‘The Voice’ recap: The blind auditions wrap up
The coaches took their teams from almost full to completely full on “The Voice” on Tuesday.
“I truly believe that we all have winners on our team,” Adam Levine said magnanimously as the final night of blinds kicked off. Later, though, he was less generous. “Team Adam is the best team,” he said. “Duh.”
Levine and fellow coaches Blake Shelton, Usher and Shakira all added solid talent to their rosters Tuesday.
Shelton filled the final spot on his team with Kaleigh Glanton, a 20-year-old classical guitarist, singer and CrossFit enthusiast from Wichita, Kan., who turned all four chairs with her take on “Have You Seen the Rain?”
Levine, who had turned first, told Glanton he thought she had moments of greatness and others that needed work, but promised to help her become more consistent. Shakira said she liked the “quirky” sound of the singer’s voice. “If I’m quirky and you’re a little quirky, we should quirk up and I should be your coach,” she said. Usher complimented her “gentle tone.” But Shelton made the winning pitch, saying he was “so tired of Adam telling people they need all this work” and he just wanted to put a spotlight on her existing style.
Though Glanton said she agreed with Levine that her performance skills needed work, she picked Shelton, saying he’d motivated her. “Kaleigh made my night,” Shelton said.
Usher emerged victorious in a battle with Shakira and completed his team with 23-year-old nursing student and Georgia native Brittnee Camelle. Usher hit his button early for Camelle’s take on “Skyscraper,” he said, “because I heard something genuine in the tone.” And while he noted some execution difficulties with a high note, he admired that the singer was “willing to take risks.”
Shakira contended that, “as a female artist,” she understood Camelle’s desire to inspire other women. “She understands that. I overstand that,” Usher said.
“He made up a word!” Levine hooted.
Ultimately, though Camelle said she wanted “to feel that woman power” Shakira talked about, she picked Usher.
“Usher’s from Atlanta, I’m from Atlanta, so something just told me to go with him,” she said.
“You pulled out everything, and it didn’t work,” Usher told Shakira.
The panel’s only woman coach again played the female card and got better results with Lindsay Bruce, a 25-year-old singer from Santa Rosa, Calif., who had an uncle who died in the 9/11 attacks. Bruce’s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” displayed an interesting range and vocal texture, spinning the only two coaches still in the market for talent: Levine and Shakira.
Levine told her she’d done a “stunning job.” But Shakira noted that she and Bruce both had a “quick vibrato” and were female artists who used similar techniques.
“I’m not a female artist,” Levine admitted, though Shelton noted that he did sometimes “sound like a girl,” and Shakira added that he also occasionally behaved like one.
Both Usher and Shelton flocked to Shakira’s side, and when she told Bruce, a country singer, that she could call Miranda Lambert and enlist her help. Shelton piped up, “Shakira’s got Miranda’s number … Pick Shakira.”
Bruce did, saying she was going with “the girl on the team.” Shakira was shocked -- and happy. Levine was not. “Three on one ain’t a fair fight,” he griped, apparently forgetting about having teamed up with Usher in support of Shakira (and against Shelton) the previous night.
Levine ended the evening with no complaints, however, snapping up 19-year-old doughnut-shop worker and aspiring musician Caleb Elder, who said he’d been listening to the Maroon 5 singer “since I was a little kid.” Levine spun fast for Elder’s groovy “Groove Me,” and the singer got so excited he nearly stopped singing. Levine gestured for him to keep going and he managed to make it to the end, gaining confidence and control as he went along.
“Our coaching relationship started 10 seconds after you sang and almost lost your mind,” Levine told him.
“Free doughnuts for my team,” the coach later said. “That’s a huge get.”
Next week: Shakira makes good on her promise and enlists Shelton’s wife Miranda Lambert as a mentor. Shelton brings in the Band Perry. Levine has Aloe Blacc; Usher, Jill Scott.
Who do you think has the best team heading into the battle rounds?
ALSO:
‘The Voice’ recap: The teams are nearly full
‘The Voice’ recap: Blake Shelton goes R&B; Usher goes country
‘The Voice’ recap: Adam Levine gets picky; Blake Shelton gets into it
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