Adam Levine was thrilled to hear his name called… until he heard the rest of the sentence. On Monday’s episode of The Voice Season 30, Louisiana native Bryan Jaymes sang a stirring rendition of Hall & Oates’ “Every Time You Go Away,” and three coaches turned around to hear him. Then he spoke, revealing a voice far deeper than anyone expected. The twist: Jaymes picked Queen Latifah, leaving Levine “crushed.”
Jaymes’ Surprise Performance
Jaymes, 39, started the night with a performance that touched everyone except Kelly Clarkson. His handling of the Hall & Oates classic brought strong reactions from the judges, who sat stunned when he began speaking and showed a voice far deeper than what he had just sung. Clarkson summed it up best: “What the hell?!”
Jaymes gave Levine a reason to cheer when he heard his name mentioned… until the kicker came. “Adam…” He said, which had Levine already celebrating early. “…I love the words, but…” Then Jaymes kept talking, putting an end to Levine’s excitement. When Jaymes finally revealed his real pick — Queen Latifah — Levine put his head down on his desk in embarrassment. The Maroon 5 singer later admitted that he had been wrong, “I never had a chance.”
Host Carson Daly noted from backstage that “Adam’s crushed!” Levine agreed, saying, “I never had a chance.”
TVLine graded the performance A.
The Rest Of The Night’s Picks
Monday saw ten more artists join the list, each for a reason’s episode. Here’, laid out in order:
- Cade Mower, 35 — Team Riley Green
- Allie Rae, 15 — Team Riley Green
- Connor Closs, 23 — Team Adam Levine
- Saade, 24 — Team Kelly Clarkson
- Everett Bounds, 23 — Team Riley Green
- Sophia Liano, 22 — Team Queen Latifah
- Anna McElroy, 26 — Team Kelly Clarkson
- Julia Clark — Team Adam Levine
The audience watched as each act earned a distinct response from the panel, and behind every selection lay its own unique narrative.
Cade Mower’s Smooth Country Voice
Cade Mower had reservations about meeting Riley Green before he sang, admitting, “I fear his mustache is better than mine.” That fear was misplaced. After Mower performed Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange,” no one talked about his ‘stache. They talked about his voice.
His performance drew all four coaches to turn around. His daughter’s presence did steal some attention, yet the spotlight remained fixed upon his smooth country sound throughout. Mower picked Team Green, and his coach is eager for the partnership. “He has a tone that you can feel emotionally,” Green said.
TVLine graded Mower’s performance B+.
Allie Rae’s Big Ol’ Voice
Allie Rae, 15, blew Riley Green and Kelly Clarkson away with her big voice. She performed Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet,” and Green turned after a single “Mississippi” in her performance. We’re surprised a 15-year-old would even choose this song, much less crush it so effortlessly.
When Green pressed his First-In Button to bring Rae onto his team, Clarkson looked crushed. The pick was easy to understand, though, since Rae’s large voice matches what Green’s roster needs.
TVLine graded Rae’s performance A.
Connor Closs’s Silky Smooth Vocals
As a boy in New Jersey, Connor Closs played a make-believe edition of The Voice in his own living room. That practice paid off during his Blind Audition, which turned into the genuine article. Closs caught Hozier’s “Too Sweet,” and his smoky vocals got Adam Levine’s notice by singing a song that brought the singer around when Closs reached the track’s opening chorus.
Riley Green turned too, but given Closs’ overall style, we figured he would choose Team Levine. Either way, Closs was one of the night’s more underrated contestants. “I’m really unsure as to why not everybody turned around,” Levine noted.
TVLine graded Closs’s performance A-.
Saade’s Oscar Winning Tears
Saade picked Raye’s “Oscar Winning Tears,” a tough song to maneuver. She did it pretty well, but it took the coaches a minute to get a feel for what she had to offer. The whole thing started a little disjointed, but there was a theatricality to her performance that grabbed their attention.
She thanked the coaches for their kind words, but she ended by saying, “I was raised with Kelly Clarkson in Iran,” so joining her team was always the dream.
TVLine graded Saade’s performance B+.
Everett Bounds’ ’70s Look
Everett Bounds claims to have only been singing for about two-and-a-half years, but his ’70s-tastic look — from the hair to the ‘stache — begs to differ. He performed Eddie Rabbitt’s “Drivin’ My Life Away” and fit his pop-country voice perfectly.
TVLine graded Bounds B.
Sophia Liano’s Risky Choice
Sophia Liano knew that singing a Celine Dion was “a very big risk,” but that didn’t stop her from performing “I Surrender.” Queen Latifah was drawn to her growl and general fire, with Riley Green turning his chair after being impressed by a particularly big note.
There was a shakiness to the overall presentation that we couldn’t ignore. Here’s hoping she shakes off those audition nerves as we move further into the competition.
TVLine graded Liano B-.
Anna McElroy’s Pleasant Surprise
Anna McElroy’s breezy take on Maren Morris’ “’80s Mercedes” was pleasant. We were certain she was going to join Riley Green’s team, given that everyone from Alabama usually ends up headed that way, but much to our surprise, she opted to go with Kelly Clarkson.
TVLine graded McElroy A.
Julia Clark’s Floating Sound
Julia Clark’s ethereal sound was a perfect fit for Billie Eilish’s “Bellyache,” eliciting an instant turn-around from Queen Latifah. Adam Levine also wanted in, and can you blame him? Clark has a fantastic lower register, but she also has a beautiful head voice.
TVLine graded Clark B.
What This Episode Shows
A host of surprises made up the episode, and despite Jaymes’ choice of Latifah over Levine was the biggest. Levine’s strong play, it changed nothing for him. His response, letting his face fall onto his desk, made for classic television drama.
These coaches put up a strong fight for their contestants, and the blind auditions setup gives that effort its due weight. Jaymes’ deep voice took everyone by surprise, and his decision to pick Latifah over Levine proved to be a sudden turn in the contest.
The night’s other performances were strong across the board. Rae’s big voice, Mower’s smooth country sound, Closs’s smoky vocals, and Clark’s floating notes all stood out. The coaches responded quickly to what they heard, and the choices reflected genuine excitement.
More blind auditions are on the way, and the contest has barely started. The coaches will remain locked in battle for their teams, while the performers keep giving us shows we won’t soon forget.
For now, the biggest takeaway is simple: Adam Levine was crushed.
Source material: “The Voice Season 30: An Epic Fake-Out Leaves Adam Levine 'Crushed' In Week Two — Vote For Your Favorite Audition,” TVLine.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.