The Voice 7 - Live Blog And Recap - Live Top 10 Performances (VIDEO)

Welcome to the live blog and recap of The Voice 2014 Season 7, "Live Top 10 Performances"!

Last week, we said goodbye to Jessie Pitts and Sugar Joans, as the Top 10 for Season 7 was solidified. Team Gwen's Ryan Sill narrowly avoided elimination, getting rescued by the Instant Save. Can he bounce back this week? And how will the other artists fare? Will Matt McAndrew maintain his presumptive lead? Will Luke Wade recover from last week's slip-up?

And which artists will standout in the Top 10 show?

Tonight's performers and song spoilers are...

Credit: Tyler Golden/NBC

NOTE: Click on the artist's track title to download their single in iTunes!

Team Adam Levine:
Matt McAndrew ("Fix You")
Damien ("You and I")
Chris Jamison ("Uptown Funk")

Team Gwen Stefani:
Anita Antoinette ("Let Her Go")
Ryan Sill ("Starlight")
Taylor John Williams ("Come Together")

Team Pharrell Williams:
DaNica Shirey ("I Have Nothing")
Luke Wade ("Try A Little Tenderness")

Team Blake Shelton:
Craig Wayne Boyd ("I Walk the Line")
Reagan James ("Fancy")

I'll be posting individual videos as the night rolls on. Until then, add your thoughts in the comments below, and keep refreshing for analysis, thoughts, and links to videos of the night's performances as they become available.

Let's get this show on the road!

Credit: NBC

RECAP

-We open with Carson announcing that this week's guest mentors are Colbie Caillat, Patrick Stump, Diana Ross and Christina Aguilera. But up first, the Top 10 are teaming up for a medley of Rascal Flatts songs, because apparently we're making everyone do country now. This did nothing for any of these finalists. Reagan and Anita seemed so far out of their element that it bordered on uncomfortable during "Bless the Broken Road". Ah well, at least the harmonies towards the end of this medley are good.

MATT MCANDREW (TEAM ADAM LEVINE) opens the show!

-Adam has gotten Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy to help with the mentoring. He congratulates Matt for being the only artist last week to crack the iTunes Top 10, and Matt beams that Hozier tweeted him. Adam then reveals that because Matt has a Chris Martin vibe going on, he's given him "Fix You" by Coldplay. Matt has some issues with stage presence, relating how his past experiences in bands have prompted him to take on a "frontman" role that limits his stage presence somewhat. Wait...what? Isn't the frontman supposed to have the most stage presence of all? Either way, Patrick is impressed with the moments in Matt's voice, and so am I, even though there are about a hundred other songs I would have picked for Matt before this one.

-Matt shows off a very tender side to his voice that contrasts nicely with the rock power of his vocal last week. Of course, that power is still in evidence once he gets to the "tears stream down your face" part, although it's hampered somewhat by how distracted he gets by the crowd, high-fiving and hugging people. Still, Matt looked like he was really enjoying himself out there, and that kind of enthusiasm is infectious. Ultimately, I thought this was a great little performance, and the ending -- where he held an audience member's hand while singing to her -- was downright adorable.

-Blake tells Matt he has the drama and the range, and congratulates him on doing a great job. Pharrell once again stresses that KROQ should be knocking down his door, and adds that Z100 should add everything he has out now to their rotation. Gwen says she was hooked from the beginning, and praises him for the note at the end, saying she didn't know he could sing like that. Adam praises Matt for his humility and his talent. "You can do anything you want, man. ... You did Coldplay proud tonight," he says. It was a damn solid performance, and I'd be surprised if he didn't manage to rank pretty high on iTunes again this week, even though it's not as current a song as "Take Me To Church".

WATCH: Matt McAndrew sings ‘Fix You’ (VIDEO)

ANITA ANTOINETTE (TEAM GWEN STEFANI) is up next!

-Christina Aguilera is here to help mentor Team Gwen, and she recalls Anita's audition from Season 3, expressing her joy that Anita is back. Gwen has given Anita a reggae-like version of "Let Her Go" by Passenger, and this could either be great or a disaster. I'm not entirely sure, because this arrangement just feels kind of uncertain, like it isn't really going anywhere. But maybe the live version will be better. At the very least, she seems to get the hang of it in rehearsal, thanks to Gwen singing along with her.

-I like Anita, but she sounded off-pitch here for most of the song. I didn't really like it all that much, even while I found myself digging Anita's tone and her onstage vibe. I wouldn't be surprised if her studio version is killer, because this sounds like it'd be a better rearrangement in the studio than live. Still, I just didn't enjoy this very much. That said, I don't expect Anita is going to be in trouble this week. She's a fun performer and brings a vibe to the competition that no one else has.

-Blake loved the arrangement, and recalls doing the song with Cole Vosbury a few seasons back. He congratulates her on the performance, and says she has a vibe America feeds off of. Pharrell loves Anita's story, as she went from turning no chairs to turning four, and now she's out here having fun and growing as a performer with each week. We skip Adam and go to Gwen, who loved the performance, and then praises Anita for wearing boots, for some reason. She says that all the girls wear heels, but Anita wearing boots somehow makes her cooler. Or something. Not really sure what Gwen was going for there, but I'm sure she meant well.

WATCH: Anita Antoinette sings ‘Let Her Go’ (VIDEO)

-After the break, we cut to a video package of the Top 10 having a chat with Clive Davis, who then offers his advice live in the studio. Because time filler.

DAMIEN (TEAM ADAM LEVINE) is up next!

-Adam is proud of Damien, and jokes that he's tired of being so proud all the time. Damien talks about the support of his family and his hometown, and how badly he wants to do them proud. To this end, Adam has given him a song by one of his heroes, Stevie Wonder: "You and I". Patrick Stump gives him advice about maximizing his air flow for the big note at the end, and he says he can't wait for people to hear Damien hit it.

-Damien sounds utterly splendid here. I'm sure I could pick nits about how Damien sings ballads every week, but the man is clearly very good at what he does, so why change it up? I'm not big on forcing variety for its own sake. An artist on a show like this should only change it up if what they're doing is getting kind of old (think Andrea Faustini on The X Factor UK. Sacrilege, I know, but I feel the point stands, even as I love that little Italian). But Damien is still nailing every single note, every single week. And doing it with such passion and skill that I just can't harp on it. His closing note is incredible, and it caps off what is a vocal that is essentially flawless. All four coaches give him a standing ovation.

-Pharrell says his hometown must be losing its minds right now. Adam, meanwhile, says how happy he is. "I felt the entire audience get onboard with you in this performance," Adam says. Really, I couldn't be happier with how that turned out, and Adam looks like he's on cloud nine. We don't hear from any of the other coaches though, but I imagine they would have continued this well-deserved tongue bath. Seriously, Damien KILLED it tonight. In a good way. Hell, in the best way.

WATCH: Damien sings ‘You and I’ (VIDEO)

REAGAN JAMES (TEAM BLAKE SHELTON) is up next!

-Reagan is thrilled to meet Colbie Caillat, and they sing together in one of the cuter moments of the season so far. Reagan says she finally talked Blake into letting her do "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea in a stripped down acoustic style. However, Colbie feels it's too sweet of a vocal, and that she needs to dirty it up a bit. She suggests using an electric guitar, and this instantly adds a bit more attitude to Reagan's performance.

-I absolutely hate this song, but this sounds amazing, largely because it doesn't sound a whole lot like the original. And also because Reagan is a terrific vocalist. And who knew she could rap? She's got stage presence and charisma for days, and it backs up all the artistry she's bringing to the competition in the form of her arrangements and the vocal choices she makes. I was impressed with this (I will say that Reagan censoring herself by saying "we don't give a care" was adorably corny as hell).

-Adam was impressed with the singing and rapping, saying it was like Reagan was guest-appearing on her own song. Blake, meanwhile, wants everyone to know just how hard that performance was to do. "The breathing technique, the posture...like Adam said, you're doing two peoples' jobs in one performance," Blake declares. And I agree. This was a daunting performance, but Reagan tackled it like an absolute pro.

WATCH: Reagan James sings ‘Fancy’ (VIDEO)

LUKE WADE (TEAM PHARRELL WILLIAMS) is up next!

-Luke is so floored to meet Diana Ross, he declares she might as well have invented music. Pharrell said he's long given up trying to keep his cool around her, himself. Diana assures Luke that last week's slip-up isn't that big of a deal, since it happens. She says she always sings the wrong lyric on a song or two herself. Pharrell loves Luke's old soul vibe, and recalled what a good job he's done with Otis Redding in the past, so he's given him "Try A Little Tenderness". Pharrell feels this could not only be Luke's biggest moment in the competition, but one of the biggest moments in his life.

-This is Luke's best vocal in the competition tonight, in my opinion. That breakdown in the middle when he's out in the crowd was fantastic, and showed the grit and passion (and also the raw energy) Luke brings to his performances. I was exhausted just watching him. The dude absolutely poured all of himself into this, and it was a total joy to watch. Even Carson seems overjoyed.

-Gwen congratulates Pharrell on the arrangement, and then says how cool it is to watch someone like Luke learn to work the stage. She notes how much he's evolved as a performer, and it's a sentiment echoed by Adam, he declares Luke has bounced back. He said it's a performance that was vintage Pharrell, but notes that Luke carried the torch. Lastly, Pharrell congratulates Luke by saying, "Job well done, young man."

WATCH: Luke Wade sings ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ (VIDEO)

CRAIG WAYNE BOYD (TEAM BLAKE SHELTON) is up next!

-Craig loves Colbie Caillat's music, and calls her phenomenal. He'll be singing "I Walk the Line" by Johnny Cash, a song that has a lot of meaning to both himself and Blake, as he relates the story of a mutual friend of his and Blake that was shot and killed last year. Blake then poignantly notes that the only difference between himself and Craig is that he got a lucky break. Now, all Craig needs is that same break himself.

-This is Craig's best vocal, in my opinion. The song in no way resembles the Johnny Cash original, taking on the qualities of an uplifting ballad. It's Johnny Cash by way of Lee Greenwood, I guess. Regardless, it's a stellar performance. He lands an incredible closing note that is among the best moments of the competition so far, in my opinion. He gets a standing ovation, and it's hard to argue he didn't deserve it. Craig kisses his late friend's necklace and signals to the heavens. Is it just me or is Craig becoming a contender?

-Pharrell says there's nothing like coming across an artist who knows who they are and aren't afraid to show that. Gwen believes Craig is going to have a real career after this. Meanwhile, Adam says Craig has gotten crazy good, noting that while he was always good, he's so far beyond where he started. Blake calls the performance magic, and says, "From one country singer to another ... freakin' congratulations."

WATCH: Craig Wayne Boyd sings ‘I Walk the Line’ (VIDEO)

RYAN SILL (TEAM GWEN STEFANI) is up next!

-Ryan is thankful that America saved him, but he's been in the Bottom Three the past two weeks, and doesn't want to land there a third consecutive week. Gwen has given him "Starlight" by Muse, and suggests he needs to make the opening huskier and more rock-like. Christina suggests some techniques for making it more of a rock track by doing things with his voice that the original doesn't do. I'm just not hearing why Gwen picked this song, but Christina is over-the-moon with it. She thinks Ryan can win, and wants Gwen to bring home the win for a female coach, at last.

-Ryan sounds pretty damn great here. I didn't think it was particularly gritty or rock-like, but I thought he acquitted himself quite well here. I was really impressed with some of the protracted notes he was able to hit, moving seamlessly between power and tenderness. I don't expect this will be enough to keep him out of the Bottom Three, but he did way better with this song than I thought he would. Good on him.

-Adam didn't think Ryan deserved to land in the Bottom Three last week, but feels he'll have a future no matter what. Blake was anxious to see what Ryan would do, coming back from the Bottom Three. He agrees with Adam in how Ryan still seems to be figuring things out with each week. However, he feels this was Ryan's best performance. Pharrell declares Ryan is the most improved artist in the competition, and praises Gwen for exploring his abilities in "alternative music." Gwen, meanwhile, loves being on this journey with Ryan, saying he's blossoming into an artist before their eyes. "You are progressing every single week. ... I had to fight to get this song for you. I had to send [Muse] your audition tape before we could have it," Gwen reveals. That's a pretty good endorsement, actually. Also a great endorsement: residuals from people buying a cover of your track on iTunes. So yeah, good call by Muse. And good call by Gwen, actually. I thought this was going to be a hot mess, but this proved to be a pretty solid song choice.

WATCH: Ryan Sill sings ‘Starlight’ (VIDEO)

DANICA SHIREY (TEAM PHARRELL WILLIAMS) is up next!

-DaNica is fighting back tears during the meeting with Clive Davis, since she did her 11th grade biography on him. He's the man who discovered her idol, Whitney Houston, which is apt because she'll be doing "I Have Nothing". She even gets to sing some of it for him, and Clive seems to really like it. In rehearsal, Diana Ross helps DaNica loosen up and live in the moment, and she isn't sure what she should enjoy more, singing the song or getting to work with Diana Ross. I will say, for the tired-ass nature of this song choice, DaNica sounds like a million bucks.

-DaNica sings the hell out of this song, getting Pharrell on his feet before the song is even over. The crowd is getting pretty loud for this, actually, and it suggests she might actually be more popular than we're giving her credit for. This was a superb vocal. Even Clive Davis is impressed.

-Gwen asks if she can do the song again, noting that it was incredible. She said it's such a difficult song, she kept expecting DaNica to screw up, but she thankfully never did. Adam compares DaNica to Tessanne Chin, saying artists shouldn't be given this song unless they have a big voice. However, DaNica did it all and more. Adam said no one should do this song unless they can do what she just did. Blake echoes those sentiments and notes how great DaNica was. Pharrell recalls the hesitation in DaNica's voice, until he gave her a pep talk about imagining her father watching her from above. And since then, she's opened up more and more each week, and it's been great to watch. I could do without ever hearing this song on a competition again, but I thought DaNica did a hell of a job here.

WATCH: DaNica Shirey sings ‘I Have Nothing’ (VIDEO)

TAYLOR JOHN WILLIAMS (TEAM GWEN STEFANI) is up next!

-Taylor is thrilled to be working with both Gwen and Christina, two coaches who've accomplished a lot in this industry. He comes in with notes about how he wants to do the song, suggesting each verse to have its own character. To this end, Christina suggests some ad libs, saying he should try to find more grit in his voice. Gwen wants to see the "inner artist" exposed, which I guess will now be added to the wall of Things Gwen Has Said This Season That Could Be Taken The Wrong Way.

-This song is kind of overdone on shows like this, but Taylor made it sound relatively fresh. Seriously, I loved this interpretation. He also grooves his ass off onstage, showing an impressive amount of stage presence. I really enjoyed this, and I can already see a future for him asn alternative artist in the George Ezra mold. I hope he goes far, because this was the most I've liked this song in ages.

-The crowd is going wild, and Adam urges them on, before jokingly telling them to be quiet so he can talk to Taylor. He tells Taylor he looks like he's ready to kick some ass, and that he was irreverent and fun. Blake notes the challenge of what Taylor had to accomplish, since he had to sing along with a crowd that is notorious for having the worst rhythm in the world (HA! Nice). He notes that he loved seeing Taylor have fun up there, and says he looked like a ninja with that headband on. Pharrell, meanwhile, says the only way to describe that performance is through a compound word: "rockstar". Gwen, who gave him a standing ovation, noted she initially didn't want him to do that song, but he insisted and she's glad he did. She notes how cool Taylor is, pointing out that he's not even wearing socks now. "If I were 15 and in high school, you'd be all over my locker right now." She then seals it with a hug.

WATCH: Taylor John Williams sings ‘Come Together’ (VIDEO)

CHRIS JAMISON (TEAM ADAM LEVINE) closes the show!

-Adam is proud that Chris is still here, since the person usually saved after being in the Bottom 3 goes home the next week. But they beat the odds, so to show is range he's given him "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, noting this is about to become a very big song. Chris feels this could be the song that shows people he's not just a singer, he's an entertainer as well. Patrick Stump suggests that Chris needs more swagger, that he should slur a bit and mispronounce words, saying he needs to dirty it up a bit and get away from using his "English professor voice". He feels this could be a big performance for Chris, and I agree.

-Maybe it's because Bruno's performance on SNL this past weekend is still so fresh in my mind, but this didn't feel as lively as it should have. Still, Chris deserves credit. The man sounded damn good here. He's also growing considerably an onstage performer. Hell, towards the end, he really brings out the swagger, practically stumble-dancing around onstage, in that sloppy fashion like Patrick suggested. It wasn't a spectacular performance or anything, but I thought Chris did a fine job here. I don't know if it's enough to get him to next week, but it wouldn't really shock me if it turns out to be.

-Blake and Pharrell congratulate Chris for pushing himself voice beyond what they thought he was capable of, while Gwen notes that Chris did a great job. We're pretty much rushing, since we have about 90 seconds left before the show goes off the air. Adam finishes by saying Chris and the rest of Team Adam offer something unique and awesome to the competition. I don't necessarily disagree. Really, I think Adam has the best team overall.

WATCH: Chris Jamison sings ‘Uptown Funk’ (VIDEO)

-And that's a wrap! Who were your favorites of the night? And who were your least favorite artists tonight?

Vote in our poll and predict which three artists will be in tomorrow night's Bottom Three! And click on the video links above to watch the performances over again! Until tomorrow night's results show, thanks for reading, and thank you for hanging out in the comments!

GOODNIGHT!