Tonight on NBC the Emmy award winning music competition The Voice returns with an all new Monday April 27, season 8 episode 20 called, “Live Top 8 Performances” and we have your weekly recap below. On tonight’s episode, the Top 8 artists perform.
On the last episode of The Voice, two artists were eliminated from the competition. Reba McIntyre guest starred and performed her hit, “Going Out Like That.” Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.
On tonight’s episode as per the NBC synopsis “the top 8 artists perform live in front of coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams for America’s votes. Carson Daly (“TODAY Show”) hosts.”
Tonight’s Live season 8 episode 20 is going to be exciting. We’ll be blogging it right here for you. In the meantime hit up the comments section and tell us how excited you are for season 8 of The Voice.
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
#TheVoiceLive has the top eight artists performing tonight. We also have three former coaches back to help mentor the remaining artists. CeeLo is back tonight to help coach Blake’s team. Adam is hosting Usher and Gwen Stefani will assist both Christina and Pharrell with their teams. The show starts with the guys performing Avicii’s Hey Brother – Corey, Joshua and Sawyer sound great. Then the ladies do Avicii’s Wake Me Up – Hannah, Koryn, Kimberly, Meghan and India. Then the guys join them for the last few lines of the song. They sound great together.
First up tonight is Hannah Kirby who is thrilled to meet CeeLo. Blake says people can’t want to see what Hannah will do next and CeeLo says he would have stolen her if he was on the show. Hannah is doing Tina Turner’s We Don’t Need Another Hero. They’re excited to hear her sing and CeeLo goes to sit in his old chair. Blake says CeeLo and Hannah are kindred spirits. CeeLo gives her some notes and songs along with her. Blake says it’s a dream to have the two of them together.
CeeLo suggests bringing in a kids’ chorus and Hannah is excited to put on a real theatrical show. CeeLo tells Hannah she’s his favorite and Blake gives CeeLo a big hug. Hannah takes the stage and is killing it from the first note. The kids chorus comes out about two thirds of the way through and they’re dancing and singing and it becomes this amazing spectacle. Hannah’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-01 or text 1 to 8642. Blake and Pharrell are on their feet by the end.
Christina says she can so tell that CeeLo was involved and says it had his stamp and reminds her of season 2. She tells Hannah she’s a powerhouse and says it was a nice touch to have the kids. Pharrell says he’s so happy for her that she’s doing it her way. He says they want to see what she’s going to do every week. Adam says he loves it and says the kids were frigging adorable. He says she’s always amazing. Blake says she sang it perfectly, every syllable and note. Blake says she’s one of his all-time favorites on the show and says there’s never been anyone like her.
Performing next is Team Adam’s Joshua Davis working with Usher. Joshua chooses Sting’s Fields of Gold and is dedicated it to his mother. Adam gives him some notes on pulling out some phrases and Usher says to make it personal. Usher says he’s excited to be back and says America is voting with their heart as well as their ears. Joshua’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-02 or text 2 to 8642. He comes out and sings a heart-rending version of the classic Sting some from the start.
He really does that gorgeous song justice. Blake says it was refreshing to see him get back to what he thinks Joshua is best at. He says that’s where Joshua shines. He says it’s a hard performance and shows why he still deserves to be there. Adam says he’s so proud of all they’ve been through and says at this point, there are so many giant voices and Joshua is doing something distinctive and different. He says he sang with class and elegance and says he’s so proud of him.
Next up is Kimberly Nichole who is doing Creep by Radiohead. Gwen Stefani is there with Christina to coach her. They encourage her to really dig in and show her vulnerability with her performance. Kimberly’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-03 or text 3 to 8642. She strikes an amazing note from the first time she opens her mouth. She’s really putting her own spin on the popular Radiohead song. She’s made it almost a bluesy sounding standard.
Her outfit also channels blues glamor because she’s in a gorgeous evening gown. By the end of the song, she’s down on the floor like she’s on a chaise lounge reclining as she explores falsetto and pure notes at the end. It was breathtaking. There’s fog and all kinds of effects. All the coaches are on their feet. Pharrell says he’s honored she was on his team and is still on the show. He says her control over the audience was masterful.
Adam says she’s so great because he’s never seen a cover of Creep like that and says it was refreshingly different and yet worked. He says wow. Blake says that was the type of performance people would spend months working up and she just came up with it in a few days – he says she’s naturally talented and is a star. Christina says she has to know it was crazy and she’s in awe of her. She says she’s not just an amazing singer, but an artist.
Shakira sent in a cool video message and then Blake takes the stage to sing his new single Sangria. As usual, his performance is great and the new song is cool. Very sexy too… Next up is CeeLo and Blake working with Meghan Linsey. She says she loves CeeLo and always wanted to be on his team if she made the show. She says he’s amazing. Meghan chose Something by George Harrison. She says she did it at The Apollo in Harlem and says it’s about love.
CeeLo says he loves how she made it a soulful song. He says the country twang and soul is perfect together and says he wants to put her with an orchestra and Blake says CeeLo’s vision is great and it will be huge. Meghan’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-04 or text 4 to 8642. It’s hard to do a Beatles cover but she absolutely kills it and the orchestra on these cool risers really adds some theater to the number. It was incredible start to finish and Blake is on his feet for her.
Adam says it was awesome and says he loves the song and says it hasn’t been done on the show before. He says he knows it wasn’t Blake’s choice and he likes seeing Blake branch out of his wheelhouse. Adam says she’s bad ass. Blake says her performance was classy and says her singing gets better with each week that goes by. He says he’s positive that he expects to see her in the finale this year.
India Carney works with Gwen Stefani and Christina and she’s chosen the classic Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Gwen asks India what she wants to be as an artist and says she doesn’t yet have the sense of what India wants to do and be as an artist. India admits she’s still exploring herself but says she likes things like Adele. Gwen encourages her to show more of her personality. She says India’s voice reminds her of Anita Baker with that strong lower register.
They give her emotional notes on how to live and breathe the song and not think about the competition. India’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-05 or text 5 to 8642. They have an amazing set for her including a chandelier and a stage full of flowers then her in a white gown. It looks enchanted with fog at her feet and cool lighting. Of course, her voice is flawless and the arrangement is new and different which is surprising for a song that’s sung as much as this one.
She explores her falsetto then ends on a strong note. The crowd goes wild and Christina is on her feet. Blake says she looks beautiful and sounded more than beautiful. He says it was magic and congratulates her. He says he thinks she’ll move on to next week. Christina says she knows it’s her favorite song and she was so happy to see her embrace it and enjoy herself. She says she took her on a journey when she sang it.
A viewer tweets asking Blake what’s the funniest thing CeeLo said in rehearsal. Blake says everything out of his mouth is from a different planet and could be a song or movie. Carson mocks Blake’s lack of eloquence and Adam laughs out loud. Former Voice runner up from Team Adam Matt McAndrew is there and sings his new single Counting on Love. He’s so cool and the crowd is digging him. Adam is vibing and it’s a really engaging performance.
Pharrell and Gwen Stefani meet with Sawyer Fredericks. He says he’s star struck by her. Sawyer has chosen Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Gwen says he’s so different and loves his voice. She says he’s at another level and says she can imagine him on the radio. She says he’s raw and honest. Sawyer’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-06 or text 6 to 8642. He takes this classic Southern rock song and totally makes it his own. He’s strumming and thumping his guitar with that incredible voice of his.
He’s like a baby Eddie Vedder but even better. His voice is stronger than I’ve heard it and he totally wails this one out. He doesn’t even need theatrics – just that voice, his hat and that sweet face of his. Pharrell is on his feet clapping for him. Adam says he loves the raw purity of Sawyer’s voice and says it doesn’t need anything else. He says what Sawyer has can’t be taught and says he makes every song so powerful. He says this was a challenge and says he’s amazing.
Pharrell says he wants every Sawyer fan out there tonight to be sure to vote and every teenage kid that wanted to do something a little different to look at him, vote for him. He says if you love folk music, CCR, anything in this genre, you need to love him and support him. The ladies in the crowd are cheering wildly for him.
Next up is Corey Kent White working with Blake and CeeLo who says he’s been watching him from the auditions and says he’s worked with Zach Brown. He’s singing When I See You Smile by Bad English – a power ballad. They’re making it into a country song to hit the sweet spot and Blake shows Corey that CeeLo is wearing a country shirt with an emblem of his home state of Georgia on it where country is so powerful. CeeLo says Corey is a strong contender and can make it in country music.
Corey’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-07 or text 7 to 8642. The song fits the genre perfectly and he’s made it into an amazing country ballad. His voice is so strong and smooth on the hook and the women are all trying to grab him when he comes to the stage edge. You know they’re all wanting to be the one he’s singing about. It came out perfect and could be on country radio tomorrow. Blake is up out of his seat cheering for him.
Adam says it was awesome and then tells Blake to shut up so he can talk. He says it was a great song choice and was amazing. Blake says the subtle moments were amazing and says it was his best performance of the season and says every artist prays for that moment – a breakout performance. He says it was magical and it lands at the right time. The crowd screams and claps wildly. They are loving him.
Last of the night is Koryn Hawthorne for Team Pharrell. She’s so excited to meet Gwen Stefani and says she excited to get the girl perspective. Koryn is doing Alicia Key’s Girl on Fire. She’s done a really cool version and Pharrell is excited about her arrangement. They give her some notes and Koryn says it was like Pharrell is producing her. Gwen says her to flip between vulnerable and strong and tells her to channel a time when she’s been broken.
Koryn’s voting numbers are 855-VOICE-08 or text 8 to 8642. Gwen shows her how to break at points to be vulnerable then says she thinks Koryn will be mind blowing with this. Koryn comes out and it’s so different from the first but still very recognizable. She’s channeling some exquisite pain and it really resonates. She commands the stage with the power of her voice. The crowd is swaying, Pharrell is grooving as she kills it. Her voice is so strong and then she tempers it with a falsetto. Stunning.
All four coaches are on their feet by the time she hits the last note. Adam says she’s the dream that is this show because she’s just a teenager and has had a lot of breakout moments and he sees how she’s evolved more than any of the others. Christina says at this stage, people either make it or break it. She say Koryn is thriving under the pressure and killed it. Pharrell says she inspired everyone in the room and everyone watching. He tells them to vote and support her.
THE END!
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