For once, I actually like all of the finalists. It's a miracle! Because I like all 4, my critiques are going to be very brief, so I'm not repeating the same thing over and over again..."great voice", yada yada yada.
I have to say that I think this is the absolute closest finale, and we have not only 3, but 4 incredibly talented singers that I've loved from the very beginning. And to think it's a guys' sweep...no girls...that's pretty much unheard of. And I can honestly say that I've enjoyed this finale more than any other (yes I've added this part after watching the episode...just didn't want to have that thought get lost at the bottom of this post).
Are we ready for some singing? Each of the 4 is singing 3 songs...wow! They will each sing with their coach and also perform an original song.
Team Adam
Damien
"A Song for You" by Donny Hathaway
While most of the song was good, as per usual, toward the end his voice sounded strained and it even cracked a couple of times. And not because he was just so emotional, it just didn't sound supported enough. This was by far, one of his most boring performances. Snooze...
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John (performed with Adam)
Great choice Adam! They sounded great together. What a powerful performance.
"Soldier" -- written by Johan Carlsson, Ashton Preston, and Max Martin -- original song
This is the kind of stuff that I would love to hear Damien do in his career. He's had some ups and downs with song choices, but this one is perfect for him. I really, really liked it! I found myself singing along with it, and I've never heard it before!
Chris Jamison
"Lost Without You" by Robin Thicke (performed with Adam)
Adam wasn't kidding when he said "falsettos all over the place". Anyone who knows Robin Thicke's music knows that he does a lot of that, so this shouldn't have been a surprise. And seeing as how Adam does a lot of his own falsettos in his music, this song was right up their alley. They sounded amazing together...I just wish it was a different song...I've never liked this song.
"Velvet" -- written by Elof, Kellen Pomeranz, and Alex Lacasse -- original song
As much as I love Chris, I love him more when he sticks to the pop side of things...I don't like it so much when he gets so R & B. This was a little to R & B for my liking. But he totally killed it vocally and with his performance. Talented kid right there, I don't care what anyone says.
"Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake
I LOVE THIS SONG! One of my absolute favorite JT songs! Another great song that gives him a chance to use that falsetto. This one gave me shivers, it was just so good! This is the kind of stuff I love him singing...more like this please! (Side note: Thank you Justin for approving the song for him to sing! Side note #2: I would love to hear Adam cover this song as well.)
Matt McAndrew
"Wasted Love" -- written by Brandon Lowry, Chantal Kreviazuk, Shiman Moore, and Mike Fiorentino--original song
I'm all giddy inside waiting to hear his original song! I have goosebumps just hearing him rehearse it! The only thing I'm going to say is: HOLY CRAP IS THAT SONG GOOD! Matt, Matt, Matt...ooh...I can't wait to buy this song! I loved watching Adam singing the whole song with him. What an incredible song! And hey look what I just found...the full length video on YouTube already! I may or may not have listened to this song more than a couple times. Like Adam, I can now sing just about the entire song because I have it memorized already.
"Lost Stars" by Adam Levine (performed with Adam)
This song is on Maroon 5's latest album, so it's still pretty new to me. I love that they both played guitars...that looked and sounded great! This could be one of Matt's because it suited him really well. And with these 2 guys, how could it not be amazing, right?! We talk about Chris having that great falsetto, but Matt threw in some crazy falsetto too! There isn't anything he can't make sound amazing.
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland
They saved this song to end the show, and I was so excited to hear what he was going to be singing. I have to say I was a little bit disappointed when they revealed what he was going to be singing. That said...dude can sing, and it was awesome, as always. But Adam is a genius, and who can question his guidance...I mean...the guy has 3 of the 4 people in the finale, so he obviously knows what he's doing. I was hoping he would do something special with the song and really make it his own, but he sang it pretty straightforward. It was good, but not my favorite, and I'm a little worried that that's the last song that people are going to remember when they go to vote.
Team Blake
Craig Wayne Boyd
"My Baby's Got a Smile on Her Face" -- original written by Mark Marchetti and Stephanie Jones (originally written for Blake)
Blake's right...this song was meant for him. I actually got goosebumps listening to him. What a great song, and with his voice...perfection! And for being a song no one's ever heard before, he sang it like he had sung it 100 times before, and he had the crowd singing along.
"Boots On" by Randy Houser (performed with Blake)
Isn't it interesting that Blake always picks really loud, upbeat, "country" country songs for Craig...yet when it's up to Craig, his choices are a lot milder, and not so honky tonk. I will say that this song was better than the one a couple weeks ago. They definitely looked like they were having a great time. Blake must be so glad to have someone like him in the finals. And to think (I had forgotten, until Carson reminded us) that he was saved and stolen twice, and now here he is in the finals. That's pretty incredible.
"In Pictures" by Alabama
Not my favorite performance of his. I guess maybe because I don't relate to the lyrics. I also heard some weird things with his voice that just didn't sound quite right. It was a pretty emotional performance for him, and you could tell he related to the lyrics.
The Final Results
It's going to be close...the iTunes downloads have Matt at #1, Craig at #2, Chris at #4 and Damien at #8. All 4 made it into the top 10...and every song from last night made the top 50. Wow!
4th Place: Damien
3rd Place: Chris Jamison
2nd Place: Matt McAndrew
WINNER: Craig Wayne Boyd
Wow...I really didn't think he could pull it off...and that's not just because I wanted Matt to win. Matt's been continuously leading on the iTunes charts, and not just this week. I really think "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" ruined it for Matt. That's totally what I was afraid of. I can't be too mad though, I do like Craig.
Note to self: consult Shelley on every singing competition, because she REALLY knows what she's doing when she picks the winners from the beginning. First Phillip Phillips on American Idol and now Craig on The Voice. Nice job Shelley!
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