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The Voice: Top 3 Power Rankings

The final night of competition on Season 4 of The Voice is officially over, and the show’s three finalists, Danielle Bradbery, The Swon Brothers and Michelle Chamuel left it all on the line. With three performances a piece, the vote is now in America’s hands to pick a winner who will be revealed in tonight’s finale.

Just to recap: Blake Shelton is left with two contestants (Danielle and the Swons), while Usher has one with Michelle. That means Adam Levine and Shakira are out of this thing, and are able to sit back, relax and enjoy some live music from the comforts of their big, red chairs.

Before I delve into my opinion on Monday’s performances, I think it should be said that, at this point, I honestly think any one of these three can win. Last year, it was fairly obvious throughout the entire season that Cassadee Pope would win in the end. This year, though, all three of these contestants seem to have been fan favorites all along (although I didn’t necessarily always agree). That being said, here are my power rankings for this week.

3. The Swon Brothers – Team Blake

I do think that the Swons peaked over the last two weeks, which was certainly the right time to do so. For me, they flew under the radar for most of the competition, and while they’re still not my favorite act or pick to win, I do have a new appreciation for the bros after their last few performances. For their first number of the night, they performed “I Can’t Tell You Why,” by The Eagles, for the first time. It was solid and, like last week, it finally showcased their voices and not only their fun-loving personalities. I’ve been waiting for that all season, so props to the boys and Blake for finally getting it right.

Well, this was most definitely the right choice for the Brothers’ defining moment. Although the tune “Danny’s Song” from them is still super fresh (they performed it just last week), like I said above, this was really the moment I started to understand the boys’ talent. I thought they performed it solidly once again, but my only issue is that these two performances were just a lot of the same. I get that it’s what they needed to do to highlight their strengths, but sitting at the piano for two slow songs in a row? Kind of boring, sorry.

Later, the Swons came out to sing Brad Paisley’s “Celebrity” with their coach Blake. This finally had them up on their feet, rockin’ out on guitars, but my biggest problem here was that it was basically a duo between Blake and Zach Swon. Can’t these guys ever let Colton sing more than just harmonies?! Yes, Zach does have a significantly better voice, but it’s not like Colton can’t hold his own on a more upbeat, fun song like this one. This was fun and I loved seeing the three Okie’s performing together, but I just think it could’ve been more.

2. Michelle Chamuel – Team Usher

I am so, so, so, so glad Michelle/Usher chose “I Knew You Were Trouble” as her defining moment, rather than picking the (maybe) obvious choice “True Colors.” Yes, “True Colors” is when we first saw a different side of Michelle, but I’ve never seen her be more comfortable and have as much fun on stage as when she sang “I Knew You Were Trouble.” I think that’s what’s important about her — is that she’s got the voice, but also a unique stage presence that really shines in this performance. I loved it just as much the second time as the first.

Her second song, “Why,” was another great choice, because after we got to see her rock out the first time around, this time we got to see a mellowed down performance that showcased her vocal talent. I loved the fake mirror trick, too, and I think it really shows how far Michelle has come in terms of confidence. I still don’t necessarily think her voice is as strong and effortless as Danielle’s (and even some contestants who have been eliminated), and I’m definitely not quite on the Michelle Chamuel bandwagon, but I do recognize her talent and admire how she’s making nerdy…cool.

Meh, yawn? I love Usher’s admiration for Michelle, so seeing them perform together was cool (plus, when is it not fun to watch Usher perform?), but I was a little bit bored throughout this number, overall.

1. Danielle Bradbery – Team Blake

For Danielle’s first performance, she took the stage with Coach Blake to perform “Timber, I’m Falling in Love.” I LOVE that Blake kind of just let Danielle take the reigns on this, and mostly only came in for harmonies when the time was right. I also enjoyed that the set was so youthful, because it reminds us that even though Danielle has matured beyond belief, she really is still just a 16-year-old girl. Except…am I the only one who thought the song choice was a bit awkward for Blake to be singing with a 16-year-old girl….?

I loved that Danielle’s defining moment came from so far back, unlike the Swons and Michelle, who had theirs much more recently. I don’t even particularly remember this performance of Danielle’s from the beginning of the live shows, but as usual, she totally nailed it. I still think she needs to work on being more comfortable on stage (again, she’s 16), but her vocals are undeniably the best and most effortless out of these three. Based on the voice alone, it’s clear to me that she is the winner.

You know, I was a little bored at first, but Danielle has a certain way of keeping the viewer intrigued, even if it’s not her best performance. It’s like you just know something big is going to come at the end…and she did just that. How does she hit these notes without even TRYING?! Again, a solid and consistent performance from someone who can clearly be a true star.

So, yes, Danielle Bradbery is my pick to win Season 4 of The Voice, but again, I really think it could be any of the three. Do you guys realize that Blake has a 66% chance at becoming a three time winner?! I am a little bit sick of him taking this thing year after year, but at the same time, I love the connection he has with all of his team members. No matter who wins, it’s clear that both Blake and Usher will support their artists well beyond this competition.

Chances are, all three are going to come out of this with some form of success, so congrats to all three!

MORE LINKS

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Watch: Miranda & Blake’s Touching Oklahoma Tribute on The Voice

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