Is He the Underdog of 'The Voice'?

Not going to lie, I discounted Ryan Sill as soon as I saw his Blind Audition. He seemed a little too boy band to win a show that is focused on having "the voice" over "the look." Sill made it through the Blind auditions and beat the very talented Jessie Pitts in the Battle Rounds, but I was sure his Knockout against powerful R&B singer Beth Spangler would send him packing. Spangler has been a powerhouse since her four-chair turn at the Blind Auditions and "Too Little Too Late" by JoJo was a great choice for her. But, in a surprising turn of events, Sill beat Spangler with his rendition of Neyo's "Miss Independent," and he finally has my attention.

I've had little faith in Gwen Stefani's choices since the show began, but she won me over with this choice. After his Knockout performance, Sill proved he hes a few traits that are crucial to winning this show:

1. The look — Sill is young and has a Justin Bieber-esque style about him — the old Bieber, not the new, corrupt Bieber. Sill has the power to make the girls go crazy, and that is crucial to being a young, male pop-performer.
2. The voice — Sill may still come off a little awkward on stage, but he has learned to rely on his voice to get him through to the next round. Though one expects him to sound like a stereotypical boy band member, he has a certain tone and style that sets him apart from the One Direction wannabes.
3. He has a lot to learn — This may be the biggest factor in helping Sill make it far in this competition. He can benefit greatly from working closely with Stefani. She can teach him how to use his voice to it's full potential and help him develop his own unique style as a performer.

If Sill can loosen up on stage and utilizes all of Coach Gwen's advice, there is no doubt his voice can will take him far in this competition.

Image: Tyler Golden/NBC