Evan James made one of the most memorable late Blind Auditions of The Voice Season 30 when his Morgan Wallen cover earned three chair turns — and then he surprised everyone by choosing the coach many viewers least expected.
The 22-year-old Michigan singer performed “Wasted on You,” convincing Kelly Clarkson, Riley Green and Adam Levine to turn almost simultaneously once he reached the chorus.
But Evan’s Voice story is only part of what makes him interesting.
Here are seven things to know about the Team Adam country singer.
1. He grew up on a Christmas tree farm that has been in his family for 177 years.
Evan is from Highland, Michigan, where his family operates a Christmas tree farm with roots stretching back generations.
He has described growing up there as feeling a little like living inside a holiday movie, surrounded by Christmas trees, families and seasonal traditions every year.
2. He is still a college student.
Away from music, Evan studies public relations at Michigan State University.
He graduated from Hartland High School before continuing his education at MSU while also pursuing his musical ambitions.
3. Music has been part of his life for years.
Evan didn’t suddenly start singing when The Voice came along.
He participated in musical theater, high school choir competitions and his church worship band, and he was selected as one of two students to perform the national anthem at his high school graduation.
4. He already had a sizable online audience before the show.
Before his Blind Audition aired, Evan had built more than 22,000 TikTok followers, sharing covers from artists including Chris Stapleton and Zach Bryan.
That gave him experience performing for an audience long before three red chairs turned on national television.
5. Kelly Clarkson heard more than traditional country in his voice.
Evan’s rendition of Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted on You” wasn’t a straightforward copy.
Kelly praised him for making the song his own and said his sound reminded her of Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts with an R&B influence.
That crossover quality helped distinguish Evan from some of the season’s other country singers.
6. Riley Green seemed like the obvious coach — but Evan chose Adam Levine.
With country star Riley Green turning his chair, many expected Evan to join Team Riley.
Adam, however, made a strategic argument.
He pointed out that Riley and Kelly already had several country singers and suggested Evan could stand out more clearly on his team.
Evan eventually announced that he was taking a “leap of faith” and chose Team Adam, leaving even Adam visibly surprised.
7. His Morgan Wallen song choice created an unexpected full-circle connection.
Morgan Wallen himself competed on The Voice Season 6 in 2014.
Wallen originally joined Team Usher before Adam Levine later stole him during the competition.
More than a decade later, Evan walked onto The Voice, covered one of Wallen’s biggest songs and ultimately ended up with the same coach Wallen once had.
Evan has also spoken openly about admiring Wallen’s post-Voice career and hoping his own journey can eventually create similar opportunities.
That doesn’t mean their careers will follow the same path, but the connection adds an interesting layer to one of Season 30’s most talked-about country auditions.
From a 177-year-old family Christmas tree farm to Michigan State University and now Team Adam, Evan James arrived on The Voice with a story that extends far beyond his three-chair turn.
And after surprising everyone with his coach selection, his next challenge will be proving that choosing the unexpected team was the right move.
