Riley Green made his first season as a coach on The Voice memorable right away, turning his chair for BigCountry and delivering a heartfelt pitch for why the talented singer should join Team Riley.
Season 30 opened with plenty of excitement, and one of the most talked-about Blind Auditions featured BigCountry, a 37-year-old singer from Tacoma, Washington, who earned an impressive three-chair turn.
Taking the stage, BigCountry performed the classic “I Put a Spell on You,” putting his own soulful spin on the well-known song. His powerful vocals immediately caught the coaches’ attention.
Adam Levine was the first to turn his chair, with Queen Latifah quickly following. Riley Green could be seen listening closely and moving along to the performance before eventually hitting his button as well.
Kelly Clarkson enjoyed the performance from her chair but ultimately decided not to turn.
As BigCountry’s friends and family watched with emotion, the three coaches who turned their chairs welcomed him with applause. Levine even gave the singer a standing ovation.
Clarkson later admitted that she was second-guessing her decision.
“Now I feel like a complete moron!” she joked.
She explained that she had been waiting to hear whether BigCountry would show another vocal side before turning, but she ultimately praised him for his incredible performance.
The battle for BigCountry then began.
Levine pointed out that he was the first coach to turn, while Green brought some humor to the competition by pulling out his signature duck call. The coaches exchanged playful shots before Queen Latifah made her own heartfelt case.
“You got it,” she told BigCountry, praising the emotion behind his performance and explaining that she wanted to help him take that energy to the stage throughout the competition.
Then it was Riley Green’s turn to make his pitch.
Green put his cowboy hat back on and got serious as he explained why he believed he could connect with BigCountry—not simply because of country music, but because of storytelling.
“Being country is not about singing the genre of country music,” Green explained. He said it was about telling stories about where you come from, how you grew up and what you believe.
Green told BigCountry that his performance had soul while still carrying the kind of roots he associates with country music. That combination, he explained, was what drew him to the singer.
It was a meaningful pitch from the first-time coach, showing that Green wasn’t simply looking for country singers. He was looking for artists with stories, emotion and something authentic to say.
With three coaches competing for him, BigCountry suddenly had a major decision to make.
And while the coaches did everything they could to win him over, viewers would have to keep watching to find out which team he ultimately chose.
For Riley Green, however, the Blind Audition was already a strong introduction to his new role as a Voice coach.