‘The Voice’ Season 23: Every Artist Who Turned 4 Chairs in the Blind Auditions
In competition shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent, contestants audition to hear “yes” or “no” from the judges. The Voice works a little differently. Instead of a vote, the coaches who are interested in a contestant will turn their chairs around. The artist then gets to pick their coach if more than one person turns. Only a handful of artists each season manage to turn all four chairs on The Voice. Many artists with four-chair turns, like Girl Named Tom, even go on to win. So, let’s take a look at the artists who turned four chairs on The Voice Season 23.
Team Blake’s 4-chair turns on ‘The Voice’ Season 23
Blake Shelton has seen many four-chair turns in his 12 years on The Voice. In his final season, however, he has just one on his team: Neil Salsich. Blake was the first coach to turn around as Neil, 34, sang Hank Williams’ “Honky Tonk Blues,” and he blocked Kelly Clarkson on the way.
Neil, a St. Louis, Missouri, native, is a full-time musician who sings folk, blues, country, and rock and roll. He was a perfect fit for Team Blake. The veteran coach complimented Neil’s yodeling and said he’d be “honored” to work with him.
Team Kelly’s 4-chair turns
Kelly Clarkson, who is back from a hiatus last season, also landed one artist who turned four chairs on The Voice Season 23. The energetic Cait Martin, a 34-year-old singer from Atlanta, worked on a cruise ship before she decided to audition for the show.
Cait sang a slowed-down rendition of Harry Styles’ “As It Was.” Kelly pressed her button within seconds, immediately impressed by the singer’s unique take on the tune. After her performance, Cait’s mom began chanting Kelly’s name. Kelly took the opportunity to pitch first, complimenting Cait’s control, vibrato, and “effortless” high notes. Thankfully, Cait listened to her mom and joined Team Kelly.
Team Chance’s 4-chair turns on ‘The Voice’ Season 23
Chance the Rapper kicked off his very first season with two four-chair turns. The first was Savion Wright, known by his stage name NOIVAS. The 30-year-old Jasper, Texas, native works in tech to support his growing family, but he’s always had a passion for music. He wants to inspire his daughters to follow their dreams.
NOIVAS auditioned with a soulful, raspy cover of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” The coaches all turned within a few seconds, but Chance blocked Blake. After his performance, Chance called NOIVAS an “incomparable talent” and “a voice of this generation that deserves to be heard.”
Chance also landed 20-year-old Pennsylvania singer NariYella. She has been working toward a music career since she was 8 years old, which showed in her performance of “One Night Only” from Dreamgirls. The coaches immediately saw her as an R&B powerhouse with unmatched confidence. Chance said NariYella’s skills were “way beyond [her] years,” and he wanted to help her individuality shine.
Team Niall’s 4-chair turns
Finally, newcomer Niall Horan had good luck with four-chair turns, too. One of his earliest teammates was insanely talented vocalist Ross Clayton, 33, of McLoud, Oklahoma. Ross got into music in high school and spent the next few years playing gigs. He eventually stepped away from music to focus on his family, but he’s ready for another shot.
Ross blew the coaches away with his cover of Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” Niall loved Ross so much that he made the other coaches turn around so he could pitch to the singer privately. He even got down on one knee and begged Ross to join his team. Who could say no to that?
Niall’s second four-chair turn was Montgomery, Alabama’s Ryley Tate Wilson, who is just 15 years old. The coaches couldn’t believe Ryley’s young age, as his performance of Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own” was delivered with the maturity of a professional. Niall said his head “nearly exploded” and that it was one of the best auditions yet.
Will these four-chair turns make it to the live shows on The Voice Season 23? Fans must keep watching to find out. New episodes air on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Next-day streaming is also available on Peacock.
