The Voice recap: 'The Blind Auditions, Part 6'

Get ready for the battles, people, because the teams are now full!

Tonight, all four coaches finish rounding out their squads, and while their final additions might not be the showstoppers of their individual teams, per se, they could end up being surprise runaways if given the right training. And with this year’s crop of mentors — Shawn Mendes for Alicia Keys, Julia Michaels for Adam Levine (no wonder he was raving about Miya Base’s song choice before), Hailee Steinfeld for Kelly Clarkson, and Trace Adkins for Blake Shelton — there should be plenty of pearls of wisdom for these folks to pick from.

Here’s who makes it through (and doesn’t) in the final leg of the blind auditions.

Genesis Diaz (19 — Miami, Florida)
“Praying” by Kesha

First up is Genesis Diaz, a first-generation American whose parents came here from Cuba to pursue their own passion for music — they were bandmates once upon a time — and have since supported her own ambitions. For her performance, she picks what Kelly Clarkson notes is a “big song,” and luckily for Genesis, she’s got a big enough voice to match it, and she’s got the requisite vulnerability to hit the intangibles of this number, too. No amount of growls or good runs can replicate the raw emotion that accompanies this song, and she gets there well enough.

Somehow, it takes a whole bonus verse for her to earn any chair-turns, but when she does, it’s both Adam Levine and Blake Shelton who are after her. Blake enthusiastically offers what would be the last spot on his team, but she’s ultimately convinced by Adam’s promise that he’s already got some ideas in mind for where she can go from here.

Team: Adam Levine

Sharane Calister (24 — Des Moines, Iowa)
“Make It Rain” by Ed Sheeran

The Voice could just as easily be a contest for the nation’s most resilient individuals, and it would still make sense because, like so many others, Sharane Calister has a story. In her case, she was separated for years from her twin sister as a result of her parents’ battle with addiction, grandma’s illness, and subsequent adoption. But to see the two, who were reconnected by chance in a high school music course, together, it’s as if not a day came between them. D’aw.

Her voice is admirable as well. She comes out with sultry low notes that get Alicia Keys cheering with appreciation, and although even she knows this style of R&B/jazz artist is always going to opt for Team Alicia, she forces Kelly to tamp her button and take another recruitment L just to double up the show of respect for her newest, and final, team addition.

Team: Alicia Keys

Dallas Caroline (17 — Santa Rosa, California)
“You Were Always on My Mind” by Willie Nelson

Good on Dallas Caroline for knowing that the quickest way to Blake’s heart (and bid button) is to come out with a classic country song that’s exactly the opposite of what your voice is most obviously suited to. In her case, it’s that rugged old Willie Nelson classic that’s a shot of ice water to the face to hear in Dallas’ bubbly soprano voice.

It sounds a lot like what you might imagine someone like Mandy Moore or Michelle Branch might do with it, which means, yes, there’s something interesting happening. It’s enough to get all three coaches with an opening left (Alicia’s is now full) to fight for her, but, as was written in the stars, she’s meant for Team Blake, and that’s that.

Team: Blake Shelton

Allen Pride Bowser (24 — Philadelphia, Pennyslvania)
“What You Won’t Do for Love” by Bobby Caldwell

Another night of blinds means another night of letdowns for a select few of these remaining hopefuls. Allen Pride Bowser has the deck stacked against him — both Alicia and Blake’s teams are full. He’s made it through tougher times, of course, but even though he’s got some soul and he sprinkles in some interesting hip-hop inspiration, it’s not enough to compel the last two coaches to turn for him. Adam thinks he’s great, but just not what he’s waiting for, while Kelly needed to hear more variety to be convinced.

Team: N/A

Jackie Verna (22 — West Chester, Pennsylvania)
“Peter Pan” by Kelsea Ballerini

They’re not going to let this night finish up without tearing up our hearts ’til the very end, are they? Here we have yet another survivor on the stage — this time, a girl who made it through a terrible car accident that caused a head injury and facial disfiguration and also damaged her courage for performing. After Jackie’s aunt put a keyboard back into her hands, though, things started to turn around for her, and here we are.

Jackie’s not a perfect singer — not even close. But the pop singer does have some intriguing variety and tonal progression that makes her worth keeping an eye on, at least in Adam Levine’s mind. He offers her the last spot on his team, and we’ll have to wait ’til the battle rounds to see/hear if he can help her stitch together what works about her showcase and the leave those nerves behind. For now, Adam’s just delighted to finally nab a country artist.

Team: Adam Levine

Amber Sauer (35 — Paradise, California)
“Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran

Unlike Alicia Keys circa season 12, Kelly Clarkson doesn’t make us all sift through a half dozen other performances before she finds her diamond in the rough. Amber Sauer does enough to earn her bid, despite starting out with a breathy performance that takes a whole lot of note changes to get to a point where it makes an impression.

With her final lines, Amber really hammers into the ground and sky and basically bullies Kelly into pressing her button by never finishing the note until she does so. Well played.

Team: Kelly Clarkson

TEAM STANDINGS:

Team Adam: Rayshun LaMarr, Drew Cole, Levelle Davison, Mia Boostrom, Reid Umstattd, Angel Bonilla, Stephanie Skipper, Tish Haynes Keys, Miya Base, Gary Edwards, Genesis Diaz, Jackie Verna

Team Alicia: Britton Buchanan, Kelsea Johnson, Jaclyn Lovey, Christiana Danielle,Jamai, Johnny Bliss, Terrence Cunningham, Jordyn Simone, Megan Lee, Livia Faith, Shana Halligan, Sharane Calister

Team Kelly: Brynn Cartelli, D.R. King, Molly Stevens, Dylan Hartigan, Jackie Foster, Jorge Eduardo, Alexa Cappelli, Teana Boston, Hannah Goebel, Jamella, Justin Kilgore, Amber Sauer

Team Blake: Kyla Jade, Kaleb Lee, Pryor Baird, Brett Hunter, Austin Giorgio, Spensha Baker, Wilkes, Jaron Strom, JessLee, Bransen Ireland, Jordan Kirkdorffer, Dallas Caroline