The Voice South Africa: Oh No, It's Time For the Battles!
The Battles stage is probably the toughest thing to get right – from the pairings, to the song choice, to the quality, and ultimately the coach’s decision. A lot could go wrong.
Khan seemed adamant to prove the abovementioned statement correct, making probably the worst decision in the history of The Voice, every season in every country. He really started off the first episode of Battles with a dud, a real WTF moment. The only way for the episode to go was up after that blunder.
Fortunately, the other decisions were, mostly, a lot better, and the episode as a whole proved to be successful. Colour me impressed.
The producers are doing a fine job and this season could shake up to be a celebration of diverse talent and musicianship.
Let’s get to the battles!
Team Kahn:
Johan vs Jade – “Somebody to Love” by Queen
This, in theory, was a really good song choice from Kahn. Not a lot of popular songs would fit Johan’s operatic voice, but this was spot on. That said, I still don’t understand why Johan received a chair turn – he’s ultimately not right for this competition, and Jade would have been better served by battling against a similar artist. When it came to the battle itself, Jade shined. Johan fizzled. Jade did much better than what she did in auditions, and she sounded really, really good. The rasp in her voice was wonderful. The winner, to me, was obvious – Jade. All in all, it was a surprisingly good opening battle.
Winner: Johan
Wrong, Kahn. Wrong. Hopefully this doesn’t start a trend. No judge used their save, and that was it for poor Jade.
Team Lira:
Jono vs LuniQue – “All By Myself” by Celine Dion
This was a pretty weird pairing and a tougher song for Jono to perform. It’s a much better fit for LuniQue. At 18, it’s easy to understand why he’s not portraying the loneliness the song requires, Nianell. The depth of Jono’s voice elevated him head and shoulders above her. His falsetto is fantastic. This kid’s potential is through the roof. After Kahn’s terrible decision, I take his critique of Jono very lightly. We need real singers, as Karen rightly points out.
Winner: Jono
Yup.
Team Bobby:
Lana vs Chanel – “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross
Fun fact: Lana was actually Toya Delazy’s backup vocalist for two years. This was probably the best matched duet thus far: 2 powerhouse vocalists battling to stay in the competition. Lana’s personality makes her all the more worth rooting for while Chanel looks like a star. It was far from the best rendition of the song I’ve seen, and it sounded like a screaming contest for some parts, especially Chanel’s parts. I expected more to be honest. Honestly, it was a toss-up, but I’ll pick Lana. The judges agree that Lana’s vocals were stronger.
Winner: Lana
Bobby really struggled to make his pick, and there definitely will be a lot of tears in his future.
Team Karen:
Zaretha vs Nontu X – “Don’t Let Me Go” by Gangs of Ballet
This was a weird choice of song. I don’t think either of them knew the song and doesn’t really fit either. Maybe that’s a good thing. Even ground and all. Both girls struggled a little out of the gate, but Zaretha’s voice was remarkably stronger whereas Nontu went off pitch a couple of times. It’s safe to say that their voices didn’t blend well at all. My pick would be Zaretha. Vocally, she has more to show. It wasn’t great when Karen had to go discuss her decision with Zolani, her adviser.
Winner: Zaretha
Whether it was Karen’s decision or Zolani, it was the right call.
Team Lira:
Lendel vs Meyrand – “Beautiful Day” by U2
Honestly, I don’t think either of these 2 is good enough to reach the live shows. Better contestants have gone home already. I’d pick Lendel purely based on the idea that he would be able to do nail more genres than Meyrand, and I have a complete dislike for rock voices that haven’t been relevant for years.
Winner: Meyrand
Whatevs, he won’t make it far.
Team Bobby:
Zoe vs Mbijana – “Phendula” by Zahara
Probably a smart pairing, but Mbijana killed it for me. His tone is beautiful and in the long run, he definitely has a lot more to show. Zoe is fine, but she’s quite average. Kahn was on the money with his comments with regards to Mbijana. His voice is earnest and warm, and he’ll be a bigger vote getter.
Winner: Zoe
And Kahn and Karen press their steal buttons – and he picks Karen. Wrong choice, Bobby.
Team Karen:
Thapelo vs Tulla: “High and Dry” by Radiohead
Firstly, what a surprisingly fantastic battle. It was quiet, tender, and beautiful until the powerful build-up. They had Karen in tears, probably because Karen was aware of a possible hard decision to come – sending her old back-up vocalist or an old school friend home. Personally, I prefer Thapelo. I see a bigger space in the market for her whereas Tulla is more stage than recording artist. But, it was great, and there is an argument to make for both.
Winner: Thapelo
This girl is one of my favourites.
It was a great end to the first Battle round episode. It was a moment.
What did you think of the first episodes of Battles? Do you have an early favourite?
