Class singing, interesting set and costume choices and ultimately a predictable public vote was the story of the Semi- Final of The Voice 2016.

On Saturday night I watched the semi- finals of The Voice UK singing competition. The live shows of The Voice tend to focus more than usual on the production and styling side of things so I thought I’d share my thoughts on Saturday’s episode.

Paloma Faith adding a touch of drama in a black power suit

First of all the judges all looked very swarve, donning personalised variants of the suit: Ricky Wilson had a touch of the 70’s with his hipster style brown jacket and paisley red tie. Is it just me or does his latest looks have a feel of Mumford and Sons recently abandoned homely country look? Boy George once again had dramatic flair with a blue and gold circular swirl pattern jacket and striking black trilby. Paloma Faith opted for a bit of vintage nostalgia with a slinky satin jacket, white shirt with a massive bow tie and marcel waved hair. While techno man Will.i.am cut a dash in a simple modern tux.

Now we come to the performances, we started off the night with ex Liberty X contestant Kevin Simm doing a rousing rendition of Adele’s 'Rolling in the Deep'. The set however looked more appropriate for Set Fire to the Rain as plumes of fire flickered behind him throughout. However this was the fieriest thing about the performance, despite comments in previous weeks for Simm to convey more emotion in his singing, Will.i.am still didn’t think he delivered this, commenting: ‘our industry isn’t really about how well you sing. It’s about this other mystery thing you have to unlock’. I believe this sums up Kevin, a nice guy with kids, the masses can relate to and undisputedly a good voice but one that ultimately doesn’t provoke emotion (in me) which is quite possibly why he’s on The Voice and didn’t get a record deal after the Liberty X breakup. 

Kevin Simm with his firery set

Next up we had rapper, beat boxer and singer Lyrickal. His performance oozed urban charm and soul however it didn’t live up to his stunning performance in the knockouts of ‘Read All About It’. Although he does have a warm experience in his voice; in keeping with Will.i.am’s love of alliteration I would describe him as lovable Lyrickal.

Heather Cameron Haynes, the youngest contestant left in the competition was next to take to the stage, the high IQ teenager showcased her maturity turning Justin Biebers club hit ‘Sorry’ into an emotional ballad. Her ability to morph the superficial into the meaningful is definitely her strongest asset and although her voice may not have had the wow factor of the other contestants she definitely shows that it’s the ability to connect with the audience that can make a star. Visually though, Heather and in turn coach Paloma played it a bit safe; repeating last week’s quirk of matching Heather’s dress to her piano and the surrounding backdrops, this time in a deco pattern. This, coupled with a similar song twist meant it was clear Heather was a bit samey.

Cody Frost performing 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac

Punk Rock teenager Cody Frost followed Heather performing Fleetwood Mac classic ‘The Chain’. After a disappointing performance last week (conceded by contestant and coach) Cody really needed to pull something out the bag to avoid elimination. Ricky described her vocals as ‘galactic’ and the performance was certainly stratospheric hitting many a powerful note. Frost made the song her own giving it a much heavier rock vibe with her gravelly voice. At times I felt her stage presence lost impact, she looked a little lost wandering around the stage, her movements a bit school rock concert. Although this was only for a few flickering seconds as her emotive face and stirring vocal pulled the performance to a dramatic conclusion. Her voice alone won my vote.

To follow was Lydia Lucy performing the Jacksons ‘I’ll be There’ in honour to her dead sister. (The emphasis in her pre-performance video on this makes me cynically think this was a tactic to lure the public into a sympathy vote). The performance was polished and showcased her vocal range, but ultimately was rather uninspiring. What’s more she was dressed up rather too much like Taylor Swift in a rather odd white top and skirt with a large gap at the front and a pair of shorts. Her movements seemed to rather mimic the American singer too. Which only begs the question do we need another Taylor Swift?

Last on Paloma’s team was Jordan whose rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’ was the most vibrant up lifting moment of the entire show. As Paloma said ‘it was a celebration of life and humanity’. Jordan being a transgender woman has a unique vocal range which she showcased to full glory tonight. Her performance was once again theatrical like last weeks ‘Shake it Out’. Unlike any of the other contestants Jordan showed she can dance, leap and jump whilst singing a significant skill. She was undoubtly the performer of the night and as Boy George said ‘in a fair and just world you would win the show’. In my opinion she is the rightful winner, the most unique of them all.

Jordan Gray more a slinky green, satin number and leapt around the stage to 'Dancing in the Dark'

Penultimatly we had Vangelis who sung a smooth rendition of Christina Aguilera’s ‘Beautiful’. The performance featured striking lighting breaking up the stage and providing an intimate atmosphere. The performance was enjoyable but a bit lacklustre. I really liked Vangelis’s tone, more so than Kevin's but his performance didn’t carry the same drama as previous acts.

Last to the stage was soul boy Jolan who performed a grandiose rendition of Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’. The classic track was big shoes to fill but Jolan produced a solid performance of suitable stadium filling standards. Despite this I don’t feel swayed one way or the other by him. His style is quite safe and dare I say it ordinary. Probably a safe bet for the final though by all accounts.

Now it was time for the group performances where the contestants perform with their coach; First off was Ricky’s team singing ‘Power of Love’ (the Huey Lewis and the News song). The most notable thing about the performance was how the three men jelled. You could have a three man boy band made there and then. Their voices all harmonised exceptionally well and also showed Jolan’s and Kevin’s range. The rocking vibe of the song suited all their voices and it was a feel good performance. 

In contrast was team Boy George singing Culture Club classic ‘Victims’. As much as I am a fan of Boy George and his acts (Cody and Vangelis respectively) I felt this song choice did not serve them well. It was very good at showcasing Boy Georges smooth honeyed vocals but I felt he just overpowered the whole performance. Cody and Vangelis did have moments to shine but these were really bit parts in a song dominated by their coach. The small snippets we did hear from the others were very good but too fleeting. Vangelis harmonised well with the Boy, whilst Cody showcased her raw edge and ability to convey emotion and pain in her voice.

In spite of the mixed performance it was interesting to see close up in the video beforehand of examples of Boy Georges past stage costumes. As a fan of Boy George’s creative style this was a treat for a costume student who loves eighties counter culture fashion. Unlike Ricky, George, ever the fashionista did have a costume change opting for a plain black suit and white felt top hat for his performance.

Paloma Faith then turned Saturday into ladies night with her all girl team of Heather and Jordan joining her in a rendition of ‘Take Another Little Piece of My Heart’. They put on a strong sassy performance with their voices again harmonising well. The costumes however were not at all flattering. Heather and Jordan were dressed in red and black stripy dresses and it appeared to be one size fits all; with Heather’s looking rather too fitted, making her appear dumpy while Jordan’s hung off her slim frame and being a lot shorter was worn as a tunic with trousers. However the outfit conjured up a style carrying more resemblance to drag than class. It is safe to say neither were flattering unlike Paloma who was clad in a dramatic floor length (and beyond- the hem dragged on to the floor) gown. At least she made an effort to change which is more than can be said for Ricky.

Team Paloma

The last performance of the night came from Will.i.am and co (Lydia and Lyrickal). The trio created a colourful feel good routine of a 70’s medley the majority of which was performed on bikes. The performance was vibrant and energetic if a little crazy but then it is team Will.i.am.

Team Will Taking us back to the 70's

After some recapping and guest performances from Zara Larsson and Birdy it was time for the results which saw Kevin, Lydia, Cody and Jolan go through to the final.  This result was hardly unexpected as Kevin, Lydia and Jolan were the safest, most commercial acts on the show. However it does seem a shame that even with new more avant garde judges picking the more individual and quirky acts the public still end up voting for the most boring. I also feel disappointment for Paloma Faith who lost both her acts, arguably two of the most creative, inspiring contestants in the competition. It is clear the finalists reflect the type of audience who vote for them.

All the Contestants

If I could pick who would have made the final, I would have gone for Jordan, Cody, Lyrickal, Heather, and ultimately I think Jordan should have won the show. However it’s clear the world isn’t ready for a transgender popstar so on that basis I am now backing Cody in next weeks final because individualism deserves to shine and I would just love it for Boy George to win!