'The Voice' Performers Explain Their Song Strategies for Quarterfinals
With an instant elimination hanging over their heads, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton's teams tell THR what they're planning for Monday's performance show.
The Voice quarterfinals start Monday and the stakes are getting pretty high. Not only does each team have only four members left, but NBC recently announced that one person from each team will go home instantly after Monday’s performances.
PHOTOS: 'The Voice' Contestants Volunteer at L.A. Food Bank
Coaches Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton will be the first to have to make that very difficult decision on Monday and then the following week Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green will have to make a similar cut.
The Hollywood Reporter dropped in on Team Christina and Team Blake during rehearsals and they revealed what their strategies are going into quarterfinals. They fall into two categories: Those who are hoping to show something new to the audience and those who want to stick with what has worked for them in the past.
Take a look at what they revealed below.
Performers who are trying something new:
Jesse Campbell, Team Christina: “It’s going to be a performance that’s different from any other experience that I’ve done. You will probably not expect a man to sing what will be sung. So, I’m excited about it.”
PHOTOS: 'The Voice' Teams: Season 2's Performers
Ashley De La Rosa, Team Christina: “My first two songs were both big, powerful rock songs. This next one is a little softer, more intimate definitely and more emotionally driven than beat-driven. And I think that’s going to be very refreshing for the audience and I like that. I think we picked a good one.”
Chris Mann, Team Christina: “We just want to show some diversity. So far I’ve done three basically stand and sing ballads, which I love to do that and that’s sort of my comfort zone. But, we got to show a different side of me, which I’m excited about. So, this week I’m going to do a performance piece and work the stage and use every inch of it and get the crowd involved -- things that make me a little scared. But when the moment happens, I know it will be awesome.”
Erin Willett, Team Blake: “I’ve done a lot of throwback Motown stuff. This time I get to do something contemporary that people are listening to right now. I’m kind of nervous, because when you do something contemporary it’s easily comparable. But, I’m glad to do something that shows I can do something that is now and I can do something in this industry and I can be an artist that’s successful.”
STORY: 'The Voice's' Cee Lo Green on Live Show Performances: 'I Was Just a Little Disappointed'
Performers who are doing what they know:
Jermaine Paul, Team Blake: “I’m so excited about this week’s performance. It’s something that I’ve been wanting to do for so long. It’s something that can really exhibit great lyrical content and raw emotion without the belting, without the hard singing, without the lights and the bells and the whistles, smoke and mirrors. It’s just really singing from the heart and starting from a quiet place and where it needs to go.”
Lindsey Pavao, Team Christina: “I think we’re getting to a stage in the competition where people are starting to get to know us and it’s important to be sincere. This next song is about self-expression and sincerity. It’s still an artistic rendition of the song and it’s very different from the original, but I think it was very important that this time it wasn’t about a show or anything like that. It’s just how I feel.”
RaeLynn, Team Blake: “Just get ready for country. I’m not going to take a pop song and make it country. I did that the first week to show that I can do that. I’m going to do a well known country song from last year – if you’re a country fan, you’ll know this song. If you’re not, you’ll love this song too. So, it’s going to be really cool. It’s rock-country.”
STORY: 'The Voice' Results Show: Four Contestants Eliminated After Second Week of Live Shows
Jordis Unga, Team Blake: “Because I was able to sing ‘Wild Horses’ as my last chance song last week and I was able to show a different side of my voice, that really sort of steered the direction of my performance next week. You can call me a rocker, I get that, it’s fair, but for me I’m so much more of a storyteller. I love that aspect of music.”
Whose strategies do you agree or disagree with? Who do you predict will go home Monday night?
The Voice quarterfinals airs at 8 p.m. Monday, and the results show airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro
THR's Daily Must Feeds
-
Joss Whedon Says Tom Hiddleston Won't Return For 'Avengers' Sequel
-
Ben Savage: 'Girl Meets World' Gets Series Order from Disney
-
Brad Pitt Talks Angelina Jolie on 'Good Morning America'
-
Mumford Bass Player Updates Fans On Status
-
Leonardo DiCaprio: 'Wolf of Wall Street' Trailer
-
'Man Of Steel' Box Office Wows As Film Brings In $125 Million
-
'True Blood’s' Kristin Bauer van Straten on the Pam-Tara Sex Scene We All Missed
-
Paul Feig Explains His Cultural Influences
What's Hot in TV
- MOST SHARED
- MOST POPULAR
- 1
Shanghai Festival: Oliver Stone Calls Whistleblower Edward Snowden a Hero
- 2
David Lynch Displays Guitar Skills on Second Album (Exclusive Photo)
- 3
'The Voice' Recap: Final Three Sing for the Win
- 4
'Mad Men' Deconstruction Episode 12: 'The Quality of Mercy'
- 5
Steven Spielberg Predicts 'Implosion' of Film Industry
- 6
Fox News Sued for Live Airing of Man's Suicide
- 7
Box Office Report: 'Man of Steel' Sees Huge Father's Day Boost, Crosses $200 Mil Worldwide
- 8
From Flappers to Rappers: 'The Great Gatsby' Music Supervisor Breaks Down the Film's Soundtrack
- 9
James Franco Seeks $500,000 in Crowdfunding for 'Palo Alto Stories' Trilogy
- 10
Global Box Office Report: 'Man of Steel' Earns $196.7 Million as Superman Flies Again


