It was “the most strategic step”, according to Zazie. The one “where we can’t predict anything,” says Vianney. In short, as Mika summed it up: “Cross-battles are very complicated. » What? “Cross-battles”. Or crossed duels for those allergic to anglicisms. This Saturday, April 27, “The Voice” on TF1 offered the first evening of these clashes between candidates belonging to opposing teams. A test at the end of which eight singers were eliminated from the competition. Finally almost eliminated. Because two of them will be drafted later.
The principle ? A coach (Zazie, Vianney, Mika or Bigflo and Oli) presents one of his candidates and designates another coach. The latter chooses which of his foals will face his competitor’s suitor. The two apprentice singers perform their title. The audience present in the studio votes. We discover the scores straight away. And bye bye whoever has the worst result… Until further notice, therefore.
Sometimes close duels
To open the ball, Mika put Mia in the ring, her purple hair and her panoramic fan as a stress reliever. In front of her, Bigflo and Oli brandished the Arthur card. The first put her superb low voice on “Hit the road Jack” by Ray Charles, the second offered velvet during “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. Velvet was no match, Mia won with 57.1% of the votes.
The second duel was the most beautiful and the most painful. Iris, from the Bigflo and Oli team, performed masterfully on “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel. First with a trickle of hyper-controlled vocals, then exploding into an insane rise in power, with a little Björk side. Opposite, Aprile, from the Vianney “team”, covered “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys. Gently, then standing on her piano… It was powerful too, but it wasn’t enough: Iris won with 50.5% of the public. “It was a matter of two voices, friends,” said Nikos Aliagas. Cruel, these cross-battles!
Hamid closes the match, Baptiste flies over
The following clashes were less close. Hamid, who works in a nursing home in the city and with coach Zazie on “The Voice”, covered “Mon Dieu” by Édith Piaf. Demonstrative but moving, he lost the match against Gwendal, a handsome blue-eyed kid from the Vianney stable. The latter roared in a somewhat caricatured manner on “Light the fire” by Johnny Hallyday. Hamid brought together 59.7% of the spectators and Gwendal left the stage after a general hug between the coaches and the candidates.
Between Orange from Mika’s team and Baptiste Sartoria from Vianney’s team, there was a match, but no photo. Orange started sitting on Mika’s armrest to cover “En rouge et noir” by Jeanne Mas. It was funny, but not earth-shattering. Baptiste Sartoria sent all his technique on “Diego” by Johnny Hallyday (him again). It was very serious and very beautiful and he put 80% of the spectators in his pocket.
Stolt outclassed by Adnaé
Another hard blow, then, with the defeat of Stolt, coached by Zazie. The bearded man sang “Jealous” by Labrinth, all in pain, his eyes closed, his hands trembling, totally inhabited. But Adnaé, the engineer from Mozambique, little protégé of Bigflo and Oli, won the game thanks to Dalida. She took up “So as not to live alone” with delicacy and a few tears. Result: 61.2% of the votes and ciao, Stolt! We shared Zazie’s regrets: “When they are talents like that, we would like them not to come face to face.”
Alphonse, a 17-year-old high school student from the “Zazie team”, who played the reincarnation of Jacques Brel during the auditions, then rolled his deep voice to “Ordinaire” by Robert Charlebois. In front of him, Clément Serra, a 27-year-old teacher with a mustache from the BigFlo and Oli team, covered “La Corrida” by Francis Cabrel on the guitar. It was nice, but the teacher had to give up his place to the more intense student: Alphonse won with 68.4%.
In the last two “cross-battles”, Noah, the Breton candidate from Vianney, displayed a lot of energy, on the guitar, on the very rock “Beggin’” by Madcon. But the voice of Clément (team Mika) soared on “Wasting my young years” by London Grammar and brought him 65.7% of the votes. As for Marco Lena (Vianney’s team), his accuracy on “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen got the better of Rhéa (Bigflo and Oli’s team), who did not perform poorly on “Mr/Mme” by Loïc Nottet. Marco won 58.8% and his ticket to the next stage.
A possible catch-up in “The Voice, Comeback”
Result of the races? Or cross country, rather? Mia, Iris, Hamid, Baptiste Sartoria, Adnaé, Alphone and Marco Léna are qualified for the “super-cross battle”. All is not lost for others. In “The Voice, Comeback”, a parallel competition broadcast on the TF1 + platformactress and comedian Camille Lellouche will save two of the losers this Saturday evening.
His or her finalist will join the other finalists of Mika, Zazie, Vianney, Bigflo and Oli for the semi-final which will take place on May 18. “Cross-battles are very complicated,” as Mika said. Very complicated but not definitive, phew!
