The Voice Finale: Final thoughts and then I'm off!

So Jermaine Paul won! What a surprise, huh? When Carson announced that Chris and Tony finished 4th and 3rd respectively, I genuinely thought that Juliet had it in the bag. But then Jermaine's name was called and for some reason I said to myself, 'Jermaine who?'. I guess being the underdog really did have its perks, especially since out of the four contestants, Jermaine remained to be the only one untainted by controversy and dirty publicity. It's a shame for Juliet because she deserved the title more than anyone else in my opinion, but needless to say, all four will have great careers. 

I would like to take this post as a final rant (hell yeah, why not) on the Levine-Aguilera feud this season. Again, I feel a bit sad for Lucca and Mann because it seems to be that the feud between their coaches really did put a damper on their potentiality last night. Xtina and Lucca fans countered each other's votes and in the end it opened the window wide and clear for Jermaine and his coach 'Shufflin Shelton' to take the cake. Overall- and I'm not saying this as a defence for Aguilera just because I am a fan- I think Adam is to blame for this whole fiasco. Let me explain. 

It all started with that 'one-dimensional' comment right? As far as I'm concerned, Xtina was merely opining on Lucca's performance. Then she said she hoped that the celebrity sway won't put him through over his capability as an artist and his talent. Again, nothing wrong with that, and as we saw from the semi-finals, Xtina was spot on because Levine chose bromance over the divine talents of Adele 2.0 (a.k.a. Katrina Parker). So what went wrong? Adam took it to heart, swayed Lucca to the dark side by continually deciding to get under Xtina's skin via song choices each week. Hasn't anybody realised that that single critique improved Lucca's artistry vastly on the show? He even acknowledges the benefits of Xtina's apparent 'shading', because he pushed himself further. Obviously, Xtina could have done without the acidic remarks each week but then again why shouldn't she when Adam won't let it go? Opting for Britney was one thing, then the following 'How Do You Like Me Now' and '99 Problems' were clearly vindictive towards Aguilera. Lucca may not have wanted to do it, or maybe he did to get his own back, but the truth remains that out of the three, Adam was the perpetrator of the feud. Aguilera should have stopped early on, and she could have if only Adam left it at 'Baby One More Time'. 

Lucca told the press afterwards that Xtina asked him for a private audience to clear the air, and I applaud her for the maturity to at least try and apologise after all was said and done, and he apparently responded in kind. What about the coach? The press surrounding the show has suddenly started an anti-Aguilera revolution, and so has the viewers who still cannot get over the whole thing. I am personally over it, especially since the whole time I was watching the finale I was fangirling on Juliet Simms, but then again I love Xtina so shoot me for defending the girl. And that's just it as well. She's the only girl in the panel against a trio of unadulterated jocks and that on its own deserves merit. She was fighting back because Levine kept bullying her passive-aggressively. I can only hope that they grow up for the next season or there won't be another showing for either of them. Should Xtina quit? Yes-because people are WAAAAY too sensitive to hear the truth on live television especially if its about two hot guys. But then again, why should she? If she does, the press would just spin this way overboard and make it out as Adam winning overall because he got the evil bitch of the screen. As for Mr. Levine, I can see why he would get dumped by a Victoria's Secret model via the press too- he's a dick and he deserves no equal amount of respect. A mature, non-misogynist  would not have chosen songs openly attacking a lady (or a Dirrty bitch-whatever you wanna call her) on live television. Be a gentleman for fuck's sake and just bitch about her behind close doors.

As for the rest of the show (because there was a show happening amidst the drama if you failed to notice!), what was NBC doing not having damage control at the get-go? I know the feud made for some great, albeit awkward television, but seriously? They bleep every cuss the coaches drop on the show but they don't give a fuck about how the feud may have just ruined their credibility. As far as talent was concerned, I thought this season yielded better talent than the last. However, most of them were taken out prematurely for reasons beyond my comprehension. Case in point, Erin Martin. That girl did not have a single ounce of viable talent yet she took a place on Cee Lo's team instead of having some other more talented singer. I had issues with Xtina removing Jesse Campbell early, but had she not, we wouldn't have seen more of Lindsey Pavao or Chris Mann- or Ashley de la Rosa for that matter, more so because they all showed growth. Plus they are significantly more marketable than Campbell in this age of less grandiose, musical climate. Time and time again, I abhorred Adam's unceremonious elimination of Katrina Parker who was the true star of his team. For some reason people never took offence at the fact that he constantly undermined Parker's talent by saying 'Oh my god, you were the most improved, blah blah blah'. What the fuck are you talking about? Alanis Morisette was giddy towards Katrina's voice! She never needed improving. Katrina Parker WAS Adam Levine's Jesse Campbell. Other notable contestants include Erin Willet, who I enjoyed more because of her hilarious photo-bombing antics with Chris Mann, and the unbelievably talented Jamar Rogers, who I wish was not on Team Cee Lo only so he could have made it into the final with Juliet. Finally, I think they should fire Christina Milian and Carson Daly, because they simply suck. 

Overall, I thought it was an interesting season but one that could have been better. There was only one coach performance all year, which comes as no surprise given the incredibly volatile relationship between Adam and Xtina. That is a shame because I always go back to their group performance of 'Crazy' and think that they could have been a supergroup. This is the last post I will do on The Voice (until next season anyway) and the Levine-Aguilera scandal, simply because there's no point in bringing the subject up in the future. Also, my guilty penchant for reality TV during the stressful final weeks of Uni will soon come to pass, because I am nearly done! I don't really tend to write rants about TV shows but in between Plato essays and my dissertation of Greek witches, The Voice made for some exceptional late night entertainment (I do watch it in UK time). Plus it's XTINA! I adore that woman and I will come to her defence anytime. Only next time I wish she would just tune Adam out. She's managed to shut out the rest of her critics anyways, so unless she plans on sleeping with the guy to get everything over and done with, I say move on and release that fucking album already. 

[image: CNN.com]

The Voice Finale: What Went On (a.k.a. Tony Vs. Christina Vs. Adam...again!)

Never mind that Chris Mann sang well enough to solicit the keys to the gates of St. Peter. Never mind that Juliet Simms sang immensely well and with bravada despite fighting a case of pneumonia. Never mind that Jermaine Paul's overcooked rendition of 'I Believe I Can Fly' was welcomed with standing ovation. No. Apparently, last night's finale of NBCs The Voice was all about Christina and Tony Lucca yet again, and this time it is blown way out of proportion. 

To summarise, last night was the night all contestants sang for the very last time before one of them is crowned the victor of this season. Each singer sang three times; one for the votes, another time as a 'surprise' tribute to their coaches, and the third was a duet with their mentor. The duet of the night for me was Chris Mann and Christina Aguilera's rendition of Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion's classic 'The Prayer' followed by Jermaine Paul and Blake Shelton's 'Soul Man'. As for their individual performances, I thought that Juliette nailed it with Lynyrd Skynard's 'Free Bird', and Chris Mann's wowed with a beautiful, albeit predictable, choice of Josh Groban's 'You Raise Me Up'. So far, everything had been going smoothly until...

99 Problems, and Xtina is one. Or at least for him, she has been.

...Tony Lucca decided to sing Jay Z's classic '99 Problems'. It all went downhill from there, and not just for Aguilera but for Lucca and Levine as well. I really thought that Xtina would give Tony a break since it was the finale and all, and she did. She actually said that Tony's voice sounded great and cool last night but the thing that irked her was the 'derogatory lyrical connotation' that his song has towards women. Okay, it sounds a little random but if we back track and educate ourselves of the reports that lead up to last night's finale, it will make more sense. 

Reports say that earlier this week, Levine and Lucca once again decided to take a dig at Xtina through their song choice. Lucca was meant to sing '99 Problems', 'but a bitch ain't one' and apparently it enraged the diva into asking NBC to pull the plug on the boys tactical choice. Afterwards, Levine apparently stormed into Xtina's rehearsal and called her a 'fucking cunt'. Last night when he sang, Xtina called out Tony and Adam on their ploy and criticised the singer for singing a derogatory song especially since Lucca's wife and children were in the audience. Now reports say that Lucca has responded and called out Xtina on her 'pathetic' retorts and has decided that if he doesn't win, he's going to blame his ex-fellow Mouseketeer for it. 

Personally, I thought the whole thing was a pile of steaming bollocks. She said it was a derogatory song towards women. So what? It's true. It's an opinion. The same way Blake expresses complet distaste towards production value. They are being paid to say what they want, and Xtina obviously has an issue with double standards (uhm, 'Can't Hold Us Down' anyone?) We all knew that Xtina was opposed to Lucca since the beginning of the live shows and she has been vocal about it. What annoys me is the constant passive aggressiveness that Lucca and his coach takes each week to further deepen the issue, if his songs aren't indicative enough. Had Levine and Lucca just responded plainly on live TV and not by veiling their hatred in song, things would not have escalated. Aguilera would have been put in her place and Lucca would not be in the competition purely out of publicity and controversy. Let us not forget that America actually voted Tony out against Katrina Parker, had it not been for Levine's 'bromance' points that saved him and put him through to the finale. It seems to me that both Levine and Lucca have no intention of laying it out in the open because all of this publicity is working in Lucca's favour. Why would they? Xtina is doing her job, AND doing THEIRS. People are voting for Lucca not because he's the best out of the four (because clearly it is Juliet) but to spite and fuel the fire of Aguilera-Lucca gate. And what does he do afterwards? He finally comes out to the press and rants. Yeah, real mature. If he really wanted to succeed in the business, with bitches or not, he should have just taken the high road and chose equally fantastic songs but without all the psychological guerilla warfare. 

She's a 'Fighter' world! Have we forgotten about her feministic efforts, i.e. Stripped?

I'm not saying Aguilera is not at fault because she is as well. As much as I love her, I really thought that she should have just left it last week and given Tony a deadpan face last night. To her credit, she has not once said a lie on the show. Tony is boring, he's not the best vocal talent and he would make for a great Britney-cover band frontman. I don't think she was supporting Katrina to spite Lucca, but I feel she recognised the prior's vocal talent and wanted to give her a fair chance to win (and she did, because admit it or not, American listened to Xtina). But then again we know that the singer can be volatile when she wants to be. She wore assless chaps to make a statement for God's sake! There are people out there who call out the hypocrisy on her behalf because her appearance on TV does nothing for the whole of womenkind. I don't know about that, but all I know is that she shouldn't be chastised for it because she wants to wear what she wants. At least she's ballsy about the whole thing. Nobody will say anything negative towards Rihanna or Perry or Gaga or Madonna, and these ladies wear less than Xtina at most times. What about Madonna's geriatric leotard antic at the SuperBowl? Wasn't THAT derogatory towards women who feel they should act their age? Sexism is a double-edged sword and nobody can win. But if last night was any indication of what Aguilera can be like when confronted, well. I wouldn't want to cross her anytime soon. 

As for Adam? He was supposed to be the 'mature' one of the four coaches, and with all the psycho-babble he spits out each week, you'd think he would have at least the decency to bring things out in the open and address the situation. Instead he chooses to mock Xtina and use Lucca as his medium to get back at her. He reminds me of those people who resort to posting passive aggressive comments via Facebook status because he can't face confrontation on live telly. All three parties should go hom after tonight's final show and do some serious soul searching. Aguilera has a new album coming out and I don't want her ruining her chances by aggravating people. The world is full of pre-pubescent imbeciles who support the singer with the biggest dick on stage and if she keeps going the way she does, things might get a bit ugly. As for Lucca, I have a feeling that he's not all that great in person. If he is more than happy to bask in this undeserved publicity and revel in the controversy then he's no different than the rest of them. In fact, if he was happy with his 'legit' artistry prior to the show, why would he want to go on live TV again but to get the public's attention? Finally, for Levine...I think that guy should just grow a pair and at least fight back a mano-a mano. He should take a leaf out of Blake and Cee Lo's book and just say it as it is. 

It's such a shame because the show could have done without the drama. Needless to say, however much I loved 'The Prayer' duet by Aguilera and Mann, Juliet Simms has my heart this season. If anything, it's should be an opportune moment for Simms to grab the trophy while the rest of the world is looking the other way. I wonder how the hell these coaches are going to perform together tonight with all of that between them?

'This is all mine bitches! I've got no PROBLEMS'

Britney vs Christina, The Voice vs X Factor: Hurrah, it's the 90s all over again!

While taking a break from the humdrum of banking 12,000 words for my dissertation, I've decided to weigh in on the upcoming events regarding the world of reality TV singing competitions. Yes I know, I've been dwelling on this kind of guilty pleasure a bit too much, but give me a break. When sitting facing the prospect of analysing Horace and Lucan, Xtina is just about the best thing in the world to look forward to. Not to mention the fact that this may just be the biggest thing on reality television since Snooki got pregnant. Yes, like the title suggests.... it's Britney versus Christina, ROUND TWO!

Remember this?

Though not fully confirmed just yet, Britney Spears is like this close to signing a $15 million contract with Simon Cowell's singing competition The X Factor. This can only mean one thing of course- a rejuvenated rivalry with fellow Mouseketeer alumna, and current queen of NBC's rival show The Voice, Christina Aguilera. However, they won't be battling over record hits and Grammy's, or who can raise up their midrif tops higher. It'll be all about the ratings, and with The Voice currently leading the numbers with it's sudden impact with the viewers, it'll be interesting to see which pop icon can serve up veritably superior numbers. Also, having Britney on board would add another Mouseketeer on the reality TV circles, with the likes of Tony Lucca competing on NBC, and former N*SYNC  member JC Chasez judging on Randy Jackson's America's Best Dance Crew. What a whole lot of Disney on primetime TV! Soon enough, we may just see Genie in a Bottle and Baby One More Time back on the charts.

So how do we divide our time between the two pop princesses? For starters, unless NBC decides to take Simon head-to-head and issue a third season for the fall, then the ratings will obviously be divided into two different times in the year. Not really interesting especially since the fans are both gunning for a revival of the whole Team Britters vs Team Xtina matches. To have that weekly would potentially be a gold mine both for the US audiences and their respective networks, which begs the perennial question for ages- who will you support? 

I've decided to then list a few pros and cons for each pop diva to help you decide. I will now say that I am Team Xtina through and through. However, I do like Britney Spears as well because these two can't live without each other (also because I think these two should collaborate and destroy that pop-blackhole that is Lady Gaga). Much like the Mao Asadas and Kim Yunas of the world. They have kept each other on their toes and they set the bars for today's music. On that note, they are also truly individual and this just makes the debates more fun...and also, stale. So let's begin shall we?

THE VOICE: CHRISTINA AGUILERA (a.k.a Xtina, Madame X, Tits McGee)

PROS:

-The girl can sing. I'm talking four octaves, have sung with many a great singers including her idol Etta James. Five Grammy's to prove it, and is currently the youngest singer to have made Rolling Stone's Greatest Voices of all Time. If you've not heard her epitaph 'the voice of the generation' millions of times like a broken record, then you my friend are hopeless. This fact alone also gives her credibility and the right to judge aspiring singers because on a vocal level, she has the most valuable advice to give. She knows her shit.

-She's the honest judge. Albeit, a little cold-hearted towards people not from her team and sometimes a little obtuse when executing her critique, but at the end of the day she gets the job done. She deals the singers the critique that almost everybody begrudgingly hates to agree with, and she's not afraid to be hated for it. Case in point, Jesse Campbell. 

-She's controversial, and this is enough to draw ratings for NBC. She's now usurped Jennifer Aniston's title as queen of the network for serving up the best ratings since 2006. 

-Singers actually want to hear her and see her for advice. I know if I can sing and were to audition, I would want to hear her opinions however potentially evil they may be. If I wanted to win a free trophy for just being present I would go to American Idol. Also, she gets emotionally invested in them. Look up, Lindsey Pavao.

CONS:

-She's too honest. Apparently for some people she just comes off as a bitch. Really what is up with people being over sensitive these days? They act like they've not heard worse things being said at their nearest bus stop. Personally I find it refreshing to hear her say it like it is, but in terms of ratings...it can be a potential turn off for viewers. Or as I call these people, pansies. 

-Her outfits can give serious glare damage. Obviously she's been looking great recently for the live shows but a certain Sonia Rykiel UFO-disc headband from a few weeks back have established the fact that Xtina is still rather disjointed with her fashion choices. Why can't she just be glam and chic like JLo? With the progress as of late, I'd like to say she's back on track but unless I see consistency, I say, Xtina...just dress like you're on your way to the Grammy Awards. 

-She's still a little off sync with the three male coaches. Sometimes she looks like the annoying little sister who likes to crash Big Brother Adam Levine's stag night to see how much fun it is, and maybe she can bum and grind a little too. It's a little awkward to watch on TV, but at times it is also very endearing to see her be protected by the boys against the media. 

***

X FACTOR: BRITNEY SPEARS (a.k.a Baby Madonna, Brit Brit, Baldie)

PROS:

-She's Britney-Hit-Me-Baby-One-More-Time-Spears. Enough said. 

-Britters has got one HELL of a backstory to draw people in. After years of ups and downs, the public loves nothing more than a great and inspirational success story. She's been through it all and she still has a strong career and relativity. She's the nation's darling pop princess and that alone is a reason to watch...while secretly hoping she would once again flare up. Admit it. You know you wanna see her be naughty too(^^)

- She is the epitome of manufactured pop. From tailored vocals to production boot camp and a whole lotta other hoopla, she has valuable info on the industry and how it works. As a result she's become one of the greatest female entertainers of our time. 

-Like Christina, she's also got a decades' worth of controversy tailing her. That's enough nostalgia for people to refer back to while watching her judge aspiring popstars who may end up down the same path. After the fame of course. That would be one of the best ratings pull ploys for Cowell. 

CONS:

-Unlike Xtina, Britters is known to be limited in the vocal department. What decent, self-respecting singer would want to take advice from somebody who has made a living from meticulous miming skills? 

-Apparently she signed a no-bullying clause in her contract, which means we will still have to rely on Cowell to tell it like it is. NOT FUN! We want Britney to be naughty and cut throat too! For those seeking reality TV truth, they may just have to switch channels and watch Xtina tear Tony Lucca a new one again. 

-Will she be able to perform under all the stress? Remember she's still trying to straighten her life out. There's no saying how the stress on being in the public view on a weekly basis will affect her relatively fragile psyche. Xtina has had a couple of seasons under her belt that has helped her settle into this new field. Will Britney be able to live up to public expectation? Also can somebody remind the stage hands to remove any razors or umbrellas from her vicinity. 

***

Well there you have it. Based on these pros and cons, which pop star will you be watching? I'll probably watch both because I can. Who knows? Maybe Britney will be great. I'm still uncertain on how I feel about the upcoming revival of their rivalry but then with a new, younger generation watching, maybe it'll be refreshing to hear new thoughts. Let me know what you think!

Love,

NBC The Voice: Why I love it and why Christina is the best coach on the show.

We all know how widely popular and how successful The Voice has been, both for NBC and the community of fellow reality TV singing competition lovers. It's a great concept, especially with it's initial blind audition process where the show takes it back to basics, so to speak. While the show has made big bucks from some serious star-power from all the four coaches (Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton), the network also makes the show credible by inviting some of the best artists in the country. 

Lindsey Pavao singing Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used To Know'

This season, while I favour Team Xtina greatly with all the bias in the world, I have to say that I do have favourites from the other teams as well. Katrina Parker and Tony Lucca from Team Adam are two of ones I look forward to listening, alongside Jamar Rogers from Team RedZone (a.k.a Cee Lo) and Erin Willett from Team Blake. The diversity in talent this season has been incredible. I like the fact that it is not just a competition full of big voices with four octave ranges- case in point, Lindsey Pavao's indie-ness and haunting vocals have been refreshing and modern. Her sound is always a breath of fresh air! I personally cannot see her on stage at the 'other' TV competitions because of this fact alone. Idol and X Factor, while they are improving in terms of catching up with talent, are still prejudiced towards artists from alternative genres. If you can sing Whitney decently, you get a trophy. If you can rap like Eminem, you too can win a trophy! It's ridiculous. God knows it is not the sort of music that this generation has grown up listening too. The beauty of The Voice is that it combines modern sound with the singer's flexibility in wielding their artistic creativity, and it return they offer us music that isn't just a carbon copy of the greats. Plus. can I just point out how fabulous it is to know that sob stories don't matter until after the blind auditions? No teary coaches to be found on The Voice, because the process levels out the playing field. So you were homeless, big deal. Jesse Campbell had to BRING it at his audition without the coaches' awareness of his situation. Their life stories are irrelevant in the audition process, which ultimately makes the competition fair and square. 

Now on to my beaming review of Christina's progress as the queen of NBC.

She may be ditzy sometimes, and her jokes and digs may be a bit obtuse. Her wardrobe may have had a horrific track record, although her recent live show get-ups have been nothing short of beautiful. She may exude extreme bias towards her team. 

HOWEVER. 

Christina has been the single, most honest coach in the competition thus far. She says what's on her mind, and if she didn't like a performance, she says it but not without good criticism. Now, readers may hate me for saying this but it's the truth. Naia Kete was the perfect example last week with her blah performance of Adele's 'Turning Tables'. It was a huge miscalculation on Blake's part and Christina called them out on it. It was boring and pitchy and very amateurish. That's what everyone watching thought, or at least those who have good working ears. She's a great artist and I would definitely listen to an album if she ever releases one, but Naia's performance was a huge downer. Sure Christina could have sugar-coated her critique but that would have done Naia a great disservice because it is what she needed to hear. When I read the reviews and blogs the day of the results show, everyone has gone to chastise the lady coach for being a bit too 'harsh' and bitchy. Obviously people have become sensitive. Shouldn't they realise that actually, if the average Joe and Jane were to listen to Naia and not like it, they would say harsher things? To me, Xtina has been The Voice (duh!) of the people. She definitely says whats on my mind. 

Tony Lucca is another example. After last night's performance of 'In Your Eyes', everyone was beaming and impressed. He has a great voice that is reminiscent of David Gray and Ray LaMontagne, but that's just it. When he sang Ray's 'Trouble' at his audition I thought he sounded EXACTLY like the original record. Perhaps Christina did hit the nail on the head with her 'one-dimensional' comment, because Tony has been predictable thus far. His style is singularly focused on that folksy-indie-rocky niche and he could do with being a bit more than a one trick pony. After all, one can only listen to your signature sound many a time before they stop   buying your records (look up, Madonna, Gwen, Xtina, Michael Jackson...the list goes on). Ashley de la Rosa in comparison has done just that, for nobody thought that she was a pop-rock girl until last week. To pull off an Alanis Morisette number at 17 is a feat on its own. That's the sort of challenge Tony has to face. Then came the 'Mouseketeer' comment. As it turns out, Justin Timberlake has been tweeting his support of Tony for being good friends. So far, I've realised that NBC, Tony and the rest of America have capitalised majorly on his past as a Mouseketeer. And while that joy and nostalgia on TV, it hinders him as an artist because everyone who talks about him always bring up the whole Disney thing. That may have been where Xtina was coming from when she brought it up and told Tony of his unfair advantage because he has a celebrity following. I see it, and I get it. Now obviously, reading up on the reports, once again Xtina was the evil stepmother for saying such controversial things! 

Whatever. I give up. As she has said in the past, you cannot please everyone. Christina Aguilera has been the most honest and constructive (it could be a bit more refined...but I'll take it.) coach on the show. The only other one I find who's on par is Blake but whenever Adam agrees, so does he. That bromance thing does get a bit annoying sometimes. Poor Cee Lo. I always want to hear what he has to say, but they seem to not give him enough air time to ramble on as much as Adam.  Nevetheless, I think the other three coaches need to be a bit more sensible with their advice and not just compliment everything. Otherwise, they will turn into a much pretty version of Randy-JLo-and-Steven who wants to give the title to everyone for simply, performing.