‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battles Recap: Adam Ladell’s fate, plus shocking decisions [VIDEOS]
Original air date: June 5, 2016 on Nine
“The Voice Australia” 2016 (Season 5) aired its final battle round Sunday on Nine. In this episode, host Sonia Kruger and coaches Ronan Keating, the Madden brothers, Delta Goodrem and Jessie J. all got emotional when it was time to learn the fate of Adam Ladell. Some shocking decisions were made, too.
Here are the highlights of “The Voice AU” Season 5, Episode 12, where two contestants were saved. Six contestants went home, failing to make it to Monday's Super Battles. The recap of the previous battle round is right here. UPDATED: The first part of the superbattles recap/review is right here.
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 17: Team Madden battles ‘most intriguing’ female voices
Lexi Clark vs Casey Rose. Host Sonia Kruger said these two have the most intriguing female voices this year. Lexi got a 3-chair turn in Episode 1; Delta and Ronan also turned for her. Lexi was afraid a surgery would end her music career, but it may have actually enhanced her vibrato. Casey’s blind audition was a duet with her best friend Barnaby in Episode 4. The Maddens got them by default, but they were only interested in Casey. The Maddens picked for them Elle King’s “Ex’s & Oh’s.” Coach Ronan thought their performance was “fun.” For him and Delta, Lexi was the better one. For Jessie, Casey was better. The winner for the Maddens is Lexi! Casey went home.
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 18: Team Delta brings on male artists with ‘star quality’
Alfie Arcuri vs Andrew Mikinnon. Architect Alfie was the first ever blind audition of “The Voice AU” Season 5. He got a 4-chair turn for his soothing tone. Andrew was Delta’s 12th team member, picked by default in Episode 9. Delta said she saw in them some “star quality.” For their battle, Delta picked “Drag Me Down” by One Direction. Melbourne’s Andrew, 19, has been honing his talent for years. Sydney’s Alfie, 27, has zero technical experience in music; he hasn’t even harmonised with anyone until the mentoring session with Delta. After the performance, Jessie J. echoed Delta’s advice for Alfie: show some confidence, believe in yourself. The Maddens thought Alfie was the better singer, but Ronan thought Andrew performed better. For Delta, Alfie is the right contestant to continue in the competition with her. She called him her “secret weapon.” Andrew went home.
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 19: Team Jessie chooses powerful theme song for the young ones
Aaliyah Warren vs Brianna Holm. Aaliyah, 17, also got the Maddens to turn their chair in her blind audition in Episode 4. Brianna, 20, got an all-turn with her haunting version of “Creep” in Episode 3. Jessie chose Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for their battle. During the rehearsals, Jessie urged both of them to tackle the song with greater zing. Coach Jessie J. picked Brianna, saying she more ready now. The Maddens saved Aaliyah, clearly contradicting Jessie J, who said Aaliyah should grow as an artist, but not in television. Aaliyah was thrilled to be saved, but Jessie J did not look happy.
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 20: Team Ronan presents ‘angelic voices’
Georgia Carey vs Kate Van Elswijk. Georgia, 21, from Adelaide, got all coaches to turn for her at the end of Episode 2. She was Ronan’s first successful pitch. Kate, 19, from Sydney, got Ronan by default in Episode 6. Sonia Kruger said their voices were angelic. Ronan selected Cher’s “Believe” for their all-white battle. Coach Ronan picked Georgia. Kate went home.
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 21: Team Delta pairs her team’s opera singers
Ben Logan vs Shirin Majd. Ben, 44, tenor from Melbourne, and Shirin, 34, soprano from Brisbane, are both opera singers. They got Delta by default in Episodes 3 and 7, respectively. Delta had high hopes about the two, but during their first rehearsal for “The Prayer,” things were not looking very good. Delta urged them to sing like it’s going to be their last song. Delta picked Shirin, which was a shocking decision for the rest of the coaches. For her part, Delta explained she “wanted to be fair” and pick a better song for Shirin. Ben went home.
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 22: Team Madden sets stage on fire
Kylie Jane Howard vs Talia Giancaspro. Kylie, 24, from Newcastle, also got Coach Ronan to turn his chair during her blind audition in Episode 7. Talia, 30, from Adelaide, got the Maddens by default in the same episode. For their battle, they took on “Not Ready to Make Nice” by the Dixie Chicks. They both positively impressed the coaches, who all gave them a standing ovation. Coach Ronan said they could be Australia’s next country stars. The Maddens picked Talia for being great in only her second public outing yet (the first being the blind auditions). Kylie went home.
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 23: Team Ronan pairs up two of the youngest male artists with inspiring stories
Mitch Gardner vs Adam Ladell. Mitch, 19, from Sydney, also got Delta Goodrem to turn her chair during his blind audition in Episode 3. The audience then learned that he lost his mother at 17, and he was trying to move on with her support in mind. It was a story that hit Ronan hard, as he, too, lost his mom to cancer at a young age. Adam, 16, from Melbourne, got a four-chair turn in Episode 4. The judges were stunned to learn that he has Tourette’s syndrome (TS), a neurological disorder that disappears when he sings.
Ronan picked a powerful and uplifting song for them: Firestone by Kygo. The Maddens thought it was one of the best battles this year. Getting emotional, Coach Ronan said the performance affected him a lot, and he was about to make a heartbreaking decision. He picked Mitch Gardner. Delta saved Adam. At this point, all the saves have been used!
‘The Voice Australia’ 2016 Battle 24: Team Jessie J caps the battles with big 4-chair-turner vocals
Claire Howell vs Ellen Reed. Gold Coast’s Claire, 18, got a four-chair turn with Jessie J’s “Who You Are” in her blind audition in Episode 2. Brisbane’s Ellen, 27, took on Sia’ "Chandelier" and got Jessie by default. All the other coaches, whose teams were already complete at the time, made it look like it was a four-chair turn by squeezing themselves in Jessie’s revolving platform in Episode 9, the last episode of the blind auditions.
Jessie J picked Katy Perry’s “Unconditionally” to push her team’s biggest vocals even further. The rehearsal was tough for Ellen, who struggled in showing her vulnerability. As for Claire, Jessie thought she was “thinking” instead of feeling the song. Without a save left, the stakes are high for Ellen and Claire. Saying she wanted Ellen to believe in herself, Jessie picked Ellen. Claire went home.
WATCH: Claire Howell, Ellen Reed sing ‘Unconditionally’ – Final Battle
WATCH: Adam Ladell, Mitch Gardner sing ‘Firestone’ by Kygo
“The Voice Australia” 2016 Battles return on Nine Monday for the Super Battles, where four artists (more in cases of duos and trios) go into the ring, only two of them will move forward to the live shows. Watch more videos on the show’s YouTube page here.
