Terisa Griffin Stolen as Julio Cesar Castillo Advances for Team Blake with ‘Conga’ on ‘The Voice’
It was a battle of soul versus mariachi on ‘The Voice’ tonight (Oct. 15), when Terisa Griffin and Julio Cesar Castillo – both representing Blake Shelton’s team – came together to perform a energized and entertaining version of Gloria Estefan’s ‘Conga.’
Shelton clearly had both contestants in mind when he chose the song for this particular battle round. “‘Conga’ is performed by a female diva, but it has a bit of a Latin feel to it … I think you meet together in the middle because of this song,†he explained.
The rehearsals leading up to the battle were challenging for Castillo and Griffin, who both found the song’s upbeat tempo and tongue-twisting lyrics difficult to keep up with. “No one in the history of the world really knows the words,†guest mentor Michael Buble assured them.
Castillo was especially anxious – not only by the song’s fast-paced nature but by 42-year-old Griffin’s strong and fiery vocals. “Julio is intimidated by Terisa, but he needs to know he’s just as talented,†Shelton said.
With practice and dedication, they overcame their fears and delivered an entertaining, high-energy duet that rendered several of the judges speechless. Cee Lo Green admitted to having a soft spot for the soul shining through Griffin’s powerful voice. Conversely, Adam Levine gave his vote to Castillo because he found his background as a mariachi singer extremely unique and refreshing.
“Even as I talk right now, I don’t really know who won,†Shelton said, when faced with his decision. But he ultimately chose Castillo, believing that he had made the most progress since the practice sessions.
Don’t worry, though – Cee Lo stole Griffin before she was eliminated, so she’s still safe in the competition.
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