“The Voice” Recap: Shakira Learns the Power of #UshersLeg
Before we can get into anything from tonight’s contestants, we need
to take some time to recap what’s happened in the last three weeks. You
know, for that huge amnesiac market that every reality show is always
catering to. We’re down to the final night of blind auditions, and each
coach only has one spot left on their team.
First up, Carson is going to meet Mark Lennon and his band, Venice.
Apparently our fearless host was a huge fan of the band growing up,
which is just adorable and totally Classic Carson. “I feel like a
teenager again!” he says, giddily, as Mark takes the stage. He is
singing “Come Together.” Carson is sweating bullets as Mark makes his
way through the song without any chairs turning around. He sounds good,
but he doesn’t really make the song his own, and when you’re tackling
something like The Beatles,
it’s pretty much a necessity that you take a risk with it. He’s a good
sport about not getting through, though I fear Carson will never
recover.
Next up is 24-year-old Jacqui Sandell, who has been singing and
dancing for as long as she can remember. She left the classical world of
ballet to join a rock band, but tonight she’s auditioning solo. She’s
sings “Dreams,” and gets Blake’s chair to turn almost immediately. She has a cool, 90s rock type voice, and it’s enough to get Usher
to press his button as well. Usher, always keeping everyone at arms
length, says there are some things she needs to work on, but he wants to
hear more. Blake calls her sound “sexy,” and otherwise showers her with
praise, and ultimately lands her on his team.
After a brief recap of the now complete Team Blake, we meet Amber
Carrington, who has been singing for her whole life (cue adorable
childhood Elvis impression), but who took a break from music after her
mother passed away from breast cancer. Carson also lost a parent to
cancer, and has witnessed a breast cancer battle as well, so he’s super
supportive, naturally. She takes the stage and sings Carrie Underwood’s
“Good Girl.” Blake is excited about her, and with his encouragement, Adam turns around. He’s the only one, so Amber closes out the team.
So now the veterans are set, and the newbies are left to duke it out.
Dustin Hatzenbuhler is up next. He’s another former band member, but
he’s already struck out on his own, releasing a solo album that was a
big ol’ flop. He now lives with his parents, who are sweet and
supportive and don’t make him pay rent. He sings “Haven’t Met You Yet,”
and it unfortunately sounds like an only okay Michael Buble impression,
which isn’t enough to turn any chairs. He has a good attitude, and the
coaches all encourage him to return next year.
Luke Edgemon is a young white man who grew up singing in
predominantly black church choirs. After high school, he started getting
work as a backup singer for a soul singers like Mary J. Blige, so I
immediately have high expectations. He’s singing “I Can’t Make You Love
Me,” and he has a really cool voice. If I were a coach, I would have
turned two notes in, but it takes a few bars before Shakira
presses her button. Usher follows shortly after, and Adam looks
physically pained to not be able to turn for him. Usher says he has the
specific voice he’s been waiting for, and Shakira says she can teach him
something different. Then Shakira pulls the baller move of yanking her
leather clad leg up to match Usher’s stance, and that does it. Luke is
team Shakira.
That leaves Usher with his pick of the remaining contestants. The
first hopeful is Jessica Childress, who left a career in public
relations to pursue her dream of being a musician. She sings “Marry You”
which, if I were ever a coach, would be an unfair choice because it
makes me tear up literally every time I hear it (I’m a sap). She is
great, and all the other three judges encourage Usher to hit his button.
He’s clearly on board too, but he lets her milk it a little longer
before triumphantly hitting his button. He turns with arms wide open,
and that’s it for the blind auditions!
Next week we’ll start the battle rounds, with guest mentors Sheryl
Crow, Hillary Scott, Joel Madden and Pharrell. Usher and Shakira are
going to show off their fire for the first time, and it looks like it’s
going to be magical.
It is unknown if Shakira will return as a judge for the fifth season of “The Voice.”
that she is enjoying how authentic the show is when it comes to helping others hone their music skills. 
