The Voice 🟦 S24 🟦 Spoilers/News/Updates Reba, John, Gwen, Niall

[Jaffy]

6 minutes ago, FloorWax said:

Azán must have had a D. Smooth level Playoff performance because otherwise her advancing doesn’t make a lot of sense? As RTV said, she lost both her Battle and KO. (Then again, so did Craig Wayne Boyd but…)

But Craig was a country guy & stolen by Blake. If JDC didn’t flop it would have been him joining Reagan & Jessie. But nowadays it would be Craig, JDC & Reagan.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[Jaffy]

I feel like IDF has the delusion that the top 20 is going to be AA & indie females only every year when that’s never going to happen. We are never getting a country free, male free top 20. I don’t want one either. It’s mostly women. Be happy about that.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[FloorWax]

7 minutes ago, Jaffy said:

I feel like IDF has the delusion that the top 20 is going to be AA & indie females only every year when that’s never going to happen. We are never getting a country free, male free top 20. I don’t want one either. It’s mostly women. Be happy about that.

 

Literally what?

[allistr]

8 minutes ago, Jaffy said:

I feel like IDF has the delusion that the top 20 is going to be AA & indie females only every year when that’s never going to happen.

No???

[Jaffy]

3 minutes ago, FloorWax said:

 

Literally what?

Do you really expect a top 20 with no country girls or no guys at all? It’s never happened before. Why do you keep thinking it is?

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[Jaffy]

3 minutes ago, allistr said:

No???

No. I’m a realist. It’s never happened in 24 seasons.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[Jaffy]

13 minutes ago, Jaffy said:

I feel like IDF has the delusion that the top 20 is going to be AA & indie females only every year when that’s never going to happen. We are never getting a country free, male free top 20. I don’t want one either. It’s mostly women. Be happy about that.

@allistr @FloorWax you can want it. You can manifest it. Do you two honestly believe it? That we’re going to get a top 20 without a single male contestant or country girl. Be realistic. We’ve never had an AA woman winner. EVER. We can count on one hand the number of indie women who won. Brynn, Maelyn, Gina.

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[Gustavo527]

Just now, Jaffy said:

I feel like IDF has the delusion that the top 20 is going to be AA & indie females only every year when that’s never going to happen. We are never getting a country free, male free top 20. I don’t want one either. It’s mostly women. Be happy about that.

I mean, this is a very exaggerated way to see it but i can sort of see where this comment is coming from, ngl.

[FloorWax]

5 minutes ago, Jaffy said:

Do you really expect a top 20 with no country girls or no guys at all? It’s never happened before. Why do you keep thinking it is?

 

Where did you get that I (or IDF for that matter) think it's going to end up that way?  I am genuinely confused.

[Jaffy]

2 minutes ago, Gustavo527 said:

I mean, this is a very exaggerated way to see it but i can sort of see where this comment is coming from, ngl.

Do you really think it’s ever going to happen? Why hasn’t it happened in 12 years?!

[m1key]

19 minutes ago, Jaffy said:

I feel like IDF has the delusion that the top 20 is going to be AA & indie females only every year when that’s never going to happen. We are never getting a country free, male free top 20. I don’t want one either. It’s mostly women. Be happy about that.

I mean yes, IDF does have biases to AA and indie singers, but I don't think anybody here is delusional enough to think it is possible for a whole Top 20 to be made up of them  Everyone here has been to this rodeo far too many times before lol.

[jork]

Looking at those playoff advancers -

 

Team John ~

Ok, somewhat surprising re: Kaylee Shimizu. She has that youthful vigor and a personality that draws people in, and polished teenaged girl belters with good camera presence are a bankable archetype for at least the voting rounds. There's also that Hawaii angle post-Maui TPTB could try to emphasize to get in votes, plus the Pinoy vote. This is probably a ball drop on TPTB's end, as she's kind of a build-a-contestant for votes that isn't all that common season-to-season. Will say as technically sound and confident as her audition was, the approach was kind of old-fashioned. If she stayed the course on that front, it's possible that others leapfrogged her in priority. It's also possible that she was pitted against Mara Justine/Ruby Leigh across teams for those two "teen girl slots", and Mara and Kaylee were fighting for the pop teen girl slot. It's possible Mara just showed more versatility in approach. Kaylee's personality might be more marketable than Mara's, but the musical choices might be the decider.

 

At the end of the day, it's a preference thing on John's end: it's easy to see him preferring Azan's SZA/Ella Mai slow-jam R&B stylings seeing it's current, and Mac's simultaneously rich-yet-chillaxy DIY emotive R&B. So there's a comfort level with advancing those types, if they are truly good. Lila's an interesting wildcard; she reminds of Sarah McLachlan/Diana Krall. She'd go well in my bookstore coffeeshop music playlist, and she does seem professionally polished in that vein, but is she a vote-getter? Mac probably has a wide open lane to advance within this team.

 

Re: Kaylee, there's also the matter with the coach. John doesn't have that rep with leading teen girls to victory. Kelly, Blake? Sure, and Kaylee might have a chance with Kelly, as long as the investment's there. But this year's crop of judges don't have that track record. 

 

Team Niall~

Nini Iris's style is hella intriguing. There have been people who have sang Lana Del Rey in these shows, but she seems like someone who completely embodies that vibe. That whole dream-state, baroque, cinematic vignette with a tragic, melancholic feel to it. Shoegazing music that appeals to hipsters. Lana was more popular in Russia and the Eastern European countries than in America, so it's not surprising to see a Georgian (Georgia the country) like Nini gravitate to it. It's really nice to see her cover "Karma Police", which fits her style. She can have poppier elements so it wouldn't be surprising to introduce familiarity to the audience. But kinda like Devix, you wonder if her music's too insular for this audience. Even if she fulfills her style 100%, will it spur the audience to vote? But after the win with Gina Miles, a good choice by Nini to go with Niall.

 

Huntley's kinda this poppy WGWG who can flip pop songs into his style, looking like a current Hanson brother. Looks like he did some Hootie! and Bon Jovi, so he might be a stand-in for all the radio rock of yesteryear and bring those feels. As a singing show contestant, he feels kinda dated - like something we'd see in the WGWG malestrom of 2005-2010. We just don't see too many pop WGWGs anymore. Still, he can slide into the mids, but falter once the competition heats up. Mara's a singing show vet with AGT and Idol, and a pop singer. She sings with conviction, but from her past competitions sometimes it's a bit overwrought that it loses some of the message. I kinda felt that same way with her Elton John performance. Good, but.? 

 

This will be an interesting team to handicap. Nini's the best, but might have a harder time with votes, while Huntley's coasting on a dated style that can more easily get votes. Mara might have quite a bit of promotion as well.

 

Wanted to shout out Claudia B, just because "Human Nature" is one of the best MJ songs. There were loose moments in her cover, but at least she did that song, and girls in their early 20s tend to have it tougher in votes/perception. Also shout to Alexa Wildish's ethereal Orinoco Flow-countryside-Galadriel inspired music.

 

Team Gwen~

Still think BIAS is playing dress-up to these hard rocking country songs like "God's Country" and Stapleton. His stage presence, overall aesthetic and his vocals all seem like a mismatch for that, making it look awkward. Jordan Rainer has a way better disposition for that. Kinda surprised he made it this far, as he's better in the Christian pop aesthetic.

 

Simon would have shoved Tanner Massey into a boyband if that other show still existed. He really, really has that aesthetic down as a lead boybander. Rascal Flatts, OneRepublic, and Shawn Mendes? Yep, this is boyband stuff. I'm not sure if he can get deeper beyond the boyband aesthetic, but TPTB will likely be happy if he can just bring teenage girls to watch and vote.

 

Kara Tenae brings that SZA/Doechii sound that's just the rage in streaming nowadays. She's competing with Azan Hysn for this sort of sound, and it appears they went with the current R&B stuff over old school R&B belting (Miss Monet).

 

This feels like a weak team overall, in terms of talent but vote equity. BIAS seems like he'll be heavily promoted, but really, can't see him lasting too long here.

 

Team Reba~

It's interesting to see two older rollickin' country women who have elements of Reba's independent-woman personality on her team (the two J's - Jacquie and Jordan). Almost kinda like stand-in proxies for herself. I'm actually interested in Jordan Rainer's whole gothic, biker-chick vibe - is it Evanescence meets country? It's also really, really hard to see if an audience comfortable in its archetypes would vote for someone this jarring. Roar's more Portlandia "good times" pop country presumably, and I suspect "good times" pop country has a shorter shelf life with votes. That's where Ruby Leigh comes in. A 14-year girl gigging across Okieland, and charming the Voice audience with an innocent country voice, playing to the audience and good stage presence? That polish/familarity will propel her over the J's. 

 

Reba bringing three country women and eschewing Miss Monet is "Inside Baseball" fodder for Voice fans during spoiler season, and sure, maybe Miss Monet could have replaced Jacquie. But Reba's rookie season - she probably wanted to stick with what she knew best - rather than bring in a contestant closer to her age than the others. 

 

 

 

[Jaffy]

1 minute ago, FloorWax said:

 

Where did you get that I (or IDF for that matter) think it's going to end up that way?  I am genuinely confused.

Oh I thought your literally what was like “uh yeah it is”. It’s because everyone was shocked any of the indie or R&B women were eliminated in the KO’S. OF COURSE THEY WERE. Minivan are idiots. The coaches blindly follow their orders. 

[FloorWax]

Some of IDF is definitely delusional though. 

[Jaffy]

9 minutes ago, m1key said:

I mean yes, IDF does have biases to AA and indie singers, but I don't think anybody here is delusional enough to think it is possible for a whole Top 20 to be made up of them  Everyone here has been to this rodeo far too many times before lol.

But it’s like they seemed shocked that any of the indie women & AA women were dropped in the KO’S & playoffs despite being better than the men, when that literally happens every year. Like since season 2 which I didn’t even watch until I had to for my if the winners battled. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[Jaffy]

9 minutes ago, FloorWax said:

Some of IDF is definitely delusional though. 

Yeah like a few people said Gwen should have dropped both Tanner & BIAS. She’s not insane. She knows they’re the most minivan friendly. Yes Rudi & Chechi are more talented. That doesn’t deign shit. She dropped Jay Allen. He could have been her slim chance at the top 5. People yelling because Kelly chose Tanner over Marissa before Marissa flipped her lid on Instagram. Maybe because she’d won her last season with a country guy & was being realistic! 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[FloorWax]

Just now, Jaffy said:

Yeah like a few people said Gwen should have dropped both Tanner & BIAS. She’s not insane. She knows they’re the most minivan friendly. Yes Rudi & Chechi are more talented. That doesn’t deign shit.

 

Yup, that's exactly what I meant. /s

[Jaffy]

14 minutes ago, FloorWax said:

 

Yup, that's exactly what I meant. /s

Yeah. Or like when they had the super save & they were like it better be Chechi as if Chechi getting the super save was confirmation she was going to win the entire season. Gwen had an all female team, Rose, Joanna & Myracle. She lost. She had an all male team. Carter & Ben. She won. Does anyone think Chechi had the slightest chance to win the entire season? “YAAS because she’s a talented Kween” is not an answer. Talent doesn’t deign shit. It’s unfair to say she should have dropped both Tanner & Bias. Plus, maybe she feels more of a connection with her younger contestants. Why keep a contestant she doesn’t give two craps about that she’s going to resent working with just to make 1 forum on the internet happy? Even if Tanner & BIAS are the top 2 (they won’t be), people will say Chechi was robbed gurl. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Jaffy

[m1key]

18 minutes ago, Jaffy said:

But it’s like they seemed shocked that any of the indie women & AA women were dropped in the KO’S & playoffs despite being better than the men, when that literally happens every year. Like since season 2 which I didn’t even watch until I had to for my if the winners battled. 

That's IDF culture for you lol. Complaining is essential to keeping the discourse on here fresh!

[Teraginn]

25 minutes ago, jork said:

Looking at those playoff advancers -

 

Team John ~

Ok, somewhat surprising re: Kaylee Shimizu. She has that youthful vigor and a personality that draws people in, and polished teenaged girl belters with good camera presence are a bankable archetype for at least the voting rounds. There's also that Hawaii angle post-Maui TPTB could try to emphasize to get in votes, plus the Pinoy vote. This is probably a ball drop on TPTB's end, as she's kind of a build-a-contestant for votes that isn't all that common season-to-season. Will say as technically sound and confident as her audition was, the approach was kind of old-fashioned. If she stayed the course on that front, it's possible that others leapfrogged her in priority. It's also possible that she was pitted against Mara Justine/Ruby Leigh across teams for those two "teen girl slots", and Mara and Kaylee were fighting for the pop teen girl slot. It's possible Mara just showed more versatility in approach. Kaylee's personality might be more marketable than Mara's, but the musical choices might be the decider.

 

At the end of the day, it's a preference thing on John's end: it's easy to see him preferring Azan's SZA/Ella Mai slow-jam R&B stylings seeing it's current, and Mac's simultaneously rich-yet-chillaxy DIY emotive R&B. So there's a comfort level with advancing those types, if they are truly good. Lila's an interesting wildcard; she reminds of Sarah McLachlan/Diana Krall. She'd go well in my bookstore coffeeshop music playlist, and she does seem professionally polished in that vein, but is she a vote-getter? Mac probably has a wide open lane to advance within this team.

 

Re: Kaylee, there's also the matter with the coach. John doesn't have that rep with leading teen girls to victory. Kelly, Blake? Sure, and Kaylee might have a chance with Kelly, as long as the investment's there. But this year's crop of judges don't have that track record. 

 

Team Niall~

Nini Iris's style is hella intriguing. There have been people who have sang Lana Del Rey in these shows, but she seems like someone who completely embodies that vibe. That whole dream-state, baroque, cinematic vignette with a tragic, melancholic feel to it. Shoegazing music that appeals to hipsters. Lana was more popular in Russia and the Eastern European countries than in America, so it's not surprising to see a Georgian (Georgia the country) like Nini gravitate to it. It's really nice to see her cover "Karma Police", which fits her style. She can have poppier elements so it wouldn't be surprising to introduce familiarity to the audience. But kinda like Devix, you wonder if her music's too insular for this audience. Even if she fulfills her style 100%, will it spur the audience to vote? But after the win with Gina Miles, a good choice by Nini to go with Niall.

 

Huntley's kinda this poppy WGWG who can flip pop songs into his style, looking like a current Hanson brother. Looks like he did some Hootie! and Bon Jovi, so he might be a stand-in for all the radio rock of yesteryear and bring those feels. As a singing show contestant, he feels kinda dated - like something we'd see in the WGWG malestrom of 2005-2010. We just don't see too many pop WGWGs anymore. Still, he can slide into the mids, but falter once the competition heats up. Mara's a singing show vet with AGT and Idol, and a pop singer. She sings with conviction, but from her past competitions sometimes it's a bit overwrought that it loses some of the message. I kinda felt that same way with her Elton John performance. Good, but.? 

 

This will be an interesting team to handicap. Nini's the best, but might have a harder time with votes, while Huntley's coasting on a dated style that can more easily get votes. Mara might have quite a bit of promotion as well.

 

Wanted to shout out Claudia B, just because "Human Nature" is one of the best MJ songs. There were loose moments in her cover, but at least she did that song, and girls in their early 20s tend to have it tougher in votes/perception. Also shout to Alexa Wildish's ethereal Orinoco Flow-countryside-Galadriel inspired music.

 

Team Gwen~

Still think BIAS is playing dress-up to these hard rocking country songs like "God's Country" and Stapleton. His stage presence, overall aesthetic and his vocals all seem like a mismatch for that, making it look awkward. Jordan Rainer has a way better disposition for that. Kinda surprised he made it this far, as he's better in the Christian pop aesthetic.

 

Simon would have shoved Tanner Massey into a boyband if that other show still existed. He really, really has that aesthetic down as a lead boybander. Rascal Flatts, OneRepublic, and Shawn Mendes? Yep, this is boyband stuff. I'm not sure if he can get deeper beyond the boyband aesthetic, but TPTB will likely be happy if he can just bring teenage girls to watch and vote.

 

Kara Tenae brings that SZA/Doechii sound that's just the rage in streaming nowadays. She's competing with Azan Hysn for this sort of sound, and it appears they went with the current R&B stuff over old school R&B belting (Miss Monet).

 

This feels like a weak team overall, in terms of talent but vote equity. BIAS seems like he'll be heavily promoted, but really, can't see him lasting too long here.

 

Team Reba~

It's interesting to see two older rollickin' country women who have elements of Reba's independent-woman personality on her team (the two J's - Jacquie and Jordan). Almost kinda like stand-in proxies for herself. I'm actually interested in Jordan Rainer's whole gothic, biker-chick vibe - is it Evanescence meets country? It's also really, really hard to see if an audience comfortable in its archetypes would vote for someone this jarring. Roar's more Portlandia "good times" pop country presumably, and I suspect "good times" pop country has a shorter shelf life with votes. That's where Ruby Leigh comes in. A 14-year girl gigging across Okieland, and charming the Voice audience with an innocent country voice, playing to the audience and good stage presence? That polish/familarity will propel her over the J's. 

 

Reba bringing three country women and eschewing Miss Monet is "Inside Baseball" fodder for Voice fans during spoiler season, and sure, maybe Miss Monet could have replaced Jacquie. But Reba's rookie season - she probably wanted to stick with what she knew best - rather than bring in a contestant closer to her age than the others. 

 

 

 

 

Great read! Some thoughts:

1. There seems to be a trend this season to highlight artists that don't usually get as much hype in previous seasons. Like choosing two AA neo-soul/RnB women over the tried and tested AA powerhouse/diva. Or placing an emphasis over edgier female country, an archetype that is really hit or miss in previous seasons. We only have one straight country male act and it's not the traditional/classic or bro-country that we've come to expect.

 

2. Interesting read on Nini. I did not get that vibe at all from that snippet of her singing I See Red in the Blinds. I honestly can't pin down what musical identity she's gonna present on the stage at this moment. Rocker chick? Powerhouse song-flipper? But I do agree that she might be just a bit too edgy for this audience. 

 

3. Yeah, I do think BIAS being country through and through might be an ill fit. I can see him as a Teddyswims like artist with a little bit of country thrown in. Christian pop is not a bad fit for him too. Clearly he has other plans, and I hope he makes it make sense for us soon.

 

4. I for one am here for a return of pop WGWGs on this show. My formative years were the 2000s, I lived and breathed pop-rock/alt. Hope Huntley fills that void for me. Also, there's a little bit of Vedder in his voice, so maybe he can go even further back into the 90s with his songs.

[m1key]

21 minutes ago, Jaffy said:

Why keep a contestant she doesn’t give two craps about that she’s going to resent working with just to make 1 forum on the internet happy? 

IDF is where people go to stan female artists (specifically AA powerhouses, pop girlies, and indie girlies) because as we know, those types are not usually appreciated as much by Minivan or the show. Here, they are appreciated and recognized fully! Naturally, people are going to be upset when they get eliminated. This is how IDF always has been and it's not going to change

 

Anyways, back to lurking for me!

Edited October 5, 2023 by m1key

[FloorWax]

39 minutes ago, jork said:

Team Gwen~

Still think BIAS is playing dress-up to these hard rocking country songs like "God's Country" and Stapleton. His stage presence, overall aesthetic and his vocals all seem like a mismatch for that, making it look awkward. Jordan Rainer has a way better disposition for that. Kinda surprised he made it this far, as he's better in the Christian pop aesthetic.

 

This is actually a really great observation. It wasn't just the vocals, but BIAS' stage presence and vibe was just a total mismatch for such a heavy song. He came off kind of like a comedian in his coach comments, so maybe he should focus on songs that allow him to show off that personality?

[Teraginn]

3 minutes ago, FloorWax said:

 

This is actually a really great observation. It wasn't just the vocals, but BIAS' stage presence and vibe was just a total mismatch for such a heavy song. He came off kind of like a comedian in his coach comments, so maybe he should focus on songs that allow him to show off that personality?

 

I actually think he sold himself as a country artist much better during the coach banter. He comes off across as a genuine homegrown southern kid with aspirations of becoming a country artist. I think we just have trouble reconciling that with the expectations we got based off his socials.

[Jaffy]

5 minutes ago, m1key said:

IDF is where people go to stan female artists (specifically AA powerhouses, pop girlies, and indie girlies) because as we know, those types are not usually appreciated as much by Minivan or the show. Here, they are appreciated and recognized fully! Naturally, people are going to be upset when they get eliminated. This is how IDF always has been and it's not going to change

 

Anyways, back to lurking for me!

I get being upset or even angry at Gwen but being shocked Tanner & Bias making it? Declaring Chechi was going to win the entire season on team Gwen. What?! Maybe if she was on Team Blake. But Gwen?! 

[Gustavo527]

Just now, Jaffy said:

I get being upset or even angry at Gwen but being shocked Tanner & Bias making it? Declaring Chechi was going to win the entire season on team Gwen. What?! Maybe if she was on Team Blake. But Gwen?! 

Yeah, Tanner is gonna win, Bias is gonna be runner-up, Chechi sucks and Gwen is an excellent coach that made the right decisions and now is gonna win the whole season. You are right on everything, congratulations. Bye