The Voice SA: Karen Zoid is the Worst

The second Knockout episode of the season delivered probably the most shocking decision in The Voice history. Period. Not just locally, but worldwide.

Karen Zoid ended the auditions with probably the strongest team in the competition, and by the start of live shows, she showcases a diminished team and some burned bridges. Fans ain’t happy. They have every right not to be.

The Voice is a singing show. It’s a show that focuses on finding a voice. A voice no one would ever forget. It’s not a dancing competition. The criteria don’t include who pulls off the best moonwalk. Karen Zoid, seemingly, forgot that. Could it be that she has been spending some time with Idols SA villain Mara Louw?

Sad! as Donald Trump would exclaim at the end of one of his endless tweets.

Sorry, Veronique, Karen wronged you. A woman who was in the Top 4 on Idols SA many years ago was cut against a dude who probably won’t make it past the first challenge on Idol’s theatre week.

Rant over.

Here goes.

Team Karen

Celest vs Sam:

Celest – “Russian Roulette” by Rihanna:

J: Celest boasts powerhouse vocals but the song limited her terribly. It was a good performance but not as good as it could have been should she have chosen a different song. Is Celest good enough to set herself apart from the competition or is the going to follow in the footsteps of so many talent show divas and make a shocking early exit? B

R: She started off slowly, her lower register not quite hitting the mark, but once she warmed up, she delivered a powerful vocal. It was strong, but she doesn’t show off a lot of dynamics. It’s power all the way through, and it’s good, but also limited. B+

Sam – “Who You Are” by Jessie J:

J: Sam has been one of the most consistent contestants this season and delivered with yet another powerful and emotional performance. The pretty girl with the angelic voice will probably get a lot of flak from Team Celest should she win this one but I would give it to her regardless. B+

R: Sam’s vocal is warm, touching, and powerful. Her voice is fluid and versatile. It was a very strong performance, and because of the dynamics she has shown throughout the show thus far, and her versatility, I’d give it to Sam. B+

Winner: Sam

Emma vs PJ:

Emma – “Sorry” by Justin Bieber:

J: And so the first ‘WTF’ moment of the night comes courtesy of a very questionable song choice. Emma struggled her way throughout a very uncomfortable performance, never quite showcasing the talent we know she has. Sadly I think this will probably be the end of the road for her. C+

R: Oh, this was not the right song choice. Her lower register throughout the verse was a struggle, eating some of the words. The chorus was a tad stronger, but this performance didn’t work for me. It was never quite in the pocket, never hitting the right flow. Emma is cool and unexpected, but she’s yet to find her spot in the music industry. C+

PJ – “Perfect” by P!nk:

J: PJ has a gorgeous raspy voice and that is what saved him in this performance. He started off being slightly off-key but thankfully corrected himself as he went along. As with Emma, I don’t think the song did him any favours. I don’t believe Karen is the right coach for him. I would have put him on Team Bobby instead! B

R: I did not expect this song choice from PJ. His falsetto is his strongest characteristic. That’s what he does best. The verse, like with Emma, was a struggle. His lower register wasn’t strong. Thankfully, as the song went on, he grew more comfortable, and the rasp in his voice was very welcome near the end. If he wants to stay in this competition, he’ll need to pick songs that showcase his falsetto. B-

Winner: PJ

Lindo vs Veronique:

Lindo – “Love Never Felt So Good” by Michael Jackson:

J: I cringe whenever I hear that someone is going to attempt a MJ song on a talent show and this performance was definitely cringe-worthy! Lindo sure has the moves but his vocals failed him terribly. It felt like I was watching a high school kid playing Singstar at home. Sorry Lindo but that was by far your worst performance to date. D

R: Not to be mean, but this performance reminded me of solid karaoke with some good moves thrown in. His vocal was probably the weakest of the night, but his confidence is cool. Good moves, but his vocal wasn’t up to scratch. This is Michael Jackson – he was a great dancer, but a fantastic vocalist. D+

Veronique – “Black or White” by Michael Jackson:

J: A much better deliverance of an MJ classic! This is never an easy song to sing but Veronique pulled out all the stops and made it her own. This girl was born to be on stage! It wasn’t her strongest performance but it was super cool and the result of this Knockout should be a no-brainer. B+

R: Now this was more like it. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but her VOCALS and confidence shined throughout the performance. The show is called The Voice, right? She has so much to offer this show, her body of work so far has been exciting and challenging. B

Winner: Lindo

R: Go home, Karen, you’re drunk!

J: You’re kidding right? In what universe was Lindo’s performance better than Veronique’s? I’m speechless!

Team Lira

Andrew vs Tender:

Andrew – “Hurts So Bad” by Danny K:

J: Andrew is such a sweetheart and he does have a beautiful voice but I still maintain that this is not the right platform for him. That said, he delivered with an unexpected song choice and gave his best performance on the show thus far. B

R: I like that he chose a different song to what one might suspect, and he surprised me. The verse wasn’t very strong, but the chorus and onwards, he killed vocally. He did a good job. I’m not sure whether he would get the votes, but his vocal performance was the best he’s given. B+

Tender - "Ingoma" by Thandiswa Mazwai:

J: Tender knows how to pick songs that showcase her vocal ability to the max. What a beautiful and sincere performance! She is strong and versatile and could very well be a contender for the title. B+

R: Tender has such a nice fluidity in her voice. It’s light and beautiful. She sings with feeling and soul, and I think it’s clear that she can sing anything. She’s a very strong vocalist. B

Winner: Tender

Luke vs Jacqueline:

Luke – “Fallin’” by Alicia Keys:

J: If I was still as caught up in rock music as I was a year or so ago Luke would have been one of my top contenders. He has a nifty rasp to his voice but we have heard it all before, right? All in all a good performance though – he took a risky song and made it his own. B+

R: What a strange song choice by Luke, but I really enjoyed his interpretation. He made it his own, made it darker, more him. He rocked it out. It was great. One of the better performances of the night, and his best vocal to date. He showed what he could do, and it’s pretty great. The rasp and growl worked for Richard Stirton last year… A-

Jacqueline: “Let Her Be” by Hootie and the Blowfish:

J: This was, finally, a completely authentic performance from Jacqueline. The song fitted her like a glove and she sang the hell out of it! Her tone is beautiful and her artistic flair shone bright. This is going to be a tough one to call! A-

R: That’s more like it from Jacqueline. She completely redeemed herself with this performance. Her unique tone warmed the lyrics, it was a beautiful vocal. One could see that this is the type of album she would release. It was a very strong performance. She showcased her artistry. Both of them did. A-

Winner: Luke

R: I can understand why Lira cried. Both of these singers are miles better than singers like Lindo, who is miraculously still in the competition.

Are you as flabbergasted by some of the decisions as we were? Karen Zoid is the worst, right? Can we have Mara Louw, maybe? Chime in!