The Voice SA: The Top 13 Deliver
This has been the most nerve-wrecking week thus far. Emotions are running high as we see more great talent eliminated every week.
The public vote sent Prime, Xanilee and Thapelo (sob) home while the entire Lira was saved from elimination.
Let’s get to the performances!
Team Kahn:
Saved: Richard and Clemour
Eliminated: Prime Zulu
Francis Bowers – “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys
R: Last week I said Francis is incapable of delivering a bad vocal. I may have been wrong. This was his weakest performance. The uplifting chorus never truly uplifted – it was flat. The song did not suit his deep, mature tone. Grade: C+
J: Francis has been doing extremely well in the competition up until this point. This was by far his weakest performance to date. He sounded somewhat flat throughout and did not showcase any of his amazing vocal skills. Grade: C
Richard Stirton – “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons
R: The first verse wasn’t as strong as it could have been, but when the chorus kicked in Richard killed it. It suited his voice perfectly. The power and emotion he brought was wonderful. Richard’s falsetto is just so surprisingly good. Whenever he uses it, it’s just on point. When he uses his growl and falsetto at just the right moments, he’s damn good. Grade: A-
J: This was a good song choice for Richard. He is a great musician but I am yet to make an emotional connection to his performances. His falsetto is impressive and he brought a lot of power to the performance. Grade: A-
Clemour – “Rolling in The Deep” by Adele
R: I would have loved for Clemour to continue where he left off last week; with a surprising song choice done very, very well. The first half of the performance didn’t sit well with his lower register, but when the song built up and he could use his solid growl and range, it got better. It wasn’t convincing. The latter half made up for some of the wrongs of the first half, but not completely. Grade: B-
J: I was wondering when we will hear a ‘Rolling in the Deep’ cover – I just didn’t expect it to come from Clemour. It wasn’t a bad performance but it wasn’t great either. The entire performance came across as slightly uncomfortable. Grade: C+
Kahn saves: Richard
R: Good.
J: As expected
Team Lira:
Lira’s team ain’t going anywhere! Because of the voting glitch, all of them are safe, and two will likely leave next week.
Zoë Modiga – “Diamonds” by Rihanna
R: It’s another strong song choice for the female rocker. There was no way that this performance was going to come close to last week’s classic, but this was really, really stunning. That higher register was just wonderful to listen to, and she hit every mark, every note. It was fantastic. She could very well be a finalist. Grade: A
J: Zoe is really blossoming into quite the star. She delivered yet another superb performance which showcased her vocal range and personality perfectly. She is one of the strongest female contestants ever to enter a South African talent show. Grade: A
R: Karen proclaiming that Zoë should win was all kinds of wrong, though. She should not have done that. Rival coaches do not do that. Where’s the competitive edge this show should thrive on? No, Karen.
J: Well that was awkward……
Robin Pieters – “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd
R: I’m afraid Robin isn’t cool enough to pull off this song. He needs ballads and theatre, this was not it. Sure, he did some vocal gymnastics but it didn’t feel authentic at all. The edge the song requires was missing. It didn’t suit his voice. Maybe, vocally it wasn’t bad, but it just did not work. Grade: B-
J: I don’t think this was the right song for Robin. That said, I am glad he took the rest and stepped out of his comfort zone. It was nice to see him applying himself to a song that does not require theatrics and vocal gymnastics. Grade: B+
Jeremy Olivier – ‘Neria”
R: I don’t know the song, or the language for that matter, but I felt every emotion Jeremy was portraying. It was by far his strongest performance. It was subtle and tender and just beautiful. This was his thing, clearly. This is where his heart lies – when he connects to a song, he nails it. It was his first good live performance in my opinion. Grade: A
: I couldn’t understand a word of what Jeremy was singing but he did it beautifully none the less. This is his best performance to date. There was a beautiful sincerity that shone through in Jeremy’s vocals. Well done dude! Grade: A-
Jono Johansen – “Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato
R: And another very strong performance from Team Lira! This was at times subtle, at times powerful, and just overall a really strong performance, but he did lose some of the notes during the quieter moments. Still, his voice is killer. Karen didn’t like it, but Karen says a lot of things she shouldn’t say. Grade: B+
J: Jono has balls. Huge ones! Taking on a Demi Lovato song and nailing it is applaudable to say the least. One slightly botched note did not come close to ruining an otherwise rock-solid performance. This guy is in it to win it! Karen spewed some negativity but I don’t think anyone took any note of what she was saying. Grade: A-
Lira saves: Zoë
R: When the time comes that Zoë will need the votes, which is next week, it’s pretty much up in the air. She deserves to get the votes, but it’s pretty tough when no one has even cast a vote for you.
J: I sensed a bit of frustration from Karen’s side… ahem
Team Bobby:
Saved: Gavin and Austin
Eliminated: Xanilee
Vernon Barnard – “Let Her Go” by Passenger
R: It’s easy to see what type of artist Vernon wants to be – “Ho Hey”, “The A Team”, and now this. This was probably his weakest live performance, however. I don’t think it was the right song. Vocally, it wasn’t bad, but also pretty unremarkable. His tone is really warm, whereas the song needs a little bit of edge. There was a bum note here and there, but it was solid enough. Grade: B
J: Vernon has such a pleasant voice and I want him to shine every week – but this did not quite cut it. There were a few botched notes but it wasn’t entirely bad. I think Vernon has attracted such a huge following that one mediocre performance won’t see him face elimination any time soon. Grade: B
Gavin Edwards – “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol
R: That’s more like it. Last week was a total misstep for Gavin. This week was his thing. It was a really solid vocal without ever reaching a higher level. Complete B+ performance. His lower register was really good but I wanted a little more during the climax. It was strong, and totally the genre he should be singing. Grade: B+
J: This was a step up from last week. I’m still eagerly awaiting a performance to match his Blind audition but this was definitely a step in the right direction. Grade: B+
Austin Lurring – “Move” by Khaya
R: This oke is so smooth. I’m not a fan of this song, never was. It just goes nowhere. That said, Austin is just smooth enough to pull it off. He’s a pop star. He pulls off solid performances every week. Grade: B+
J: Austin knows how to pick his songs and make them work for him. Unlike Reinhardt I actually like the song and I think Austin performed it very well. Grade: B
Bobby saves: Gavin
R: Probably the right call.
J: As expected
Team Karen:
Saved: Almur and Jonathan
Eliminated: Thapelo
R: Lol, white people.
Thembeka Mnguni – “Run” by Leona Lewis
R: Thembeka’s best performance without a doubt. For the first time, her lower register impressed me as much as her higher register. It was absolutely fantastic. Just fantastic. Everything was on point. Just wow. It was subtle, sweet, and powerful. Everything worked. And I’m writing in short sentences because it’s hard to find the right words for this performance. Grade: A+
J: I love this song and Thembeka sang it beautifully. Her range is incredible. I have never been a fan of diva voices but this girl is nailing all her performances. Grade: A+
Almur Marais – “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkel
R: This was Almur’s best performance. His lower register was great and his higher register was haunting. Emotionally, he was in it. I felt every word. His voice soared with this song. It was really, really good. Grade: A-
J: Finally! A much better performance from Almur. I felt every word her sang. There really isn’t much more to say. Grade: A-
Jono Grayson – “This Love” by Maroon 5
R: This oke took Thapelo’s spot. This performance just lagged so far behind that of Thembeka and Almur. It was a nice performance but also very forgettable. He did it well, though, but it wasn’t the song to compete against the other members in his team. It was well done but nothing special. Grade: B
J: Jono G is a nice guy with a nice voice. I don’t think this was a great performance. Vocally he was solid enough but the performance lacked some oomph. It really is a no brainer as to who will advance next week. Grade: B
Karen saved: Thembeka
R: She did bring it, and Almur should get the votes, damn it!
And there you have it – another Live Show done and dusted. Who delivered the best performances on the night? Who will you be voting for?
Tune in next week for more superb performances and heartbreak as the Top 13 become the Top 8!
