Jessie J and Will.i.am
(Image courtesy of BBC)
It was semi-final time on The Voice 2013 on Saturday 15th June as the final eight acts fought it out for a place in next week’s final.
The full semi-final line up is:
- Team Jessie: Ash Morgan, Matt Henry
- Team Tom: Joseph Apostol, Mike Ward
- Team Danny: Andrea Begley, Karl Michael
- Team Will.i.am: Leah McFall, Cleo Higgins
Tonight the power is with the viewers, as the decision is in their hands rather than with the coaches.
Image courtesy of BBC / Wall to Wall
First up was Team Jessie performing Stay. It was a well organised performance but for me the song didn’t really suit the combined three voices of Jessie J, Ash Morgan and Matt Henry.
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Ash Morgan then came on for his solo performance, singing Ex factor. As one of the main contenders in the competition we were expecting something impressive and he didn’t disappoint. He has a voice of great depth which can hold your attention on its own. A great pair of lungs.
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Next up was Matt Henry singing Girl On Fire. Matt is a great performer and a very accomplished singer and he delivered on th night. “Matt burned down the stage” said Will.i.am. “You have shown the most progression” commented Danny. “You get stronger and stronger, powerful” added Tom.
It’s a difficult choice between Ash and Matt as I enjoy both of their voices. For me Ash Morgan has something a little different and I felt he edged it. Let’s see whether the tv audience agrees.
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Team Danny was next up with Danny O’Donoghue performing Let Her Go with Andrea Begley and Karl Michael. The song choice was an excellent one which showcased both Andrea and Karl well. Nice one Danny.
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Karl Michael sang I Believe I Can Fly. Karl has had confidence problems throughout the series but after winning the audience vote last week he seemed much more confident in himself. His personality came out as he performed and he should be proud of this performance. “He flew” said Will.i.am. Enough said.
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Andrea Begley was Karl’s competition for the final spot on Team Danny. Singing One Of Us she gave a crystal clear performance. I love Andrea’s voice but thought maybe she was a little restrained in this performance and maybe didn’t put quite enough edge and take enough risks. I really wanted her to let rip. “Angelic” said Tom. “Magical” added Will.i.am. “You’ve done yourself proud” enthused Danny.
Another tough call between Karl and Andrea. I thought Karl had just raised his game enough to deserve the place in the final but I wouldn’t be surprised if it went the other way. Not that I am sitting on the fence here!
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The third team to perform was Team Will.i.am with Leah McFall and Cleo Higgins. I was underwhelmed with the group performance but I guess it was different. The song was forgettable although Will.i.am did do graffiti and break dancing during the routine. As usual it was more about Will.i.am than the acts.
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In the solo performance Leah McFall sang Killing Me Softly. I liked Leah’s version and I have no doubt that she will make the final on this performance. Jessie J thought that Leah should have been a little riskier. “You have a crazy work ethic and the impact you have made on iTunes is impressive” said Will.i.am.
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Cleo Higgins performed Don’t Let Go. She pulled out all the stops and used her strong voice and her confidence to dominate the stage. She was certainly there to be noticed and took risks to give herself a chance of making the final. “I’m so proud of you” encouraged Will.i.am. “Cleo came at me tonight by herself..she went up a gear” commented Tom.
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Team Tom was the final team to perform, with Sir Tom Jones singing Games People Play with Joseph Apostol and Mike Ward. The three of them performed well together as a trio. Not quite boyband material but pleasant nonetheless.
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Joseph Apostol sang End Of The Road. Joseph is a real contender to win The Voice and he didn’t hold back in his performance. He maybe lost control a little as he pushed the limits but as Tom said “One Joseph is enough“.
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Mike Ward was the last of the acts to perform, singing Picking Up The Pieces. He gave a great country performance with a deep sound which the audience seemed to warm to.
For me Mike Ward is so different and probably deserves to edge into the final past Joseph. “You sound like you are from the middle of America…it sounds amazing” said Will.i.am.
So that’s the singing over and the telephone voting begins. It could be pretty much any of the eight in the final but I am calling it with Ash Morgan, Karl Michael, Leah McFall and Mike Ward. Don’t bet on it though.
As the voting went on we saw a performance by former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher with his band Beady Eye. (during the results we were also entertained by Avril Lavigne).
It was then results time and the final line up was announced by Holly Willoughby:
- Team Jessie: Matt Henry
- Team Tom: Mike Ward
- Team Danny: Andrea Begley
- Team Will.i.am: Leah McFall
So it was farewell to Ash Morgan, Karl Michael, Cleo Higgins and Joseph Apostol.
Image courtesy of BBC / Wall to Wall
So it was 2 out of 4 for my predictions. The four finalists deserve their place so good luck to them. It should be an exciting final next week.
See full results by week.
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