3 Coaches Turn For “Voice” Singer’s Morgan Wallen Cover & He Makes A Jaw-Dropping Choice
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Season 30 of The Voice featured a bunch of country-themed performances during the blind auditions. If Riley Green turned his chair for a country singer, the other coaches joked that it was a lost cause to fight him for them.
It’s true, many of the country artists ended up on Team Riley. But occasionally, they made a surprising choice by picking another coach.
So what happened in the case of Evan James, who turned three chairs (including Riley’s) with his cover of a Morgan Wallen hit?
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22-year-old Evan James is from Highland, Michigan. His family runs a Christmas tree farm, and he’s a student at Michigan State University, where he’s majoring in Public Relations.
He’s also a talented singer, as his Voice audition proved. He delivered a passionate rendition of Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted On You,” which was a #1 hit on both of Billboard‘s country charts.
The coaches took their time listening to Evan’s performance. Just when it seemed like no one was going to turn around, three coaches flipped their chairs at the same moment: Riley Green, Kelly Clarkson, and Adam Levine.
Who Did Evan James Choose To Be His Coach On The Voice?
After the song ended, Kelly got the chance to speak to Evan first. She complimented his unique approach, saying his vocal styling reminded her of Rascal Flatts‘ Gary LeVox.
“…you actually made it Evan’s,” she said. “That’s a difficult thing to do with such a popular song.”
Riley spoke next. He felt the song started a little slow, which is why he waited to turn. But Riley noted how Evan “cranked it up” as the song progressed, which impressed him and prompted his chair turn.
Adam believed he had already lost the competition for Evan’s attention. He quipped:
“Evan, here I am again. [I] turn around for a country artist, it’s heartbreaking. It’s sad for me, because I never get any country artists on my team.”
But Adam didn’t give up. He argued that Riley’s team was full of country singers, and Kelly had some as well. He encouraged Evan to consider that he would stand out more on his team.
When it came time for Evan to make his choice, you could hear people in the crowd shouting for him to join Team Riley. Although that seemed like the natural fit, Evan stunned everyone when he announced he wanted Adam to be his coach!
Kelly’s jaw dropped, and Adam’s eyes grew wide in surprise. “I’m in shock right now,” he said as he rushed onstage to hug Evan.
You can watch Evan James’ Voice audition and the moment when he made his unexpected coach choice in the video below.
