The Voice SA: The First Live Show
It feels like just yesterday that the first group of Blind Auditions were aired on TV and here we are at the first Live show already.
I’m still of the opinion that the cuts being made are too drastic but that is why I’m a blogger and not a producer on the show.
Without getting into the technicalities any further lets get to grading the 16 contestants who took to the stage first:
Team Kahn:
El Clay – “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Meghan Trainor and John Legend:
J: I expected El to deliver a show-stopper performance but unfortunately he did not quite deliver on this one. The format of the show does not allow for any mediocre performances and being in such a tough group El really needed to do a lot more with a song that should have fit him like a glove. Grade: B-
R: It was a soulful rendition, but he didn’t completely hit the mark on this one. His voice didn’t hit me like it usually does, and it felt somewhat flat. It went along nicely but never hit the sweet spot, it kinda just stayed on the same level throughout. Not his best performance, so I suspect his fans should get their data ready. Grade: B-
Clemour – "One Of Us" By Joan Osborne:
J: Not an exceptionally strong start from Clemour but he ended on a high note. I still maintain that this is not the correct platform for this likeable guy. I dont think this was good enough to see him through to the next round. Grade: B-
R: His lower register struggled through the first verse, but it got better when the chorus came around. He truly hit his stride during the final 30 seconds when the song allowed for his grit to shine, and it did. The first half wasn’t convincing but the latter half was strong. Grade: B
Eden Myrhh – “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye:
J: This is more like it! Eden took a risky song and made it her own. I love how comfortable she looks on stage. Her confidence has grown in leaps and bounds but I don't think she quite realises just how good she is. Best performance of the night thus far. Grade: B+
R: Eden’s voice is so, so good, but I didn’t think this was the right song choice for her. That said, it was the best performance of the night at that stage. She sounded and looked like a true commercial pop star. She changed up the performance, made it her own, and she made it work. It was pretty solid, without being a total knockout. I like what I’m seeing and hearing. Grade: B
Richard Stirton – “500 Miles” by The Proclaimers:
J: Yet another solid performance from Richard. He has a pleasant rasp that will sound good on the radio. I was not entirely convinced by the song choice - I think Richard is capable of more than oversung karaoke classics. Kahn thinks he will win the competition. Kahn could be right. Grade: B+
R: Ah, Richard’s voice is beautiful. The falsetto is glorious, and the song choice is very inspired. His wonderful rasp is powerful and his lower register so intimate. It wasn’t perfect, not choosing the right parts to showcase what parts of his voice. Still, it was very strong. Kahn thinks he’s the winner of the first season. Hmm. Early days. Grade: B+
Kahn saves: Richard
Team Bobby:
Nolene Olivier – “Just a Kiss” by Lady Antebellum:
J: Nolene seems like the type of girl everybody wants to be friends with. She has a beautiful voice but this
song was all kinds of wrong for her. She fell flat for most parts and did not seem as comfortable on stage as during previous rounds. Grade: C+
R: Nolene’s voice really came across very thin and limited. Sure, she hit all the notes relatively well, but her voice isn’t strong enough to compete on a show called The Voice. It was far below what it should have been. I don’t think she’s going to survive. Grade: C
Xanilee Hammond – “The Story” by Brandi Carlisle:
J: Vocally Xanilee was on point but I don't think she emoted the lyrics as well as she could have. That said, this was her best performance to date and she is deserving of a spot in the next round. Grade: B+
R: I was pleasantly surprised. It was a really strong performance. The only thing I didn’t quite find was the connection, or ‘the story’, like the original so beautifully portrays it. Her voice sounded beautiful and the power during the latter part of the song showed that she has the pipes to do well. Grade: B+
Lana Crowster – "Doo-Wop" by Lauryn Hill:
J: Lana was a better performer than a vocalist tonight. She took a risk with the rapping but it did not quite pay off. Although not entirely convinced about this performance I was smiling throughout – the girl just has that effect on me. I hope her fanbase is ready to vote – I have a feeling she is going to need it. Grade: B-
R: Lana’s a very versatile performer and singer, and this performance showed that. That said, the attempt at the rhythmical rapping fell flat. I wasn’t a fan of that. Vocally, she wasn’t as strong as Xanilee, but her performances are so strong that it might overshadow her vocal technique. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Grade: B
Gavin Edwards – “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus:
J: Talk about taking a risk! I have been suspecting for a while that Gavin is fearless and this performance just proved me right. This was beautiful. I had goosebumps from start to finish! Grade: A
R: It took me a while to recognize the song, and imagine my surprise once I did. Gavin taking on Miley Cyrus. His lower register is really very strong, and it was really beautiful. The only thing would probably be his lack of a bigger higher register. He told the story beautifully, though. It was a great interpretation. Grade: B+
Kahn saves: Gavin
Team Karen:
Marcel De Almeida – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley:
J: Now this is a side of Marcel we haven't seen before. Emotional. Intimate. Beautiful! I am very impressed by how he handled the song so delicately, not feeling the need to blast away with volume and vocal gymnastics. That was superb! Grade: A
R: This was a beautiful performance. Marcel’s voice has really never sounded better. It was a haunting vocal, and I may or may not have gotten goosebumps. His lower register and his upper register sounded wonderful. It was intimate and for the first time Marcel pulled in the reigns instead of going full throttle, showcasing another side. Grade: A-
Thembeka Mnguni – “Halo” by Beyoncé:
J: It was inevitable that Thembeka would attempt a Beyonce song at some point during the competition - I just don't think this was quite the right one. Her powerhouse vocals were almost on point, apart from a few barely noticeable pitch issues. All in all a very solid performance. Grade: B+
R: Her lower register didn’t hit the mark completely, but again, when Thembeka gets to her higher register, she absolutely kills it. It was powerful, but I’m not sure if it was maybe a pinch too much. It was strong, but not as dynamic as I would have liked. Still, her voice is pretty incredible. Grade: B+
Jono Grayson – “To Make You Feel My Love” by Bob Dylan:
J: After flying under the radar for 2 rounds Jono came out in full force with a virtually flawless performance. There is still room for improvement but he has given us a glimpse of what he is capable of. This is a very tough group to be in. Voters be ready! Grade: B+
Well, okay, I wasn’t expecting this kind of performance from Jono. His raspy tone flowed so freely through the song. I didn’t think much of his voice until this performance. Sure, it wasn’t flawless, but it was a really solid performance. The connection might not have been fully there, but the voice was present like never before. He has potential. Also, Team Karen is killing it! Grade: B+
Nadine Sisam – “Titanium” by David Guetta and Sia:
J: Another contestant burdened with a questionable song choice. As much as I appreciate her talent I don't think Nadine has the pipes for a song like this. Although she looked like an angel this was sadly not a match made in heaven. Grade: C+
R: Well, this was maybe the only misstep for Team Karen. I didn’t think her voice went well with the song choice. It felt forced. Her voice doesn’t have the natural ability this song requires. Her voice isn’t suited to this style of pop material. Grade: B-
Karen saves: Thembeka
Team Lira:
Zoë Modiga – "I'd Like" By Freshly Ground:
J: Zoe is one to watch out for in the competition. She is not scared to takes risks with regards to song choice and arrangement and they generally pay off as well. There is something special about this girl and if she keeps on improving week after week she could make it very far in the competition. Grade: B+
R: I wasn’t sure about this song choice for Zoë. The lower register was touch and go but the latter half of the song was very strong. It allowed her to show off her full range, that powerful voice shined. The second half was A-, but the first half wasn’t as strong as it should have been. I really liked it, though. She’s something special. Grade: B+
Meyrand Roux – "Sugarman" by Rodriquez:
J: 10 Years ago this would have been a winning performance. Meyrand has a great voice but it does sound somewhat dated. Rock music has evolved so much over the years that the relevance of old-school artists have constantly come under scrutiny. All in all a good performance albeit not convincingly memorable. Grade: B
R: Meyrand’s brand of rock music isn’t in my lane. The time for old style rock has passed, and he doesn’t fit in with the indie alternative vibe rock music has become. This song proved that. He’s not cut out for contemporary rock music. Meyrand’s voice is dated. It was a solid performance nonetheless. He just isn’t unique enough. Grade: B
Busisiwe Mutlaka – “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson:
J: This was not a very inspiring performance from Busi. I don't think anyone should ever attempt a Kelly Clarkson song on a talent show. Busi has a beautiful tone to her voice but there were a few pitch problems throughout. Grade: C+
R: The first verse wasn’t particularly strong, but her choruses were stronger. She did go a off-pitch during the glory note, though. It could have been a lot tighter, especially her lower register, which was flat. Kelly’s voice is fantastic. Compared to the original, it wasn’t nearly as good, but it’s an unfair comparison – Kelly is Kelly. It was okay, not great. Grade: B-
Robin Peters – “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen:
J: Robin has a flair for the theatrical and this song was right up his alley. It was a very strong performance – one which has once again cemented him as a front-runner in the competition. Grade: A-
R: Wow, it takes balls to take on this song. You either have guts or you’re dumb. Robin has the former. He took the song on and more than survived. The dramatic ebbs and flows of the song suited Robin’s dramatic performance style perfectly. Again, he’s no Freddie Mercury, but he nailed it. This is what Robin needs to do, and if he continues to nail these huge classics, he might just win it all. Grade: A-
Lira saves: Zoë. I think Lira knew Robin would get the votes.
There you have it – the first Live Show done and dusted.
Who delivered your favorite performances of the evening?
Tune in next week as the second group of 16 contestants take to the stage!
