Evan James made a memorable entrance on The Voice Season 30 when his Blind Audition earned a near-simultaneous three-chair turn, but his choice of coach was perhaps even more unexpected.

The 22-year-old singer from Highland, Michigan, performed Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted on You” during Tuesday’s Blind Auditions. By the end of the performance, Kelly Clarkson, Riley Green and Adam Levine had all turned their chairs, while Queen Latifah was the only coach who remained facing the stage.

James’ performance was notable not simply because he tackled a song strongly associated with Wallen, but because he gave it a style of his own. Clarkson praised the singer for putting his personal spin on the country hit, noting that he had made the song feel like his own rather than simply imitating the original artist.

Riley Green was also impressed, praising James’ voice and saying that the young singer had taken ownership of the performance. For Green, the audition showed enough potential to believe James could go far in the competition.

Levine, meanwhile, saw a different opportunity. He pointed out that both Clarkson and Green already had several country singers on their teams, while James could potentially become the only country artist on Team Adam. That, Levine argued, could give James a chance to stand out from the other contestants.

It was a particularly interesting pitch considering Levine’s history on The Voice and the country-heavy competition surrounding the new season. With Green serving as one of the show’s country-focused coaches, many viewers might have expected James to choose him after such a successful country audition.

Instead, James decided to take a chance on Levine.

“I think I’m going to take a leap of faith. I’m going to take Adam,” he announced after hearing from the three coaches.

The decision immediately delighted Levine, who celebrated finally adding a country singer to his team. James will now continue his Season 30 journey as a member of Team Adam.

Away from the stage, James also has an unusual family background. He grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Highland that has been operated by his family for 177 years. He described the farm’s seasonal traditions as something resembling a holiday movie, explaining that his family plants and cares for the trees throughout the year before selling them during the Christmas season.

James has been performing around his school and hometown for several years and has described himself as a longtime The Voice fan. His audition therefore represented more than simply another performance: it was the realization of a dream he had watched on television since he was young.

Now, with three coaches already convinced by his voice and a place secured on Team Adam, James has taken an unexpected route into the competition. Whether Levine’s strategy will help him stand out in the next stage remains to be seen, but his Blind Audition has certainly given him an early spotlight.

Source: Compiled from various sources