Every week, it's like the start of a different series. Tonight, we're informed that the live shows begin , and that I personally will vote and decide. A lot of people are going to be disappointed, if that's the case. But tonight, there is one final cut for the judges to bring it down to the Top 24 from the Top 42. Of course, we were supposed to be at the Top 40 already, so the 24 is probably a rough estimate, give or take half a singer.
After the credits, Ryan tells us that twelve male and twelve female singers will be selected for tonight's show. We flash back to January 19th -- incidentally, the night the second show of the season was aired -- when the Top 42 were delivered to the Wynn hotel and allowed to watch a private performance of the watery revue show Le Reve: The Dream. And that's where they'll be performing for the judges later, although on a platform over the pool instead of in it. Ryan tells us that the Top 42 sang for the judges "yesterday," confusing the timeline further, with a song and a single accompanist playing the instrument of their choice. We flash back to Jennifer's meltdown at this phase last year, and Ryan pre-enacts the walk down the runway onto the circular platform where each contestant will sit down in the chair to face the judges for the last time before the live shows. It's totes dramatic.
I'm hoping (vainly, as it turns out) that the timeline-futzing is done for now as we join the remaining contestants wondering at 10:00 AM what's , and thinking back on all their past performances. Jen Hirsh is the first one called out by Ryan, and we get flashbacks of her first audition in Galveston, her successful Hollywood week group rounds, and killing it with "Georgia on My Mind" as her last Hollywood solo performance. And then we're back in a past we haven't seen yet, as she gave a loosey-goosey blues performance for the judges yesterday that didn't seem to leave Randy entirely impressed. Finally she makes it to the chair in front of the judges. Steven says it's not easy, which freaks her out, but Randy overplays the pause, telling her she made it through after she's already figured it out that he wouldn't be making her wait this long for a no. "Did you have to string it out so long?" Steven asks him as Jen heads back. Jen reunites with what looks like the whole Hirsh clan. And there's only going to be two more hours of this? How are they going to fit all 42 in? Hold me.
The singer to take the long walk is Creighton Fraker, the busker who's been in groups with Jen all along. There's a replay of his "What a Wonderful World" performance, and we learn that he was adopted and grew up as a preacher's kid, with a rock-and-roll streak he attributes to his absent heavy-metal-singer birth father. But he was there yesterday, when Creighton sang "New York State of Mind" over a red-lit pool that looked like a volcano, putting him one false step away from turning into Darth Vader. Now, in front of the judges, he's nervous and un-groomed while he waits for the news -- and Jennifer tells him he's in the Top 24. His birth dad seems pretty excited. Nice of him to show up now that the kid's on the verge of fame.
Time to check in with Lauren Gray, who interviews with Ryan about how her father has been trying to make it as a musician his whole life. Then there was her successful audition in St. Louis, her trial by fire with the insane vocal coach Peggi Blu, and making it through last week's Vegas round. Yesterday she sang "I'd Rather Go Blind" for the judges, and now, when she comes to sit down with them, Randy basically asks her to explain herself. She says they've helped her believe in herself, and Randy tells her she didn't make it "this year," but they invite her to come back. There's nobody waiting for her backstage but Ryan and the other 39 people waiting to hear their own fate. Ryan repeats the hope that she'll come back, but after hugging everyone goodbye, Lauren tells us that's not going to happen. That's what believing in yourself looks like. See you on The Voice year, Lauren.
Joshua Ledet is . He shouted his way through his Galveston audition, then was a standout in one of the groups that sang "Hit 'Em Up Style," and yesterday gave the judges another dramatic, soulful performance of "Up to the Mountain." On his way to the judges, he says that getting cut at this point would definitely crush him. Randy says sometimes the better singers don't make it for whatever reason. He thinks that means he's about to get booted, but Randy tells him he's through. Did they just tell him he's not one of the better singers? Whatever, he's happy enough to sing all the way through his thank-you hugs and all the way backstage. Now if only he were one of the better singers.
Then we rush through a couple rejects: including Blaire Sieber, a Ginnifer Goodwin lookalike we're meeting for the first time and Naomi Gillies, another unfamiliar face with a very ugly cry. Then we meet up again with Haley Johnsen, who's kept a pretty low profile (not helped by being outshone in a Vegas group by Reed Grimm, Eben Frankeiwicz and Elise Testone). She's the latest contestant to sit in front of the judges and have to listen to how hard this is for them. But eventually they tell her she's going through to the Top 24. Back in the holding room, Heejun hugs her creepily. Maybe getting cut wouldn't have been so bad after all.
Neco Starr is a poor man's Bruno Mars who's been aiming all his performances at Jennifer, including his final performance yesterday. He also refers to himself in the third person on the way to the judges' platform, so I'm not exactly pulling for him. The judges tell him it's not just about singing, but being ready, and they think 20-year-old Neco isn't yet. Clayton Farhat is also cut, as is a kid named River St. James, and a stocky rock-lounge singer named Caleb Johnson, who forgot his words yesterday, and asked if he could start over. The silence from the judges was deafening, until he asked for some water. "You're surrounded by it!" Steven yelled at him. So much for Caleb. Not sure why he even bothered to come back today.
Now it's time for Elise Testone, Exhibit A for how the age limit applies to actual and not apparent age. She sang "This Is a Man's World" yesterday, and when she sits down in front of the judges, she says she's trying to convey all the emotion and not just the notes. Randy says he isn't going to drag it out, then drags it out, and asks Jennifer to give the word: she's through. Backstage, as she hugs her parents, Ryan skeptically asks, "Were you even worried about it?" She claims to have been. Probably why she aged a year.
Video of Reed Grimm's performances dates all the way back to his toddler years, covers his audition with the Family Matters theme, then veers into the emotional as Reed reveals that his dad, the family bandleader, died on New Year's Eve 2005. Then there was his near-meltdown at Hollywood week that he saved by playing drums while singing "Georgia on My Mind." He did it again yesterday with a jazzy version of " Don't Mean a Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing." It wasn't exactly a standout performance singing-wise, but he's going through to the top 24. "I got more for ya," he promises/threatens them.
Erika Van Pelt is , the mobile DJ with the bluesy voice and a "signature" performance in Hollywood that we're seeing for the first time just now. Yesterday she did an Adele song that was too low for her (and Jennifer said she didn't like right in the middle of it), so she's a little nervous. Now, in front of the judges, Jennifer tells her she was one of the people who didn't do as amazing yesterday as they'd hoped. But we go to commercial before she gets the verdict, so she'll be fine.
After the ads, the first thing we learn is the time (4:20 PM). Ryan says the room is getting restless, but oddly it doesn't seem to be getting any emptier. Back to Erika, and at last Jennifer says they're taking another chance on her; she's going to the Top 24. "This doesn't happen to girls like me," Erika marvels after the shock has worn off.
There's this Chelsea Sorrell chick, a country singer who grew up in a small town (we get to see the one traffic light and everything) and then choked during a solo performance in Hollywood, only to have Steven tell her to start over because she was doing so well otherwise. Sitting across from the judges, she sits and listens to the trio talk about themselves and finally gives a vague answer about how she thought she did. Steven blankly says she already knows what the answer is, but after a long pause, they tell her she's going through. What a relief for her, and her family backstage, and her friend and fellow country singer Baylie Brown, and the several other people who know who the hell she is.
So that's our segue to Baylie, who first auditioned in San Antonio for Season Six, back when she was 16. She also did well in Galveston this year, obviously, but yesterday for the judges, she was a little short of breath. Here's a question: how many times did the judges change clothes "yesterday"? Now, with the judges, she admits that she could have done better. Steven talks about her consistency, then gives her an unconvincing bullshit scare before saying she's going through. Top 24 the second time? Imagine how well she'll do the third time around!
After the ads, it's almost 5:00 PM, because all those long pauses add up. We catch up with Richie Law and Heejun Han, who hated each other during the first group round in Hollywood, and then Jermaine Jones didn't like Richie much more than Heejun did. Yesterday he rumbled "Ring of Fire" for the judges, and now he takes the long walk to the judges with a bad feeling. The judges have only good things to say to him, but this isn't his year. They shake his hand and send him on his way. "I don't want to see your personality leave," Ryan says backstage. I feel just the opposite.
Richie shakes hands with Jermaine, but Heejun is more worried about his own fate. In a one-on-one, Ryan asks Heejun what he's sweating. "Mostly water," Heejun deadpans. Ha! I'd be worried about all the preview clips we've seen of Heejun crying if we didn't know that Heejun cries whenever he's not eliminated. We learn he works with special needs kids back in Flushing, NY, and this is all for them. Yesterday he sang, fittingly, "New York State of Mind," and I don't know if I'm ever going to get used to that voice coming out of that guy. Heejun vows that if he's eliminated, he'll immediately hug and kiss Jennifer. "That's every -- every Asian man's dream, right there." So this is going to be win-win for him. When he sits down they direct his attention to himself on the monitor, and Heejun declares himself "ugly." Jennifer and Randy politely disagree, but Steven doesn't. "He is one ugly great singer. Like myself." Heejun admits that he's nervous onstage, but when he sings he feels like someone else is in his body. Steven tells him, "You're a better star than you are a singer," whatever that means, so he's going through to The top 24 anyway. "Hey Jude" plays as they hug and congratulate him and he tries to not completely lose his shit crying. Backstage, his old MIT-mate Phil Phillips is the one waiting to give him a hug. Better than Richie.
Coming back, Ryan says there are ten spots taken in the Top 24. We're not even halfway through? Jessica Sanchez is called to the stage, one of those 16-year-olds who's been watching this show since she was five. She impressed the judges in San Diego and Vegas, and now she tells us that her mom is unemployed because of Jessica's music career. Does that means she spends too much time managing Jessica to have a job, or that Jessica's singing keeps getting her mom fired? Either way, no pressure or anything. She sang some slow, quiet song for the judges at her final performance, and we get to hear the whole thing, which bodes well for her future. She's crying even before she sits down with the judges, and they take pity on her, fucking with her for only a few seconds before Jennifer asks her to join the Top 24. She returns backstage all weepy, and the giant Sanchez brood nearly knocks over some set dressing with their family celebration.
Now up is Phil Phillips, who didn't have a good first group round in Hollywood, and not just because of Richie. For the last Vegas round, he wisely did his Dave Matthews solo-acoustic thing. He's quite nervous with the judges now, but he's going to have to wait through a commercial break to hear their decision. Well, ads, and some Vegas B-roll, after which Jennifer interrupts him in the middle of a sentence and tells him, "You're not going home." I was surprised until that last word.
Colton Dixon is the guy who his auditioned with his sister Schuyler two seasons in a row, although reluctantly this time after being cut during this round last year. And although he was pretty mad when she was hit by a second round of cuts in the stage, he doesn't seem to have been mad enough about it to leave the competition, or even take down his tall Vanilla Ice haircut. However, he dedicated his final performance of "Fix You" to her from behind the piano yesterday. So, you know, way to use that. Today, he appears before the judges, and Randy tells him he made it this time. Backstage, the other Dixons are really happy for him, even Schuyler, who tells Colton to tell the judges they'll see her year. I'm sure they will. But maybe Colton could stay home that day.
Brielle Von Hugel is , but first we (and Ryan) are going to spend some time with her fake-tanned stage mother Camille. We're reminded that Brielle also made it to Hollywood last year, so that's probably why she and her mom were such asses in Hollywood this year. Yesterday she jazzed up "Killing Me Softly," and the judges like her enough to not even mess with her before sending her back to her mom with good news. "I love alla youse!" Camille tells everyone else in the room. Sure, now that Kyle Crews is gone.
My God, why is that holding room still so full? Ryan tells us that 14 spots in the Top 24 are taken, and everyone left is still hoping for one of the remaining ten (give or take). One of them is Adam Brock, the young father and husband with the soulful shout who filled out last week's trinity of outstanding "Georgia" performances. Of course he misses his baby daughter, and yesterday's performance of "You Don't Know Me" was a little lackluster for him, though still great. Today, Adam tells the judges he's tried to sing his heart out every time. Randy asks if this is his dream, and Adam gets all weepy into his grandfather's hanky and says he has to sing. Steven accuses him of not believing in himself, Jennifer says it's hard to say goodbye, Randy says their decision was not unanimous, and...that's it for tonight. Poor Adam Brock is going to be left crying in that chair for the 22 hours.
M. Giant is a Minneapolis-based writer with a wife, a son, and a number of cats that seems to have settled at around two. Learn waaaay too much about him at Velcrometer, follow him on Twitter, or just e-mail him at m.giant[at]gmail.com.