‘The Voice’: Paxton Ingram Breaks Every Chain With Stunning Performance
Alright, Voice coaches, it’s time to give your contestants some serious pep talks. Some of them seem to have hit a serious Season 10 plateau — temporarily, let’s hope — and a little motivation from Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Pharrell Williams and Adam Levine could really go a long way. If that fails, perhaps bring in Usher to make them do pushups for every pitchy note, or Cee Lo’s menagerie of exotic pets to squawk them into shape (or even squawk over some of them).
Maybe it’s because they knew they couldn’t compete with Beyoncé’s iTunes downloads, but it was an off night for many of the Top 11. There were a few promising surprises (Paxton Ingram: looking right at you), but mostly lackluster performances and a few that sounded like off-key Battle Round rejects. If you think sounds harsh, just wait for the cacophony ahead.
Team Pharrell: Daniel Passino
Pharrell’s comeback kid, Daniel Passino, opts to show a more vulnerable side than past snap, point and twirl performances with a stripped down rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” (inspired by a similar rendition by Pink). His strong moments and deeply screechy moments cancel one another out, giving him a rating of average.
“You are so smooth,” says Blake. “Your voice is so strong, but there’s a smoothness and a coolness.”
“You took your time. You worked the room. The note choices were signature and you really made that performance your own,” says Pharrell. “That last note was so crazy that they were clapping while you were still singing.”
Team Pharrell: Hannah Huston
Pharrell simply cannot get over the fact that Hannah Huston is from Nebraska. How could she be from Nebraska, yet still be able to sing, he marvels, seemingly confusing “Nebraska” with “another planet where the species doesn’t have vocal chords.” Overcoming her Nebraska roots, Hannah gives a solid performance of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”
“You can sing so proficiently and so well and so much, but you still have a unique character in your voice,” says Adam. “It just knocks me out every time.”
“That was so eloquent you were generous with your range you were patient with the song,” says Pharrell. “Everybody please vote this woman all the way through.”
Team Blake: Paxton Ingram
Paxton Ingram totally won the Top 11 performance night. After a weak performance last week, he makes a comeback by singing Tasha Cobbs’ religious ballad “Break Every Chain” and taking us all to church. The crowd goes wild, and all four coaches are on their feet after his performance.
“That was unleashing of power,” says Pharrell. “The modulation – to Blake’s credit – was genius.”
“We’ve heard Paxton the singer, the artist but it’s the first time I feel like you opened your heart,” says Blake.
Team Blake: Mary Sarah
Also stepping it up this week is country singer Mary Sarah. Blake strategically picks a song he know will register well on iTunes (such musically pure reasoning), and has Mary Sarah sing Heidi Newfield’s “Johnny & June.” Between the song choice and her strong performance, she is primed to stick around into next week.
“You spent so much time on your higher register, and it was up there,” says Pharrell. “In a really pleasant way, your dress was distracting,” he adds, like a total creep.
“You’re going to see that you moved the dial tonight in iTunes,” says Blake. “We heard different elements of your voice tonight.”
Team Blake: Adam Wakefield
If there’s anyone that could potentially beat Team Christina’s Alisan Porter for the big trophy…it’s not a contestant this season. If Alisan decides to drop out to start filming on a long-overdue sequel to Curly Sue, though, Adam Wakefield is next in line for the throne due to his consistent showing. Adam sings Journey’s “Lights,” and really crushes some soaring runs that showcase his falsetto.
“This dude does everything. In one performance you traverse a lot of musical ground,” says Adam. “I can’t think of anything you can’t do.”
“You always know there’s just a little bit more he could give it, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat,” says Blake. “You give it that moment right when it counts.”
Team Christina: Alisan Porter
The most shocking part of Alisan Porter’s performance is that she doesn’t get the coveted closing spot or the lead-off spot. She’s just sandwiched in the middle, singing Lorraine Ellison’s “Stay With Me” like a total boss. She nails it as always, although doesn’t bring anything new to the stage (in fairness, unless she decides to pick up yodeling or an ill-advised rap, there’s not much left she hasn’t already done).
“I said it day one and I still believe it, and as much as I wish you were on my team. You’re going to take this thing,” says Adam, who continues to pledge his support for a non-team member. “You’re going to win this thing, and you deserve it.”
“You’re unbelievable, Alisan,” says Christina. “You’re out here every single week making your family proud and you’re showing your kids what it’s like to go for your dreams.”
Team Christina: Bryan Bautista
Say what you will about Pharrell’s coaching, but this next travesty of an arrangement would never have happened on his team. Bryan Bautista and Christina decide that “Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars can be improved upon by adding a horn section and a light jazz sensibility, and the result is New Year’s Eve at your grandparents’ country club. Oof. Bryan at least earns some major voting cred by dedicating the song to his sister, who sobs in the audience as he sings.
“That was effortless,” says Pharrell. “That power that you had in your upper register was crazy.”
“Once again: super silky smooth and the choices were all right,” says Christina. “It is really hard what you do.”
Team Christina: Nick Hagelin
As a comeback artist, Nick Hagein has a built in likeability — one that he completely destroys in this next performance. After declaring John Mayer as his musical inspiration, he maims “Your Body Is A Wonderland.” Nick and the band are performing in completely different keys, and as Paul Mirkovich plays the right notes for a living, the blame for that cacophony falls squarely on Nick.
“I thought that was one of your better performances, and I swear it’s like Jason Bourne picked up the guitar,” says Blake in the night’s oddest compliment.
“I’ve become such a huge, huge fan of yours,” says Christina. “There’s an energy when you come up on stage. You’re just so loveable.”
Team Adam: Shalyah Fearing
Team Adam’s Shalyah Fearing sings tween triumph jam “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. Unfortunately, it’s a little off the mark for the typically controlled singer. She gives it her all, but hits some pitchy patches that bring down her performance. The coaches miss said patches, though, and are all Blind Audition-style praise.
“Beautiful song, beautiful rendition of it. I’m sure Miley would be so proud,” says Christina. “It was nice hearing something a little bit different too than the gospel choices that you’ve done.”
“I love you. You’re amazing,” says Adam. “You’re so unbelievably advanced in your talent for how old you are.”
Team Adam: Owen Danoff
Instant Save survivor Owen Danoff opts against the awkward stage strutting that got him so much attention last week, and gets back in his guitar-playing wheelhouse to sing James Taylor’s “Fire And Rain.” His heart is in the right place – he dedicates the song to a late friend’s memory – but the performance is vocally flat and energetically lacking.
“You’re a great storyteller. Keeping it simple, and still strong,” says Christina.
“You do represent something that is very different than what a lot of people represent on this show,” says Adam.
Team Adam: Laith Al-Saadi
Closing out the night is bluesy powerhouse Laith Al-Saadi, who is personally shocked that he’s still in the mix based on his non-teen heartthrob status. Points for self-awareness, Laith, but you’ve got the talent to take you through at least another round. Laith makes a contemporary departure from classic rock to annihilate Ed Sheeran’s “Make It Rain.” He hits all the right notes (apparently not a given, based on some of his colleagues’ performances), and the crowd could not love it more if it was Alisan Porter singing “House Of The Rising Sun.”
“We all can’t wait for what you’re going to do every time,” says Blake. “You’re a breath of fresh air.”
“Hey, Laith, you were amazing and I love you!” says Adam, who is too pressed for time to fit in any more praise.
The mixed bag of performances will certainly make for an interesting elimination tonight. Who do you think is in danger of an Instant Save showdown?
