Blake Shelton became the king of the one-chair turns on Monday’s episode of The Voice as he repeatedly waited until the last minute to secure singers.
The tactic, which new coach Nick Jonas, 27, called a ‘pro move,’ ensured that Blake, 43, got access to top talent without having to fight the other coaches for it.
‘I don’t know what’s going on this season, but I’ve got some artists on my team that no other coach turned around for, and it’s just unbelievable,’ Blake marveled.
The king: Blake Shelton was hailed as ‘the king’ of the one-chair turn as he snagged singers uncontested on Monday’s episode of The Voice
His first solo turn went to Jon Mullins, a 32-year-old musician from Nashville who showcased his ‘huge voice’ and ‘perfect pitch’ on Andy Grammer’s Don’t Give Up On Me.
Blake was thrilled when Jon referred to him as ‘the King,’ and the crowd chanted ‘King Blake!’
‘Blake is the king of deception, but he’s a good one to learn from,’ Nick privately observed. ‘He has had quite a few of these one-chair turns. And it’s a pro move.’
The country star’s next one-chair turn went to Jacob Daniel Murphy, a 27-year-old native of Elk Grove, California, who sang Aretha Franklin’s Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do).
New coach: Nick Jonas took note of Blake’s strategy and employed the ‘pro move’ himself
One chair: Blake’s first solo turn went to Jon Mullins, a 32-year-old musician from Nashville who showcased his ‘huge voice’ and ‘perfect pitch’ on Andy Grammer’s Don’t Give Up On Me
Solo turn: The country star’s next one-chair turn went to Jacob Daniel Murphy, a 27-year-old native of Elk Grove, California, who sang Aretha Franklin’s Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)
‘I’m shocked,’ said Nick, who like the other coaches had failed to turn for Jacob, and imagined him to look quite different. ‘I did not expect that to be you.’
‘In Oklahoma, we call that ”screwing the pooch”,’ Blake teased the youngest member of the Jonas Brothers trio.
‘I’m having the best day right now,’ he added. ‘I went back[stage] and I mixed myself a drink, and I came out here, and I’ve just been listening, having fun, and I thought, ”There’s no chance that I’m going to get this person. I’m not even going to bother”.’
The judges: Kelly Clarkson, Nick, John Legend and Blake evaluated the talent as the Blind Auditions continued
‘And when I saw not a single chair turned, I thought, ”I’m robbing a bank right now. I’m taking candy from [a baby]. Are you kidding me?”’
As the show went on, Nick began to steal Blake’s move and snagged some singers himself.
Roderick Chambers, a professional musician from Miami, had once been a singer with boy band R-Style before going solo and becoming a dad.
Solo singer: Roderick Chambers, a professional musician from Miami, had once been a singer with boy band R-Style before going solo and becoming a dad
‘When I walk onstage, I want to show my son the courage it takes to dedicate my life to something,’ Roderick said.
Nick was the only one to turn for Roderick’s rendition of Brian McKnight’s Back At One, and he told Blake, ‘I feel like what you said before, like I just robbed a bank.’
‘You guys should have turned your chairs; you didn’t,’ he crowed. ‘So I’m the lucky one.’
Single chair: Nick was the only one to turn for Roderick’s rendition of Brian McKnight’s Back At One
Michael Williams, an 18-year-old student from Mason, Ohio, earned Nick’s next one-chair turn with his cover of Lauren Daigle’s You Say.
‘Michael, I’m just gonna give you a quick little story about my surrogate Voice big brother over there,’ offered Nick, who explained that Blake had taught him to recognize and coach a singer’s potential, then told Michael in falsetto that they needed to work on his falsetto.
‘[Blake’s] other pro move is waiting ’til the very last second to touch this button before they turn. So I’m glad they slept on you today. And I’m happy to have you,’ Nick added.
Teen talent: Michael Williams, an 18-year-old student from Mason, Ohio, earned Nick’s next one-chair turn with his cover of Lauren Daigle’s You Say
Anaya Cheyenne, 16, a performing arts student from Atlanta, was the first to perform Monday as the Blind Auditions continued.
The teenager had recently moved to the big city from her Connecticut town to pursue her musical dreams, saying, ‘I am so blessed and thankful that my mom said yes.’
Blake and his fellow coach Kelly Clarkson, 37, turned for Anaya’s cover of Lady Gaga’s I’ll Never Love Again, from A Star Is Born, marveling at her impressive vocal runs.
First up: Anaya Cheyenne, 16, a performing arts student from Atlanta, was the first to perform Monday as the Blind Auditions continued
Fan favorite: Kelly Clarkson, 37, turned for Anaya’s cover of Lady Gaga’s I’ll Never Love Again, from A Star Is Born, marveling at her impressive vocal runs and beat out Blake to land her
‘I would love this experience to maybe not only get you to win this show, but I want to prep you for making a record,’ Kelly said, before Anaya chose her. ‘I want to prep you for tour.’
Kelly also scored classically trained opera singer Mandi Thomas, 33, from Memphis, Tennessee, who gave Nick ‘goosebumps’ with her version of Andrea Bocelli’s Time To Say Goodbye.
‘I was singing in the shower, going, ”Please god, I just want someone to come on and sing opera”,’ Kelly related, as Mandi said that she had hoped Kelly would be her coach.
Opera singer: Kelly also scored classically trained opera singer Mandi Thomas, 33, from Memphis, Tennessee, who performed a rendition of Andrea Bocelli’s Time To Say Goodbye
Three chairs turned for singer-songwriter Jacob Miller, 29, from Eden, Wisconsin, who grew up on ragtime and folk music and performed Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’.
Jacob loved the songs of the 1920s, and Kelly promised to help him translate them for modern audiences.
Nick, however, won Jacob over with an unusual offer, saying ‘we’re prepping for our next stage, my brothers and I, and your voice mixed in with the three of ours, could be really interesting.’
Three chairs: Three chairs turned for singer-songwriter Jacob Miller, 29, from Eden, Wisconsin, who grew up on ragtime and folk music and performed Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’
‘Are you offering him a position on the Jonas Brothers?’ asked coach John Legend, 41.
‘Jacob Jonas just sounds good,’ Nick replied.
Zan Fiskum, a 22-year-old musician from Seattle, lived in an RV on her parents’ property to save money, and covered Maggie Rogers’ Light On because it was a song about ‘independence.’
Good question: ‘Are you offering him a position on the Jonas Brothers?’ asked coach John Legend, 41, after Nick said Jacob’s voice would blend in nicely with his brothers Kevin and Joe
Seattle singer: Zan Fiskum, a 22-year-old musician from Seattle, lived in an RV on her parents’ property to save money, and covered Maggie Rogers’ Light On because it was a song about ‘independence’
Kelly, Nick and John all turned their chairs for her, which had Blake saying, ‘That was incredible, and you probably deserved a four-chair turn. I’m the jacka** that didn’t give it to you.’
Zan went with John, who said he ‘had been waiting to be inspired’ by someone all day.
Alexis Jules Gaston, a 15-year-old high school student from Peoria, Arizona, had already been playing professional gigs for three years by the time she hit The Voice stage.
Young singer: Alexis Jules Gaston, a 15-year-old high school student from Peoria, Arizona, had already been playing professional gigs for three years by the time she hit The Voice stage
She chose Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked, by Cage The Elephant, for her audition, but changed it up by adding some different chord progressions, a few runs and a different melody.
The coaches loved it, with Kelly winning ‘Jules’ to her team after the girl said she wanted to make a ‘pop rock’ record.
Mike Jerel, 31, from Ashburn, Georgia, capped the night with a version of James Brown’s It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World, and was so good all four coaches turned their chairs.
Four chairs: Mike Jerel, 31, from Ashburn, Georgia, capped the night with a version of James Brown’s It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World, and was so good all four coaches turned their chairs
The musician grew up gigging in retirement homes with his grandmother, a singer, and continued to do so after her death from cancer years ago.
‘Your voice had so much fire, it was like, ”Uhh! I need this person on my team”,’ said John, who won Mike after telling him that he also played music with his grandmother growing up.
Chan Fuze, a 23-year-old singer from Chicago, had a distinctive look, standing 6ft10in with a curly mop of hair, and boasting onstage moves that were equally ‘groovy,’ in his words.
Tall singer: Chan Fuze, a 23-year-old singer from Chicago, stood 6ft 10in tall with a curly mop of hair, and boasted of onstage moves that were ‘groovy’, but failed to get a chair to turn
But the coaches only heard his voice, and failed to turn for his cover of King Floyd’s Groove Me.
Also failing to earn turns were 22-year-old San Francisco musician Jared Harper, who sang the Rolling Stones’ (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, and 27-year-old music journalist Ari Tibi, from Calabasas, California, who covered Adara’s The Joke.
The Voice will return Monday on NBC.
No chairs: Also failing to earn a turn was 22-year-old San Francisco musician Jared Harper, who sang the Rolling Stones’ (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
Strong effort: Ari Tibi, from Calabasas, California, covered Adara’s The Joke, but none of the coaches turned their chairs