The Voice recap: Live Semi-Final Performances

Well, team, we’re almost there. After two and a half months of cheers, jeers, and sometimes even a few tears, we’re just a little more than a week from crowning The Voice’s season 10 champ. First, though, there’s the small matter of picking which of the remaining eight will be given a shot on that last stage in one last preliminary melee, and as host Carson Daly phrases it, they’re all definitely “swinging for the fences” to become part of the finale quartet.

Tonight, each and every one of the singers gives off a particular sense of urgency in their performances, knowing good and well the odds of tomorrow’s elimination — now might be a good time to invest in some Kleenex stock because the sloppy sobs, the cuts are a-comin’.

So, how do each of the hopefuls measure up this time? Let’s review.

1. Shalyah Fearing (Team Adam):

“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” as performed by Jennifer Hudson

Pink might be the fancy celebrity guest of the day, but she’s the one who gets a little starstruck when she meets 16-year-old sensation Shalyah Fearing. “You are so amazing I can’t stand it. I want to punch you I love you so much,” she coos as they’re introduced. Like any real love, though, Pink’s also quick with the constructive criticism — especially since Shalyah’s song selection is an overt message to all of us that she wants to be back on that stage next week — telling Shalyah that while her raspy voice is beautiful in spurts, it’s “like too much sun” when she lets it dominate her performance.

So does Shalyah listen to this sound advice? Well, mostly. She’s still running pretty heavily with the scratches and screeches during the run-on notes, and she’s got one particularly long-held note that went on almost as long as Whitney Houston’s breathtaking run in “I Have Nothing,” so she’s definitely still giving fans something to consider during voting.

2. Paxton Ingram (Team Blake):

“I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf

Paxton Ingram is one of the most (if not the most) sprightly people left in this competition, and even though last week he found himself in the bottom two, he’s not one bit dispirited. He wants to prove that he’s got more to offer than just his sunny disposition, though, and knows he’s going to have to be doubly as good as his best-ever self to do so…which is hard to do when you’re singing a roller coaster of an anthem like this one.

It’s a “ballsy” (Pink’s word choice there) effort, and for the first few lines, he’s just as collected and in command as he was during the insta-save effort last week. It doesn’t take long, though, for him to become overpowered by the instrumental accompaniment and resort to the same shout-singing technique that got him into trouble the first time. (Blake’s still gives him a glowing “E” for effort, for what it’s worth.)

3. Laith Al-Saadi (Team Adam):

“One and Only” by Adele

Laith Al-Saadi has become one of the most storied singers of the season, hasn’t he? Last week, Bob Seger gave him a big shout on Facebook, and his iTunes sales have gone through the roof. Not to mention, as Adam Levine puts it, he’s got “the most distinct voice in the competition” and simply oozes originality and consistency. Is it enough to carry him to the win? Maybe, maybe not, but he’s almost guaranteed not to walk away empty-handed from this show in some way or another.

His Adele interpretation is anything but Adele; it’s a Laith Al-Saadi performance through and through, with all the attending gruff croaks and rad guitar solos. Even without taking Pink’s advice to do the butt-clench to reach that extra octave (the pop music version of Joey Tribbiani’s “smell the fart acting” tutorial, but even weirder), he’s still up there doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing, exactly the way you expect him to do it.

NEXT: Blake Shelton’s “embarrassed” by his own teammate…

4. Alisan Porter (Team Christina):

“Desperado” by the Eagles

Let’s just pretend that last week never happened, shall we? Because Alisan Porter made a major misstep when she took on Aerosmith’s “Cryin’” instead of trying to tug at all the heartstrings again like she’d done the week before. It was messy, chaotic, and completely off-brand. But this week, she seems to recognize that was a critical error and jumps right back to the melodic scene where she fits best. And while she’s clearly not as emotionally tethered to this week’s song choice, the harmony of her talent with the tone of this number are much more pleasant and poignant (and, of course, she still manages to squeeze in a few snack-size portions of her range buffet to make sure we get our fill).

5. Adam Wakefield (Team Blake):

“I’m Sorry” by Blake Shelton

Let’s be real here; Adam Wakefield bought his ticket to the finale weeks ago. It’s never been a question of whether the guy will be solid on any given night. That’s just a given. He can’t not be good.

Somehow, though, he manages to outdo himself tonight with a song that was written by his celebrity doppelganger (both visually and aurally), Chris Stapleton, and originally performed by Blake Shelton. His achy, barren rendition of the song, which his coach himself is now “embarrassed” to have popularized when compared to Adam’s version, is as convincing as it can be that he deserves a spot in that finale.

6. Bryan Bautista (Team Christina):

“Hurt” by Christina Aguilera

Bryan Bautista might not have been considered a frontrunner for the final four coming into this evening, but somehow, he’s just made that a very real possibility. As the most varied performer of the season, B2’s kinda been all over the place at times, even having to switch up his approach halfway through because he knew it wasn’t right once, yet tonight, he’s completely cohesive and emotionally evocative. If the show is really about growth, as the coaches always say, then he’s clearly made his case for why he deserves a shot at next week. Very well played.

NEXT: Now that’s how you close the show…

7. Mary Sarah (Team Blake):

“I Told You So” by Randy Travis

Mary Sarah never strays too far from her safe zone — except for that bizarro duet thing with Bryan Bautista which neither of them were especially shining in, but still. It could be that her voice just naturally meshes best with the twang thang, or it could be that these are the songs she already knows and loves and feels comfortable and practiced singing. (Probably both.) In either case, tonight she’s working on some more Carrie Underwood comparisons by essentially replicating what she did with this song at the Grand Ole Opry, and it’s a very organic and lovely choice that leaves Blake Shelton raving about how it “was 100 percent pure, solid, great, phenomenal country music.”

8. Hannah Huston (Team Pharrell):

“When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge

Is Hannah Huston the dark horse of this season? Maybe so. Because as Adam Levine notes, after Hannah throws down another seemingly effortless knockout performance, she’s been gliding right through each and every week without making too much of a buzzy fuss but still staying highly relevant to the finale conversation all the while. Pink goes so far as to say that she’s “never been in a room with this much talent” when listening to Hannah’s rehearsals, and when she triumphantly navigates her way from a steady a capella opener to that fall-down-on-the-floor-because-FEELS ending, it certainly feels like Hannah’s a safe bet for next week. As Pharrell points out, too, she’s got the sweetheart story to boot: “Midwestern kindergarten teacher with virtually no experience wins it all!” Yep, don’t count her out just yet.

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TOP 4 PREDICTIONS:

1. Alisan Porter: She might have had a bad week last week, but thanks to a lovely, drawn-back performance tonight (actually two, since her duet with Adam Wakefield was the only one that did anyone any favors), she reminded us exactly why there’s been so much hype surrounding her all season long.

2. Adam Wakefield: If voters have any preference for country music, Adam Wakefield might just be able to win this thing. Unlike some of the other contestants, we rarely have to hear about his home life or an explanation about why he has a connection to any given song; he tells us everything we need to know about his performances within the actual performances themselves. He’s ready for this finale, no question.

3. Hannah Huston: H2 couldn’t have asked for better timing tonight than to sing last because the coaches are right — she’s kind of easy to forget about sometimes. It’s not that she’s unremarkable or lacks that entertaining wow factor, it’s that she’s always so measured and subtle with her presence that it’s easy to overlook just how good she can be. Tonight, she got to close things out on a big note, though, so it could be just the edge she needs to supersede some of the other formidable contestants who laid it all out there tonight, as well.

4. Bryan Bautista: With respect to Laith Al-Saadi, who might be considered a shoo-in for this spot, we’ve probably seen and heard everything he’s got to offer by now. He’s a great, energetic performer with a lot of class and multiple gifts, no doubt. But Bryan Bautista showed us tonight that he’s a little more dynamic and exciting than some of the others. Frankly, he earned it tonight.

FINAL STANDINGS: