The Voice: Team Will and Team Gavin Knockouts

Knocking another 12 down to 6 but first, can someone please pin Emma’s left hand to her side, it’s like she’s playing an invisible game of whack-a-mole. Thanks.

It’s Team Will to start and the professional Tanya sets a high bar with Changing. A good opener, great vocal, excellent energy.

Hayley has a lovely tone and sings Need You Now. I wouldn’t call it spectacular though, and I doubted it would grab the public vote.

Jason with Into You resonated more, you can feel the emotion. “Has one of those voices” said Will, and it’s true.

Poor Lia was well and truly stitched up with Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Probably the freshest, hippest member of this team and he gives her an overdone hen-night anthem. I love you Will, but seriously – what were you thinking? So Lia had to put a completely different spin on it (read: ‘damage limitation’) when she could’ve had something amazing to make even more amazing. She was never getting the public vote with that, even if it were reminiscent of how Corinne Bailey Rae might do it.

Clara’s attitude and attack served her well for Alarm but then the judges began commenting on her how great she looked and the public all went: so what? Wardrobe need a slap for hers and Hayley’s frocks tonight. In a competition to find the next great voice, their dresses seemed more about who could show most flesh. Do the coaches know the title of the show?

Michelle knocked everyone else out of the studio with I Can’t Make You Love Me. Different class, so powerful. As Will said: “A lifetime of waiting to show people what you can do” went into that performance.

It was Jason and Michelle with whom the public found most affinity, leaving Will the quandary of having to choose from four excellent ladies who’d all do a good job for him. Judging by his face and the delay in choosing, he realised he’d royally screwed up in respect of Lia.

He even tried to make Jennifer choose for him, before adopting Negan’s “Eeny meeny miny moe, catch a tiger by the toe” rhyme* to choose Tanya, possibly their professional connection making the difference.

*Before you start, no, it’s not racist. Even the offensive version may not be the original – there are many variations all over the world, including, but not limited to: “Eeny meeny miny mo, stick the baby on its po. When it’s done, wipe its bum. Eeny meeny miny mo.” I do wish people would read more.

The final knockouts and its Team Gavin to complete the lineup.

Diamond leads them off with Wonder. I didn’t know the song, and was no wiser afterwards. Bit tuneless. Still, “She looked good in those heels!” – Emma, seriously, stop objectifying the females. You could see right up that dress, there’s just no need.

16 year old Sarah was given a song (I Will Always Love You) that was way too mature for her, with the result that it was passionless and weak. Never heard it like that before, Jennifer? What, boring? Any singer would be scared of it, Tom? With good reason. Jeez.

Carter did Sledgehammer, and went at it like a … a well, sledgehammer. I find his voice pretty ordinary but at least we could hear him.

There’s a Million Reasons why you either love Truly or hate her. At least she is unique and the song suited her. Impressive when she opens up but I don’t like the lower register.

Considering this is probably the opposite of everything on my playlist, Max singing Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor was is my favourite tonight. Pure energy. So glad he didn’t do Faith.

Keziah with Trouble by Coldplay and miles away the strongest vocal tonight. Held my attention, loved the light and shade.

Predictably, Gavin chose to put through Truly (I wrote her name down long before he’d said it), Max went straight through and the public once more demonstrated how kind deaf willing to give someone a chance they are by putting through Sarah. Please Gavin, best steer clear of Stevie Wonder, Whitney, Aretha and Teena Marie for next time.

The teams for the quarter finals are as follows:

Team JHud: Mo; Jamie; Jack

Team Tom: Into The Ark; Craig; Nadine

Team Will: Jason; Michelle; Tanya

Team Gavin: Max; Sarah; Truly

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