The Voice Recap: Watch Zach Bridges Sing Blake Shelton’s ‘Ole Red’
Tammy Ragusa
Can you believe that this is the last full week of Blind
Auditions for season 17 of NBC’s The Voice? It seemed as if we just got
started, but next Monday will finish out the Blinds and start the Battle Rounds.
As night five of the auditions begin, the coaches are all nearing
their capacity of 10 competitors per team, so each is looking at the remaining
slots they have left to determine what kind of singer they need to fill it out.
The jabs and digs at each other are also becoming more frequent and jokingly
acidic. They’re also Here is the count:
TEAM KELLY: 7 TEAM GWEN: 8 TEAM LEGEND: 7 TEAM BLAKE: 6
JOANA MARTINEZ (15), Miami, Florida – “Call Out My Name” by The
Weeknd
Won “Most Likely to Win The Voice” at her school
CHAIRS: Gwen and Blake simultaneously, Kelly immediately after
GWEN: “When you said 15, my eyes, they just… like tears. Like I can’t believe that you just did that.”
KELLY: “You have this thing that you do that you close your eyes a lot. I’ve been told my whole career, open your eyes and let people in. I think if you hone in on opening up and performing it as you’re feeling it, it’s gonna be amazing.”
BLAKE: “If you’re getting lost in your moment and telling your story, please don’t open your eyes, please stay connected to your song. One of my favorite singers, Kelly Clarkson, closes her eyes and it’s worked pretty well for hers. I’m just saying, whatever you did then, look how you moved us.”
Picked: TEAM BLAKE
BLAKE: “I feel like I”m a better coach than these other three. I
love all of them, one of them a lot. But this is a competition and I’m here to
win.
BROOKE STEPHENSON (28), Bolton, Connecticut – “Let Him Fly” by Patty Griffin
Attended Berklee, majoring in music business
CHAIRS: Gwen, Kelly, and Blake
JOHN: “It felt very honest and that’s a very
appealing thing for all of us and that’s why they’re going to fight over you.”
KELLY: “You have a beautiful voice, you’re such
a storyteller…I talk so much and I’m at a loss for words…I will totally
challenge you.”
BLAKE: “You probably don’t realize how great of
a singer you are. It grabs you.”
GWEN: “I had such a crazy long career, to be
able to share it, that’s what I want to do. And I want to do that with you.”
GWEN: “I wanted to turn around because you’re a
really good singer. I’m a huge fan of Blake Shelton, he’s my favorite singer in
the whole world. I don’t have a country artist.”
KELLY: “I didn’t push my button because I know
that’s Blake’s song. I can only take so much rejection. I don’t want to take it
when I know it’s coming, have a great time.”
JOHN: “I really enjoyed your performance, my
only problem was the song selection. You deserve better.”
BLAKE: “You don’t have to hope that I get on Google and type in the world
‘country songs’ to help you connect with a genre.”
Picked: TEAM BLAKE
ELLIEMAE (21), Jerome, Idaho – “Merry Go Round” by Kacey Musgraves
Grew up on a farm
CHAIRS: Blake
KELLY: “I think that you’re really great. I love
your tone, I love your song selection and you got the best coach.”
BLAKE: “We’re supposed to hear somebody we like
and coach them, and I heard enough. I wanted you on my team. Welcome to Team
Blake.”
Picked: TEAM BLAKE (by default)
CALLIE LEE (27), Atlanta, Georgia – “No Excuses” by Meghan Trainor
NO CHAIRS
JOHN: “You picked a really challenging song to
try to sing. Because it’s so staccato and jumps around a lot, it’s hard to pin
down exactly what your voice is like.”
KELLY: “I was so close. My hand was hovering,
but I got a little worried because of the breath control. It was almost as if
you were out of breath and you would go off-key a little bit.”
JESSIE LAWRENCE (31), Newark, New Jersey – “All Or Nothing” by O-Town
CHAIRS: Gwen
GWEN: “What I liked about your voice is you
could do all the stuff, but there was something kind of just genuine about it.
And now you’re on Team Gwen.”
Picked: TEAM GWEN (default)
BRENNEN HENSON (20), Flint, Michigan – “Riptide” by Vance Joy
Seeing his city’s struggle with water has made
him not take anything for granted
CHAIRS: Gwen, Blake in the last second
GWEN: “I pushed first. You’re so cute. I’m
always looking for someone who has character in their voice, that is going to
stand out on the radio…You felt like a songwriter, too and I relate to that.”
BLAKE: “I’m in a tough spot here. If I got you
on my team then she’s going to pissed off at me and I’m going to pay for that
later on. You’re a great singer and you’re a great artist. Anytime I hear a
great singer, I push my button. I know you’re looking at me going, ‘This guy is
inbred and I’m probably not going to go with him.’ I get it. I haven’t done my
geneology, I could be. I love you.”
Picked: TEAM GWEN
JARED HERZOG (21), Niceville, Florida – “Speechless” by Dan + Shay
Went to college with season 9 winner, Jordan
Smith
CHAIRS: Blake, John, Gwen
JOHN: “The beginning was really cool, it was
really breathy, but still really under control, you showed a lot of range and
versatility. You take the whole audience on a journey and that’s what this is
all about.”
GWEN: “You have so many different sides to your
voice, so much personality. To be able to tell the story from your heart, that’s
the most important thing.”
KELLY: “I’m just waiting for something specific
and I’d like it to be a female, so you didn’t fit that category.”
BLAKE: “When I heard you were doing Dan + Shay I thought, ‘Maybe
he’s country.’ I don’t care either way, I’ve got to hit my button, I’ve got to
go in on this guy, great singers are great singers.”
Picked: TEAM LEGEND
CLAYTON COWELL (27), Hampton, Virginia – “Just Friends (Sunny)” by Musiq Soulchild
Tattoo artist
NO CHAIRS
JOHN: “I’m sorry no one turned for you. However,
I think that’s a tough song to sing for this kind of show. It doesn’t give you
the chance to showcase your voice in all the ways that lets it flourish. You
really have a great voice, you have a great tone and with the right strategy,
you could come back and do well.”
KELLY: “I wanted to hear longer notes so I know
where you could go versatility wise.”
GWEN: “Just getting to this point is big
deal and we all think that you’re a really talented singer, just know that.”
LAUREN HALL (25), West Hollywood, California – “One and Only” by Adele
Auditioned for The Voice for seven years, plays competitive soccer
CHAIRS: Kelly turned in the first few notes
BLAKE: “I kept waiting to see what John was going to do. You sounded like a John artist. If John had gone in, I would have gone in.”
JOHN: “It was soulful, it was earnest. I was very close but I think you’re going to be in good hands with Kelly.”
KELLY: “I love the song selection and people don’t realize, you could be the greatest singer on the show, but if you choose poorly, people are not going to get into it, they’re not going to connect.”
Picked: TEAM KELLY (by default)
MATT NEW (29), Midland, Texas – “Sunflower” by Post Malone
CHAIRS: Kelly, Gwen, John in the last second
GWEN: “There was something really cool
about your voice where it went to so many different genres. I kept hearing more
alternative, then pop, then soulful with those runs.”
KELLY: “I’m a huge fan of your voice. I love
that you’re super passionate.”
JOHN: “What got me from the very beginning was
your tone. It’s just really lovely. You show versatility and you have power. It
was just a really enjoyable listen for me and I’m really excited to have you on
your team.”
BLAKE: “I’m sorry I didn’t turn around.
Especially now that your family is up there staring at me.”
Picked: TEAM LEGEND
MONTY MONTANARO, Nashville, Tennessee – “Remedy” by The Black Crowes
NO CHAIRS
BLAKE: “It felt like it was a little bit wild.
It felt like the singing wasn’t quite as controlled as it could be.”
JOHN: “There was a good energy, you were
electric, you felt it. My concern was also the control issue. Whenever you’re
singing something with that edge to it, I think there’s still room for more
finesse sometimes.”
KELLY: “I think the song called for you to be
full on a lot, but if you could have shown more dynamics, it would have made
one of us or more than one of us turn around.”
RICKY DURAN (29), Worcester, Massachusetts – “River” by Leon Bridges
Dad was a musician who committed suicide, mother
passed away last year
FOUR CHAIR TURN in seconds
BLAKE: “That was a performance that clearly had
us from the beginning and as these chairs turned around, it just gave you even
more confidence…your tone is great, you have the aggressiveness when you need
to have it. Great stage presence, I would love to be your coach.”
JOHN: “I heard immediately what a beautiful tone
you have, what beautiful control you have. I love that song, personally. I love
Leon and you elevated the song.”
GWEN: “I think this show is perfect for you
because your voice can do so much. You were so tasteful in your performance and
when someone is just that good it’s about trying to find who you are and what
your story is, and I do feel that I know how to connect to people through
music.”
KELLY: “The reason I turned around is because my
favorite artists are storytellers. I love anybody with character in their
voice. It’s almost like their tone is telling you the story and I think that
that is very rare and it’s obviously a natural gift you have because I would
pray for that kind of rasp and never get it. I have no one like you on my team,
I would love to be your coach. You’re going to be successful on anyone’s team.”
