It all comes down to this! It’s the final night of performances for season 5, pitting Team Adam against Team Christina for the title of The Voice.
The Voice Recap: The Final 3 Revealed >>> For Team Christina, there’s her pint-sized mini-me, 16-year-old Jacquie Lee, who’s been a force to be reckoned with her big voice. She looks like Selena Gomez but has yet to sing any one of her songs, which is probably a good thing. She’s looking to be the first teen to win The Voice since … the last winner.
Team Adam has Tessanne Chin, the Jamaican backup singer looking for crossover success in America. She’s been the most consistent out of the finalists and can take a song and tap into the emotional side of it.
Also representing Team Adam is Will Champlin, the rocker and dad whose never-quit attitude brought him to the finals. He’s proven he will pull out the unexpected when it comes to songs. Will he do the same tonight?
It should be a good one, so sit back, relax and enjoy the show.
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The Coaches with Def Leppard’s Rick, Viv and Phil (“Pour Some Sugar on Me”)
Why haven’t the coaches come together to record another song? Not that I’m complaining, with Blake singing he wants some sugar poured on him. Is it raining in the LA area because Cee Lo’s got his rain boots on?
Here’s how the show will work: the singers will perform their Blind Audition song, have a duet with his/her coach and then have one final performance for all the marbles.
Tessanne Chin (“Try” by Pink)
She blew everyone away during her audition, so it’s nice that she can come back and perform it again — and more of it. I’m not sure that I love the finalists doing their Blind Audition song, but learning three songs is a pretty tall order, so going back to the beginning is probably easier on them.
She does try to do more with it with some runs, but a song like this is difficult to make it your own. Vocally, it’s more or less what I expect from her at this point, except that now she just seems way more comfortable on stage and knows how to use the space to her advantage.
Will Champlin (“Not Over You” by Gavin DeGraw)
It’s funny that Will hasn’t tapped into the Gavin DeGraw/Jason Mraz-type songs since his audition. So I really appreciate this performance. It’s just simpler than what we’ve known him to do, but he puts in his falsettos and his other little moments to give it the Will mark. He’s just not perfect vocally — he’s been like that before — but this is his first of the night, so I’m hoping he improves. He just overthinks it, which you can tell.
I certainly did not think the guy who reminded me of last season’s Michelle Chamuel would make it all way to the finals, but I’m really glad he did. He also looks way more comfortable on stage — without an instrument to hide behind. But he’s still a little awkward, which I love.
Jacquie Lee (“Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse)
What I notice the most about Jacquie now that she’s redoing her Blind Audition is that there’s this effortless quality to her. Of the finalists, she’s the one who people are split the most on, but I’ve kind of resorted myself into believing that she’s going to win. After hearing her for weeks on end, I think this is the performance where I can definitely say she’s screaming. I do love her lower register, though.
Tessanne and Adam (“Let It Be” by The Beatles)
When Tessanne wins The Voice, she’s going to record a duet with Adam, right? I know I just said Jacquie would (it’s just this feeling I have, the teenager winning again), but this performance is just fantastic, and I want more from these two.
How can you take a timeless song like this, something that’s been done over and over, and make it feel like you’re hearing it for the first time? The little Jamaican break is nice, too, because it just feels natural. They don’t overdo it, which is important.
Jacquie and Christina (“We Remain” by Christina Aguilera)
Only Christina would pick her own song for her duet, goodness. I guess she needs a way to promote her song from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Alright, we get it, Christina and Jacquie love each other.
I think I like the set and the actual fire more than I like this performance.
Will and Adam (“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John)
Adam goes with the classics for his singers, while Christina goes for a tune for a huge movie that’s hers. I think Will could’ve pulled off a Maroon 5 song, though. I do have to say that I like Will’s parts more than Adam’s, but then again, since it’s really Will competing, Adam takes a backseat (couldn’t really say the same for Christina).
Adam also understands that less is more and goes with simple sets, while Christina has all the distractions of huge chandeliers and fire. Am I that surprised? Nope.
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The Final 3 (“I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5)
I wish Tessanne sang this by herself because the other two don’t hold a candle (har har, because of all the candles on stage) to her. They’re both unique, but since it’s The Voice, she really should win.
Tessanne Chin (“I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston)
I just have to comment on her eyelashes because I feel like they’re going to jump out of my TV screen. Wowzers. Okay, back to singing.
She does her best trying to do the song justice. There’s a nice buildup to the chorus; however, I’m not as captivated as I feel like I should be at this point, the finale. Vocally, she sounds close to perfect. But mostly, I don’t feel the desperation completely. It’s commendable, but because she has set her own bar high, I wanted more.
Adam saying Tessanne is the winner of the show? I mean, Will hasn’t even performed yet, dude.
Will Champlin (“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” by Bryan Adams)
Not the best song choice for Will, but he’s pouring his heart into it, and I do believe him. The camera including his wife and daughter is a nice touch. I mean, they’re really wanting you to love his kid.
Blake notes that the reserved performance is solid, while I’m wondering whether it’s enough. Sticking to the melody did allow Will to be on key.
Jacquie Lee (“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls, Jennifer Hudson version)
Isn’t this like the millionth time she’s closed the show? When I heard what she was singing this, I actually swore. Is Christina wanting to tell us something by having Jacquie tell us we’re going to love her?
Who is she singing this to? I’m just wondering. It has all the Jacquie classics we’ve come to learn. The runs, the belting out of the entire song, getting down to the ground, but this time she also incorporates the microphone dragging.
I mean, Christina came to win by choosing this. However, vocally, Jacquie’s aggression isn’t pleasant to me anymore and there’s just lots of lights and fireworks and just stuff. I’d imagine her fans will love it and her critics, well, won’t.
The Voice season 5 finale airs Tuesday at 9pm on NBC.
(Image courtesy of NBC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
