The Trios
Bryan Olesen (Team Legend), Nathan Chester (Team Legend) and Maddi Jane (Team Chance), “Just Like Heaven” | In the first of the evening’s rando-trio performances inspired by the movie If, the contestants brought three different flavors to The Cure’s oldie, none of which went down easily. Glad I decided from the start not to grade these, but this was not an auspicious beginning. Bryan oversang, Nathan struggled to meet the song’s oomph requirement (and you know I adore him), and Maddi was pitchier than the player on the mound at a baseball game.
Josh Sanders (Team Reba), Karen Waldrup (Team Dan + Shay) and Tae Lewis (Team Dan + Shay), “Forever Young” | Tasked by If star John Krasinski with showing off their imagination, the country threesome possibly imagined that their distinct styles blended well together. In reality? Sadly, not so much. This wasn’t quite as big a train wreck as the last three-et, but it was hardly a smooth ride. It felt like a bunch of voices that didn’t go well together battering into one another. (Like, literally, harmonizing seemed to be out of the question.) The standout, if there was one? Karen.
Serenity Arce (Team Chance), Asher HaVon (Team Reba) and Madison Curbelo (Team Dan + Shay), “Fix You” | WTF did I just watch? Whether inspired by If or not, it was creepy as hell to see a dancer accosted by a giant teddy bear (teddy mouse?) on a bedroom set. Like, could any of you pay any attention to the singers? I think Madison was my favorite of the three, but I can’t be sure. I’m busy having pre-nightmares.