We’re getting down to the wire on this season of
The Voice (Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on CTV2), which means coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Gwen Stefani are at risk of having their teams completely eliminated going into the finale. On Tuesday’s results show, the Top 10 were narrowed down to the Top 8, with Team Legend’s Marybeth Byrd clinching the final spot in the semifinals. Team Kelly lost Shane Q and Team Gwen saying goodbye to Joana Martinez, leaving Stefani with sole team member Rose Short. Sure, Gwen may have a team of one, but that one is
Rose Short, a front runner since the Blind Auditions. Don’t count out either woman just yet.Team Blake hung on to both Ricky Durand and Kat Hammock, while Team Legend also made it through the night unscathed with Byrd, Will Breman and Katie Kadan earning a spot in the Top 8. Team Kelly is down to Jake Hoot and Hello Sunday, with Team Gwen now as the smallest team left in the competition with a solo Rose Short.
TEAM LEGEND – MARYBETH BYRD
Much has been made of Kat Hammock, Hello Sunday and Joana Martinez’s ages, but we haven’t heard any chatter about 18-year-old Marybeth Byrd’s driver’s licence. Byrd has a mature look and sound that makes it easy to forget she’s still a teen, with her grace under pressure during Tuesday’s sudden-death performance consistent with what we’ve seen from the singer all season. Marybeth made a smart move with her song choice of Calum Scott’s “You Are The Reason,” a song that appeals to younger and older viewers. Her beautiful rendition of the ballad featured a blend of emotional moments and soaring, big-note moments, with the combination enough to earn her the last spot in the semifinals.
TEAM KELLY – SHANE Q
Shane Q’s performance of “Killing Me Softly” was his most consistent all season, with Shane pushing past his bad habit of dropping lines and proving for a second week in a row that he does best when facing sudden death elimination. Kelly reminded viewers that Shane was a four-chair turn and is one of the few artists this season that has effortlessly dipped in and out of genres. Unfortunately, it may have been Shane’s unclear musical direction and his genre-dipping that landed him in the bottom once again, with Monday night’s performance of “Caribbean Queen” leaving him without a clear target audience.
TEAM GWEN – JOANA MARTINEZ
Another singer without a clear audience was Team Gwen’s Joana Martinez, who made a surprising choice with her decision to step away from her typical bubble-gum pop numbers and soaring ballads to take on Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Possibly to show the versatility in her voice and the range of her musical preferences, Joana’s move to go with the 2011 hit was overall a solid choice, with the 16-year-old singer delivering a compelling and charged performance. There were a few pitch issues throughout, especially near the end of the song, but considering the teen’s solid past performances and the intense amount of pressure at this stage in the competition, these missteps could easily be chalked up to nerves.
The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on CTV2.[video_embed id='-1']RELATED: Gwen Stefani never expected 'Hollaback Girl' to turn into a hit[/video_embed]
