As the great philosopher Ferris Bueller once said: "Life moves pretty fact. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." And missing it is exactly where Tamar Davis, age thirty-five, has found herself. She's come close to having a big break (if we can consider being in a Tyler Perry movie being "close"), but she's never had her moment -- at least, not until now, when she claims it with a beaming smile. But we're getting ahead of ourselves; on to the Rankling!
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Jackie Lipson
Jackie's consistently pitchy throughout her audition, but it's still surprising her ending run doesn't earn her any chair turns. She definitely has some talent, but could benefit from serious lessons in how to structure and edit her performances.
Song: "Ex's And Oh's"
Team: N/A -
Nolan Neal
Nolan's actually really, really great, and comes complete with a terribly tragic origin story -- but, as Adam says, "he's singing the wrong song." It sucks that something as lame as Incubus can make all the difference, but it does. (Nolan totally kills the Steven Tyler he sings afterward.) This guy will definitely be back, though.
Song: "Drive"
Team: N/A -
Joe Maye
Continuing this season's theme, Joe also rebounds from a Season 9 letdown to earn a spot this season. But unlike Bryan Bautista and Natalie Yacovazzi, he's really not that welcome -- at least, not yet. Blake correctly nails the issue, telling Joe that he sang as though he were pissed and not going to take no for an answer, which -- given the lyrics and Joe's excessively creepy faces -- isn't really a good thing.
Song: "I Put A Spell On You"
Team: Christina -
Daniel Passino
Not to body-shame anyone on #InternationalWomensDay or anything, but Daniel's face has definitely been botoxed, right? His tone is smooth, but his jazz hands give away the fact that the only chill he has is in his face. Christina's sure to do something interesting with him, but she may only be able to push him so far; this kid clearly thinks he has swag already, when really he's as stiff as a board.
Song: "Marvin Gaye"
Team: Christina -
Justin Whisnant
Justin's a hick of raw potential, but there's just nothing that unique about his tone. Still, he hits all the right demographics, and Blake's sure to hand him the Pandering 101 playbook, so if he can survive the Battles (and that's a big if, given Blake's arsenal of country boys), he'll probably wind up in the top 10.
Song: "Ain't Worth The Whiskey"
Team: Blake -
Brittney Lawrence
Brittney's got a powerful chest voice, and her intonation hints at a very strong Christina influence, so Team Blake is a surprising choice for her. It's tbd what type of music she wants to pursue, but whatever she does will definitely be interesting.
Song: "Warrior"
Team: Blake -
Matt Tedder
Sure, Matt's dressed like Greg Brady, but the edge with which he delivers this Muddy Waters standard definitely separates him from the Sunshine Day gang. He's clearly studied the blues, but does a decent enough impression of them of convince Adam to turn his hair. His tone is good, but his actual range remains to be seen.
Song: "(I'm Your) Hoochie Choochie Man"
Team: Adam -
Jennifer Crosbie
While I don't agree with Jennifer's decision to leave Cornwall (they have pasties there!), I am glad she's at least ended up on our dear little show. Her arrangement of "Viva La Vida" is so melodic and melancholy that it lets her pure, clear tone shine through. There's a hint of huskiness, the promise of a large range, and raw talent waiting within her.
Song: "Viva La Vida"
Team: Pharrell -
Owen Danoff
I'm a huge Dylan fan, so I thought I was just letting the song influence my opinion of Owen, but Adam confirms him to be "heartbreaking, and crushing, and sensitive," so maybe he really is that great. Honestly, even if he's not, his dad wrote "Afternoon Delight," so let's keep him around anyway for the references.
Song: "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"
Team: Adam -
Maya Smith
Maya's tone and vibrato are amazing, but her easygoing vibe almost makes them forgettable; there's such a quiet grace to her, and her vocals flow so effortlessly, that her smile ends up being the most memorable part of her performance. That's not a bad thing, but she's going to need to step up her presence to really stand out in the Battles.
Song: "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man"
Team: Pharrell -
Tamar Davis
Honestly, Tamar didn’t even need to sing to earn her spot here; her previous membership in Girls Tyme (a.k.a. the group that launched Beyoncé) and her hot pink jacket-cape thing would have done it anyway. But since she has to go through the formality of an audition, I guess we can take the time to praise her awesome tone (it manages to be both full and breathy at the same time) and amazing vibrato (the control she has is amazing).
Song: "Chain Of Fools"
Team: Christina
And of course, honorable mentions to the montaged Teresa Guidry (Team Blake), Chelsea Gann (Team Christina) and Lily Green (Team Adam). You might get real screen time next round.