'Voice' is dominated by art of the steal

By Craig Berman

?The Voice? continued its battle rounds on Monday, and again much of the night was dominated by the steals, particularly Usher?s attempt to use them.

Adam Rose/NBC

Usher and Blake Shelton watch C. Perkins and Kris Thomas perform on "The Voice."

Usher has had bad luck this season in failing to succeed in his attempts at thievery, and the show didn?t start off well for him when Luke Edgemon surprised the other coaches by giving Monique Abbadie all she could handle in a Team Shakira matchup and had the other three coaches salivating.

?What is not to like about Luke? He?s awesome,? Blake Shelton said. ?I thought Luke won that battle.?

?I thought he did too,? Adam Levine said.

Trae Patton/NBC

Shakira talks to Luke Edgemon and Monique Abbadie.

If that was an attempt to use reverse psychology to get Shakira to keep Luke instead of a woman that all four coaches turned around for at the blind auditions, it didn?t work.

?I think I?m going to make a strategic decision, because I certainly hope you?re going to steal one of these two contestants,? Shakira said. ?Because you seemed so excited about Luke, I?m going to choose Monique.?

Blake hit his button for the steal right away. Usher waited longer, but had a trump card to play as the only other coach besides Shakira to pick him at his audition. Surely that early love would be a big selling point.

But put yourself in Luke?s shoes.? When you hear the following sales pitches:

Blake: ?What is it not about Luke? Are you kidding me? He?s awesome.? That was one of the most energetic, pitch-perfect performances in the battle rounds that I?ve seen in a long time. It was amazing.?

Followed by Usher:? ?I think that, you know?

[five-second pause, broken by Blake saying, ?Well that?s a good point.?]

Usher (continued): ??You know, I really feel like Luke did an incredible job, and given the fact that I pushed my button the first time ? the decision is up to you.?

Who would you have picked?

Not surprisingly, Luke went for the coach who seemed to really want him over the one who kinda sorta liked him, or maybe just had those two steals burning a hole in his pocket.

Usher did finally succeed on stealing someone from Team Shakira later in the show, but even that was dramatic.? After? C. Perkins lost his battle to Kris Thomas, the coach was silent until he walking off the stage shaking everyone?s hands. Just as he reached Usher?s chair and reached out to shake hands, Usher pushed his button.

?I really feel like he has talent that we have yet to see, and I let him sit in it a little bit so he?d be reminded what it feels like to not have it, so he?ll never take it for granted.? Usher said.

Nor will he take his heart beating for granted after that scare.

Adam also got into the act, nabbing? Orlando Dixon from Usher. So if you?re keeping track, only Usher has a steal left heading into Tuesday?s battle round finale. ?At least that means he can?t lose another popularity contest.?

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Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/04/22/17868240-voice-is-dominated-by-art-of-the-steal?lite

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