<p>I think what we see will vary according to where the talent is. I think we have a variety here at the end. Sasha, Danielle, and Michelle are certainly not alike. It was kind of a fluke that Adam ended up with a country girl, but she’s not just a one-trick pony.
And the Swon Brothers are very different than the other remaining ones, being a duo, being a 70s Eagles throwback, and being male.<br>
I guess I don’t see them as all sounding the same. The only one who isn’t distinctive, imo, is Amber. But she is accomplished. </p>
<p>I think it will end with Danielle winning, with Michelle and the Swon Brothers not too far behind.</p>
<p>FWIW, I am not a country music fan. However, the pop, disco or whatever non-country genre songs performed last night (“Time After Time,” “Clarity,” “Bad Girls,” “Firework, ” “I Will Always Love You”) were either mediocre or painful to my ears. I think Blake picked the right songs for Danielle to sing this week. It’s graduation time and Danielle’s songs sounded like what one would put in a graduation video montage or slideshow.</p>
<p>moonchild, I think you are right … Danielle has it.</p>
<p>It’s as much about Blake as it is about Danielle. He has a loyal following who will happily pay the $1.29/song to iTunes to ensure his artists remain in the competition. The fact that Danielle’s genre is Country is just icing-on-the-cake. There is no way to advance from week to week unless there is mass downloading of your songs.</p>
<p>Sasha and Sakira made poor song selections. Who is going to download a Whitney song, sung by someone else??</p>
<p>The results seemed as expected. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Swon Brothers won. I like Michelle too. Danielle really would be my third choice.</p>
<p>I had hoped for Amber to edge out Chamuel, but in the end she could not survive that Fireworks disaster, which was the worst song of the past weeks. Ultimately, Shakira and Adam offered such poor guidance that the Usher “lady” squeezed in.
Too bad. </p>
<p>Hopefully, it will be a Blake 1-2 sweep … Just as it was last year. I still would take that goofy Nicholas over all other five finalists in the past two years.</p>
<p>I’m not much of a country fan either, but there are some country singer/songwriters I love - Rodney Crowell is one. Danielle bores me because she’s just plain vanilla country. However, Carrie Underwood was plain vanilla country too when she started. I preferred Amber over Danielle and I think her voice is much more interesting. She reminds me a bit of Trisha Yearwood and another singer/songwriter I like - Kim Richey. Adam just didn’t know how to showcase her.</p>
<p>It is amazing that Adam started w/ such a strong team and Amber was his last hope. He blew it in the battle rounds pairing good w/ good and weak w/ weak. His song selections hurt his artist in the knockout rounds.</p>
<p>Also a tad surprised and definitely disappointed that Amber went home before Swons. I’ve been really dumbfounded with the sets in the last few weeks. Less would have definitely been more…</p>
<p>I really liked Amber, too, but her first song last night was a disaster. It appeared that she took the ear piece out in the middle of the song and it got a little better. I’m wondering if she couldn’t hear the track. But even so, it was a horrible song choice for her. </p>
<p>Yes, Cartera! I knew she reminded me of someone but I couldn’t think who it was. Trisha Yearwood.</p>
<p>Amber was on the wrong team. Does not get simpler than that, as Adam was off his game all season. She could and should have been in the last three with Blake’s other two acts. </p>
<p>Some might not like it, but Danielle and the brothers had the best performances last night. 1-2-3-4 on iTunes are crystal clear. </p>
<p>Chamuel is still awkward; now she has become boring. Does anyone really believe she will become successful with anyone buying her records or tickets, except in some back alley bar? The CW singers actually have the distinct possibility of making it because they are fresh.</p>
<p>It’s all personal taste of course, but I can’t imagine ever buying anything Danielle or the Swon Brothers sing because I don’t find what they sing interesting. On the other hand, I really enjoy a lot of indie/alternative rock and, with the right management and songwriting, I could see buying something Michele does. I like some of the things her bands, Ella Riot and My Dear Disco have done. Her bands have had a pretty decent following since 2008. </p>
<p>Well, the results are hard for me to call. I’m afraid that Danielle and the Swon Brothers will split the country/Blake-fan votes, so Michelle could possibly win. I thought they all performed well tonight.</p>
<p>I finally returned from a trip and watched last week’s show. The Swons definitely had two solid performances and Amber only had one (her second). The thing that bugs me about the Swons is that only one Swon is solid. “Skinny Swon” (Colton?) is background for his much more talented brother. I literally fell asleep during Danielle’s first song and had to replay it. It was very “sleepy”, even during the replay. The voters probably ate up her second song with her family members, though. I thought it was sweet and corny all at the same time. </p>
<p>I would not be surprised if Blake finishes with the Danielle and Swons going 1-2. Swons seem to be peaking at the right time. We’ll see what happens out here on the west coast during tonight’s finale.</p>
<p>I had to laugh at the idea of selecting which song was Danielle’s “breakthrough” moment, since, to my non-country music loving ears, every single song she performed sounded exactly the same, and all were delivered in the identical, robotic style. I really like this show, but am truly relieved that after tomorrow night I won’t be subjected to any more twangy voices and corny lyrics for at least a few months. Maybe Blake could follow in Christina’s and Ceelos’s footsteps and take a season off to give me an even longer break?</p>
<p>I like the Swon brothers’ personality/stage presence. Even though I don’t care for country, I enjoy watching them. </p>
<p>If we closed our eyes and just listened to each performer, we might pick a different artist. That’s why I love the beginning of this show more than the ending.</p>