Saturday, April 5, 2014

The Final Pairings (and Predictions) for Battles Round 2 – 'The Voice' (s.6)

Monday on NBC, the Battles Round 2 conclude with the final six battles. Of the twelve remaining contestants, seven more will move on to the Playoffs (six winners and Blake's steal).
For the most part, the remaining pairs are pretty matched and are all great talents in their own styles, and without the song choices (that was closely guarded) predicting the outcomes of the battles is somewhat more difficult. But, here is the list of battle pairs, and my best guess as to who will win and who Blake will steal.



TEAM SHAKIRA: Clarissa Serna vs. Dani Moz
Both Clarissa and Dani are comfortable on stage, and both have a great and likeable tone. I think Clarissa has a little more depth to her range, but Dani seems to connect more strongly and more emotionally in her performances. I think this one will come down to personal preference for Shakira, and I think Shakira feels more connected to Dani.
Predicted Winner: Dani Moz
Steal Prediction: No

TEAM BLAKE: Ryan Whyte Maloney vs. Kaleigh Glanton
Ryan has one of those voices and vocal ranges that surprise you when you hear him. He's got a great sound, and when he hits those high notes, it's really impressive. Kaleigh has her own sound that is only hers. I really like the way she takes a song and gives it her own touch. She's got great tone and control and blends that all with her amazing personality.
Unfortunately, I think this battle is going to be decided by who will more completely round out Blake's team.
Predicted Winner: Ryan Whyte Maloney
Steal Prediction: N/A (Only Blake has a Steal remaining)

TEAM ADAM: Jake Barker vs. Brittnee Camelle
This is another 'Battle of the Steals.' Both Brittnee and Jake were stolen from Usher. Brittnee performed very well in her last battle and really has a great personality on stage. Jake has really nice vocals and has come a long way since the Blind Auditions. He, too, has a strong stage presence. I think this one will come down to the song choice, and who will command the stage the strongest.
Predicted Winner: Jake Barker
Steal Prediction: No

TEAM ADAM: Dawn & Hawkes vs. Kat Perkins
I kind of feel this to be an odd pairing but will probably produce an amazing battle. Dawn & Hawkes have unreal harmonies (both individually and together). Kat, however, is more than capable of holding her own against such a powerful duo. Kat's advantage will be her incredible energy and captivating personality when she's on stage. Vocally, they are all powerful and solid... I just think Kat will capture more of the attention on stage.
Predicted Winner: Kat Perkins
Steal Prediction: No


Madilyn Paige - Battle Rounds - Credit: Tyler Golden / NBC
TEAM USHER: Bria Kelly vs. Madilyn Paige
For me, this is like throwing a Panther in against a Kitten. But, I think this will be a very surprising and extremely entertaining battle. There's no doubt when it come to the extraordinary power and presence Bria has on stage. She's got the tone, the control, and the experience to deliver an awesome performance.
Madilyn, however, has shown nothing but incredible growth from when we first saw her in the Blinds. Her power is different than Bria's, however. Her vocals are softer and more 'sweeter,' but I feel she does have a growing ball of fire inside of her just waiting to explode outward. Usher is doing a great job of coaching her and helping her find who she is as an artist and how to tap that fire, and if Madilyn grew even half of what she did from the Blinds to her first battle... the Kitten may pounce the Panther.
Predicted Winner: Madilyn Paige
Steal Prediction: Yes

TEAM USHER: Melissa Jiménez vs. Music Box
Again, Usher put up two different artists against each other. Music Box has good vocals and shows her personality on stage. However, she seems to focus more on the technical aspect of her performance rather than on her 'presence' on stage. During her first battle, I found she played too much with the arrangement of the song, and at times, pushed the notes a little too hard. Melissa, on the other hand, has a naturally great tone and effortless control, so she doesn't need to focus too much on the technical. She has the look and personality to work the stage and draw us into her performance. You add that to her killer range, and you have the makings of a great artist.
Predicted Winner: Melissa Jiménez
Steal Prediction: No

Don't forget to tune in Monday at 8/7c on NBC as the final battles of Battles Round 2 are fought.
Tell me your predictions on Monday's winners (use the comment section below).

5 comments:

  1. Somehow, and I won't blame anyone, the "Jake and Brittnee" paragraph disappeared upon posting. It's been brought to my attention and re-entered. I didn't purposely leave out their battle prediction.
    Thanks for reading... don't forget to follow me on Twitter to stay up-to-date on everything "The Voice."
    Jason

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with all your predictions, except one. I'm a huge fan of Madilyn Paige and she can certainly hold her own against Bria's kick-the-door-down style. I tend to think Usher goes with Bria, and Blake steals Madilyn.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm troubled by the decision to delay voting until the Top 12 are chosen. Thoughts?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree! Top 20 is as far as the Coaches' decisions should go. Ratings have dropped a bit for the show over the past couple seasons, so I think it would make more sense to increase fan/viewer participation rather than diminish it. The format change could be due to scheduling times/issues within the network... or Production just wants more control over who exactly makes the Top 12. Whatever the reasons are, I'm sure this will not go over well with the viewers.

      Delete
    2. The show hasn't made an official statement about the change, except to say that a 'new' Playoff round is coming. I expect your average viewer won't be thrilled when they hear the news -- probably tonight. The change could be a cost-cutting measure to trim the number of more expensive live shows. Or, the reason could be more sinister. Perhaps they want to steer the show toward an outcome that favors a coach other than Adam or Blake.

      Delete

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.