NBC’s ‘The Voice’ review: Jordan Smith, Viktor Kiraly, and Barrett Baber rock Knockout Rounds
Ready for the Knockout Round of “The Voice“? We’ll star this review by saying that we were a little bummed by how predictable many of the showdowns ended up being, and it’s not a case of editing or lopsided pairings so much as it is people just showing up and performing better at times.
We’ve got our quick-take on some of the performances, and also the big steal, below!
Blaine Mitchell defeats Andi & Alex – This was a surprise for Team Adam, given that we would’ve said going into this that the duo had this 100%. However, they made some weird choreography choices, and we don’t think it worked separating them so much individually. Blaine, meanwhile, was solid as a rock, which made him an easy pick for Adam and a regret for Blake Shelton.
Braiden Sunshine defeats Ellie Lawrence – The moment that Braiden had a sneak peek featuring him and Rihanna, we assumed he would advance. This happened yet again after we saw the montages. He was legitimately better in this Knockout, but there’s something strategic here for Gwen Stefani in that he is the sort of endearing, young contestant who will without a doubt garner a ton of votes from the viewing public.
Barrett Baber defeats Blind Joe – This one was trouble for Joe the moment it was announced, given that Baber has the talent and the experience to win the entire competition. Joe needed an almost-perfect vocal to have a shot against his stage presence and musicality, and he didn’t get it. Unfortunately, that also means no steal.
Madi Davis defeats Amy Vachal – Maybe we’re surprised by the result? This was the first competitive one of the night, and also the first one that rightfully ends with a steal. Amy has such star quality that it would’ve been silly to not keep her, and she now has a chance to shine for Adam Levine.
Ivonne Acero defeats Chance Pena – There was a little competition here, given that neither one of these two artists were perfect in what they did. The difference to us is probably the amount of growth Ivonne has shown, and Blake Shelton was right to follow that trajectory into the live shows.
Jordan Smith defeats Viktor Kiraly – Jordan is very good, likable, and soulful. However, he needs a little more edge to his voice. The truth is that we’ve seen many guys with similar voices on other shows. We understand Adam going with his heart here, but Gwen was very smart to steal someone who we think could end up being a finalist for her. Viktor has fans, and we actually think he gave the performance of the night.
Who was your favorite tonight? Let us know right now with a comment, and head over here to get some other news when it comes to “The Voice”! Also, you can sign up here to get some other TV news worthy of a song or two via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: NBC.)