‘The Voice’: Watch Gwen Stefani Perform “Spark The Fire” & Nick Jonas Sing “Jealous”
It was a milestone type of evening on Monday’s episode of The Voice. Not only did Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams (finally) grace the audience with the live premiere of “Spark The Fire,” but also the series reached 20 million contestant songs downloaded on iTunes! Gwen, Pharrell, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine started the show onstage to congratulate themselves thank the fans for this accomplishment, which had the added benefit of showcasing Gwen’s white hot pantsuit. Win-win, really.
Nick Jonas celebrates the excitement with a performance of “Jealous.” Joined by Top 8 contestants Taylor John Williams, Ryan Sill, Craig Wayne Boyd, DaNica Shirey, Luke Wade, Damien, Chris Jamison and Matt McAndrew – not to mention a full gospel choir – Nick belts out an acoustic version of the rising hit set to an organ. Not only is this performance of the song better than Chris Jamison’s recent one, it’s even better than the original. Big claim? Deal with it.
The Top 8 also sing Sheppard’s “Geronimo,” but don’t dwell on this for too long, because Gwen and Pharrell’s live premiere is next!
Yes, after dropping the “Spark the Fire” video just hours earlier, the Voice besties make their live performance debut of the single. Gwen’s cloud patterned jumpsuit is just the beginning of the live-action cartoon that is this performance, which begins with Gwen descending from the ceiling on some sort of happy face. The madness that occurs between that and the finale of backup dancers with Gwen and Pharrell masks is better witnessed than described, but the duo has certainly earned the superlative of The Voice’s most talented besties.
Now that the most talented besties have been determined, it’s on to determining the most talented contestants…or at least the five most talented. Here’s who’s in the running:
Team Gwen: Ryan Sill
In-by-the-skin-of-his-teeth Ryan Sill is Gwen’s first Top 8 contestant to perform. Gwen switches it up with a power ballad, assigning Ryan Journey’s “Open Arms.” It’s a decent strategy, as the ballads have been his Instant Save ace in the hole for the past two weeks. “I want you to anti-perform,” she urges the former aca-bopper, who tones down his movement with the help of choreographer Jeri Slaughter.
Critically, Ryan strains for some of Steve Perry’s crazy high notes (or Arnel Pineda’s notes for more recent fans of the band), and his face acting is very daytime television. Credit due, though: eyes closed, it’s a great vocal performance.
“Tonight, the most important night of the competition for you, and you killed it,” says Adam.
“That song is so hard to sing,” says Gwen. “I had tears in my eyes because I’m so proud of you and you’re doing it.”
Team Gwen: Taylor John Williams
Taylor John Williams consents to singing a pop song, but only if he’s allowed to strip all of the pop elements from said song. Fine by Gwen, who stands by her hat-wearing man in his efforts to make Lorde’s “Royals” a serious commentary on our society’s wealth gap. Preach it, Queen Bee.
The performance is a unique departure from the original, with a jazzy standup bass accompaniment replacing the original electro-pop.
“No matter what you do on this stage, time after time, you always make each performance your own,” says Blake. “You’re 150% pure artist.” There’s that Blake math that’s been missing since the Blind Auditions!
“I’m just gliding. He’s doing all of this,” confesses coach Gwen. “He has a real vision about himself.”
Team Blake: Craig Wayne Boyd
Not even to the semi-finals yet, and once (duck) dynasty-esque reigning champ Blake Shelton is down to one contestant. His last man standing, Craig Wayne Boyd, meshes his rock and country tendencies with The Eagles’ “Take It Easy.” The performance, set in a Pinterest Wedding Barn, earns a standing ovation from all of the coaches.
“I felt like I was at the Country Music Awards right now,” says Gwen, the coach who most often forgets where she is.
“You’re a rocker and there’s no holding that back,” says Blake.
Team Pharrell: DaNica Shirey
Season 7 has not proven to be an easy one for the ladies of The Voice. In fact, Team Pharrell’s DaNica Shirey is the only remaining female artist! Pharrell assigns his powerhouse Heart’s “These Dreams,” which feels like a lot of the same. Standing atop a staircase to nowhere in a full-length gown, DaNica belts out the ’80s power ballad, earning raves from the coaches.
“You’ve been one of my favorites from the beginning,” says Blake. “Your voice is enormous. So much strength and accuracy.”
“This could not have been any better,” says Pharrell. “I’m so proud of you, and thank you for being on my team.”
Team Pharrell: Luke Wade
Oh, how song choice can break a contestant at this stage of the competition. When it comes to the Top 8, the audience expects power! Ambition! Notes that have never been reached before! Excitement!
Luke Wade delivers none of this with Simply Red’s “Holding Back the Years.” He makes no mistakes in his mellow performance – which receives some arrangement help from Pharrell – but it’s just a yawn.
“I want you to stop thinking, because it seems like you’re thinking,” says Adam, in a rare critical moment. “I want to see that fire that you have.”
“You’re so good that even when you don’t let go, you’re still better than most people we’ll ever encounter,” counters Pharrell, who may just want to start spending his energy on DaNica.
Team Adam: Damien
If there is any question as to whether or not Damien really earned his title of Damien The Emotional, he smacks it right down by singing Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Yes, the Carson Daly-dubbed “emotional TSA agent,” gives America permission to cry as he belts out a breakup anthem. While no coaches shed any discernible tears, they unanimously approve of his choice to go there with Adele.
Blake, for one, is moved to superlatives. “This is the best season. This is the best group of singers that I’ve ever heard in my life,” he says. “I would swear you were a machine if you didn’t have so much passion and soul to go along with that performance.”
Adam joins in the superlative game, declaring, “Tonight was his best, best, best performance.”
Team Adam: Chris Jamison
Not to put too fine a point on it, but Adam has realized that the age old strategy of “sex sells” is the one to work for Chris Jamison. The Sexiest Contestant Remaining on the (former) Sexiest Man Alive’s team sings Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing,” probably because Color Me Badd’s “I Wanna Sex You Up” is being saved for the finale. The sultry performance has the ladies in the audience beside themselves, to the point that their piercing screams can be heard by Katherine Heigl all the way in the next NBC timeslot.
“That was hands-down, hands-down your best performance on this show,” says Pharrell. “You hit every note and just walked around so gracefully on stage.”
“I feel like you’re like Luke Skywalker, and I’m like a younger Obi-Wan Kenobe,” says Adam, totally nerding out over his role as a mentor. “You just crushed this entire audience.”
Team Adam: Matt McAndrew
Closing out the night is Team Adam’s indy rocker, Matt McAndrew. Veteran coach Adam knows it’s all about the power notes at this late stage of the competition, and gives Matt the advantage by assigning him Damien Rice’s “The Blower’s Daughter.”
“This is what I live for on the show,” Adam declares. Matt shows his many talents by taking on not only Damien Rice’s part, but also Lisa Hannigan’s. Clearly, his range knows no bounds.
“I’ve never heard that song before, and I’m so glad because that’s the version of that song that I want to be my introduction,” says Blake, a critically acclaimed musician who hasn’t heard much music.
Adam waxes on about how love can be both beautiful and “excruciating at times” (everything going well as a newlywed, dude?), and tells Matt, “When you can show people that, that – to me – is the most valuable thing.”
It’s throwback Tuesday on the results show tonight when former contestants Christina Grimme and RaeLynn perform. After that, crushing two contestants’ dreams is not enough anymore, so three of them will go home. Though it’s not likely, up to two coaches could be knocked out as well before the semi-finals.
Which contestants – and coaches – do you think are making it to next week?
