This week, two artists will go home.The top 10 artists of season 13 performed live on NBC's The Voice on Monday night. It’s a double-elimination week, so the pressure was on. Coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Hudson helped their artists prepare for the high-stakes evening.
Team JHud’s Davon Fleming kicked off the show with a performance of “Hurt” by Christina Aguilera. Fleming used his faith to connect with the lyrics and delivered a strong interpretation of the song. He has one of the best voices in the competition, and his intuition and talent were on full display. He got a shoe from his coach, and Levine called him the real deal.
Adam Cunningham from Team Adam was up next, and he decided to lean into his country roots this week. His performance of “Maybe It Was Memphis” was fun, and it was the right call to try something a little different from what he has been doing, because Cunningham landed in the bottom two for the past two weeks. Levine thought the performance was good enough for Cunningham to survive the week. But two artists will go home Tuesday night, and while Cunningham performed well, he failed to truly stand out.
Team JHud was back up with a performance from Noah Mac, singing “Ordinary World” by Duran Duran. He took the reins on his own arrangement, producing himself and leaving little work for Hudson. Mac has consistently put on complex and unique performances that help him stand out and showcase his producing abilities. Monday night was no exception. While he isn’t necessarily the strongest vocalist on the show, he’s the best at crafting a performance and arranging covers. The performance was fresh and captivating. Cyrus said it was magical.
Shi’Ann Jones, also from Team JHud, followed with a rendition of “Diamonds” by Rihanna. It was a strong improvement upon last week’s performance, and it was a great song choice for her. Jones showcased her unique tone and gave an emotionally resonant performance.
After Shelton and former coach Gwen Stefani performed their new song “You Make It Feel Like Christmas,” Team Blake’s Chloe Kohanski sang “Call Me” by Blondie. It wasn’t one of her most exciting performances, but it was solid. Choosing such an iconic song is one way to connect with viewers, but the tune doesn’t have much momentum to it, and Kohanski’s rendition sounded exactly like the original.
Team Blake’s Keisha Renee, on the other hand, sang the Eric Carmen ballad “All by Myself,” and she made it her own. She hit the high notes with ease, and her interpretation of the lyrics was strong, resulting in a powerful, emotional performance. She blew away all of the coaches and made a compelling case for her own advancement in the competition.
Team Miley’s Ashland Craft chose to sing “I Hate Myself for Loving You” by Joan Jett and put her own country spin on the rock song. It was a great choice, allowing Craft to showcase who she is as an artist and put her own twist on a hit. Craft’s vocal wasn’t perfect, but she looked confident on stage, and the arrangement was interesting. Hudson called her a star.
Team Miley’s Brooke Simpson opted to sing “Amazing Grace,” and she gave an emotional, gorgeous performance. Gospel songs tend to do well with viewers. Her version was understated, which worked in her favor. It was simple and elegant.
Red Marlow from Team Blake was up next singing “That’s What I Love About Sunday.” Marlow is a stronger storyteller than he is a vocalist, but he seems to be connecting with Team Blake’s country base. He gave the same performance he always gives. Shelton said that his storytelling abilities will keep him in the competition.
The last performance of the night came from Team Adam’s Addison Agen. She chose to sing “Lucky” by Britney Spears, bringing her own artistry to it. It was a surprising song choice, but she delivered a memorable and impressive performance that highlighted all of her strengths. Given Cunningham’s consistent failure to connect with viewers, Agen remains Levine’s best shot at winning the season.
On Tuesday night, the bottom three will sing for the instant save, and two artists will go home. Who got your vote tonight?