This is it. This is why I don’t follow reality TV contests, and this is my final posting on The Voice of China, which I had greatly enjoyed at the beginning for its variety in music styles.
But after a few episodes that tended to be on the frustrating side… I just… can’t take it any longer. I think the final is next episode (and Adam Lambert is supposed to be on). It was a good ride, but I do not wish to see the ending to this.
I gotta admit that with Wang Feng being Na Ying’s coach, I thought I was going to get blown away by everyone’s performances, but seems like expectations were too high. Plus, YouTube cockblocking my watching.
Since Wang Feng was there to coach too, all of the arrangments had a lot (or, at least, a little) to do with some aspect of rock — be it rock & roll or plain rock (except for Zhang Yu Xia’s battle) — so, in the end, there was a lot of A-Mei being played and there was some extra Wang Feng going on too.
Anyway, there were only a couple of standout performances, and considering my favorites on Na Ying’s team from the beginning were Zhang Wei (张玮) [1] and Zhang Yu Xia (張玉霞) [1], I am rather ecstatic and sad. Super elated for the fact that Zhang Wei has a very good chance of being the Top4 (and may very well be the winner), and sad because Zhang Yu Xia — despite her flawless The Legend (传奇) performance in a battle vs. Li Min (李敏) — couldn’t advance any further. T_T
But, DUDE! The Zhang Wei and Ge Yu Sen (歌浴森) battle doing A-Mei’s Three Days and Three Nights (三天三 夜) was great~ Like, couldn’t pick between the two, and I was almost siding with Ge Yu Sen, but would have been perfectly content if either of those two won.
On episode 8, it was Harlem Yu’s turn. From his team, I had a few favorites — like Wang Yun Yi (王韵壹) [1], Wei Yu Nuo (魏语诺) [1], Jin Chi (金池) [1], and a very VERY soft spot for the Amisi Girls (阿蜜丝女孩) [1] coz their arrangement of Leehom’s Mei [MV] was so much fun xD. So I was BUMMED that I had to choose between Wei Yu Nuo and Jin Chi on the first round of battles.
At first, I thought that Jin Chi was gonna take it really easy because she has such control of her voice, but I was surprised by Wei Yu Nuo who gave her own UMPH while doing a battle performance of Aaron Kwok’s Give your Neverending Love (对你爱不完) [clip]. They were really great together and after rather two weak duos, they seemed to put themselves forward as the best of the episode with their number, until…
This The Same Moonlight (一样的月光) performance by Wang Yun Yi and Zhao Ke (赵可).
and though… none of them made it after the deadly cut… with a rather weak “battle for my own” performance by Wang, they have a close to perfect performance with this. They maybe should collaborate in another project together.
I really REALLY hope Jin Chi makes it to the Top4, at least.
Next up! Na Ying’s team. It seems to be the strongest, but it also means a lot of good people are going to get cut.
First… I can’t believe The Voice of China left me with a cliffhanger.
The selection process for The Voice of China is done, and I had already picked my favorites… so it’s time for Liu Huan to sort out his picks and do a deadly — seriously, DEADLY — cut. From the first round of duo battles, my favorite performance was Quan Zhendong (权振东) Vs. Jianing Combination (佳宁组合) singing Winter is Coming (冬天来了).
The show is seriously riddled with major talent — so much that Liu Huan really feels it when he cuts people — but since everyone is so talented, I feel like everyone deserves to be there. Some VERY hard choices were made. Almost by the end of the show, when you thought you’d seen it all, Liu Yue (刘悦) went out there and gave the OMG moment of the episode (after a rather weak duo battle, if I may say).
Having said that, if the competition doesn’t work for Quan Zhendong, I think he should totally get together with Jianing Combination because they had great chemistry, and I think they were the most difficult to pick from.
— EDIT —
Now that I’m chronicling my journey through The Voice of China with my opinion on Harlem Yu’s team, I guess I have to tell you my thoughts on Liu Huan’s. Surprisingly enough, I only had two favorite FAVORITES~ The first one was Liu Yue [1] and then Summer (who ended up winning this episode) [1]. But overall I thought Liu Huan’s team had a very good vocal quality.
I really REALLY REALLY am loving Chochukmo, and not because I interviewed them. I actually accepted to interview them because I really liked their first album, which you can listen to on Xiami or Bandcamp ;O
Don’t forget to check out my interview with Mike Orange from the band.