‘The Voice’: Christina Aguilera Kisses Contestant Kata Hay, Pharrell Loses His Mind

Caila Ball-Dionne | March 2, 2016 8:36 am

It’s only the second night of the season, but a coach on The Voice has already taken to trading sexual favors for contestants…

…is what you might think happened last night based on Pharrell Williams’ elated reaction to the tiny peck on the lips between Christina Aguilera and a female contestant. Yes, the same Pharrell Williams who starred alongside Robin Thicke in the “Blurred Lines” video, which had the plot “naked women bouncing around clothed dudes while sometimes holding goats.” You never can tell what will shock someone, I guess.

Other than Pharrell’s inexplicable (and hopefully temporary) regression into a 14-year-old boy, last night’s Blind Auditions went on fairly normally, meaning Christina, Pharrell, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton mostly verbally sparred and occasionally added contestants to their teams. Here’s who made the cut:

Joe Vivona, 27 – Verona, NJ

Is “carny” a derogatory term? Carson Daly must be asking himself that right now as he prepares a moniker for the first contestant of the evening, traveling carnival worker Joe Vivona. Joe takes a break from the midway to audition with John Mayer’s “Dreaming With A Broken Heart,” and his soulful rock voice earns turns from Adam, Pharrell and Blake. It’s pitchy

“One of your best qualities – aside from your tone, which is very different – you were telling the story to make sure that song really came through,” says Adam.

“You’d be great on my team because I think that we can talk about the nerves thing and get to the center of it,” says Pharrell.

“That wasn’t a technically perfect performance, but it did what music is supposed to do: it moved us,” says Blake.

Citing advice from his 95-year-old grandfather, Joe picks Pharrell.

Shalyah Fearing, 15 – Hudson, FL

Shalyah Fearing is part of a big family, so she’s used to breaking through the noise. One of eight children, Shalyah sings in her family’s band, which is managed by her “momager” (copyright Kris Jenner). Her voice is very mature for her 15 years, but she only manages to get Christina to turn for her powerhouse performance of V. Bozeman’s “What Is Love?”

“The Voice gods are shining down on my chair today,” says Christina. “What were you guys doing, sleeping?”

Adam Wakefield, 33 – Nashville, TN

Southern rock singer Adam Wakefield is just asking for a Gwen Stefani makeover. At the very least, she could get him to rethink his hemp and silver necklace, and she might even tame those luscious locks of his. Adam manages to overcome his southwestern chic accessories, though, with a strong, classic performance of “Tennessee Whiskey” by George Jones. Both Adam and Blake vie for his favor.

“I think a strong, male, country-leaning singer with a minor in rock and roll fits on anybody’s team, and I want you so desperately on mine,” says Adam.

“It’s guys like you that get me so excited about the future of Nashville,” says Blake. “Dude, you’re country.”

Adam agrees with Blake’s country assessment, and joins the country crooner’s team.

Caroline Burns, 15 – Hollis, NH

It’s pretty impressive that – at 15 years old – Caroline Burns is already on her second Blind Audition. After an unsuccessful bid in Season 9, she turns her luck around this season with Carole King’s “So Far Away.” Though she has some breath-related pitch issues, both Adam and Blake turn around.

“You are tremendous,” says Adam. “You’re a special one. I’m blown away.”

“You kept your composure this time around,” says Blake. “A 15-year-old girl like you that can sing like that can win The Voice,” he adds, though lets see what tune he’s singing by the Knockouts.

Despite Blake’s “you’re a winner” assessment, Caroline chooses Adam.

Emily Keener, 16 – Wakeman, OH

Sounding like Cher’s more ethereal younger cousin, Emily Keener wows the coaches with her performance of Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Scratch that — she wows them enough to press their buttons in the first five seconds, before entering wild pitch territory for the next 85. Not ones to admit they are wrong – or offer any sort of criticism in general – the coaches simply rave.

“Your voice – it’s like nothing I’ve never heard before,” says Blake. “Unbelievable.”

“You’ll be great on any team, but I think you’ll be the best on mine,” adds Adam.

“That was just breathtaking,” says Pharrell. “You just used the entire tapestry of your vocal chords.”

“You are the voice that could speak to a new generation,” says Christina. (A little much, girl.)

After much deliberation, Emily chooses Pharrell. Now he just needs to rein her in a bit and get her performing consistently.

Laith Al-Saadi, 38 – Ann Arbor, MI

Up next is a performer who can out-play just about any contestant – or coach – on the guitar…and can actually out-sing some of them, too. Laith Al-Saadi’s multi-talented approach gives his raspy performance of The Box Tops’ “The Letter” a bit more blues credibility, as does the fact that he’s been performing regularly for over 20 years, and has opened for the likes of B.B. King and Gregg Allman. Both Blake and Adam dig this seasoned performer.

“Your voice is so enormous, you didn’t even need a microphone,” says Blake.

“You have just as much control up high as you do down low. You’re awesome,” says Adam, adding, “You shred like a maniac.”

Laith takes his impressive guitar skills and his massive beard over to Team Adam.

Angie Keilhauer, 24 – Marietta, GA

Cruise ship singer Angie Keilhauer wants off the boat! Though her performance of Dierks Bentley’s “I Hold On” starts off with a touch of incoherent mumbling, she really soars in the chorus. Adam, Pharrell, and Blake all turn around and give her permission to come aboard their teams. (See what I did there? Because boats. It’s deep into the second hour, here, folks.)

“One of my favorite things about female country singers when they sing, they can kind of do a Whitney [Houston] song if they really wanted to, or a Celine Dion song,” says Pharrell.

“There’s this raw break in your voice that happens that is so impossible to control for most people and you controlled it so well,” says Adam.

“It’s like a loose cannon when you perform,” says Blake. “To have a girl take that approach in country music? It’s about damn time.” Whatever that means.

When a country singer gets up there and sings Dierks Bentley, it’s a foregone conclusion. Angie joins Team Blake.

Kata Hay, 28 – Skiatook, OK

It’s such a bummer that all anyone can talk about after Kata Hay’s performance is the fact that she “made out” with Christina Aguilera…which equates to a seriously chaste peck that sends Pharrell into a spiral of looking for anyone to high five. Before all those shenanigans go down, Kata gives a powerful, growly performance of Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman” that is energetic, controlled and fun to watch.

But, again, even though Adam, Pharrell, and Christina all turn for her, Pharrell is too beside himself with the kiss to fit much talk about the performance in.

“Let’s put fire, let’s put spunk, let’s put sassiness in it,” says Christina.

And with that, Kata joins Team Christina, and producers literally cue Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl.” Look forward to watching that moment again and again every time Kata is introduced.

On the “Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That” Front: Powering through the Blind Auditions on schedule requires the sacrifices of a few un-televised contestants. On this particular evening, those brave voices are: soulful singer Lacy Mandigo, who picks an uncontested Christina; pop singer Jonathan Bach, who picks an uncontested Pharrell; and pop singer Katherine Ho, who picks Adam over Blake. Maybe catch you guys in the Battles?

It’s a little early to speculate, but let’s do it anyway: Does it seem like anyone this week has the chops to make it far on the show? Or are they saving the real winners for the next two weeks? Let us know your thoughts below!