NBC’s ‘The Voice’ review: Meet James Wolpert, Donna Allen, Adam Levine-loving Nic Hawk
“The Voice” is back on the air after a summer off, and more than that, we have the return of our original coaches. We liked the Shakira / Usher experiment last took place in the spring, but it’s great to have the originals back. Not only that, but it does genuinely feel like they are energized. Heck, Christina Aguilera looks to be more energized now than she ever was during any of her three previous seasons on the show.
We’ve decided that we’re not really going to waste too much time tonight talking about some of the folks who did not make it through to the next phase of the competition (with one exception); instead, these are all of the people who landed coaches. Who is your favorite? We want to hear down in the comments section below!
Kat Robichaud – Usually the first person to audition on the show is somewhat memorable, and Kat is that. She has experience growing up in the world of musicals and she has a nice voice. We personally also tend to like the contestants that choose Cee Lo, since he manages to give his team members some wacky, awesome song choices. Pick: Cee Lo Green.
Caroline Pennell – It’s the indie girl! There is always one of these on the show that makes it to around the seventh or sixth spot before getting sent home, unless you’re Dia Frampton and then you finish in second. She’s very good at what she does, and she did at least pick the right coach who will nurture that gift. Pick: Cee Lo Green
Donna Allen – This is what makes “The Voice” a better show than “The X Factor.” We find out right away that she was in Miami Sound Machine. No frills, no acting like she is undiscovered. We have no problem that she has a past since the show is upfront about it! Easily, this was the biggest shocker of the night. We thought for sure this was all Christina, but she instead went with a guy who has a win under his belt. Pick: Adam Levine
Matthew Schuler – We wrote about this guy previously as he’s a cool guy with an awesome voice and good sense of style. Not only did he get all of the coaches to turn around, but he awoke Christina and got her more excited than we have ever seen her on this show. Thanks to that alone, we have to say that the man really made the right choice. Pick: Christina Aguilera
Nic Hawk – His crush on Adam Levine was pretty entertaining, and this is going to be a wacky odd couple as they go through the show together. Is Nic going to be able to focus, and would Adam have turned had he known how crazy the guy was about him. Pick: Adam Levine
Shelbie Z – A pageant girl who quit pageants because of her weight. We wish these shows didn’t turn a talent show into a story. She has a good country voice, but we honestly hate these auditions because they’re so predictable. The coaches complain that the artist is just going to pick Blake, and then they do. Pick: Blake Shelton
Josh Logan – The cool thing about Josh is that he came out to the show and admitted he’s a flawed dude who hasn’t always been the best dad. Appreciate the honesty. Also, we appreciate that he’s a good singer that helps us to forget that he looks like Gavin DeGraw meets Howie Mandel. Everyone except for Cee Lo Green turned, but Josh went with the enthusiastic Christina. Pick: Christina
Delvin Choice – Is the Starbucks hype a little more prevalent this year? Too much with the product placement, NBC! You get good enough ratings so stop shoving it down our throats! The “singing barista” has some sick hair, but he didn’t get through. We just decided to include him since he was such a big personality, and a surprise to not advance.
James Wolpert – The final contestant of the night was a geek, which is precisely why we wanted to root for him. He’s also a guy who dropped out of college, which means he probably needs some money coming his way. He actually sounds a little like Phillip Phillips from “American Idol,” with a different sort of social vibe. Pick: Adam
If you want to check out some more news on “The Voice,” including the music video for reigning champion Danielle Bradbery, just be sure to visit the link here.
Photo: NBC