Photo: Trae Patton/NBC
Reba McEntire regretted that she didn’t turn her char for one singer’s blind audition on The Voice, and she ended up making history on the hit competition show.
Kendall Eugene, 37, delivered a rendition of “Don’t Think Jesus,” a ballad that Morgan Wallen released on his One Thing At A Time album last year. Eugene’s heartfelt performance on the season premiere of The Voice on Monday night (September 23) didn’t result in any chair turns by the celebrity coaches; however, that wasn’t the end of the road for the aspiring artist from Fort Worth, Texas.
Coaches Gwen Stefani, Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg and McEntire all noted that Eugene delivered a “heartfelt” performance of a “beautiful” song as they shared, with regret, why they didn’t turn for him.
“Your style is totally different than anything we’ve heard today,” McEntire said. “I liked everything about it.”
Eugene told the country legend that she “should’ve turned,” and McEntire “was gonna say that exact same words.
“I don’t understand why I did not turn around,” she continued, and went on to make Voice history. “We’ve got this new thing this year that is a Coach Replay button. I’m gonna use mine.”
The audience erupted with cheers and applause as McEntire used the first-ever replay button on the show. The new feature on The Voice allows coaches to pursue an artist even if they did not initially turn their chair, per NBC. McEntire embraced Eugene in a hug in the midst of the emotional moment, and told him, “I believe in you.”
“I love that song that Kendall was signing,” McEntire said. “And after the song was over, I felt kind of numb. And I knew in my heart I wanted him on my team. I’m so glad, for the very first time, we have a Coach Replay button. it’s the second chance for the coaches when we realize we missed this moment. …I think he has a lot more to show us. And I’m really anxious to listen to him sing again.”
Watch that moment here: