Today, we will be finding out the Top 4 of Na Ying’s team! The format for this episode is the same as the previous one.  On a side note, I might consider dropping Voice of China Recaps soon, but it really depends on the demand. I can get more than 2,000 views for one recap and barely 500 for another, it’s inconsistent and I don’t know how much real demand there is. If it’s not much, I would be better off spending this time on more useful stuff (like my poor neglected studies haha). Enough of that, back to the main topic, let’s get started for today!

Na Ying invited Li Jian to be her guest mentor for today! 

Battle 1: Zhang Nan v.s. Zhou Xiao Xiao
Song: Mama
Comments: They started with a rock song. See, my prediction in my previous episode recap is true, they are aiming to start with rock songs! Both of them sound similar. It’s pretty hard to differentiate their voice. I wouldn’t mind either of them winning.
Winner: Zhang Nan. I’m glad she won because I went back to my recaps and realised I actually liked Zhang Nan’s voice a lot during the blind auditions when she sang a slow song.

Battle 2: Chang Yu (Shuhei Nagasawa) v.s. Team Chen You (Guo Wei Chen & Wu Yi Xiu)
Song: 每天爱你多一些
Comments: I like Chang Yu’s performance a lot more than his previous one. He sounded more free and happy and confident and rocked the stage. He was completely into his performance and enjoyed it so much. Whereas, Chen You was fabulous as usual and continue to amaze me by how well they sound as a team but they didn’t bring in new surprises unlike Chang Yu. I wouldn’t mind either winning, because I like them both.
Winner: Chang Yu

Battle 3: Sun Bo Lun v.s. Su Hao
Song: 最长的电影
Comments: They don’t sound very different either. I like Bo Lun’s voice a bit more, he sounds slight better and smoother but Su Hao’s voice seems to have more of his individual characteristics so I wouldn’t be surprised if Na Ying chose the latter.
Winner: Sun Bo Lun. Yay!

Battle 4: La Mu (Langgalamu) v.s. Lin Lin
Song: 红豆
Comments: I don’t have any prior impression of Ling Ling. I like Ling Ling’s deep, husky voice a lot but it’s tilting towards mechanical and robotic. Langgalamu continues to sound good even though she’s not singing a Teresa Teng’s song. Not disappointing at all. The performance wasn’t overwhelming but it was very enjoyable. It’s hard to choose – I like both of them! They offer different kind of voices which makes it hard to compare, unlike the other teams who have ‘duplicate’ voices, which makes it easier to differentiate who is better.

Langgalamu also shared something really touching about Ling Ling – Ling Ling is deaf in her right ear. And she spoke up for Ling Ling and her admiration for her, it was so genuine. Ling Ling also returned the favour by speaking up for Langgalamu, sharing the stress that Langgalamu had to go through because the whole Thailand is watching her, and how Langgalamu is the oldest child in her family with a lot of younger siblings whom she hope to serve as a role model to.
Winner: Langgalamu. I loved them both, but I’m glad she won because it seems that she has a lot more at stake as compared to Ling Ling, even though Ling Ling deserves to win as well. I’m under the impression that Langgalamu is not well off and Voice of China is likely to be her ticket out of struggles, for her and her family. Even if it’s not, she also have to account to her fellow countrymen.

Battle 5: Zhang Lei v.s. Zhu Qiang
Song: 车站
Comments: Both of them sound similar. I like Zhang Lei a bit more though. Zhu Qiang gives me an impression that there’s always this drag to his voice while Zhang Lei sounds more soothing. The performance is enjoyable too. Guest judge, Li Jian, describes Zhang Lei’s voice as cotton and Zhu Qiang’s voice as silk because the latter is more classy but her prefers the former. I also like Zhang Lei because he said something extremely realistic, instead of going all touchy-feely and crying like everyone else, he told his family, “I will bring you guys to a good meal after this. This is more practical.” And to be honest, some of those crying on stage feels a bit contrived. I get it’s overwhelming and all, sometimes one just cannot control themselves but too many of them is doing it, it just looks like a rehashed gimmick instead.
Winner: Zhang Lei

Duel 6: Li Jia Qi v.s. Zhang Hui Chun (Saya Chang)
Song: 真的爱你 / Amani
Comments: Saya has a stronger voice that was more prominent throughout the performance but I like Jia Qi’s voice that is more youthful and pleasant and lighthearted. When asked to give his comment, Jay was in a dilemma and said he is ‘Jiu Jie Lun’ which means ‘Conflicted Lun’, a play on his chinese name, Zhou Jie Lun, which sounds similar. Haha! Never knew the king was such a punny person huh. Na Ying also points out that almost everyone on her team cried. Perhaps, it because they are all more sentimental since they are the kind that sing sentimental love songs.
Winner: Li Jia Qi

Next up, the battles to pick 4 out of the remaining 6.

Battle 1: Zhang Nan v.s. Chang Yu

Contestant: Zhang Nan
Song: 一整夜不睡觉
Comments: She chose a rappish song tending towards the rock side. It was decent, but I’m quite disappointed she didn’t choose a slow, soothing song because I like her voice a lot when she sang that sort of song in the blind auditions. Perhaps she’s trying to bring in variety instead because she doesn’t have confidence that her voice can compete with the rest of the established strong slow song singers. Not a bad strategy.

Contestant: Chang Yu
Song: Dear Friend
Comments: A Japanese song which turned into chinese halfway… Sounds like a melodrama ost. He was very soft at the start, and while perhaps it was because of the song, I don’t like it when he do that because it seems as if he lacks confidence instead of building up. He does pick up towards the end of the song though, where there’s greater variations and less passivity from Chang Yu. An active, passionate, happy and enthusiastic Chang Yu is definitely a plus.
Winner: Chang Yu. Oh dear, Zhang Nan! That was surprising, I thought  Na Ying would pick Zhang Nan because she adds variety to Na Ying’s team. Good for Chang Yu though!

Battle 2: Sun Bo Lun v.s. Zhang Lei

Contestant: Sun Bo Lun
Song: 直觉
Comments: Uh oh. He don’t sound extremely impressive in this round, I’m worried for him. He’s my favourite ‘uncle’ in this team despite the fact that he’s only in his thirties. He just gives me the impression of a happy man who sings to spread joy because he can. His performance was decent, but I’m not sure if he can beat Zhang Lei, who’s a pretty tough contender.

Contestant: Zhang Lei
Song: 船
Comments: I don’t know what is so good about him. He don’t seem to be very impressive, nor does his voice but he always manage to make me want to choose him over everyone else. I guess his voice does tell a story. It just appeal to me. I don’t have to like him but his voice draws me to him.
Winner: The judges all advise Na Ying to pick both of them but I’m guessing Na Ying won’t because she already has Chang Yu in her team and add the two of them, it’s all slow and sentimental song singer if she picks both of them. I feel worried for my favourite uncle! And Na Ying’s choice is…. both of them! Well surprise, Sun Bo Lun is also the ‘class monitor’ of Na Ying’s team.

Battle 3: Li Jia Qi vs La Mu (Langgalamu)

Contestant: Li Jia Qi
Song: Price Tag
Comments: Love her enjoyment and contentment while singing. She’s so confident and gives off the vibe that singing on stage is not to entertain the people off stage, but herself. Quirky but I guess she won’t stand a big chance any more. I’m not banking on Na Ying to diversify her team with different kind of singers so the last slot is probably going to Langgalamu.

Contestant: La Mu (Langgalamu)
Song: 爱人
Comments: She actually chose a perkier song. Probably to prove that she’s more than a Teresa Teng wannabe but she doesn’t sound as good. If I were her, I would stick to slow songs, just not Teresa Teng’s song.
Winner: Langgalamu. Well, Na Ying’s team is actually diversified… Just not in the way I expected; it’s diversified in terms of nationalities. There’s Japanese boy Chang Yu who resides in Canada and of course, our favourite Thailand girl, Langgalamu.

Here’s an overview for today:

Top 4 of Na Ying’s 小二班 Team: Chang Yu, Sun Bo Lun, Zhang Lei and Langgalamu

You know what, maybe this is how Na Ying wins… By picking 4 of her strongest singers of the same kind, there are higher chances that they are indeed the best and have higher tendency to beat the singers from the other teams! This must be the secret!!!

Haha. Jokes aside, this episode was not too bad. There were some that I liked gone but those that remained are also appreciated by me. I guess it’s my preference for this genre of music which allows me to enjoy them more. Quite ironic though, because I didn’t thought that I particularly like this team when I saw the intro at first. Watch Episode 7 of The Voice of China Season 4 here and tell me what you think! (Plus, leave a comment if you want me to continue my recaps 😛 )