By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
It’s official…we are done another year of performance-based Reality TV shows!
2014 has been a great year filled with memorable voices and superb moments on AGT, Idol, The Voice UK, The Voice USA & X Factor UK!
Without further ado…let “Top 10 Duets of 2014” countdown commence!
Craig Wayne Boyd & Blake Shelton overcame Team Adam to win “The Voice: Season Seven.” A huge part of that victory came in form of their cover of Randy Houser’s “Boots On.” (Photo property of NBC)
- Craig Wayne Boyd & Blake Shelton: “Boots On” (The Voice USA: Season Seven)
Our countdown kicks off with a trip to Winner’s Row! The recently crowned Season Seven champion Craig Wayne Boyd and his now four-time Voice winning coach, Blake Shelton, blazed the stage with a rousing cover of Randy Houser’s “Boots On.” This was probably one of Team Blake’s best contestant-mentor performances in the show’s seven-season run because it made everyone smile and you could tell both Craig and Blake were having a great time performing the song!
- Damien & Adam Levine: “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” (The Voice USA: Season Seven)
Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” might be have been the most over-performed songs in the history of Reality TV, but this was the first time it was performed as an artist-coach duet! Not only did Damien and Adam deliver the best coach-contestant performance of the season, but they also delivered one of the finest Team Adam duets to date!
- Jena Irene & Paramore: “Ain’t It Fun” (American Idol XIII)
This was an epic performance because Jena and Hayley’s vocals matched up perfectly and they tore up the Nokia Theatre! Plus, seeing all those giant yellow balloons drop brought a smile to my face!
Sally Barker & Sir Tom Jones’ duet of “Walking In Memphis” was one of the highlights of “The Voice UK: Season Three.” (Photo property of BBC)
- Sally Barker & Sir Tom Jones: “Walking in Memphis” (The Voice UK: Season Three)
Number seven takes us across the pond to The Voice UK! The legendary Sir Tom Jones teamed up with his finalist, the lovely Sally Barker, to deliver a goose-bump inducing cover of Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis.” Both performers lit up the studio and the performance made pop icon Kylie Minogue dance in her seat.
- Sons of Serendip & Train’s Pat Monahan: “Drops of Jupiter” (America’s Got Talent: Season Nine)
Sons of Serendip may have walked away in fourth place on this season of AGT, but they finished up their run with a beautiful arrangement of Train’s signature song. Between Mason’s hypnotic harp playing, Micah’s vocals, Pat Monahan’s storytelling and the haunting “na-na-nah-na-na-nah,” this performance was one of the true highlights of the AGT: Season Nine finale.
Ella Henderson made “X Factor UK” history when she became the first “X Factor” alum to perform with a finalist. (Photo property of Syco / Thames / Corbis)
- Andrea Faustini & Ella Henderson: “Ghost” (The X Factor UK: Season 11)
Ella Henderson has had a huge year! Her single, “Ghost,” received a ton of airplay on radio stations and three X Factor UK acts performed her song during various stages of the competition. While Only the Young impressed X Factor UK stalwart Louis Walsh and Ella’s mentor, Tulisa, during Judges’ Houses, Paul Akister received a standing ovation from mentor Mel B during his opening Live Show performance, the only finalist Andrea Faustini had to unique honor of singing the hit with her at the Wembley Arena finale. This pairing also made X Factor UK history, as Ella Henderson became the first alum to return to the show and perform with a finalist!
- Josh Kaufman & Usher: “Every Breath You Take” (The Voice USA: Season Six)
The best coach-contestant duet of the season belonged to Season Six winner Josh Kaufman and his superstar mentor: Usher! The “Climax” singer changed the season when he stole Josh from Adam in the Knockout Rounds. This was a silky duet, put a smile onto many faces and forced Adam to eat a giant piece of humble pie on national television.
Superstar Jennifer Nettles teamed up with Jessica Meuse and took “Wrecking Ball” to a whole new level! (Photo property of Getty Images’ Kevin Winter)
- Jessica Meuse & Jennifer Nettles: “Wrecking Ball” (American Idol XIII)
I hated the way two of Idol’s judges (Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez) treated Jessica Meuse during the live portion of Season 13! However, her duet with one of country’s most recognizable vocalists, 1000-percent made up for that injustice! Both Jessica and Jennifer stole the finale with their bombastic vocals and I hope that they record the song for iTunes in the future!
- Quintavious Johnson & Jennifer Hudson: “And I Am Telling You” (America’s Got Talent: Season Nine)
At just 12-years-old, Quintavious Johnson joined Jackie Evancho in the AGT history book as one of the most talented youngsters to have ever appeared on the NBC talent competition. For his last performance on the Radio City Music Hall stage, Quintavious was joined by Effie White herself…Grammy and Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson for a spine-tingling cover of the Dreamgirls hit: “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.”
Emily West performed “True Colors” with her mentor, Cyndi Lauper, on the “America’s Got Talent” finale and they tore the roof off of Radio City Music Hall. (Photo property of NBC)
- Emily West & Cyndi Lauper: “True Colors” (America’s Got Talent: Season Nine)
Many reality TV aficionados know that Emmy/Grammy/Tony-winning performer Cyndi Lauper and America’s Got Talent: Season Nine Runner-Up Emily West shared a history together prior to their performance on AGT. When Cyndi appeared on the third season of The Celebrity Apprentice, her team was assigned to make over an aspiring country musician. That musician was Emily West! Four years after wining that task, the ladies reunited for a special rendition of Ms. Lauper’s iconic hit: “True Colors.” This was a beautiful and meaningful duet that not only captured the hearts of the nation, but it was the best collaboration of the year!
I do not own the clips that featured in this article. They belong to BBC, FOX, ITV and NBC!
