FloorWax reviews every TVUS Winner's Journey (Season 22 Posted!)

[Gustavo527]

58 minutes ago, Hamza Tufail said:

I place of ?  

 

I personally wanted him over Jershika, but I'm pretty sure you're not talking about Jershika here.

Idk but i personally would have wanted him over either Paris or Jershika.

[QueenCami]

2 hours ago, FloorWax said:

 

This is basically my thoughts on Joshua summed up in one sentence lol. I don't rewatch his performances often but I respect that he was arguably the most consistent vocalist out of anyone not named Wendy Moten.

his vocals are obviously not as impressive and difficult as wendy’s but i would argue that he was even more consistent? there were small blips in wendy’s performances but joshua never had that to my memory. everything was spot on. i wouldn’t be surprised if i’m forgetting smth tho so please point it out if i am

[QueenCami]

25 minutes ago, Gustavo527 said:

Idk but i personally would have wanted him over either Paris or Jershika.

paris was good but his song choices were so uninspired… what’s going on and use me? i think we can do better than that.. i wish it would rain was STELLAR though, one of the best if not the best of a strong playoffs night 

[nytsch]

10 minutes ago, QueenCami said:

paris was good but his song choices were so uninspired… what’s going on and use me? i think we can do better than that.. i wish it would rain was STELLAR though, one of the best if not the best of a strong playoffs night 

I agree I was ok with What’s Going On because I don’t think it’s been done many times (correct me if I’m wrong) and overall that week wasn’t too strong imo so he was still one of my favorites. I actually liked his challenge week more than I remember which may have even catapulted him to the finale. But what set me off was his middling performances in the 2 most important weeks, that finale set was especially boring imo.

 

The PO was my favorite overall too, I’d also rank him #1 of all the teams that night

[Misirlou]

I also think Joshua deserved finale, but truth be told, I think everybody who made finale legitimately deserved it too.

 

I would have personally have had him there over Hailey, but that´s personal preference, I can´t say she didn´t deserve to be there either.

 

But I do have to say, Joshua indeed was incredibly consistent and took on some of the most challenging song choices out of everyone there.

[QueenCami]

3 hours ago, nytsch said:

I agree I was ok with What’s Going On because I don’t think it’s been done many times (correct me if I’m wrong) and overall that week wasn’t too strong imo so he was still one of my favorites. I actually liked his challenge week more than I remember which may have even catapulted him to the finale. But what set me off was his middling performances in the 2 most important weeks, that finale set was especially boring imo.

 

The PO was my favorite overall too, I’d also rank him #1 of all the teams that night

i think it’s not necessarily that they’re overdone it’s just like … i feel as if not much thought went into it? like sure let’s throw him an r&b song and it was just kinda boring. he tried to make it more interesting but it didn’t work for me

[Gustavo527]

After re-listening to his run several times, i have to say that Paris is really good, despite not being the type of singer i would support. He is a clearly seasoned vocalist, like, he never had a bad night and was probably the most consistent singer out of the finalists. Every time he brought all his vocal power on stage, my ears were impressed, and his raspiness added a lot to each one of the songs he sang. With that said, i think when it comes down to male  R&B/Soul singers, i prefer singers with a more smooth tone, like Cam. And also, the parts of his performances where he wasn't singing with his raspiness often felt flat to me. Yeah, contradictory i know, but it's just that, i often got the feeling of him going from 0 to 100 several times, while with Cam his performances were consistently a 100 from beggining to end. (Probably doesn't make sense but i don't know how to word it

better, and also take in account i know nothing about music, i'm just going with my feelings here).

 

And about his song choices being uninspired, yeah, i can see it. A lot of these were performances that you would expect from any male soul singer, but still Paris did a great job with each of them. I think he took some steps back with his Semifinal and Final performances, tho. These ones didn't really gave his voice much of a chance to shine (Patrique still has the best performance of "Ain't Nobody", he brought the energy and sassiness that the song needed). Still with that, even if he doesn't exactly fit my personal taste, i can admit that he 100% deserved to be a finalist.

[FloorWax]

"Use Me" is not an uninspired song choice SMH /lh

[FloorWax]

I enjoyed rewatching Paris' run more than I thought I would tbh.

 

Paris Winningham auditioned with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, and while it was a great display of vocal power and agility from the Navy Veteran, it’s not one of my favorites. No one else but Chris Blue has managed to make this song exciting for me. That said, there were still a couple moments here and there that made me do the Sarah Grace Stankface. His Battle, while tamer, appealed more to me and him being placed beside a lighter voice like Jonathan’s made me realize how much power that guy had. Now, I was manning the Social Media thread that season, and I couldn’t help but notice how much traction Paris’ battle was getting on FB. And the very next round, the exact same thing happened. The Paris vs Jershika KO garnered by far the most reacts out of anyone, and they weren’t even the leak. That’s when I realized that people might be seriously underestimating him as a contender, especially that he was now on Blake’s team. Most people still thought Peedy was a lock.

Speaking of that KO, it was great! Even though "Tennessee Whiskey" is an overdone song choice, I thought Paris was able to do enough to make his version stand out amongst the rest. It was a very well-paced performance and the runs were inventive; it didn't feel like an attempt to recreate Stapleton's version. He lost to Jershika, which was a decision I agreed with, but as a result he fell into the hands of Mr. Blake Shelton, who ended up taking Paris farther than John ever could.

I'm not sure how people were expecting Paris to do in the Playoffs, but I'm pretty sure no one saw "I Wish It Would Rain" coming. I mean, the way I see it, that was the indisputable performance of the night. It was powerful, emotive, and pitch-perfect all the same. Just like that, everyone had faith that Paris would get the 2nd PV over Peedy, and get a PV he did. His Top 13 cover of Marvin Gaye was another solid showing, if nothing special. "Use Me" though? I thought that was another standout of his run. Perhaps it's because I really like that song, but after IWIWR, that one's my favorite from him. Then for Challenge Week, I figured that Paris was going to slay his cover of Lonestar's country ballad, and duh, of course he did. I feel like earnestness is one of Paris' best assets and he used that to full advantage on this song.

As much as I enjoyed the middle of Paris' run, I can't help but feel like he was running out of steam by the end. "Close The Door" and "Me and Mrs. Jones" didn't allow him to go as big we know he could, and the live performance of "Ain't Nobody" was a letdown compared to his studio version. That said, no one can deny that Paris was a deserving finalist, and it's always great to see someone who isn't Minivan bait at first glance place so high. I enjoyed several of his performances and for me, he was Season 21's biggest surprise.

Edited July 29, 2023 by FloorWax

[nytsch]

16 minutes ago, FloorWax said:

"Use Me" is not an uninspired song choice SMH /lh

I mean I don’t necessarily think it was an uninspired song choice, just a bad one lol

 

Edit: oh I didn’t see what you posted, it’s a good song but I didn’t really feel like it fit his voice I guess?

Edited July 29, 2023 by nytsch

[Hsamid]

I disagree with Paris's entire catalogue being uninspired. There were certainly some overdone song choices like amazed, ain't nobody, Tennessee whiskey, what's going on..

 

But there were also some relatively fresh ones like use me, close the door, me and Mrs Jones, here and now. At the very least I don't remember these being covered since I've been watching.

 

So basically, I see his run like most contestants, overdone songs as well as some not often done songs.

 

Honestly, I just think not a lot of people are really into that churchy, old school male soul singer here on idf.. it's more like the type of contestant that's respected around here rather than one with passionate fans.

[FloorWax]

1 minute ago, nytsch said:

I mean I don’t necessarily think it was an uninspired song choice, just a bad one lol

 

Edit: oh I didn’t see what you posted, it’s a good song but I didn’t really feel like it fit his voice I guess?

 

That's fine, Paris is definitely very different singer than Bill Withers is but I think that's what makes his version stand out.

[nytsch]

About his audition I agree it was mostly fine, B-level performance with a few wow moments sprinkled in. The battle, I actually thought Jonathan won but not by far so I can understand John’s choice. His KO was very good and I actually preferred him at the time to Jershika, but now I would choose Jershika. Paris definitely made the song his own but I’ve gotten bored of that song being covered so I think it takes something like a different arrangement like Morgan’s, or a unique tone like Sid’s to make me enjoy it these days.

 

Out of his live run, other than the PO my favorite was definitely Amazed. The climax of that song needs passion in it and I felt like his raspy tone worked perfectly for that.

[Gustavo527]

Oh, yeah, his KO was amazing but Jershika won that fair and square. 

 

Also, for what's worth, he has my favorite version of "Amazed" on the show 

[FloorWax]

Hailey Mia is next 

[FloorWax]

Even as someone who wasn't a huge fan of contestants like Brynn Cartelli and Reagan Strange when their respective seasons were airing, I kind of sensed something different with Hailey Mia. There was always something so polished about her, not just with her vocals, but the way she performed as well. Her Audition cover of "you broke me first" was not perfect, but the potential was clearly there. Come the Battle rounds though, it wasn't too much of a surprise that Ariana was willing to let her go for one of her more experienced singers. Raquel beat her fair and square in that duet, but she was probably set up to win anyway. I'm glad Kelly was able to sweep Hailey up as "Car Wash" showed that Ari had no plans of taking her far.

After two solid but not spectacular showings, I was counting on Hailey to finally show up in the Knockouts. And did she? Well, "Arcade" was definitely her best performance so far... but in my opinion it still wasn't quite at the level of her competition. Hailey's lower register was beautiful as always, but her high notes didn't pack much of a punch. She hit them, but not to the fullest.

Interestingly enough for a teen contestant, I thought Hailey really only began to stand out once the Live Shows started. Her performance of "traitor" was my favorite out of anyone's on Team Kelly that night. That girl must've done some serious work in between pre-live taping and the first live show. I assumed she'd be a shoo-in for the Public Vote after that, but I was caught by surprise when Jeremy ended up taking it instead. Kelly didn't even save her either. However, this ended up being for the best, as her performance of "Jar of Hearts" in the Instant Save was even better than last night's, becoming her first true moment. That's a 13 year-old girl handling a high pressure situation better than her adult opponents!

After that, Hailey sort of alternated between performances I didn't love and performances I really enjoyed. I'm not even kidding. "I'll Stand By You" started off great, but then bandzilla took over and unlike some contestants, she didn't really have the volume to power through it. "Peter Pan" on Challenge Week wasn't too bad but I thought it was a mismatch of singer and song. Notice how my criticisms so far haven't been on Hailey's vocals themselves, as honestly she's still been killing in that department. Her high notes sound so much stronger than they did at the beginning of her run. She just needed the right song choices to highlight her voice. And that's what she got every other week.

"Elastic Heart" and "Someone You Loved" were two of the most impressive performances from any contestant as young as Hailey. She had the vocal polish of Kennedy Holmes, but with the ability to deliver emotion in a way that Kennedy just didn't have. "Elastic Heart" in particular was her finest moment on the show overall, and a stunning way to close the night. In the Finals, it was another dichotomy of performances. "deja vu" was by far her weakest vocal so far, but the Billie Eilish cover was STUNNING. To me, it showed her growth as a singer, as I don't believe the Hailey who was singing in the auditions could've performed "idontwannabeyouanymore" at that level.

Most of my favorite teen contestants are great right off the bat, but Hailey Mia needed some time before becoming a contender. Once the Lives rolled around, Hailey proved why she was deserving of a spot in the Finals, defying expectations week after week. I think I'd actually call her my least favorite in the Finale, but seeing how much I still like her, that's a testament to how much of a treat this season was for us Voice fans.

[Gustavo527]

Just now, FloorWax said:

Even as someone who wasn't a huge fan of contestants like Brynn Cartelli and Reagan Strange when their respective seasons were airing, I kind of sensed something different with Hailey Mia. There was always something so polished about her, not just with her vocals, but the way she performed as well. Her Audition cover of "you broke me first" was not perfect, but the potential was clearly there. Come the Battle rounds though, it wasn't too much of a surprise that Ariana was willing to let her go for one of her more experienced singers. Raquel beat her fair and square in that duet, but she was probably set up to win anyway. I'm glad Kelly was able to sweep Hailey up as "Car Wash" showed that Ari had no plans of taking her far.

After two solid but not spectacular showings, I was counting on Hailey to finally show up in the Knockouts. And did she? Well, "Arcade" was definitely her best performance so far... but in my opinion it still wasn't quite at the level of her competition. Hailey's lower register was beautiful as always, but her high notes didn't pack much of a punch. She hit them, but not to the fullest.

Interestingly enough for a teen contestant, I thought Hailey really only began to stand out once the Live Shows started. Her performance of "traitor" was my favorite out of anyone's on Team Kelly that night. That girl must've done some serious work in between pre-live taping and the first live show. I assumed she'd be a shoo-in for the Public Vote after that, but I was caught by surprise when Jeremy ended up taking it instead. Kelly didn't even save her either. However, this ended up being for the best, as her performance of "Jar of Hearts" in the Instant Save was even better than last night's, becoming her first true moment. That's a 13 year-old girl handling a high pressure situation better than her adult opponents!

After that, Hailey sort of alternated between performances I didn't love and performances I really enjoyed. I'm not even kidding. "I'll Stand By You" started off great, but then bandzilla took over and unlike some contestants, she didn't really have the volume to power through it. "Peter Pan" on Challenge Week wasn't too bad but I thought it was a mismatch of singer and song. Notice how my criticisms so far haven't been on Hailey's vocals themselves, as honestly she's still been killing in that department. Her high notes sound so much stronger than they did at the beginning of her run. She just needed the right song choices to highlight her voice. And that's what she got every other week.

"Elastic Heart" and "Someone You Loved" were two of the most impressive performances from any contestant as young as Hailey. She had the vocal polish of Kennedy Holmes, but with the ability to deliver emotion in a way that Kennedy just didn't have. "Elastic Heart" in particular was her finest moment on the show overall, and a stunning way to close the night. In the Finals, it was another dichotomy of performances. "deja vu" was by far her weakest vocal so far, but the Billie Eilish cover was STUNNING. To me, it showed her growth as a singer, as I don't believe the Hailey who was singing in the auditions could've performed "idontwannabeyouanymore" at that level.

Most of my favorite teen contestants are great right off the bat, but Hailey Mia needed some time before becoming a contender. Once the Lives rolled around, Hailey proved why she was deserving of a spot in the Finals, defying expectations week after week. I think I'd actually call her my least favorite in the Finale, but seeing how much I still like her, that's a testament to how much of a treat this season was for us Voice fans.

I'm here for Hailey's appreciation. Her tone is probably one of my favorite tones ever from a Voice contestant. It's so crystal clear that i couldn't help but loving it even since pre-season. Also, she showed a good amount of power and control in most of her performances. And as you said it, she was also able to deliver emotion very well. She has everything to become a star in the future. But regardless of whatever happens next with her, i'm so happy that i was able to presence her growth as an artist on the show  

 

Kudos to Kelly for believing in her since the beggining. She will be missed as a coach, for sure.

 

[nytsch]

Ok so actually if we're talking about finale alone, I thought she was better than Paris because of the Billie cover. Overall though yeah she was my least favorite of that group but let me try to rewatch some performances...

 

Elastic Heart - smart to do a stripped back arrangement and overall this was really good, better than I remember. Since you mentioned Kennedy though I feel like I have to disagree? Maybe it's a tone preference but if you compare it to Kennedy's Greatest Love of All for example I thought Kennedy sounded way more polished and confident beyond her years. Emotionally maybe Hailey has the edge but idk that's harder to say and some of Kennedy's performances weren't really about emotion anyway.

 

Peter Pan - I agree this was a mismatch with her voice/style but also there was some bandzilla going on there and she was I guess understandably struggling to be heard above them which led to some parts (especially in the last half) that were unpleasant to my ear.

 

Someone You Loved - thought this was solid for the most part but her high notes sounded kinda strained to my ear? Also didn't love some of the melodic choices that she made but overall I'd say B-level

 

Credit where credit's due on Jar of Hearts and Idontwannabeyou, those were undoubtedly some of the best performances of the season.

 

I think another thing that had an influence on my opinion, at least on the show is that I dislike probably half of the songs that she covered? (yes I am an Obsessed Olivia Rodrigo Hater lmao) I also dislike her BA song. I can get past that in certain circumstances but I feel like she just sang them too similar to the original way for me to change my mind.

[Rodney]

Are you writing one out for Jershika, too?

[Hamza Tufail]

I really loved Paris and Hailey.

 

Paris' last two weeks were a big disappointment, by I enjoyed all of his performances before that. His audition was one of my favs of the season, his battle was in my top 3, his KO was also in the top 3 or 4. His PO performance was my fav of the night. I didn't like What's Going On much, but Use Me and Amazed were fantastic !

 

He was a deserving finalist, and based off of overall body of work, yeah, he def deserve to be in the top 3.

 

[Hamza Tufail]

Arcade and Elastic Heart are some of Hailey's popular performances here, but my personal favs were You Broke Me First, Jar Of Hearts, and Someone You Loved. I'm still in awe of how good her IS performance was. Like, that was an intense pressure situation, and not many can handle it. The way she sounded so clear, on-pitch, and emotive, is so impressive. Totally deserved a spot in the finale.

[FloorWax]

30 minutes ago, Rodney said:

Are you writing one out for Jershika, too?

 

Of course. She’s coming up.

[FloorWax]

1 hour ago, nytsch said:

Since you mentioned Kennedy though I feel like I have to disagree? Maybe it's a tone preference but if you compare it to Kennedy's Greatest Love of All for example I thought Kennedy sounded way more polished and confident beyond her years.

 

Okay maybe she isn’t at Kennedy’s level vocally but I was mostly referring to just pitch control. In the lives, she hit like maybe two or three off notes on Peter Pan, and a bunch in deja vu, but other than that she was basically pitch-perfect.

[AliXRose]

17 hours ago, Hamza Tufail said:

I place of ?  

 

I personally wanted him over Jershika, but I'm pretty sure you're not talking about Jershika here.

Honestly ? Hailey but that's not the popular opinion around here. Jershika killed it that night too but I never expected her to get a PV, and assuming Wendy, GNT and Paris were locks, I would've given the 4th PV to Joshua.

[AliXRose]

"Use Me" is actually the performance that finally got me on board with Paris. I thought Jershika won that KO fair and square, and during the PO I was more focused on Peedy not advancing cause I'm petty as hell