The Voice Season 30 premiered on Monday night on NBC, as new coaches Queen Latifah and Riley Green joined veterans Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine on the panel. The season kicked off with the Blind Auditions,as Latifah used the new “First In” button to claim an artist for her team.
The Voice Season 30 Premieres with One Four-Chair Turn
Monday night’s Season 30 premiere of The Voice only featured one four-chair turn, which went to sister duo Ferry & Brinkley. The pair, who performs at Dollywood, delivered a powerhouse rendition of “When Will I Be Loved” by Linda Ronstadt which won over all four coaches.
Queen Latifah told the ladies that their “energy together was amazing,” while Adam Levine argued that “nobody would expect” them to join his team. Kelly Clarkson pointed out that she’s the only coach who has won the show with a group (Girl Named Tom in Season 21).
However, the country singers ultimately chose to stay in their favorite genre, opting to join Riley Green’s team. Green, who is from Alabama, told the sisters that their performance “took me back to where I grew up.”
Another The Voice artist who came close to a four-chair turn in this episode was Big Country, who sang “I Put a Spell On You” at the start of the episode. Adam Levine, Queen Latifah, and Riley Green all turned around for him, but he ultimately chose to join Team Queen.
This season of The Voice will apparently not feature the famous block button, which allowed coaches to stop one of their fellow panelists from getting an artist on their team. Instead, the show has introduced something new called the “First In” button.
If a coach was the first to turn their chair for an artist, they have the opportunity to press this button and automatically claim the artist for their team, regardless of how many other coaches also turned around. During Monday’s new episode, Queen Latifah was the first coach to use this new feature.
Latifah did the honors for 16-year-old Mia Knight, who performed “You Stole the Show” by Sienna Spiro for her Blind Audition. Latifah, Green, and Clarkson all turned their chairs for Mia, with Clarkson pointing out that she’s won the show with young artists in the past.
It’s not clear which coach Mia would have picked if she’d had the choice, because Latifah pressed the “First In” button to claim her for her team, having been the first to turn around while Mia was singing. She’ll now compete on Team Queen.
Young Singer Shocks the Coaches with Amazing Voice
Monday’s The Voice premiere ended with a Blind Audition by a singer named Brianna Cameron, who performed “River Deep – Mountain High” by Ike & Tina Turner. Her powerful voice prompted both Kelly Clarkson and Riley Green to turn their chairs.
All four coaches were stunned to learn that Brianna is only 13 years old. She shared that she played a young Tina Turner in the Broadway tour of the musical Tina. Clarkson told Brianna that she thought she was an adult when she heard her sing. Although Green brought his adorable dog out to try and sway Brianna, she ultimately chose to join Team Kelly.
Another young singer who impressed the coaches with a more subdued approach was 18-year-old Owen Uffens, who sang “Everybody’s Talkin'” by Harry Nilsson. Levine and Clarkson turned their chairs, with Clarkson telling Owen his “tone is dreamy.” Levine emphasized that you don’t have to have a huge voice to win the show. Owen ultimately chose to join Team Adam.
What did you think of the Season 30 premiere of The Voice? Did any artists stand out to you in the Blind Auditions? Are you a fan of the new “First In” button? Let us know in the comments below.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
