Technically, viewers who vote for singers on The Voice are supposed to make their decisions based on the merits of the contestant, but some seasons seem to end up becoming a popularity contest for the coaches. The Voice season 22 definitely seems to be following that path, and many long-time fans are not happy about it. It seems like the show is straying from its original purpose.
Obviously, The Voice voters are allowed to make their decisions based on any criteria they want. However, when they vote for their favorite coach instead of the singing abilities of the contestants, it starts to defeat the purpose of the show. The reason the auditions are blind is so The Voice coaches can choose their teams based solely on the quality of the voice, without being distracted by looks, dance moves or flashy outfits.
Blake Shelton Is Running Away With The Voice Season 22
It seems logical that voters should make their choices based on talent above all else, but they're not. Many Entertainment Weekly commenters agree. One poster wrote, “It makes me feel like watching The Voice is a waste of time when far inferior voices get into the finals and superior ones get sent home.” Another commented, “Let's face it. Half of America won't vote for John Legend's singers due to his political views.” In the semi-finals of The Voice season 22, Blake Shelton’s entire team was voted through to the finals, indicating that viewers are voting more for Blake than for the actual contestants. The only other contestant to make it through based on viewer votes was country singer, Morgan Myles, from team Camila Cabello.
Other Coaches On The Voice Have Fewer Contestants In The Finale
Coach John Legend had three front-runners in the semi-finals, and none of them were voted in. Omar Jose Cardona got through on the instant save, leaving Gwen Stefani with zero contestants in the finale, and John and Camila with only one each. It could be argued that people are voting for team Blake because they like country music, not because they like Blake. However, only Bryce Leatherwood and Brayden Lape are country singers. Blake’s third contestant, Bodie, sings alternative pop rock.
Why Do The Voice Viewers Keep Voting For Team Blake?
Fans have always tended to lean towards voting for contestants on Team Blake, which is probably why he has won The Voice eight times. But this season, it seems like no one else ever had a chance. “The BLAKE army has spoken,” declared one angry viewer in Entertainment Weekly. The overwhelming support for the “God’s Country” crooner might be due in part to the fact that Blake Shelton is leaving The Voice after next season. Many viewers do not want to see him go, and they may think he will change his mind if he keeps winning. Others may be throwing votes his way for nostalgic reasons.
If Blake’s team of singers were more talented than the other contestants, it would make sense that his team is still fully intact, while the other coaches’ teams have been basically decimated. While talent is subjective, it is difficult to argue that Brayden Lape, who basically sings monotone songs that require no vocal prowess, deserves to be in the finals more than contestants like Team Gwen’s Justin Aaron or Team Legend’s Kim Cruse. Both of these singers on The Voice season 22 have shown amazing range, pitch, and power in their performances, yet neither of the contestants made it to the top 5.
The Voice viewers are free to vote for whomever they want, for whatever reasons they want. However, if voting for coaches over contestants continues to be the norm, it could mean the demise of the show. Many fans are already threatening not to watch anymore based on the results of the last vote.
Source: Entertainment Weekly