Gwen Stefani should be romping to victory on ‘The Voice’, but slew of mistakes may cost her the crown
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The choices of Gwen Stefani in this 26th season of 'The Voice', especially in the battle between Cozy Len and Felsmere, were choices that might cost her the winning team. During the competition, many of the fans were surprised by how Gwen cosseted Felsmere's continuance. Cozy was great and showed off a smooth, emotive falsetto, while Felsmere's delivery seemed less polished and, on more than one occasion, even "shouty." Cozy at least to many fans and critics, seemed to have far more raw talent and versatility that would have taken him much further on the show.
This decision brings up the question of whether Gwen chose the right team members who have what it takes to win. In passing over Cozy, she may well have lost the opportunity to develop a one-of-a-kind voice that would have made him at least one of the top competitors of the season.
Another problem area for Gwen was in song selection, pairing Cozy and Felsmere on "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts. This, in fact, was a song choice that didn't serve either contestant very well. Cozy, with his soft falsetto, needed a smoother, more delicate melody to show the best of his voice; Felsmere's jazzy tone needed quite another thing entirely. With their song choice misaligned, neither contestant could shine as he wanted, and it forced an un-harmonious performance of the song. This decision influenced the outcome of the battle but could also mean that Gwen has problems selecting songs that will emphasize the strengths of members of her team, a strong skill that a good coach needs to have in this competition.
These missteps can really have a major effect on the overall standing of Gwen in the season. With this, by advancing those who may not have the vocal adaptability or appeal that is desired by the audiences in later stages, Gwen may weaken her team's competitive advantage. In a competition where every decision means something in the journey of a contestant, the inability to strategically choose songs or identify the right talents could stop her team from reaching the finale.
Otherwise, she will be stuck with a less dynamic team in the high-stakes rounds if she continues to make decisions like these, losing strong voices early on. To win 'The Voice', she will have to get strategic with song choices and talent selection-or risk her team not taking home that trophy.
'The Voice’ coach Gwen Stefani chose wrong songs for the contestants
Song selections by Gwen Stefani on 'The Voice' Season 26 have called into question her big-picture strategy as a coach, notably in how well she's matching songs to her contestants' unique styles and strengths. Song selection is critical on 'The Voice', it can make or break a performance.
One of the key coaching points while picking a song is finding one that fits the voice and style of the contestant, but so far, Gwen has made some poor choices that failed to highlight her contestants' strengths. A better fit for Cozy might have been some kind of heart-wrenching ballad that could've shown off the soul of his voice, while Felsmere might have nailed some upbeat, jazzy tune. In selecting a song that didn't particularly play to either singer's strengths, Gwen's contestants found themselves unable to impress.
Gwen Stefani doesn’t adjust coaching style to each contestant on ‘The Voice’
As it is, this season, some scrutiny has been placed on Gwen Stefani's coaching approach 'The Voice', especially her ability to switch that style concerning something each contestant could be needing. While Gwen is smart and resourceful on her own thought process, it has become obvious several times that when her coaching style was held as "one-size-fits-all," sometimes holding team members from complete fulfillment.
Individual strengths of all contestants on 'The Voice' have something that keeps them in the game, whether an unusual vocal ability or a special way of performing. The best kind of coaching identifies these and develops each person's strengths so he or she can shine in their unique way. However, Gwen's techniques and advice tend to be rather universal among her team and won't work across the board. A soulful, gutsy singer would take a whole different kind of coaching than one whose voice is delicate and more classical. Without adjusting her insight, Gwen may be missing an opportunity to augment each contestant's special abilities.
Moreover, every contestant, just like others, has areas for improvement in their own unique way. Some singers may need coaching to feel comfortable on a stage, while others may have issues with breath control or emotionally channeling themselves into a song. When Gwen does not adjust her method of coaching to target these individual weaknesses, it sometimes leaves contestants feeling unprepared and restricts growth. In being more general with her advice, Gwen is not providing the specific guidance her team members may need to make necessary improvements in key areas.
'The Voice’ coach Gwen Stefani made mistake of letting go Lennon Vanderdoes in season 24
Gwen Stefani's decision to cut loose Lennon Vanderdoes in this season of 'The Voice' has raised quite a storm amongst her fans. Many think this is a mistake because Lennon seemed so promising and had left a very strong mark on the judges and audiences alike. Performances by Lennon really connected with the judges. Niall Horan complimented Lennon, saying he was made for the song-that it actually finally fit into his missing piece in the competition. The other judge, John Legend, even cried during one of Lennon's performances. That much emotion from a judge would signal to someone that Lennon had 'it.' Since this was the case, many fans were extremely surprised by Gwen's decision to cut him loose.
First, Gwen used her Super Save on Lennon to put him back in the game, which showed that she recognized his potential. However, during the live semifinals, Gwen decided to cut him from the show, and this caused disappointment to its fans. This left many people guessing as to why she would bring him back if only to send him away shortly afterward. Some believe that Gwen did not quite recognize Lennon's long-term potential and that this inconsistency may have affected his momentum in the show.
NBC broadcasts 'The Voice' on Monday at 8 pm ET/PT and Tuesday at 8.30 pm ET/PT. Streaming on Peacock the next day.