‘The Voice’ recap: Top 9 take it up a notch in the semifinals

This week’s cut on “The Voice” is going to be brutal. The top nine, who performed in the semifinals Monday night (as did Ellie Goulding and Blake Shelton), will be reduced to only four for next week’s finals. Five talented singers will be sent home. And the thing is, there are a lot more than four singers who deserve to stick around. This year’s deck is stacked with truly impressive performers with personalities we’ve come to enjoy. It’s going to be tough to see some of these kids eliminated.

On the other hand, hey, they’ve made it all the way to the semifinals, which is saying something. And nearly every single one of the nine remaining vocalists made it abundantly clear that he or she deserved to be there. We all have our favorites, but no matter how America votes, this year’s winner is bound to be worthy.

Here’s how things played out Monday night:

Barrett Baber (Team Blake): The Arkansas drama teacher stepped a little out of his country comfort zone and gave his own “swampy” twist to a pop song, Ella Henderson’s “Ghost.” He put so much hard-stomping energy into it that by the end, he looked like he might pass out. Pharrell Williams said Baber had shared his emotions “in the purest way possible.” Gwen Stefani called the performance “powerful.” Adam Levine marveled at how “unpredictable” the song choice had been. And Shelton reiterated his contention that Baber gave more to his performances than anyone he’d ever met and predicted that the payoff would be big. “Here’s the door to the finale and you just kicked it in,” he said.

Shelby Brown (Team Adam): We all knew that this 17-year-old singer could belt with the best of them, but with her subtle, elegant, artfully shaded performance of Jo Dee Messina’s “Even God Must Get the Blues” (set against a backdrop of a cross or an angel – “The Voice,” along with its contestants and coaches, has embraced religion in a big way this season, but that’s another matter), Brown proved she could make an emotional connection. The coaches noted that, while we had been led to believe Brown had had some issues with timing and confidence, none of that had been apparent during her performance. Shelton said she “sang beautifully,” perfectly in time and in tune. Stefani said the “understated,” “gentle,” “warm” performance had been her favorite of Brown’s. Levine said she had improved each week and deserved “to be voted through to the finale.”

Jeffery Austin (Team Gwen): Austin further indicated that his days laboring in public relations are likely far behind him by giving his emotionally and tonally rich treatment to Cher’s “Believe,” turning it into an Adele-like, angsty love song. Austin’s performance was riveting, even as some busy business with silhouettes and doors played out behind him. Shelton said Austin had proven he “absolutely deserve[d] to be in the freaking finale” and that he would “not be surprised if that’s the No. 1 most downloaded song on iTunes.” Stefani called Austin “ridiculously talented” and begged viewers to “please just vote for him right now because that singing is crazy.”

Braiden Sunshine (Team Gwen): Rescued from the brink of elimination last week, thanks to the Twitter Instant Save, this 15-year-old sweetie pie felt inspired to sing “Amazing Grace” (“saved a wretch like me” and all). He gave what may have been his very best performance – pure and heartfelt. Levine said Sunshine’s “journey on the show” had been “the most unique and interesting,” given how much he’d grown and also how, while he never found “one thing” he did well, he had proven he could “kind of do anything.” Williams said Sunshine had likely inspired other kids to follow their dreams. And Stefani called the performance “so spiritual and so beautiful,” begging America to vote for Sunshine. “Obviously, he’s 15 years old, he needs to still be on this show,” she said.

Zach Seabaugh (Team Blake): Seabaugh recently said he wanted to show he had the vocal chops to go with his fan-pleasing, hip-swiveling performance style. He did just that with Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb,” standing still onstage in front of a mic (“George Straiting it,” as Shelton put it) and hitting and holding some super-solid power notes. “Why am I not in high school?” Stefani ruefully remarked. “I could have my locker and have all of his pictures taped in there.” She said she was “scared” that Seabaugh would make it through to the finals -- “for sure, actually.” Shelton told Seabaugh it was his “best performance” of the season so far, adding, “Perfect timing, man.”

Madi Davis (Team Pharrell): The last remaining member of Team Pharrell also happens to be my favorite singer in the competition. Davis, who, unbelievably, is only 16, proved that she can take virtually any song and deliver a knockout, show-stopping performance. Singing the Four Seasons’ “Big Girls Don’t Cry” seemed a risky choice going in and a genius one coming out. Davis again showed that her taste and timing are impeccable, her voice simply exquisite. (Her dad was sobbing in the audience. “Big girls don’t cry, but dads do,” Carson Daly quipped.) Levine called Davis’ production “different,” “unexpected” and “awesome.” Shelton said he felt as if he was “watching a Disney movie,” but said it was “too perfect to be live,” throwing his weight behind Davis in the finale. Williams, who was too excited to sit down, said, “America needs to vote Madi Davis through.”

Emily Ann Roberts (Team Blake): Roberts kicked up her cowboy boots, showed off her wide-eyed fun side, and showcased her pristine tone and pitch with Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” (Shelton said, earlier in the season, guest mentor Brad Paisley had compared Roberts to a young Dolly Parton.) Stefani wondered how Roberts could sing “such a hard song” so “perfect.” Shelton said that if he happened to own or run a record company, he’d be trying to figure out how to sign Roberts “because you are going to make somebody so much money.” He added that Roberts simply had to be heading to the finale because she’s so talented “it’s ridiculous.”

Amy Vachal (Team Adam): The delicate singer-songwriter tackled Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love,” in hopes of showing sincerity and that she was, as Levine put it, more than a “one-trick pony.” It was sweet, as Vachal always is, but she didn’t really up her game. Williams, who had at one point been Vachal’s coach, told the singer that her voice was “beautiful” and “light” and “seems like it’s made of what beautiful clouds are made of.” He added that the world’s malefactors needed to hear her voice because it could spur them “to do the right thing.” Levine called the performance arrestingly “special” and “intense,” as well as “refreshingly raw.” But he seemed to be saving his big coach-endorsement firepower for the next performer …

Jordan Smith (Team Adam): Levine’s admiration for this singer knows no bounds. Falling just shy of his usual level of hyperbole, the Maroon 5 singer called Smith the “Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, LeBron James of ‘The Voice.’” Smith was certainly impressive on his night-closing rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” Backed by a full-on gospel choir, he worked the stage and hit some crazy Freddie Mercury-like notes. When Smith had finished, all the coaches leaped to their feet, but no one was as excited as Levine, who howled, pumped his arms, ran onstage, took the mic and dropped it. “I don’t need to say anything at all because that’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Levine said in the final seconds of the show.

Who will make it through? Who knows? My best guesses are Madi Davis, Jordan Smith, Jeffery Austin and one of the members of Team Blake. (Emily Ann Roberts? One of the guys? Me, I’d pick Roberts.) But America is difficult to predict. And anyway, we’ll know for sure soon enough.

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