‘The Voice’: The Wanted Perform “Chasing The Sun”; Two Singers Get Chased Off The Show
Monday night (Apr. 17), The Voice judge Christina Aguilera caused controversy when she cut perceived frontrunner Jesse Campbell from her team during the quarterfinals’ instant eliminations. “I am no stranger to controversy,” Christina said on Tuesday night’s results show, before giving herself props for making all the tough decisions. But before we learned which of the singers earned the most votes overnight UK fivesome The Wanted performed their new single “Chasing The Sun” on a smoke-filled stage backed by sexy lady dancers. And, oh yeah, Justin Bieber showed up.
After the votes are tallied, opera singer Chris Mann from Team Christina and everyone’s favorite Jermaine Paul from Team Blake are deemed safe and through to the semifinals round. That meant quirky indie rocker Lindsey Pavao, pretty pop powerhouse Ashley De La Rosa, the throaty Erin Willett and country spitfire RaeLynn would sing for their lives.
On Team Christina’s side, Ashley De La Rosa took on Lady Gaga‘s “You And I” but without the level of bravado such a big ballad warrants. Pitch problems plagued the performance and Ashley just sort of bopped and stomped to the not-really-danceable tune, giving her no real stage presence. Ashley De La Rosa, “You And I”
Lindsey Pavao, who is basically the musical equivalent of Kristen Stewart, performed a shoegaze version of Mike Posner‘s “Please Don’t Go” — literally, she gazed upon her feet for the entire song because she bent herself at a 90-degree angle. By the end of it she was in tears, perhaps unsure that her understated Feist-like vocal would be enough to sway Christina in her favor.
Lindsey Pavao, “Please Don’t Go”
For Team Blake, Erin Willet well captured the soulful spirit of Ike and Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary” in a slow-burning intro that built to a rocked out finale. Her big voice soared when it was allowed to do its own thing, instead of being
Erin Willet, “Proud Mary”
RaeLynn chose The Band Perry‘s “If I Die Young” for her last-chance performance. She added her usual vocal flourishes that bring her close to sounding at times like Lana Del Rey and at other times like Gwen Stefani. It was a much more subdued set and costuming than the previous night’s sexed up song, and Adam Levine, at least, wasn’t really into it.
RaeLynn, “If I Die Young”
WHO WAS CUT: Christina sends home Ashley De La Rosa, and Blake gives RaeLynn her walking papers as the credits start to roll.
NEXT WEEK: The remaining singers from Teams Adam and Cee Lo return to the stage.
