
WATCH: Brittany Butler sings 'The Girl From Ipanema' (VIDEO)
EVAN WATSON is up next!
-Before we even hear the first thing about music, we learn he runs his own brewery with his wife. And we get a look at his idyllic countryside setup. Seriously, looks like the dude lives in PARADISE. But his first love has always been music. Not only has he gotten the opportunity to open for Meat Loaf, he's also self-released/produced his own album. However, he's struggled in music ever since. This is his big shot.
-Evan sings "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", and this is a terrific, old school country-rock performance. I really, really enjoyed this. However, no one is turning around, and I feel it's because each coach only has two spots left (well, except Adam and Pharrell, who only have one spot each). Had he auditioned earlier, when each coach had more spots open on their respective teams, I think he'd have been a shoo-in.
-Blake says Evan injects 50% too much growl into each line, and Adam agrees with Blake "150 percent." He compares Evan to Joe Cocker, but says that Cocker can also tone down the rasp and the growl in his voice to offer up a more tender side, which is a quality Evan is missing. He and Pharrell admit that if they had more spots in their team, they might have turned around, but the Blind Auditions are down to the wire, unfortunately. Evan resolves to return and audition again, and I hope he does, honestly.
RYAN SILL is up next!
-Ryan's mother was an opera singer, and she now teaches voice lessons, coaching her students in their home. So he's been around singing his whole life. He went to James Madison University for Engineering, but landed in an a cappella group. Their cover of "Titanium" got over 800,000 views on YouTube, which gave him motivation to put himself out there as a singer. Granted, his father thinks education should come first, and says if it makes sense for Ryan to go back to school, that's what he'll do. However, right now, he couldn't be more proud of his son.
-Ryan sings "Secrets" by OneRepublic, and while he's not the strongest singer, he does have a nice pop tone. He also has a very commercial look, as he's the kind of non-threatening Boy Next Door that I imagine grandmas are going to love. I'm not really sure he'd make it past the Battle Rounds, but he's a decent enough vocalist that it doesn't surprise me that he got chairs to turn.
GWEN and BLAKE turn their chairs!
-Blake notes that Ryan is one of the few people who look the way they sound. He says that Ryan would make his team perfect. Gwen fights for Ryan, once again noting that she doesn't have a lot of guys on her team. Ryan says that it's blowing his mind to have these two coaches fighting over him, but Pharrell notes that this is his moment, and he deserves to be here.
RYAN SILL chooses TEAM GWEN STEFANI!
-Interesting choice, especially since I feel he might have been able to go farther on Team Blake due to the general lack of pure pop singers on that team. But Gwen will be a good fit for him as a mentor, since I think she understands the pop-rock lane better than Blake.
WATCH: Ryan Sill sings 'Secrets' (VIDEO)
FERNANDA BOSCH is up next!
-Fernanda was raised around music, as her Venezuelan family loves singing together and enjoying music together. Her mother was once a swimmer who qualified for the Olympics, and she's passed that passion down to her family, as Fernanda now works with the Special Olympics. She loves music, but she's never had vocal lessons, and has only performed for, at most, 200 people. She feels this experience could really help her.
-Fernanda sings "I Try," and it's a really impressive vocal for someone who's never had training of any kind. That said, I feel like this is another case of Fernanda losing out to luck of the draw. Had she auditioned earlier in the Blind Auditions process, I feel like she would have gotten more chairs turning. Pharrell and Adam even exchange looks, referencing how young Fernanda probably is, judging by her voice. They opt not to turn for her. But...
GWEN and BLAKE turn their chairs!
-Adam liked Fernanda's song choice and the key change, prompting Fernanda to say he should have turned around. Blake says he's going to fight for Fernanda, and it's not going to be a "cotton candy-throwing contest." He tells Fernanda that she has a sandpaper growl that is just "badass," and would be a great addition to Team Blake. Gwen asks Fernanda about her past, and she notes that she teaches Down's Syndrome kids how to swim. Gwen reveals that she was a swim teacher at age 17 as well, in addition to having started No Doubt at 17, prompting Blake to flip out about what the hell else Gwen allegedly did at 17. It's a funny little moment, because I was getting to wonder the same thing myself.
FERNANDA BOSCH chooses TEAM BLAKE SHELTON!
-A surprising choice, but one that could work out for her if Blake feels he needs a pop singer to give variety to his team. Fernanda admits that she doesn't know the first thing about country music, but she knows The Voice, and knows Blake is a great coach.
WATCH: Fernanda Bosch sings 'I Try' (VIDEO)
BETH SPANGLER is up next!
-Beth works in a hospital with pediatrics from 0-18 years of age, but she wants to focus on music. She's been singing her whole life, but there aren't a whole lot of opportunities in her small town of Aiken, SC. She drivers three hours to Atlanta to seek opportunities and book gigs, and while everyone expects her to sing country, she sings plenty of other genres. She gets teary-eyed talking about her father, who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident. Her father says she doesn't need to be a star for him, but he wants her to be one for her. He says he'll never quit loving her, and it's a pretty touching little moment. I like Beth already, and I swear it's not just because she's absolutely gorgeous (although it might have a little something to do with it).
-Beth sings "Best I Never Had", and I'm wondering if she had trouble hearing herself at the start of the song, since she had her hand pressed to her ear throughout the entire first verse. But once the chorus hits, the vocal grows in confidence and power. It was a wonderful performance, and it earns the last four-chair turn of the Blind Auditions. Pharrell even stands up!
ALL FOUR COACHES turn their chairs!
-Pharrell says he almost didn't turn because he has a lot of soulful singers, but he turned because he wants her in particular. Adam says he's made his name by not fitting in, and what he loves about Beth is that she doesn't necessarily fit into one category. Gwen, meanwhile, walks up to Beth and tells her that they have a lot in common as girls. She even offers to hook her up with clothes, which Adam declares "Shameless!" Blake pleads with Beth to join Team Blake, promising her that it's the right decision. But Pharrell, who's never stopped staring at her nor taken his seat, says Beth needs someone who's going to stay standing up for her. He accuses the other coaches of talking the talk, while he actually walks the walk. Dude, Pharrell is such a freakin' charmer. I love this guy. That said, I don't expect her to pick him, although I'm not sure why other than a vague hunch I have that she won't. We head to commercial on the question of whom she'll pick...
-And we're back, with Adam pleading and saying "I know what to do with you! I know what to do with you!" Pharrell reiterates that Beth needs someone who will stand for her. However, when the decision comes in...
BETH SPANGLER chooses TEAM ADAM LEVINE!
-Adam falls to his knees in celebration, as his team is now complete! Adam has a pretty eclectic team, although I don't think he has the winner this year. And if he does, it's someone who doesn't jump out to me as an obvious winner.
WATCH: Beth Spangler sings 'Best Thing I Never Had' (VIDEO)
ERIN KIM is up next!
-Erin's father came to America from Korea, running a dojo that his son now works in. However, while Erin's profession is the dojo, music remains his big passion. He calls his genre of music "acoustic soul hip-hop," and adds that Taekwondo has provided him with the discipline and drive for music. He wants Pharrell to turn, but frankly, he'll be thrilled if any chair turns.
-This starts out promisingly enough, as he sings the jazzy acoustic version of "Latch", but he falls off key in places. That said, he has lovely tone. Granted, it doesn't shout out "star performance" or anything. And when it's this late in the Blind Auditions, I think the vocal really needs to.
-Gwen likes Erin's voice, but feels he changed the melody too much. Pharrell agrees, saying that the arrangement was a bit too different from the original. But it was original to Blake, who doesn't know the original song. Blake says he almost turned around, but the pitch issues stayed his hand. Adam says he couldn't turn around for Erin since his team was full, but adds that he's talented regardless.
GRIFFIN is up next!
-Yes, just Griffin. He's incredibly close to his siblings, and he recalls putting on plays and other musical events with them. He recalls the financial hardship his family experienced growing up: they didn't always know where their next meal would come from, and they experienced more than their share of Christmases without presents under the tree. He and his siblings used to sell lemonade and cut grass to try and earn money to help the family, and he gets choked up just thinking about it. However, things are much better now, as he and his sister started a bow tie business to earn the money for him to realize his dream of moving to Nashville to pursue music.
-Griffin sings 'It's A Beautiful Day', and it's a bit of a risky song choice since he sounds so much like Michael Buble. It almost came across as a bit of a copycat performance, even though I think he has a great voice. Hopefully, he gets to expand his horizons as the competition continues. At the very least, he'll get that chance, as he gets all three remaining chairs to turn.
BLAKE, PHARRELL, and GWEN turn their chairs!
-Blake asks Griffin what kind of artist he sees himself as, and he notes that he sings a lot of pop music. Blake says he loves Michael Buble, and would love to have an artist like him on his team. Pharrell notes he turned his chair because of Griffin's range. He admits he wasn't familiar with the song, but states he's "adaptable", noting he's here to learn as well. Gwen says Griffin's voice is rich and deep, and thinks it would be very fun to work with him. I like that there's no real obvious choice here for him, since I could see him going with any of the three remaining coaches.
GRIFFIN chooses TEAM PHARRELL WILLIAMS!
-And like that, Pharrell completes his team! I like this choice, since Pharrell seems game for just about anything, even if it's a genre outside his comfort zone. The fact that he doesn't know a whole lot about that kind of music will allow him to provide a fresh perspective on the usual adult contemporary-type pop music. Pharrell has a KILLER team, between Elyjuh Rene, Katriz Trinidad, Brittany Butler, DaNica Shirey, and Maiya Sykes.
WATCH: Griffin sings 'It's a Beautiful Day' (VIDEO)
CHANDRA KNUDSEN is up next!
-Chandra is a nanny/graphic designer who has been singing since her mother entered her in a talent competition as a little girl. She won, and has done the talent show every year since. However, while she has a passion for music, she also has a HUGE passion for Batman. We see all her Batman paraphernalia as Chandra talks about it, which seems to embarrass her sister, who's in attendance. So...beautiful girl who loves Batman? BRB, buying engagement ring to pop the question.
-Chandra sings "Hard To Love" by Lee Brice, and it's a really good, solid vocal. But it doesn't stir the coaches, who leave their buttons untouched. Such a shame. I think she really deserved a spot on a team. And she seemed to take it pretty hard too, as Gwen notes that she heard a voice but not much of a personality in it. I hope she comes back -- and Adam does too.
MAYRA ALVAREZ is up next!
-Mayra is from the same small town as Jake Worthington from last season, and she recalls how crazy the town went for him during the entire season. Mayra realizes she has big shoes to fill, but she gets a special video message from Jake himself, encouraging her to kick butt and stay true to herself. Mayra talks about her background singing on Christian television, before getting teary-eyed talking about how she wants to do this for her father, who's been a major supporting influence in her life.
-Mayra sings "Human Nature", and it's just okay, in my opinion. I'm not sure why, but I just didn't feel any connection to it whatsoever. She has a really pretty voice, and used it to hit some genuinely impressive runs here. And she has an incredible look (i.e., she's STUNNING) to go along with a likable personality. So I expect big things for her on her marketability alone. But this did nothing for me, personally.
GWEN and BLAKE turn their chairs!
-Blake talks about what a great story it would be if she joined Team Blake and finished one place higher than Jake did last year. However, Gwen gets a burn in by saying that while Blake is looking for family members, she's looking for singers, prompting Adam to give her a high-five. Mayra makes her choice and...
MAYRA ALVAREZ chooses TEAM GWEN STEFANI!
-Gwen's team is complete! This is probably the more unique team in the competition, as tends to be the case for the person in the second chair (or third chair, depending on which direction you're moving in). I don't think she has a winner on her team, and in fact, I think she'll probably be the first coach wiped out of the competition. But she does have a fair share of singers I like, such as Amanda Lee Peers, Jean Kelley, Jessie Pitts, and Sugar Jones.
WATCH: Mayra Alvarez sings 'Human Nature' (VIDEO)
-We get a montage of artists who didn't make it through to earn Blake's final spot: Luke Niccoli (who sang Ed Sheeran's "Sing") Nikki Rene (who sang Bonnie Raitt's "Something to Talk About"), and Bradley McKee (who sang Rixton's "Me and My Broken Heart").
JUSTIN JOHNES is up next!
-Justin started out singing with his friends, doing a cappella YouTube covers. However, he's never actually performed in front of an audience before, so this will technically be his first performance. Of course, we all know he's taking Blake's final spot, since there isn't enough time for another contestant. And this is good for Justin Johnes, since we know what Blake did with the last teenager whose first performance was on The Voice.
-Justin sings "Let Her Go", and he reminds me of Justin Bieber. He has a nice voice, but it's kind of raw and rough around the edges. That said, there's still a lot of potential there for him to be molded into something special. He looks like a star, and he sounds like one in his better moments. It's enough to win Blake's confidence...
BLAKE turns his chair!
-The coaches all talk about the unique quality of Justin's voice, with Blake loving the cracks in his voice. He whips out a shirt to give to Justin, mimicking Gwen's team shirts. Except Blake's reads "Blake Boo". Blake says that Justin is his last contestant, so he's his "Boo". Adam insists Blake has no idea what the term Boo means, in a cute little moment. Blake even admits that he doesn't know. Of course, this is all fairly brief, since there's no in-fighting between the coaches: Justin's decision has been made for him...
JUSTIN JOHNES is on TEAM BLAKE SHELTON!
-And with that, Blake's team is complete! I think Justin could be a really great addition to Blake's team, provided he gives Justin the right kinds of songs. Overall, Blake has one of the more interesting teams in the competition, as Reagan James, Craig Wayne Boyd, James David Carter and Bree Fondacaro could be ones to watch.
WATCH: Justin Johnes sings 'Let Her Go' (VIDEO)
-That's a wrap on the Blind Auditions! Now the coaches can finally change outfits. To recap, these are the complete teams, with tonight's additions listed last...
TEAM ADAM LEVINE: Alessandra Castronovo, Chris Jamison, Clara Hong, Damien, Ethan Butler, Joe Kirk, Jonathan Wyndham, Kelli Douglas, Mia Pfirrman, Rebekah Samarin, Matt McAndrew and Beth Spangler
TEAM GWEN STEFANI: Amanda Lee Peers, Anita Antoinette, Bryana Salaz, Gianna Salvato, Jean Kelley, Jessie Pitts, Menlik Zergabachew, Sugar Joans, Taylor John Williams, Troy Ritchie, Ryan Sill and Mayra Alvarez
TEAM PHARRELL WILLIAMS: Blessing Offor, DaNica Shirey, Elyjuh Rene, Jordan Searcy, Katriz Trinidad, Luke Wade, Maiya Sykes, Ricky Manning, Taylor Phelan, Toia Jones, Brittany Butler and Griffin
TEAM BLAKE SHELTON: Allison Bray, Bree Fondacaro, Craig Wayne Boyd, Grant Ganzer, James David Carter, John Martin, Kensington Moore, Reagan James, Tanner Linford, Taylor Brashears, Fernanda Bosch and Justin Johnes
So what did you think of tonight's show? Did the coaches make the right choices? Did the contestants? Which coach has the strongest team overall? And who has the winner? Sound off in the comments! Until next week's , thanks for joining me for the live blog and recap! See you next week for the Battle Rounds (tomorrow is a Best of the Blind Auditions recap special).