<p>So…what happens next week (besides our hearing which two from Team Adam and Team Cee Lo are saved)?</p>
<p>^^^ They sure didn’t make that clear, huh?</p>
<p>I thought I heard Carson Daly say that the four remaining from Blake and CA’s teams would sing. Or maybe it was the eight remaining from all four teams?</p>
<p>Yes, at what point will we be able to see all the competitors sing on the same night? Round of 8? How do we get down to 4–public vote only? I get the impression that the finals will be one from each team. No going down to the final two, a la AI.</p>
<p>Some very good performances tonight. I am not a fan of Xenia. She is uncomfortable to watch and many of her notes are not good. I hope Dia moves on, but I hope they find something for her to wear besides long, old-lady dresses with flats. She’s too young and pretty to look so frumpy. I thought Javier was stronger last week, and Frenchie didn’t blow me away, but I know they are both very talented.</p>
<p>Dia and Javier are locks. Have no idea who from CeeLo’s and Christina’s teams will move on.</p>
<p>Have been watching on and off. Can’t believe how bad Xenia was tonight. Nothing special about her voice, she sounded flat and she had absolutely no connection to the music on an emotional level. How could no one mention her bland performance/ lack of connection to the music and audience in their critiques?</p>
<p>I can think of at least 8 girls in my daughter’s choir/ drama program in high school who could have done a MUCH better job!</p>
<p>So far, Dia is my favorite.</p>
<p>I don’t get the Xenia praises. There’s absolutely no hint of personality, stage presence, confidence, or originality in her take on songs.</p>
<p>I can’t stand CA. I really wish she weren’t on the show. It would be a lot better without her IMO. </p>
<p>I think we all should remember that Xenia is 16. She doesn’t come across as a particularly mature 16 either–though perhaps she is. I think she’s going to be cut and I don’t think it’s necessary for the judges to criticize her too much. I get the feeling that they think she’s got the voice, but she needs to do some growing up. She really might develop stage presence and confidence in the next 5 or 6 years. I don’t think subjecting her to severe criticism is the way to develop her self confidence. I’ll admit that I don’t understand how she’s gotten this far…</p>
<p>Entertainment Weekly picked Dia to win it all.</p>
<p>As many of you said, I agree that Dia remained as one of the favorites although I did NOT think she and Xenia added anything to Blake’s performance. Dia really is a very creative music arranger as most of the judges pointed out. Agree with the comments about Xenia’s showmanship and Dia’s wardrobe. I think Blake should have kept Jared instead of Dia.</p>
<p>I’m glad Adam kept Casey over Jeff. I think she has the stronger pop appeal. Her dad wins the “look alike” competition of the night-- he looks like Kevin Spacey. Is Casey starting to gain some momentum? </p>
<p>I’ve been a baldy Beverly basher but I really liked the first half of her performance tonight, more toned down. The back half was the same old same old, however, and I would have loved to see her keep it “in check” for the entire song. I liked her on the piano! Overall, I think Bev and Frenchie are similar to Christina-- a little past their prime. </p>
<p>I love Cee Lo, as well as both of his remaining team member Nakia and Vicci, but I didn’t love either song choice. It’s a shame one of these two is going home, unless there’s a surprise coming. I liked Nakia’s version better than the Adam Lambert original but that could be because I like Nakia better than Adam Lambert.</p>
<p>Speaking of song choices… I didn’t like Javier’s song choice either. It did nothing to showcase him as an artist, imo. I was at least glad to see the hat come off. I still believe he’s one of the front-runners, but his big early season lead has completely vanished.</p>
<p>Some easy choices, some even battles tonight, oh Voice couch mates.</p>
<p>Team Adam:</p>
<p>Easy…Javier by a mile over Casey Weston. Casey doesn’t have the voice or stage presence to carry off a diva-anthem like Whitney Houston’s I will Always Love You. What was she thinking? </p>
<p>Thank you, Javier, for losing the hat! That sideways bill look made him look like an 8 year old. He looks great without the hat! I liked his song choice. I loved how it started slow and quiet (which he can do very well), then it progressed into a number that really rocked (which we really haven’t heard him do much), and ended softly again. Great job on his part. But I wish he wouldn’t squint so much when he is trying to sing emotionally. As Jennifer Lopez told one contestant on AI this year, you connect with the audience through your eyes–during those emotional times, you don’t want to go within yourself–that’s when you want to reach out to the audience.</p>
<p>Team Christina:</p>
<p>Javier ditched his hat. Was Scary Bev going to put one on? Nope (too bad–if she was trying to show us her soft side, the hat would have been a nice touch). But she did a great job singing The Thrill is Gone–a really fantastic job! I wish she wouldn’t do the Paul McCartney "oooo"s while she sings though (think, She Loves You) …Christina has done a good job of getting her to soften her image and performance, but hasn’t been wholly successful.</p>
<p>Like a Prayer is one of my favorite songs (does that date me?) and I love Frenchie’s facial expressions and hand and arm movements. She can really connect with me. But I’m not sure she out-sang Bev tonight. Too bad, because she really sees this as her last chance to “make it.”</p>
<p>Tough choice…but my 87 year old couch-buddy says I’m to vote her votes for Bev. If an 87 year old likes Bev, can America be far behind?</p>
<p>Team Blake:</p>
<p>I get Xenia–her voice is so unique, just like how Rod Stewart’s voice is so unique. But as Adam said, the song was “sleepy” (I thought he was being pretty charitable.) And I agree with others that she really looks uncomfortable on stage (I like to listen to her sing without watching her). She also has to develop a little more stregth and volume so that she can turn it on at appropriate moments. But her voice is so different and cool. I agree with Blake that years from now, we’ll hear her on the radio and we’ll know exactly who it is who is singing. And I guess the wardrobe department must have listened to everyone’s complaints about Xenia’s outfit last week–she was dressed more performer-appropriate.</p>
<p>Dia–I agree that she’s a lock to move on. She doesn’t have the strongest voice, but she can put her own artistic spin on any song and she is cute as a button. (Her songs sound better when I watch her sing.) And her dress was more sparkly this week than last week…although I agree with you about the shoes. But would I pick her to win the whole enchilada? Hmmm…</p>
<p>Team Cee Lo:</p>
<p>Both Nakia and Vicci have great voices. But if we’re talking shoe faux pas, Nakia needed some grown up shoes to go with his John Travolta outfit. Vicci has been one of my favorites from the beginning. I love her song, Dog Days are Over. I loved the drums. but what the heck was the 3 inch pompadour all about? A ploy to look taller?
This one is going to be tough. I’m voting for Vicci. </p>
<p>So, here’s the final four that I think we’ll see–Dia, Vicci, Javier and Scary Bev.</p>
<p>I agree on the Final Four.</p>
<p>Dia is very creative, and I really like her unique sound. I liked Javier tonight, as did my H (which surprised me). Bev has a great voice & is fun to watch … it is clear that she enjoys entertaining the audience. I liked Vicci’s version of Dog Days much better than the Florence & the Machine version … although the Janel M’onet (sp?) look was odd.</p>
<p>I liked the other performances tonight, although I think Casey & Xenia need more time to develop. Xenia is either incredibly uncomfortable on stage or just plain hates it; that is a turn off. She had pitch problems, which bugs the heck out of me. I like Nakia, but I liked Vicci better - either would be a strong choice for the finals, but Vicci has something just a bit special. I am not really a fan of Frenchie’s voice type for this - her voice is great, but it just seems more suited to Broadway or some other “show” type venue than radio play. Maybe I am tired of big voices belting out tunes. I like the unique edge Dia brings.</p>
<p>I was surprised that Adam had never heard the Adam Lambert song before. Has he been living under a rock?</p>
<p>I agree with my couch watcher Elle again. However, I don’t get the look that Dia is trying to do. She is lovely, but the flats and frumpy dresses are throwing me off. Who wears flats two performances in a row? And who wears flats to make themselves look better? She needs to change the look and stop doing the ‘doe-eyed’ look as another person mentioned in earlier weeks. Javier is still my favorite, but this week he was more tied with Vicci and Nakia, not way out ahead of them. Too bad Vicci and Nakia are on the same team, too. I could go either way w/ Bev or Frenchie … both have great voices, but I’m not vested in either of them. Yes, agree that Xenia and Casey need more time to get some experience under their belts. I still wish Lily were in the mix, but I’ll still root for her outside of this show.</p>
<p>I think that Javier is a wonderful performer and his voice is beautiful. He is way ahead of Casey on Adam’s team, in my opinion. Casey’s vocal talent is fairly limited and her voice is so ‘nasally’, it’s distracting. </p>
<p>I enjoyed both Frenchie and Bev last night. I’d vote for Frenchie, though, if I were voting.</p>
<p>I love the tone of Xenia’s voice and I admire what this obviously shy 16 year old has been able to accomplish but I think that she clearly needs some time before she’s absolutely comfortable on stage. I hope that Blake does watch over her and help her develop even if she is eliminated soon because I do believe that she has the potential to be a successful recording artist. Dia has been one of my favorites from the start and I’ll be very surprised if she goes home. </p>
<p>Nakia and Vicci were both enjoyable but my vote would go to Vicci. Even with that awful hair last night!</p>
<p>patsmom, I agree about Adam. There were a couple of songs last night that he said he’d never heard that even I knew!</p>
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<p>Me, too…</p>
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<p>I thought it was weird, also. I could see where he wouldn’t know a Dolly Parton song from 40 years ago, but the stuff he didn’t know seemed in the modern era…</p>
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<p>Agree with you, kelsmom, about Xenia. I wonder if part of that is her not using the ear thingy correctly. But pitch can definitely be something she can work on while maturing.</p>
<p>I definitely think that Blake will be helping her out along the way…he’s bought in to her.</p>
<p>As an aside, I wonder if Cee Lo was supposed to sing with Blake but was unable to do so (as a counterpoint for Christina singing with Adam). Maybe when he couldn’t make it, the two girls were drafted in to sing with Blake. Because, I agree with a previous poster that they really didn’t add much to his performance. </p>
<p>What would have been cool is if his WIFE could have joined him…</p>
<p>Agree with this final four - Dia, Vicci, Javier and Scary Bev. I would like Vicci to take it all. She reminds me of Joan Jett with a sparkle. Loved the drums! Actually, I like all of these four with the exception of Scary Bev. Just not my cup of tea.</p>
<p>I googled Dia. I didn’t realize she is part of a band. According to what I read, some of which was written well before she became a contestant, she always performed barefoot. So, maybe wearing shoes at all when moving around a stage is something she needs to work on and that’s the reason for the flats. </p>
<p>I’m also wondering if the arrangements are hers. She was originally in a duo with her sister and the two of them now are in a band with 3 guys and it’s the sister who does almost all the arrangements for the band. Like Colon, they had a record deal and got dropped. </p>
<p>Her band mates must have mixed feelings about this. If Dia wins, that’s probably the end of the band. If she almost wins, she might stay with the band and the publicity might mean getting picked up by another label. </p>
<p>Anyway, she may just not be comfortable in the heels. Sometimes, I suspect that may be part of Xenia’s problem. She wears high heels and I don’t think she feels really comfortable moving around in them!</p>
<p>If you want to hear Dia singing original songs, go to <a href=“http://www.meganddiaDOTcom%5B/url%5D”>www.meganddiaDOTcom</a>.</p>
<p>It’s fun to look at the photos too. Click on her singing Sheryl Crow’s 'First Cut Is the Deepest" too. The transformation in her image is amazing.</p>