That’s it! After four quick weeks, The Voice is done with the Blind Auditions and it’s on to the Battle Rounds.
Some amazing people slipped through the net – particularly tonight’s absolutely incredible Harriet – and some comparative duds made it on to a coach’s team as well. Still, that won’t make their inevitable elimination too heartbreaking next week, at least.
Here is the Trash Lounge selection for this year’s Top 10 blind auditions.
10. Barbara Bryceland
Team Tom
Odds to win: 50/1
Ranking with bookies: 31st
By the looks of the bookies, people aren’t exactly flocking behind Barbara just yet. But the big-voiced 47-year-old – who doesn’t actually look that unlike Barbra Streisand – certainly did pull out an incredible rendition of ‘Wild Horses’. I hope she makes it to the Lives, but it looks like she’ll have to plough through holiday camp singer Leanne Mitchell, who was also very good, in the Battles. COME ON BARBARA!
9. David Faulkner
Team Jessie
Odds to win: 25/1
Ranking with bookies: 11th
David was very quick to win over a lot of fans with his humble nature, and his voice is amazing. His performance of ‘Superstitious’ got all four mentors turned around, and his decision to go for Jessie J was certainly an interesting one. It’ll be interesting to see who she pits him against next weekend.
8. J Marie Cooper
Team Will
Odds to win: 20/1
Ranking with bookies: 9th
The most attention-grabbing audition of the first episode, one-time Strictly singer J Marie Cooper blew the coaches and viewers away with her confident performance of Jessie J’s popular album track. Her decision to go for will.i.am was a bit left-field, in a good way, and I’ll be shocked if she leaves the contest before the live finals.
7. David Julien
Team Danny
Odds to win: 16/1
Ranking with bookies: 8th
Remember why we all love The Script? David Julien reminded us with an exceptional performance of Danny O’Donaghue’s most popular creation to date. The Matt Cardle look-a-like (ish) was an instant standout from the show’s second episode, but he has a lot of males to bat out of his way in Danny’s team. Let’s hope he can do it.
6. Max Milner
Team Danny
Odds to win: 14/1
Ranking with bookies: 5th
His girlfriend Twinilee may have fallen short with her cover of ‘The Climb’, but Max sailed through to the Battle Rounds with his mash-up of ‘Lose Yourself’ and ‘Come Together’. A clever choice of songs to put together and an instant contender for Danny’s team.
5. Becky Hill
Team Jessie
Odds to win: 12/1
Ranking with bookies: 4th
Her parents may have had a more appealing personality than her (the bit where they cracked up in hysterics is a series highlight), but when it came to the singing Becky shut the place down. Don’t let Jaz Ellington’s tear-jerking rendition of this same song, ‘Ordinary People’, push her out of your memory – this girl has a cracking voice, and hopefully will show us a lot more.
4. Joelle Moses
Team Will
Odds to win: 8/1
Ranking with bookies: 3rd
The second most popular female with bookmakers (the sweet Jessica Hammond is top, and 2nd overall – though I doubt she’ll pass the Battle Rounds against Vince Kidd), Joelle Moses blasted everybody away with her glass-shattering vocals on Adele’s ‘Rolling In The Deep’. A hard song to do justice to, but Joelle did it with gusto. Now we just have to wait and see if the public embrace her (and, in fact, if Will takes her far enough to find out).
3. Bo Bruce
Team Danny
Odds to win: 16/1
Ranking with bookies: 7th
Bo’s voice has a gorgeous tone to it, and her interpretation of David Guetta and Usher’s ‘Without You’ was an unexpected triumph in the third audition episode. If Bo makes a premature exit at the hands of the public, it’ll be a lack of relatable sob story rather than a lack of talent. I just want her album now.
2. Jaz Ellington
Team Will
Odds to win: 5/1
Ranking with bookies: 1st
Saving one of the best for last, Jaz Ellington has been instantly installed as the new bookies’ favourite following his moving blind audition in the fourth blind audition episode. His tone is like a big hug (?!) and the fact he was the only one to be given an encore makes him one to watch, big time.
1. Toni Warne
Team Jessie
Odds to win: 25/1
Ranking with books: 12th
An unlikely choice for No. 1 perhaps, but Toni’s take on Will Young’s ‘Leave Right Now’ is so affecting it moves with every listen. Particularly in the second half of the performance, when she really starts to fight for her spot in the Battle Rounds, she stakes her claim on the competition and proves that she isn’t going to go down without an incredible fight.
