‘The Voice’: Maroon 5 & Jermaine Paul Perform As The Top 12 Is Formed

This was a big week of voting, wouldn’t you say? There was that whole election on Tuesday, Idolator’s poll for best album of the year and the first vote of The Voice, which culminated last night (November 8). While one could (correctly) argue that The Voice’s semi-semi-semi finals were slightly less important than the Presidential election, but you would never guess that from the turmoil and anguish Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green expressed as they decided on their saves.

Before we get to the contestants, we have to mention the winner of the most ridiculously-outfitted coach. Spoiler alert: it’s exactly who you think it is. Cee Lo, whose stylist has clearly forsaken him, wore leopard print silk jammies to the show. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt — he could have come straight from an audition for an upcoming Star Wars/Lion King Disney crossover film? Let’s move on to the results.

Team Adam and Team Blake are up first, and they perform an awkwardly pieced-together version of Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.” Luckily, the votes have already been counted, because that song wasn’t meant to be covered in an amateur Live Aid fashion.

Team Adam is up first for results. Carson Daly announces that the viewers saved Amanda Brown (duh) and Brian Keith’s fedora. Adam goes the slow death route in announcing his save, because we wouldn’t have it any other way on The Voice. After much turmoil, he saves indie gal Melanie Martinez, and sends home wedding singer Loren Allred (another duh) and Joselyn Rivera. In the least poignant moment of the evening, Joselyn emotionally tells America, “You don’t have to win to be a winner!” Very profound, Joselyn, but in The Voice context, very, very wrong.

While Adam collects himself, we sit through a painfully-forced Sprint demo with Christina “I’m on this show too!” Milian and last season’s Voice winner Jermaine Paul. Luckily Adam is over the fallen quickly, and — with the rest of Maroon 5 — performs their new single, “Daylight.” All in all, a great performance, but the band is dressed like naked Smurfs (which just means they wore all blue — but the term “naked Smurfs” better conveys the weirdness of the wardrobe choice).

After Maroon 5, Jermaine Paul performs his new single, “Believe in this Life.” He’s got talent, but the term “his new single” is actually a sad reminder that it’s really his first single since winning The Voice in May.

As that reality surely sinks in among the contestants, Blake gets ready to crush some dreams. Carson announces that America has saved Terry McDermott (no shock there), and Cassadee Pope. With much less hemming and hawing than his colleague, Blake quickly saves his punk-crush, Michaela Paige, sending home country gal Liz Davis and Julio Cesar Castillo. Learning from Team Adam’s awkward parting words, Carson quickly ushers the two off the stage.

Up next, Team Christina and Team Cee Lo perform Train’s “Drive By.” It’s better than “Stronger,” but we’re hoping that as the teams get smaller, the group performances get tighter.

With Christina’s team on the chopping block, Carson announces that America has saved Dez Duron (seriously, he’s just so pretty) and Sylvia Yacoub. Christina gets uber-emotional about having to let two more go, because as she’ll remind you, she allowed them into her home that one time to listen to Lotus. Best friends forever status aside, she has to make the call, and saves Adrianna Louise. We’re not going to lie, after her struggle with “Firework” on Wednesday, we’re a little shocked that Adrianna makes it over De’Borah, but maybe Christina sees something we don’t. Devyn DeLoera is also sent packing.

Finally, Cee Lo and the amazing leopard printed dream coat is up. Carson announces that America has saved Trevin Hunte (triple duh) and Nicholas David (three cheers for voting on talent and not facial hair grooming, America!). Cee Lo then recites a weird soliloquy he’s written, that is presumably about his team, and ends it with “Red till I’m dead.” While we’re left pondering that, Cee Lo saves Cody Belew and that eliminates Diego Val (finally) and MacKenzie Bourg (who we hope to see perform with Karmin some day).

And then there were 12, and they have less than four days to prepare for the next round. Better get on it, folks — there’s a lot of talent and a lot of eliminations ahead.

Were you surprised by any of the choices? Which coach has the strongest team going into the next round? Let us know below, or by hitting us up on Facebook and Twitter!