Kenna Elpers’ appearance on “The Voice” Season 30 may look like a sudden breakthrough, but the 23-year-old singer-songwriter has actually been working toward a moment like this since childhood. Her Blind Audition became even more special when Riley Green turned his chair—because their musical paths had crossed years earlier.
Kenna grew up in Cynthiana, Indiana, near Evansville, and developed an interest in country music when she was very young. By age 12, she was already joining her cousin Andrea Wirth for performances at a local bar and grill.
It didn’t take long for performing to become much more serious. At 13, Kenna began playing solo shows, performing both country covers and original music at venues around Southwestern Indiana. She even opened for country singer Josh Turner while she was still a teenager.
Kenna’s history with Riley Green actually stretches back further than many viewers realized. Their paths first crossed at the 2019 Vanderburgh County Fair, where Kenna sang the national anthem and Green performed on a bill that also included Morgan Wallen.
Four years later, their paths crossed again. Kenna opened for Green at a music festival in Missouri in 2023. Green gave her a signed koozie during that encounter, and she held onto it for years.
That little souvenir became part of her story when she finally appeared on “The Voice.” Kenna brought the koozie with her to the Blind Auditions, hoping that Green would turn around and that they might eventually be able to celebrate together as Coach and Artist.
For her audition, Kenna tackled Chris Stapleton’s powerful “White Horse.” Queen Latifah turned early in the performance, while Green eventually followed, giving Kenna two Coaches to choose between.
Kenna later admitted that she was so focused on getting through the song that she didn’t initially realize Queen Latifah had turned. It was only after hearing the audience cheering and looking up that she noticed Latifah pointing toward her.
Both Coaches heard some nerves in her performance, but Green’s response particularly connected with her. He pointed out that he was also experiencing something new as a first-time Coach and suggested they could work through the pressure together. Kenna later said those words helped calm her.
Ultimately, Kenna chose Team Riley, completing a remarkable full-circle moment. The singer who had once opened a show for Green was now going to be personally coached by him on one of television’s biggest singing competitions.
Away from “The Voice,” Kenna has also taken concrete steps toward building a career in the music business. After graduating from North Posey Senior High School in 2021, she moved to Nashville and studied music business at Middle Tennessee State University. Those years helped her continue developing both as a performer and as someone trying to understand the industry behind the music.
Perhaps the sweetest part of Kenna’s story is that “The Voice” was once something she recreated at home as a child. She remembers pretending to audition while her friends sat in office chairs and played the Coaches. Years later, she finally stood on the real stage—and when the chairs turned, one belonged to Riley Green, an Artist who had already become part of her musical journey long before Season 30 began.
