'The Voice' Season 9 — 12 Artists To Watch

Deservedly drew comparisons to Carrie Underwood during the Battle Rounds — and still wound up losing. Thankfully, Pharrell had the good sense to save her — and give himself a real country contender who knows how to breathe new life into a lyric.

Ellie's scratchy tone and elegant phrasing on "Sweater Weather" reinforced what we learned from her A+ reimagining of the uptempo '80s classic "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" in the Blind Auditions: She's Gwen's best bet at becoming the first female Voice coach to score a victory.

Zach Seabaugh

The Battle Rounds got easier when his rival Tyler Dickerson phoned it in, but the kid nevertheless delivered a glory note that was clear and piercing, and he sang the words like he meant 'em. His perfect coif and slightly stiff demeanor are incongruous for a Team Blake country striver, but it also makes him a little intriguing.

Beat out vocal beast Manny Cabo in a slightly cheesy but still impressive showdown on "Baba O'Riley." Needs to showcase some originality — but hard to fault him on voice alone. 

Underscored his vocal dexterity and pitch perfection — all while moving and grooving across the stage — in his Battle Rounds "Higher Ground." Massive pipes and a genuine sense of showmanship make him a double threat this season.

Turned down the quirk — and turned up her ability to break hearts with her very distinctive instrument — on a Battle Rounds cover of "Samson." Team Gwen may not be deep, but it only takes one singer to grab the crown.

Fifteen-year-old with a face that may have been created in The CW's heartthrob test laboratory may have lost to Alex & Andi in the Battles, but his vast improvement off a ho-hum Blind Audition shows he's a quick study. How he'll fare in Blake's country-skweing arena is a big question mark.

Twin sisters' airy harmonies on "Wherever You Will Go" and "Thank You" — plus their aw-shucks bond — have helped them stand out at a point in the competition where name/face recognition is still rather limited outside the Voicealoonie set. 

His "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" in the Battles — featuring a dazzling staccato bridge, soaring falsetto and raggedy lower tones — carried him to victory over a fantastic Celeste Betton. Knows how to work a stage without losing his little hiccups and jazzy inflections — and in Pharrell's hands, he could go far.

Inexplicably got the dreaded Montage Treatment in the Battle Rounds, but his Blind Audition to "Lay Me Down" showed off a buttery upper register and a husky addictiveness in his lower tones.

Her glory notes soared like a raptor leaping off the edge of the Grand Canyon on her Blind Audition, and while it's arguable whether she was better than Morgan Frazier on "I'm That Kind of Girl" in the Battles, Blake named her the winner — and that's no small deal.

"Edge of Seventeen" wasn't the greatest fit for her in the Battles, but her Blind Audition "Stars" was magnificent — the best single performance on any team in Season 9 thus far.