The Bachelor: Listen To Your Heart: Season 1, episode 4 performance grades
Bri Stauss & Chris Watson, “Lover” by Taylor Swift
Vocal Performance: A
HELLO, BRI. I would like to say that I called this last week in my Listen To Your Heart premonition of Bri as this series’ breakout surprise. Not gonna lie, wasn’t expecting pop-country to be what brought it out of her, but she’s a Swiftie and it SHOWS. She led Chris. I repeat, she led Chris, who continues to reign as the top male singer. Not that he didn’t sound fantastic as always – Trevor, this is the falsetto of which you should take notes, sweetie – but Bri was the star of this performance no doubt.
I thought Bri was a pretty-sounding singer if that makes sense, but I didn’t think she had the level of power behind her voice she brought to the stage last night. Color me decently shocked at the sleeper that is Bri. Per usual, their vocals melt together quite masterfully.
Interpretive Routine: B+
In the same arena as last week, these two just aren’t performative. They again really just sang to one another versus putting on a performance. It won’t grow stale in a six-part series, but should they win the tour (of which I’m not sure when or if will even take place), this routine shan’t suffice. Less hand-holding, more jazz hands.
~Romance~ Level: A
I mean, objectively, I can’t rate them lower given the show’s premise that they’ve more than taken seriously, but the casual “I Love You” on stage was…special. Seriously though, who whispers I love you for the first time onstage?? Chris, of course, said it back, and they’re getting engaged in the Listen To Your Heart finale, don’t @ me, but it was quite frankly weird. Maybe a little calculated? They’ve been nothing but sincere thus far, so benefit of the doubt they shall retain, but kindly stop acting like overexcited eighth-graders and learn the subtlety of romance. Make like Rudi’s restrained choreography and kindly, do less.