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The Most Jaw-Dropping Auditions on The Voice of All Time
We're regularly impressed by the singers on "The Voice," bu
After 22 seasons of blind auditions for The Voice, audiences have witnessed a wide array of outcomes. The ultimate goal is to get at least one coach to turn a chair, and the cherry on top is when all four coaches twist their seats around. Of course, only a very select few have earned the coveted four-chair turn — but sometimes, a four-chair turner also wins the season, making it a possible early predictor during each season.
Take a look at some of the most surprising chair turns and auditions on The Voice — including a singer who was rejected by the judges only to go on and win another singing competition and land a record deal.
Javier Colon's Performance of “Time After Time” on Season 1
The very first winner of The Voice was also one of the first to get all four coaches fighting over him, all the way back in 2011. Javier Colon told Billboard he picked coach Adam Levine after performing "Time After Time" because he had been feeling like his musical career had stalled and it meant a lot to him to hear that someone really wanted him and appreciated his talent.
Colon went on to put out several albums, including Gravity in 2016 for Concord Records. He wrote or co-wrote all but three songs on the album.
“I’m grateful to The Voice for allowing me to be myself in front of tens of millions of people,” Colon said on Concord’s website. “It was the greatest thing that could have happened to me, and the experience gave me the confidence to fight to be my real self musically.”
Wé McDonald's Performance of “Feeling Good” on Season 11
One of the most shocking moments of the show happened in Season 11, as all four judges turned their chairs for Wé McDonald. When she spoke to the judges after performing “Feeling Good," they were surprised, as her deeper singing voice most certainly did not match her higher-pitched speaking voice, causing confusing among the judges.
“That was not the voice I was expecting!” Miley Cyrus said in the 2016 blind audition. “Your voice was so strong, and the great thing about us being turned around is it has nothing to do with anything else but besides what I hear. And what I heard: You are a total star!”
Another revelation — McDonald was only 17 years old.
The praise from the coaches had McDonald visibly moved.
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“It’s phenomenal that you say something like that to me because I was bullied for the longest time, and I was ashamed of who I was,” McDonald said at the end of the performance.
McDonald ultimately chose to join Team Alicia, and she ended up finishing the season in third place.
Matthew Schuler's Performance of “Cough Syrup” for Season 5
Matthew Schuler hadn’t even finished the first line of Young the Giant’s “Cough Syrup” when all four judges hit their buttons almost simultaneously and turned their chairs at the same time — within 10 seconds of the start of the performance.
All four judges also gave him a standing ovation at the end of the song. It was an early indication of his stardom, as Schuler joined Team Christina and eventually made it to the top six.
Maddie Poppe's Performance of “Dog Days Are Over” for Season 10
All four coaches — Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, and Pharrell Williams — passed on turning their chairs for Maddie Poppe and her rendition of Florence + The Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over” in Season 10.
However, Poppe went on to win Season 16 of American Idol in 2018, released an album with several chart-topping singles, and earn a People’s Choice Award for Competition Contestant of 2018. It's proof that while the judges on The Voice are musical geniuses, it doesn't mean it's the end of the road for competitors who don't advance.
Poppe posted a snippet of her audition on her Instagram page, where you can hear coach Pharrell Williams tell her she has a beautiful voice, despite no one picking her for their team. In the caption, she joked, “I still couldn’t concentrate on what @Pharrell was saying while I watched my segment as it aired. Lol.” She also shared an Instagram post of herself hugging the judges before she left the stage on The Voice.
After not advancing on The Voice, she turned to a palm reader for advice about her music career.
“She straight up looked me in the eyes after reading my palm and she said, ‘You will never be on another TV show again,” Poppe said to Deseret News.
But Poppe decided to take a chance when American Idol came back in 2018, and auditioned, ultimately winning the whole thing. This opportunity sparked a whirlwind for Poppe, who went on a coast-to-coast tour with Ingrid Michaelson and debuted her first album.
“I want people to know that even if you hear a ‘no’…it doesn’t mean that you’re not going to make it,” Poppe told Deseret News. “It doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It’s important to not give up.”
To find out, watch The Voice on Peacock and NBC. Season 23 premieres Monday, March 6 at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
