Thursday, April 5, 2012

'The Voice' Recap: Four Singers Get The Ax

Team Blake's Charlotte Sometimes and Naia Kete and Team Christina's Sera Hill and Moses Stone are all eliminated after first live show.
By John Mitchell


Sera Hill, Christina Aguilera and Moses Stone on "The Voice"
Photo: NBC

On Monday night, the 12 members of Teams Christina and Blake took the stage for the first "Voice" live show of the season, and on Tuesday night (April 3), four contestants were sent packing after being voted off by the public and not saved by their team coach.

The public's top three vote-getters were announced in no particular order following a performance by Gym Class Heroes that featured Team Adam, which will hit the ring with Team Cee Lo next week for its first shot on the live stage. The bottom three on each team were given one last shot at moving forward to the live quarter finals; they could earn their coach's lone "save" if they beat their other two teammates in a sing-off.

First, though, both coaches took their teams on insider-y trips to a country radio station (Blake) and "The Tonight Show" (Christina) so they could get a feel for what it's really like to promote themselves in the music industry. Proving that they are actually invested in their teams (one of the many virtues "The Voice" has over its reality singing-competition rivals), Shelton and Aguilera both offered their teams a nice foot in the door: Blake announced that he was putting together an acoustic concert for his team, while Team Christina got them face time with Leno before letting them hit the stage at the "Tonight Show" to perform as a team.

But then it was right down to business. From Team Blake, host Carson Daly announced that belter Erin Willett, former Alicia Keys backup singer/dancer Jermaine Paul and teenage country singer RaeLynn attracted the most votes, leaving Charlotte Sometimes, Jordis Unga and Naia Kete on the chopping block.

All three delivered solid-if-unspectacular performances. Street performer Naia whisper-sang her way through Beyoncé's "If I Were a Boy," prompting Blake to say he wished she focused on the reggae that comes naturally to her. Charlotte's unusual vocal flourishes complemented the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" well, but Jordis benefited from picking a particularly well-suited song ("Wild Horses") and won the support of Aguilera, Levine and Green and, most importantly, Blake, who did not hesitate in saving Jordis, though he had nothing but kind words for the two contestants he sent packing.

The early favorites from Team Christina also earned a reprieve from America, as soulful Jesse Campbell, scene-stealer Lindsey Pavao and classically trained Chris Mann earned the most votes from the public. That meant Ashley De La Rosa, Moses Stone and (crazily) Sera Hill were up for elimination if their last-chance performance didn't satisfy their picky diva coach.

Up first was Ashley, followed by Sera, who tore into Mariah Carey's "Vision of Love" like it was her own. Moses Stone hit the stage next, and the MC proved his chops as a singer were a force with a nice take on "Falling to Pieces."

The judges were more divided than they were with Team Blake. Cee Lo thought Sera was tops, while Adam and Blake were impressed with Ashley. Ultimately, so was Christina, who opted to send Sera and Moses home — but not before adding what became the theme of the night: "This is only the beginning."

Moving On
Team Blake
» Erin Willett
» Jermaine Paul
» RaeLynn
» Jordis Unga

Team Christina
» Jesse Campbell
» Lindsey Pavao
» Chris Mann
» Ashley De La Rosa

Going Home
Team Blake
» Charlotte Sometimes
» Naia Kete

Team Christina
» Sera Hill
» Moses Stone

Did your favorites make it through to the live quarterfinals? Let us know in the comments below!

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