Evan James Turns Three Chairs With Morgan Wallen Hit Then Shocks Coaches With His Choice

Evan James put his own spin on one of Morgan Wallen’s biggest hits during his Blind Audition on The Voice, earning a three-chair turn from Kelly Clarkson, Riley Green and Adam Levine.

The 22-year-old Michigan native took on Wallen’s “Wasted On You,” giving the slow-burning country hit a soulful edge while showcasing his own unique vocal style. James appeared comfortable and confident on stage as he worked his way through the song, gradually building the performance and showing off his range before bringing it home and securing a spot in the competition.

By the end of his audition, the three out of four coaches had all turned their chairs simultaneously.

James, who grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Highland, Michigan, revealed he has spent the last several years performing around his hometown and at school. He told the coaches that he has been playing music professionally for the past three or four years, making his debut on The Voice a major step forward.

Clarkson was quick to praise James for making such a recognizable song his own.

“Congratulations because that song…Morgan sings a little more straight tone. You almost did it how Gary [LeVox] would do it from Rascal Flatts. He had a little bit of R&B flavor in there too. I really liked that,” she stated. “I thought it was a cool take because Morgan’s a huge name, especially in country music and just dominating. But you actually made it Evan’s. That’s a difficult thing to do with such a popular song. You did a great job, man. I turned around because you deserved to be on the show and I would love to have you on my team.”

Green also recognized the nerves that came with performing in a setting so different from anywhere in his hometown, but said James proved himself with such a powerful performance and that confidence is what really stood out to the superstar.

“You cranked it up, man, which is a hard thing to do in a short period of time. I know you’ve got a great voice. You got some soul in it, which is awesome. But the fact that you got to a place where you really own the song at the end is all I need to know to know that you can be successful, man.”

Meanwhile, Levine once again tried his best to snag a country artist for his team, after losing almost all his other potential country acts to Green. He attempted to make his case by pointing out that James could stand out on his team as he continued through the competition.

“It’s sad for me because I never get any country artists on my team. I’m going to say this, Riley, literally all country artists on his team. I want you to have the information so when you make the choice, you can be strategic because it’s an important part…I have two spots left, right? So I’m definitely being picky right now. I feel like the best spot for you, especially as you grow on the show, is going to be on my team because you will occupy that space.”

He continued, “I get it. You’re probably going to go with Riley or maybe even Kelly because Kelly, she dips her toes in the country water as well. I love all music and I think that you’d be wonderful on my team and you would definitely stand out, which moving forward is something I think you should think about,” Levine said in his persuasive statement.

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In the end, James had a decision to make between three coaches, and he surprised the entire room by choosing Adam Levine, who admitted he was in “shock” over the choice to join his team.

“I think I’m going to take a leap of faith here. I think I’m going to go Adam,” James said.

Levine responded, “I’ve got a country artist. I’m so happy. It’s always such a happy moment when I can get a country artist on my team. It’s not on Riley’s team. I’m over the moon. I like that Evan took a chance at me. Evan, thank you.”

For Evan James, the Blind Audition marked the beginning of what could be a major new chapter in his musical journey

Watch Season 30 of The Voice continue with new episodes airing Monday & Tuesday at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.