The Voice recap: Live top 10 performances
The Top 10 of The Voice season 22 will be singing for votes this evening and in a wild little twist, Team Camila is walking into the proceedings with just one artist left. I mean, that one artist is Morgan Myles, and she has a high probability of making it into the finale, but yikes what a tough first run for our new coach. It only takes one though, right? Right?! One artist and one big moment to set them apart from the rest of the pack.
It's Fan Week on The Voice, which means each artist will have that shot at a big moment while singing a song selected for them by their own fans. Let's see how that pans out.
Team Legend: Parijita Bastola, "Scars to Your Beautiful" by Alessia Cara
Parijita had been looking to do a more youthful song, but was nervous when she realized how poppy and upbeat this Alessia Cara song is compared to most of her other choices. It winds up being a great fit and a nice push forward out of the ballads without going wildly in a different direction. Blake Shelton calls it "a masterclass in combining passion and joy with great execution," Camila says Parijita has "a soulful quality in [her] voice and in [her] presence" and this song choice really played into that, and John once again calls out how "warm and inviting and mature" Parijita's vibrato sounds. It's not a show-stopper, but it's a solid performance.
Team Blake: Rowan Grace, "i love you" by Billie Eilish
Rowan made a splash in earlier rounds with contemporary, angsty pop but has more recently leaned toward iconic classics — it's good to have her back on this more modern path. Blake seems excited, too — he loves that this song will highlight her special tone. The flip side of a stripped down arrangement is that, as Camila Cabello and John Legend point out, you can't hide behind anything. Both Camila and John describe the song as "challenging" to soften the blow, but it's clear there were some technical issues throughout. Coach Blake couldn't be more proud though: He thinks Rowan "met the challenge" and believes Rowan has "an incredible future" as an artist.
Team Gwen: Justin Aaron, "Just Once" by Quincy Jones feat. James Ingram
Justin Aaron's journey this season has really been something. When he first showed up, he seemed a little nervous and shy, now he's owning his babe status. That red velvet blazer? Smooth. His vocals? Even smoother. Is there any song Justin can't go out and crush at this point? Again, he's great at dynamics and knows how to build to these huge moments. Camila calls him "a masterful singer" and is continually impressed with the way he can "soar into the high notes with such an ease." His coach Gwen Stefani, too, calls him "a master" at what he does. Perhaps the biggest praise, however, comes from John Legend, who informs Justin that John's own mother will only vote for Team Legend and Justin Aaron. He got the Mama Legend vote!
Team Blake: Brayden Lape, "Homesick" by Kane Brown
It's another member of Team Blake stripping back an arrangement and focusing on vocals, which, again, really highlights weak points. Brayden isn't the best vocalist, but he is tremendously likable. Gwen says it best: Brayden's performances are pretty much the same each week, and yet he remains "so engaging" as an artist. Would I like to see him veer back into the pop world and maybe do a little Justin Bieber number? For sure, but I can't deny I get his appeal.
Team Legend: Kim Cruse, "Love on the Brain" by Rihanna
Yes! This is a perfect song choice for Kim Cruse. She's done modern R&B and more classic songs, and this Rihanna song feels like the perfect blend of the two. Kim does not waste one second of this song! She makes it look so easy. Blake tells Kim that her "voice could simultaneously kill things and then bring them back to life." Gwen comments on how wild it is that Kim's been so underrated this season, but believes this performance will wake everyone up to how incredible she is. Coach John couldn't be more effusive: He thinks that song, that arrangement, and Kim's voice were "the exact perfect match that maximized all the things [Kim does] so well." He adds a "you killed it," just in case that wasn't clear already.
Team Blake: Bryce Leatherwood, "Sand in My Boots" by Morgan Wallen
Bryce knows exactly who he is as an artist and sticks to it, while that doesn't make for the most exciting performances, it is certainly nice to see how his comfort and confidence in who he is have grown since the beginning of the season. Camila tells him that he has a tone she just never gets tired of listening to and John thinks Bryce clearly "belong[s] on country radio." Blake is excited to look back on this season and see how things shifted for Bryce — he thinks people are really behind him now. A perfect time to gain momentum with the voters, no?
Team Gwen: Kique, "Call Out My Name" by The Weeknd
Kique saved himself with a Weeknd song last week when he wound up on the chopping block, so I bet he was pretty excited to have the fans pick another Weeknd song for this this week — it was clearly successful the first time around. We learn that Kique tested positive for Covid and they have pre-recorded his performance from another location. It's certainly more of a disadvantage than anything and when Kique really needs to bring it too! His vocals are impressive, but the energy is off. John praises the "lower part of [Kique's] range" and calls him "daring" when referring to his ability to take these huge hits and play around with their arrangements.
Team Camila: Morgan Myles, "Tennessee Whiskey" by Chris Stapleton
Yeah, if you're going to have one artist left, you're going to want it to be someone like Morgan Myles, who knows exactly who she is and has only been getting better with each week. Camila's right when she says this song is perfect for Morgan, who has proven to be able to cross genres with ease, since it's got a great mix of country and soul, with some catchy little pop elements tossed in. Morgan owns this performance from start to finish. It's a little busy, but it never feels out of control. John says it was at "award show performance" level and Camila tells her artist that she was "totally superstar status today."
Team Blake: bodie, "golden hour" by JVKE
bodie knows that his fans have nailed their song choice — this is exactly what he does. The song has verse partially in rap and then these huge notes for bodie to belt in the chorus. In rehearsals, Blake is beyond excited for bodie to have this moment. He nails both elements and makes it look effortless. Blake is, as Carson Daly notes, "beaming" at the end of the performance. He tells his artist two things: First, that he thinks that song "may be the hardest song [he has] ever heard someone try to do on this show" and second that "this may be the greatest performance [he has] ever seen on this show." So there's that!!
Team Legend: Omar Jose Cardona, "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner
It's another 80s rock ballad for Omar, but as John points out, it's one that, much like last week, will allow Omar to "connect emotionally" with the audience. Oh buddy, Omar, not surprisingly, sings the hell out of this song. Camila's right when she says that this song could easily veer into karaoke territory, but Omar's voice elevates it from that. She calls the performance "euphoric." Omar's coach John thinks Omar has really moved past simply being a great vocalist and is now someone who can "connect with people's hearts." That was goal, right?
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