Artists Face Off In Week 3 Of 'The Four: Battle For Stardom'
FOX singing competition The Four: Battle for Stardom entered its third week. Who rose to the occasion and became a part of The Four?
All four artists who started the show have been eliminated. Their successors Zhavia, Candice Boyd, Cheyenne Elliott, and Jason Warrior kicked off the night with an exceptional performance of Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj's "Bang Bang."
Right away, viewers could tell that Zhavia was a little under the weather and the singer confirmed that one of the show's doctors put her on vocal rest.
Round 1: Rell Jerv Versus Cheyenne Elliott
Rapper Rell Jerv was the first performer of the evening. The father of two hoped to work with rap mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs if he survived the round. The rapper performed his original track "Pools." As he performed, DJ Khaled, Diddy, and even Jason Warrior seemed impressed with his performance.
Meghan Trainor was impressed with his control and songwriting ability, but Diddy warned him that if he moved on to face The Four, he did not want to not hear Jerv's influences. The panel decided that Jerv was worthy of challenging one of the members of The Four.
Jerv decided to challenge Cheyenne Elliott because she took down Lex Lu, the show's original rapper. Elliott, who is Dionne Warwick's granddaughter, tackled The Voice coach Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball." While Elliott brought a soulful twist to the song, reality TV veterans immediately compared the performance to Cyrus and Brooke Simpson's powerful rendition of the song on The Voice.
Jerv countered with his original single: "I Own It." Jerv delivered rapid-fire lyrics, and he gave a performance that reminded rap fans of watching a young Jay-Z in action.
The fans decided to evict Ms. Warwick's granddaughter from the competition and Jerv became a part of The Four.
Round 2: Sean Cavaliere
Sean Cavaliere was a former boy band member who sought a solo career. The 18-year-old charmed the "All About That Bass" singer-songwriter. Cavaliere performed Shawn Mendes' "Stitches," and immediately both the future Mrs. Daryl Sabara and the members of The Four noticed that Cavaliere sounded like Mendes. DJ Khaled stated he was good, but that he was not better than The Four. Cavaliere did not advance to the next round, but both Charlie Walk and DJ Khaled advised him to continue to improve his artistry as he left the stage.
Round 3: Jefferson Clay Versus Jason Warrior
23-year-old singer-songwriter Jefferson Clay picked up a guitar when he was 13 year olds and he has been chasing his dream and received support from his number one fan: his grandmother. Clay performed James Morrison's "Better Man" and he reminded viewers of two familiar singing competition shows: Lee DeWyze and Phillip Phillips.
Diddy was impressed with Clay's artistry, while Trainor thought that Clay was at home on stage. The panel decided that Clay was worthy to challenge The Four. DJ Khaled decided to inspire Clay by debuting his son, Ashad. However, Clay was eyeing Zhavia and both Trainor and Diddy advised him not to challenge her. He decided to challenge Jason Warrior for his seat.
Warrior sang Rihanna's "Love on the Brain" and he showcased a powerful performance that received a standing ovation from DJ Khaled, Walk, and Trainor. Clay countered with R. Kelly's "Ignition" and he delivered an intriguing performance but not as memorable as Warrior's performance.
After a heated moment between Warrior and Clay, the audience decided that Warrior should keep his spot in the competition.
Round 4: Nicole Boggs Versus Zhavia
Nashville native Nicole Boggs took a considerable risk and performed Trainor's duet with John Legend -- "Like I'm Gonna Lose You." Boggs brought soul into the track, but it seemed like Walk and Diddy were not into the performance. Trainor was in awe of the performance, however Boggs left Diddy confused. But the rapper wanted to give her a chance.
The panel invited her to challenge a member of The Four and she chose the show's longest running artist: Zhavia. She sang Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly" for her chance to survive, and despite being on vocal rest days before, Zhavia delivered a superb cover that would make Ms. Flack proud. She also received the only standing ovation from all four experts.
Boggs tackled Kesha's "Praying" and delivered a worthy cover that captured the hearts of the audience. Like Zhavia, all four expert panelists gave Boggs a standing ovation. Before the audience voted, DJ Khaled reminded them that both women have undeniable talent. The Four: Battle For Stardom fans decided to let Zhavia keep her seat and eliminated Boggs from the show.
Round 5: Tim Johnson, Jr. Versus Candice Boyd
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Tim Johnson, Jr. received the support of his family as he was one of the performers that portrayed young Simba on The Lion King. Johnson, Jr. is now looking to pursue a full-time career as a musician. He decided to perform the Rev. Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." Johnson, Jr. had a very youthful sound and had a good energy about it, but many viewers would have preferred hearing the song from former President Obama.
Trainor was astonished that he was 18 years old, and Walk called him "the ultimate performer." The panel decided that he was worthy of challenging Candice Boyd.
Boyd decided to perform Alessia Cara's "Here," and she delivered a fiery cover that showcased her beautiful vocals. DJ Khaled told the panel that she was a beast. Johnson, Jr. sang Kodaline's "All I Want," and at times this young Broadway veteran gave off shades of Ne-Yo and Usher when they were his age.
The panel was divided as Khaled chose Boyd as the winner, while Trainor gave Johnson, Jr. the victory. The final spot on The Four belonged to Johnson, Jr. eliminating Boyd.
Next week, more artists will challenge Zhavia, Warrior, Jerv, and Johnson, Jr. for their spots. Also, The Four: Battle For Stardom is asking viewers to vote for one artist that they would like the producers to bring back into the competition.
