The brutal eliminations just keep comin' on "The Voice," with Teams Adam, Cee Lo, Christina and Blake finally whittled down to two apiece. Last night, Adam and Cee Lo made their final cuts in the quarter-finals and thankfully, it was a little less heartbreaking than seeing Pip leave.
Yes, on Monday, Adam let Pip go, a move he said that resulted in hate mail and death threats. I don't care if he was joking, not seeing Pip on the show is just sad and awful, and I'm going into serious bow-tie withdrawal. Not even my red-headed goddess Florence (and her Machine, who delivered a dynamite performance Tuesday night) could fully make up for the loss of Pip.
Audience Saves: Tony Lucca and Jamar Rogers
Through the power of the American electorate, Tony and Jamar safe from elimination, which leads into the final, sing-for-your-life performances from Team Adam's Mathai and Katrina Parker, and Team Cee Lo's Cheesa and Juliet Simms.
Team Adam
Mathai: Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Casanova"
There was a heart-breaking, pleading raspiness in the way Mathai's voice broke during this song. She's come into her own on this show, and with this song, proved she's versatile, too. Cee Lo noted the aggression in her voice that spoke to her desire to stay on the show, and he was touched by the charm and sweetness with which she delivered that aggression.
Katrina Parker: Pink's "Perfect"
There's always such a profound subtext to the songs the contestants sing when they think/know it's their last chance to impress their coaches. Blake called Katrina the best singer on Adam's team: "She came out here like a tornado."
Adam's Save: Katrina Parker. Adam said she's had "that moment," that breakthrough moment that proved to him she could last in the competition, while he was still waiting for Mathai to "explode."
Adam's Final Two: Tony Lucca, Katrina Parker
Team Cee Lo
Weekend Watch
Cheesa: Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone"
I think Cheesa was trying to come off as empowered, but the song choice was just foreboding. Something felt off the entire time, and I couldn't pin-point it until the coaches gave their remarks. Blake said she flat, Christina said she was under pitch, and I said, "Ohhh, that's what was wrong."
Juliet Simms: Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn"
Just keep the '90s hits coming, NBC, please. Juliet was kind of flying under my radar for a while, but she always delivers, and there's such an honesty in her powerful voice. Blake summed it up pretty well: "I love you now … You're not like anyone else, and sometimes, it's an acquired taste, but I get it. I get it now."
Cee Lo's Save: Juliet Simms. "Juliet, your voice is like art imitating life, and life isn't perfect," Cee Lo said. America doesn't always vote according to talent, but according to personality, Cee Lo said, and that's why America is invested in Juliet.
Cee Lo's Final Two: Jamar Rogers, Juliet Simms
Next week, we're down to eight contestants, and God only knows how audience votes/coach saves work in determining who moves on to the Final Four and the finals. Only four episodes and two weeks remain, folks!