‘The Voice’ season 9 finale predictions

Season 9 on “The Voice” is winding down with only four contestants left in the running and the predictions of who will win are astonishing. If you’re just now tuning in this season, no worries — here are the highlights of each contestant’s strengths and weaknesses as well as my final prediction of who could very well be the next “Voice” champion.

Jeffery Austin (Team Gwen)
Jeffrey’s greatest strength is his ability to tug at the heart with just his voice. Jeffrey has given the most emotionally compelling performances of the season. At a young age Jeffrey lost his father and in his teen years went through the struggle of coming out, so it should be no surprise that this vocalist knows how to breathe life into some of the most powerful lyrics and masters the art of taking risks with his arrangements.

The downside? While Jeffrey’s vocals alone can move a crowd, he himself tends to be pretty stiff on stage. Coach Gwen has encouraged him to loosen up and make use of the stage, however, his steady demeanor is almost always the same. Jeffrey is going to have to be more expressive if he wants America to send more votes his way.

Emily Ann Roberts (Team Blake)
Emily Ann Roberts is holding down the fort for female vocalist this season. Her greatest strength is in her effortlessly graceful tone. Plus, we’ve seen her coach Blake take the win with two young country girls before so she’s got that track record on her side.

Although Emily Ann’s voice is as sweet as her name sounds, the only thing standing between her and the trophy is a little bit of edge. Her inability to work the stage with an intense passion could be the thing that holds her back from taking the crown.

Barrett Baber (Team Blake)
Barrett Baber is quite the survivor. At age 19, Barrett made national headlines after surviving a deadly plane crash he was in with his choir and has been an inspiration to many during his time on the show. Barrett’s greatest strength is that he not only has the heartfelt stories of a country singer, but also acquires the masculine voice and physique that makes him quite the country star.

What could potentially bring Barrett down is the inconsistency of his vocals. The country artist has had his fair share of highs and lows this season. But with the final four there’s no more room for hit or miss. Barrett must hit the mark in his last few performances to become the next “Voice” champion.

Jordan Smith (Team Adam)
It seems that Jordan Smith just cannot be stopped. Seriously — not even Adele could hold her spot at number one on iTunes last month without Jordan bumping her, saying goodbye to her latest hit,”Hello.”

Jordan’s greatest strength is the uniqueness of his voice and the consistency of his sound. This 21-year-old boy has such a high pitch that he’s often mistaken for a woman on the phone. Even all four judges were caught by surprise when they turned their chairs at his audition. Although this may have causes some self-esteem issues as a child, Jordan has decided to use his gift to show people it’s okay to be yourself even when you’re so different.

Jordan’s only downfall is that he hasn’t always made the emotional connection required for his ambition song choices. The intensity of his performance must match the intensity of his voice in order for Jordan to truly be this season’s winner.

As a committed viewer of the show, my prediction of who the winner will be this season lies with Jordan — because you can’t just up one on Adele and not get a trophy for it. But that’s just my two cents. Of course the final decision is, as always, in America’s hands, so tune in tonight to see who makes it one step closer to becoming “The Voice” winner of season 9.