Top 6 Results Show Reaction

Top 6 Results Show Reaction

Top 6 Finalists

(In Order of Being Announced)

Will Champlin
Cole Vosbury
 Jacquie Lee
Tessanne Chin 

James Wolpert 
 Matthew Schuler (Twitter Instant Save)

Eliminated Contestants
Ray Boudreaux
Caroline Pennell

Well, Caroline and Ray had a heck of a run, and we're really going to miss watching them perform. Handsome Ray is as smooth as they come and has looks to die for, and Caroline's voice was one of a kind with a great personality. However, we aren't at all surprised that they were eliminated because they haven't been the most consistent performers and lacked the range and durability that the other contestants possess. At this point the talent level is so high and being eliminated doesn't mean that they weren't awesome singers and performers. Congratulations to both of them for making the Top 8, and I'm sure we haven't heard the last of them. We were surprised to see Matthew in the bottom three but not shocked because his performance last night was weak and sold terribly on iTunes. We are glad America did the right thing and saved him on Twitter because he remains one of the most talented contestants. This should be a humbling experience for him and should teach him that he can't rely on previous strong performances. At this point, it remains anyone's competition to win, and I think we've learned that past performances aren't going to hold much weight with the audience. They'll have to bring their A game each week to continue to move on. Also RIP to Team CeeLo. Hopefully he makes better decisions about his team next year.

Top 8 Power Rankings

Top 8 Power Rankings

1. Jacquie Lee: Who's Loving You

Jacquie was coming off a weaker performance from last week. Because of the level of competition at this point, Jacquie needed a strong performance to stay. Christina tried to tap into her inner ferocity, which seemed to be absent in previous performances. I don’t know what happened, but Jacquie found that ferocity and intensity and with it came a whole new level of confidence. She began with no music just her voice and she was powerful and displayed such a diverse range with huge riffs. Overall, Jacquie had one of the biggest performances of the night and with this new found confidence I’d be surprised if she isn’t around for a lot longer.

2. Cole Vosbury: I Still Believe In You

What a performance by Cole this week. In my opinion it was one of the best of the season. This week he went back to his country roots. Blake wanted Cole to sing the song aggressively even though it was a love song. I had high expectations for Cole before this performance and he surpassed all of them. The decision to perform the song acoustically was brilliant. It made the viewers focus on the message of the song and the voice of the artist. The entire performance was filled with emotion and touched the audience, judges, and myself. Cole used a raspy tone to convey the heartbreak and feeling of loss. The uniqueness of his voice mixed with the genuosity with which he performed the song all added up to create one of the most powerful and emotional performances of the season. I would be shocked and enraged is Cole fell into the bottom three this week.

3. Matthew Schuler: It's Time

Matthew was coming into this week as number one in our power rankings and had a lot to live up to. Christina brought in a choreographer this week to help elevate him to the “next level”. Matthew’s confidence was apparent, with his phenomenal stage routine. Matthew had a good, powerful performance as usual. I will admit, though, I was not blown away. He had good riffs and range, but it did not wow me. That does not mean the performance wasn’t good, but it left me expecting more from Matthew. Don’t worry Matthew fans I do believe that he will advance and come back stronger next week.

4. Tessanne Chin: Underneath It All

Tessanne had no worries today, while she embedded Jamaica in her performance. She gave the audience a real flavor of Jamaican pride. The stage was fitted with Jamaican colors and items. Confidence was also not a problem as it was present strongly as she was moving all around the stage. I loved her dictation during the song, she displayed her accent, and did not run over her words. Overall, this was one of the funner and catchy performances of the season and should translate to high iTunes sales and ultimately with Tessanne moving on.

5. Will Champlin: At Last

Will took a huge risk by singing a song that no male vocalist had ever tried on the show. That risk paid off BIG TIME as he gave his best performance of the competition so far. He came onto stage with no glasses and a swag jacket/bowtie combo. He dominated the vocal performance by showing off great range and hitting almost every difficult note flawlessly. He kept the mood right and gave the audience a performance to remember. I shed a few tears toward the end of the performance and I don’t know if they were tears of joy or tears of sorrow because the song couldn’t last forever. Will deserves to avoid the bottom three and hopefully America makes that happen.

6. James Wolpert:  Somebody To Love

Adam decided to push James this week with a classic Queen song. James said he felt comfortable with the challenging song but was nervous that he would be too zealous and attack the song too much. Honestly, I don’t know why he was nervous. Yet again James did a fantastic job. He went back to being a rocker and brought fantastic energy to the stage. James surprised me this week by hitting a high note that I didn't know was in his vocal arsenal. He again demonstrated great control with his voice and always on time with his singing. The only criticism I had on the performance was that in the beginning song I thought the background singers were too loud and didn't let James stand out enough. All the judges had high praise for the artist. With such a stiff competition, I would not be surprised if James ended up in the bottom three.

7. Caroline Pennell: Dog Days Are Over

Caroline’s song choice this week was clearly more exciting than last week and was probably a response to the negative feedback last week’s song generated. She came out in a simple yet unique dress that fit her personality perfectly. She really picked up the pace with this performance and showed a different side of her personality. The vocals displayed more range than usual, but she missed a few of the tougher notes. I did enjoy the performance very much even if it wasn’t the best song for that unique voice of hers. However, it did fit her personality pretty well, and I was digging the harp in the background throughout the song. The problem with Caroline is that her personality and unique voice may only carry her so far because this is a VOICE competition. We do like Caroline a lot but it’s getting competitive. Her bottom three appearance last week was alarming, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see her there again.

8. Ray Boudreaux: Gimme Some Lovin'

Handsome Ray lit the stage on fire this week. He was engaging and showed great stage presence. The audience was clapping with the beat and you could tell they were really into it. He brought a lot of energy to the stage and truly created a fun and entertaining environment. The band and the background dancers added to the exciting atomosphere, but i feel at some points they were too overpowering and tended to overshadow him. Blake pointed out that it was up to Ray to create moments in the song that help him stand out. He did a decent job of selecting his moments to shine most notably the final note. Overall the performance was solid, but I do not feel it was enough to keep him out of the bottom three. At this stage in the competition each performance has to be outstanding if a contestant wants to stay alive.  If Ray wants to stay in the competition it may come down to twitter. 

Top 8 Results Show Reaction

Top 8 Results Show Reaction

Top 8 Finalists

(In Order of Being Announced)

James Wolpert
Matthew Schuler
Ray Boudreaux
Will Champlin
Tessanne Chin 
Jacquie Lee
Cole Vosbury
Caroline Pennell (Twitter Instant Save)

Christina came out sounding and looking great to begin the show, and her team gave a very entertaining performance. The performances all sounded good and helped the hour pass quickly. However, it seems kind of cruel to make these contestants perform towards the end when they haven't been saved yet (Caroline). Now back to the results. Although we had Ray ranked 9th, we were not too surprised that he was able to avoid the bottom three. The guy has a lot of star power, and a lot of women are going to vote for him simply based on look (not that his vocal performance wasn't good). We also really like Will and felt that it was a toss up between him and Austin, so his save was not shocking. We were surprised to see Caroline in the bottom three, and it may have been because of the somewhat boring song that she chose. She definitely deserved to advance out of the three, and the Twitter Save got it right this week (still not a fan of it though). Apparently the country vote was not strong enough to carry him through to the next round last night, which was probably because he had the bad luck of being matched with Caroline in the bottom three. There's not much to say about Kat other than she ran out of lives tonight and was clearly the weak link out of the bunch this week. She gave it a good run and definitely overachieved. Next week is sure to be as competitive as ever and very difficult decisions will have to be made.

Top 10 Power Rankings

Top 10 Power Rankings

1. Matthew Schuler: Beneath Your Beautiful

Matthew kept his swagger going this week by singing a song that the girls must have loved. He came on to stage wearing a simple outfit, which was appropriate for this sweet and simple love song. There was nothing simple about his vocal performance, which displayed the great range that we have come to expect. He started off singing softly and built up to show off his power, while establishing a great connection with the crowd. Matthew has been consistently dominating each and every song that he sings. He remains a favorite and maybe even THE favorite to win the whole competition. He’s a lock to advance to the next round and probably beyond that.

2. Tessanne Chin: If I Was Your Woman

Adam challenged Tessanne this week and boy did she step up to the challenge. Tessanne showed why she is one of the this season’s best singers with her powerful performance. She seemed really into the song and hit all her notes with passion. The judges had nothing but praise for her and the audience had nothing but cheers. It was truly a wonderful performance. Adam wanted Tessanne to prove to America that she could take on any type of song and she did just that. With one of the best performances of the night I would be shocked if Tessanne found herself in the bottom three. 

3. Jacquie Lee: Clarity

Jacquie was tasked this week with Zedd’s Clarity, which was supposed to show her more vulnerable side. Jacquie started sitting on the piano with smoke all around setting the tone. The beginning of her performance was more quiet than we were used to seeing from her, during which she had some awkward notes, but nothing too major. Jacqui got in stride shortly after and though showing restraint on her power; she managed to display the vastness of her vocal range. She had great stage presence and the performance was choreographed well. Though she did not strongly show her versatility, Jacquie did very well with something foreign to her on the show. That being said Jacquie should be advancing this week. 

4. Cole Vosbury: To Be With You

Cole was coming off of easily his most impressive performance of the season. Before the performance, I was afraid that Cole would have peaked last episode, which could spell for a major drop this week, but my fears were dispelled quickly. Blake selected the proper song for Cole. He showed more rasp than last week, which complimented the song very well. He showed great range and was on pitch. Towards the ending of the song Cole rifted through a naked note seamlessly. Cole finished the song softly and with his great smile. Cole has really surprised and impressed us. From a one-chair turn to the favorite on team Blake, expect to see him around a bit longer. 

5. Caroline Pennell: Leaving On A Jet Plane

Caroline chose one of her favorite songs that was very close to her heart because going away to college was very emotional for her. She’s a sweetheart and her emotions were as strong as ever, which showed during her performance. She gave a very solid and consistent performance with her one of a kind vocal quality that she brings to each and every song. This wasn’t the most exciting song choice of the year, but it did fit her voice and personality extremely well. Caroline looked great tonight, and her decision to wear a cute black dress paid off. Her stock rose after this performance, and I’d be shocked if we aren’t treated to another performance next week.

6. James Wolpert: Without You

James was given the difficult task of singing an older and lesser known song. Normally this would prove lower iTunes purchases, but Adam said James would do the opposite and make it cool for the younger viewers. I’ll be honest I had never heard the song before, and it seemed to be a difficult song, yet James’ rendition left a positive impression on me. He started slowly and powerfully standing on an elevated stage, surrounded by the orchestra. His power was present throughout the song. His pitch was off at sometimes, but not enough to detract from his performance. He displayed good riffs and range throughout the song. At the end he stood on stage with the mic stand as his impromptu pimp cane and looked confident. Pimpin’ James performed strong enough this week to advance next week. 

7. Austin Jenckes: Your Love

Austin gave us some more of his backstory by talking about how he used to work a forklift before he decided to become a singer. This won’t benefit him hugely but does at least make him seem more humble. He had the benefit of singing a popular song, and the crowd was very into the performance. Austin came onto stage with a fresh outfit/hat combo and chose to play the guitar again. His vocal performance was extremely smooth and controlled, while also being able to display a great deal of range. I was worried that he was holding back on the power, but he planned it all along to save it for an awesome final few moments of the song where he really let loose. He has consistently given solid performances and has a decent chance to continue into the Top 8. He could carried by the country vote, but if he somehow falls to the bottom 3, a Twitter Save is not out of the question

8. Will Champlin: Love Me Again

Will was on fire this week. He covered a  rock/pop song that is soon going to take the US by storm. Demonstrating that he is a complete musician, Will sat down and impressed me by playing the piano for most of the performance. As usual Will showed strong control of his voice and was able to stay in the rhythm. He didn't miss any notes and didn’t try to do too much and stayed true to himself. Will is a very versatile singer and shows this each week by performing a different type of song. Overall he had a good performance, but with the competition so strong this week don’t be surprised if he falls in the bottom three. If that ends up happening I would expect him to be saved by twitter.

9. Ray Boudreaux: You Are The Best Thing

Ray (aka Handsome Ray) gave a smooth, soulful performance that really showed off his Louisiana origins. His range was solid but not spectacular, but the crowd’s enthusiasm made up for any vocal shortcomings. They were into it from the start, and I assure you that the ladies still love this guy. Ray chose to “play” the guitar, but it seemed like more of a prop tonight because there were more moments when it just hung from his neck. The maroon jacket and black shirt combo look great, of course, and won’t lose him any votes. Although it lacked the raw emotion from last week, Ray did give a solid performance. However, the level of excellence has been increasing each week, so I would put him on the bubble with a decent chance of being sent home. His fate could very well come down to the infamous Twitter Save tomorrow night where anything is possible.

10. Kat Robichaud: We Belong

Thanks to the instant save Kat moved on to the top 10. Being needed to be saved for two consecutive weeks she needed a big performance to prove to America that she truly belonged in the competition. Unfortunately, Kat fell short this week. Going back to her roots as a rocker Kat was in her element this week. Kat seemed to focus more on the performance of her song this week then her actual singing. Her singing was adequate, but at this point in the competition that will not cut it. Throughout the performance I was enchanted by the dancers and visuals, but not so much the song. After failing to stave off elimination without the help of her coach or twitter I would be astonished if she was not in the bottom three this week.

Top 10 Results Show Reaction

Results Show Reaction

Top 10 Finalists

(In Order of Being Announced)

Caroline Pennell

Matthew Schuler

Austin Jenckes 

Tessanne Chin

Jacquie Lee

Cole Vosbury

Will Champlin

Ray Boudreaux

James Wolpert

Kat Robichaud (Twitter Instant Save)

The first nine contestants to be saved were not surprising because they clearly gave the best performances last night. For the second week in a row Kat was able to sneak into the next round with a last second save. Fortunately, she did not steal the spot of someone much more talented than her this time around. We weren't surprised to see Jonny, Kat, and Josh in the bottom three and were not surprised that Kat won the Twitter Save because she has the sort of unmistakable personality that would attract people to vote for her on Twitter. The bigger surprise than Kat advancing was definitely that Josh actually had more Twitter votes than Jonny. It appears that the veteran vote didn't help Jonny get past the fact that he gave a poor and forgettable performance. At the end of the day we still believe that Kat is the weakest link in the competition and has to really give an incredible performance next week in order to move up the rankings. I have to add that the whole idea for this save did not seem like a great idea and could easily have screwed someone over. Hopefully this was a one time thing and doesn't become a regular occurrence. 

Top 12 Power Rankings

Season 5: Top 12

Matthew Schuler: Hallelujah

What can I say about Matthew’s performance this week. It was emotional, powerful, and heartwarming. It is performance’s like these that have made me fall in love with the voice. Christina chose a song that brought Matthew back to his gospel roots. I had high expectations for the song and he surpassed them. The softer parts sounded great, but it was the louder parts of the song that blew me away. Matthew was able to connect with the song and the audience was able to connect with him. I hung on each word he sang with bated breath. The studio audience was still and emotion swept through the room. Matthew once again proved why he is a favorite to win the show. Every single contestant stepped their game up this week, but I feel no one came close to Matthew. Needless to say I believe he is safe this week and for the next few weeks.

Jacquie Lee: Love Is Blindness

Jacquie Lee was coming off her best performance on the voice, thus far. She had a lot to live up to and she did not disappoint. Though it was not as good as her previous performance, she delivered a strong performance. The beginning of her song was hauntingly subtle. When she opened up her power was shown. She truly displayed her vast vocal range. Christina gave a great song choice for Jacquie. It was a great performance, but she did seem to get caught up in the tempo at one point when she frees-style screamed, but she caught up quickly. Overall, Jacquie still seems like a strong contender in this season’s Voice!

Cole Vosbury: Adorn

Cole opened up this week by telling us that his older sister died in a car accident, which is sure to get people on his side. Seeing him crying made me feel for the guy, and I only wanted to see him slay the song. He did not let me down. The risky decision to have him sing an R&B song paid off greatly and showed off his range and versatility. He wasn’t playing the guitar this week, and he looked a bit uncomfortable at first but looked fine by the end of the song. The beard looked great, but the performance was so much better. We loved Cole after last week, but this performance has vaulted him to the top of our rankings and has forced us to believe in him as a serious favorite to win.

Tessanne Chin: My Kind of Love

I don’t have much to say about Tessanne other than WOW. Her voice is incredibly powerful, and she continues to be the most consistent vocalist in the competition. Not even her crazy hairdo    (I loved it) could distract me from being hypnotized by her seemingly effortless performance. She sang this song for her husband, and we could feel her emotion coming through the TV screen. She clearly made an effort to improve her stage presence, and it paid off. I wish I had more to say, but it’s not surprising at all to see her put on a nearly flawless performance like this one. She is a lock to move onto the next round and should be considered a top contender to win it all.

James Wolpert: Mr. Brightside

It’s official, the lovable nerd has stolen my heart. This week James’ performance was one of the night’s best. Before the voice, James was an alternative rock musician and was comfortable with the genre. He was able to put his own little spin on the classic Killer’s song and blew judges and audience away. James used the whole stage and added life to the song using his body language. While other contestants just sang their songs he performed it. He was able to control his voice while moving and stayed in rhythm the entire time. I lept to my feet at the end of his song after he hit a huge note. This week showcased James’ range in voice and style. Last week he sang an acoustic song and this week he was a rockstar. Already a front runner in the competition, the performance this week further cemented James as a contestant to look out for. I would be shocked if he was eliminated this week.

Will Champlin: Demons

Will had the duty of the last performance of the night and he did not disappoint. He was coming off his best performance of the season. I liked the song choice Adam selected, Demons. The song is not too far off from last week’s performance of Secrets. Will connected well with the audience throughout the performance. He sang very confidently throughout the song and made it his own. HE finished it off with a great note. Overall, it was a very passionate performance. Will has been a surprise this season and he is still has a chance to win.  

Caroline Pennell: Wake Me Up

One of the top vote getters of last week, expectations were high for Caroline. This week Cee Lo chose the popular Avicii song in what seemed like an attempt to reach out to the younger viewers and maximize the Itunes downloads. Caroline showed more stage presence this week and seemed the crowd reacted to it. As opposed to the past few weeks where she sang more relaxed and slow songs this week Caroline sang and upbeat song that one cannot help but dance to. The judges complimented on her ability to stay in the rhythm of the song which is no easy task. Overall Caroline had a strong performance, but it was not close to the level we have come to expect from her. There was no big note or moment that stuck out. I blame the song choice on this weeks down performance as it did not allow for Caroline to showcase her range. That being said I would be shocked if she did not make it into the top 10.

Ray Boudreaux: All of Me

Handsome Ray gave the most surprising performance of the night and made Blake’s decision to save him look genius. I was nervous after watching the footage of his practice because he didn’t seem comfortable with the song choice. The simple V-neck that he wore was perfect for his performance because it set the tone for a raw, emotional journey. He drew us in from the start and never let go. He showed incredible range and kept the performance very swag. The ladies love this guy and the shot of his adorable baby daughter won’t hurt him either. Ray gets the award for most improved this week and deserves to move on into the Top 10 next week, so we can see if he can continue to improve.

Austin Jenckes: It’s A Great Day To Be Alive

The soulful, powerhouse singer from Team Blake was given a very big country song. He changed up his routine a bit by moving around the stage. Austin stayed true to the country roots of the song and came out with the strongest country performance this season. He may have gained a lot of country votes, which has shown to be important on The Voice. His performance ended with a huge note, which showcased his range. As Blake said: “Everyone wants to have a beer with Austin”, and I can’t disagree. He has some work to do, but is off to a great start.

Jonny Gray: Another Day In Paradise

Jonny is the only Veteran left on the show during Veteran’s Day. The song choice by CeeLo was a good one. He played his song on the guitar and was smooth. He had a good performance, but he played it safe. Jonny did not display much range and the performance was a bit bland. Though it was not a strong performance, Jonny is a very likeable guy. The patriotic vote may boost Jonny into the top 10, but unless he spices it up he could be sent packing next week.

Josh Logan: Man in the Mirror

After being saved by Christina last week, Josh had a lot to prove if he wanted to make it into the top 10. Christina wanted to challenge him this week and chose one of Michael Jackson's most iconic songs. Overall I thought the performance was solid, Josh did not seem to miss and notes or stray from the rhythm.  This week he showed that he was not just a rocker. It was a very soulful performance and displayed his softer side. There were no moments of the performance that wowed me. While it was a good performance, in my opinion Josh really needed to go above and beyond this week if he wanted to make it into the top 10. Every singer at this point in the competition is excellent and in order to move on to the next round you have to stand out. I saw nothing too memorable from Josh this week and based on his lack of votes this week I would not be surprised if he failed to make the top 10.

Kat Robichaud: Sail

Kat had the unfortunate task of following Ray, who and gave a completely opposite performance. She started off with some weird hip movement, which set the tone for one of her classic bizarre performances. She gave a high energy performance but isn’t as strong vocally as the other contestants. Her vibrato made a comeback, but I just think it sounds weird and doesn’t add to her performance. Her most memorable moment was when she decided to crowd surf, which was the best part of the whole act. Her glittery outfit definitely outshined her and the shot of her creepy/nerdy looking husband did not do her any favors. Kat should be going home, and it would be a real shame if she stole the spot of someone more talented in the Top 10.