Top 25 Performances of 2012 – New Year’s Countdown – #16

by Joe Tranchina
December 29, 2012 at 6:56 pm

#16 is Dez Duron with “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”! Dez was very popular on the blog this year. For that alone, he earned a spot on this countdown; however, his very current cover of Lauryn Hill’s version of “Cant Take My Eyes Off of You” made me look at Dez as a potential legitimate record artist. Nothing makes me happier as a viewer following all of these competitive singing shows hocking studio recordings than when a contestant is able to put down there own version of an awesome song that is good enough to stand alone as a worthy single. If we’re going to have to actually pay money for a track, it shouldn’t be solely out of support for the contestant. We should be proud to have that song in our iTunes library, just in case it pops up on shuffle at a party or or a barbecue or something, right?

How nice of The Voice, giving someone as unfortunate looking as Dez Duron a shot at a career as a pop artist!.. Seriously, though. I never picked up on any vibes of arrogance coming from Dez, who was constantly barraged with compliments on his appearance. Many times, “heartthrob” contestants coast and milk all they possibly can from tween voters before being shipped out into the abyss of former reality stardom. Dez actually came into his own as an artist, venturing down a path of improvement and growth spanning across two seasons of The Voice. He’s good!

Also, special props to Dez’s trusty side-kick, his tongue. No episode of The Voice would have been complete without an, “oh, there it licks” moment from Dez’s little buddy during his critiques.

Dez Duron earns the #16 spot on this countdown for refusing to be defeated after an unfortunate blind audition stumble during season 2 and for coming back as a true contender on Team Xtina during season 3. Although The Voice is about, well, voices, a package artist such as Dez can stack up when the talent is there.