Live blog: "The Voice" first season finale
7:00 p.m.: Host Carson Daly is introducing to the stage “four of the most talented voices in America,” and they’re all dressed in formal black for the occasion. After 10 weeks – has it really been that long? It’s gone by so fast – we will find out whether Dia Frampton, Javier Colon, Beverly McClellan or Vicci Martinez will be the first-ever “The Voice.”
7:02: Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton gives a fist-pump and a big “yes” when Carson announces that Mrs. Shelton, fellow country star Miranda Lambert, will be performing a duet tonight with Dia. Other superstar duet pairings for the finalists tonight: Tulsa native and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder will do a duet with Beverly. Legendary Fleetwood Mac songstress Stevie Nicks will pair with Javier. And Train lead singer Pat Monahan will sing with Vicci.
7:05: Former members of “The Voice” family are in the house, and we’re getting some other members of the NBC family involved with a behind-the-scenes look at the finalists’ recent visit to “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” It’s been a long time since NBC has scored a hit, so expect this Peacock to strut, preen and show off the rest of its feathers a lot tonight.
7:07: Cross promoting aside, “The Tonight Show” bandleader Rickey Minor did make a great observation about “The Voice” finalists: We have a great variety of singers represented tonight. Dia has her unique vocal tone and indie folk-rock vibe; Javier is an R&B crooner with smooth pipes; Beverly is the straight-up rocker with the raw voice to match; and Vicci is the soulful firebrand with what Cee Lo calls her “war dance.” It’s an interesting range of performers (especially when you consider that the “American Idol” finals featured two teenage contemporary country singers. Just saying.)
7:12: After a series of flashbacks and prerecorded interviews, Vicci Martinez from Team Cee Lo becomes the first finalist to do her superstar duet.
She and Pat Monahan are crooning Train’s hit “Drops of Jupiter.” Is it bad form is the finalist upstages the star? Because I like Vicci’s soulful croon much better than Monahan’s nasally whining. I’ve never been a Train fan, and much of it has to do with his grating voice. I don’t think he’d get far in this competition. Plus, I prefer her dynamic stage presence.
7:16: In a video clip from last night’s memorable “Beyond Thunderdome” version of Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield,” Vicci comments on how much Cee Lo’s sense of style has rubbed off on her. She’s certainly glitzed it up in her time on the show. I mean, just check out the NBC promo photo taken after the blind auditions.
Carson gives Cee Lo a chance to say a few words about Vicci after her finale performance on “The Voice” stage and he being Cee Lo, he comments on her uniqueness, saying she is the “first Vicci Martinez.”
7:18: Alison Haislip is look very glamorous tonight with her purple dress and dramatic up-do. She’s talking to Javier about “The Voice” experience, and he’s thanking the fans for their support. Always a good idea.
7:22: It’s time to recap Javier’s time on “The Voice.” Coach Adam says “my favorite moment is still the first time I heard him sing,” adding he was astounded at his powerful pipes. The family man, Colon repeats that the hardest part for him on “The Voice” has been to being away from his two young children, adding he knows they will understand someday.
7:23: Great song choice for the Javier Colon-Stevie Nicks’ duet: Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” It’s a gorgeous ballad, and that’s what Javier does best. Plus, I love hatless Javier showing off his beautiful bald head. Stevie’s legendary voice unfortunately has begun to fray, but she sounds better as she warms up over the course of the song. And her stage presence, well, she still has that in spades. I mean how many women can still rock the fingerless gloves as a fashion statement?
