“The Voice” was on double duty Monday night (December 2) as the top six had to pick two songs to show their range, personality and ultimately, their voice.
With Cee Lo Green out of the competition, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera held on tight to their last remaining contestants.
Here’s how the contestants fared:
Cole Vosbury
The sole member of Team Blake had the coveted opening slot, which he used to show off his smooth rock side with “Rich Girl” by Hall & Oates. While the cool-as-a-cucumber singer has always been consistent, this was the first time in a couple weeks that we saw a confident, sexier side to Vosbury as he played his electric guitar to a backing of violins.
With his second song, dedicated to his first, lost love, the bearded maven balanced his edgy side with his soul side. Vosbury’s acoustic rendition of “Better Man” showed real “character,” as coach Shelton put it. And while Green felt his former teammate’s performance was bittersweet, he admitted he “wouldn’t mind” if Vosbury won.
Tessanne Chin
The Jamaican beauty finally got to take it home, for real. Sitting on a stool, stripped of an elaborate set, Chin took on Bob Marley’s epic anthem “Redemption.” While the song was clearly special to the Jamaican singer, it was equally important to coach Levine, who said he was so immersed he could think of “nothing.”
For her second performance, though, the powerhouse singer went glam with Katy Perry’s latest hit “Unconditionally.” Chin, who dedicated the song to her parents, sang with an uncanny effortlessness, leaving Shelton to point out the obvious: “I’ve never seen anything quite like you on this show.”
Matthew Schuler
Directioners got a fun treat as Team Christina’s crooner sang the “Story of my Life,” which he dedicated to his family. Schuler has been licking his bruises after he found himself in the bottom three last week, but came back as strong as ever with a youthful performance. Levine said, “You can tread any ground you want to,” while coach Xtina revealed she felt like the “heavens were parting.”
Balancing old with new, Schuler then took on “When a Man Loves a Woman” for his second song. Until now, he had never shown his blues side and his coach was excited for the opportunity. Although the charismatic singer delivered and proved his versatility, he didn’t necessarily outdo any of his prior performances. Regardless, Shelton felt Schuler sounded “As good as I’ve ever heard you sing.”
Will Champlin
Team Adam’s underdog came out strong yet again with a riveting banjo performance to Avicii’s “Hey Brother.” Champlin owned the song coach Levine called a “defiance to genre,” creating a unique arrangement and sound that was nothing short of pure entertainment.
His second song choice was more personal. Champlin came with a touching rendition of “A Change is Gonna Come,” dedicated to his ailing wife and their baby daughter. The rocker not only shone vocally, but used the opening moments of his song as an opportunity to show off his piano chops, culminating in an emotional performance that Levine called “genuine” and Green said was full of “heart.”
James Wolpert
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Wolpert snagged a spot on the show with a White Stripes song so the Team Adam rocker took it back with “Fell in Love With a Girl.” The acoustic performance was dedicated to his father but didn’t have the over-the-top stylings we have become accustomed to with Wolpert. “Not everything is about having this big moment,” Levine pointed out. Although the rocker broke pitch at one point, Shelton said, “You still on 10.” But we didn’t have to wait long to see that rockstar side we love so much. The handsome techy went back to his theatrical roots with Meatloaf’s “I Would Do Anything For Love,” a very good song choice for his voice. “I’ve likened myself to Meatloaf on a couple occasions,” Green humorously admitted before praising the rocker for his skill, especially after he performed both songs while under the weather.
Jacquie Lee
She might sing “Cry Baby,” but Aguilera’s mentee is anything but. The youngest singer in the competition came out with her vocal guns ablaze from her first note. Always singing beyond her years, Lee literally ran herself out of breath, plummeting to the floor as she belted till the very end. A flabbergasted Green called her performance “truly amazing,” adding she must be a “medium, of some sort.”
The mature little singer then gave the ultimate tribute. She decided to sing her coach Christina’s iconic track “Voice Within,” dedicated to, well, her coach. Feeling the pressure of being young and trying to find yourself amid the chaos that can be show business, Lee channel her feelings and embraced her vulnerability in a performance that had her coach on her feet. “Every single week I see you dig that much deeper,” Aguilera noted as a tearful Lee soaked in the moment.
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