Connor Closs finally lived out a dream years in the making when he stepped onto The Voice stage and performed Hozier’s “Too Sweet,” delivering a performance strong enough to get two coaches fighting for him.
The 23-year-old New Jersey singer arrived at the Blind Auditions with plenty of performing experience, but standing in front of four turned chairs meant none of his background could help him at first. The coaches had to make their decisions based entirely on what they heard.
Connor immediately brought his own personality to “Too Sweet,” using a distinctive tone and impressive upper range rather than simply trying to imitate Hozier’s original recording.
Adam Levine listened closely during the opening section, and once Connor reached the chorus, he finally hit his button and turned around.
That first chair turn gave Connor an obvious boost. Knowing that at least one superstar coach wanted him, he continued pushing through the song while showing more of the vocal range that had caught Adam’s attention.
But Adam wasn’t going to get Connor without a fight.
Riley Green eventually pressed his button as well, turning the audition into a two-chair battle between him and Adam. Kelly Clarkson and Queen Latifah ultimately stayed facing away.
By the end of the performance, however, the reaction went beyond the two chair turns. The coaches were visibly impressed by what Connor had delivered, and Adam appeared particularly surprised that more chairs hadn’t turned for him.
Adam quickly began explaining why he wanted Connor. As a singer known for using a high register himself, he felt he understood some of the techniques Connor was using and believed he could help him develop that part of his voice even further.
Riley took a different approach. His team had already begun attracting plenty of country talent, so he argued that Connor could bring something completely different to his lineup.
Connor then revealed more about the road that had brought him to The Voice. The New Jersey native had spent years performing and developing his skills, including working as a singer aboard cruise ships.
That experience impressed Riley, who understood that performing repeatedly for live audiences requires consistency and confidence. It gave him another reason to believe Connor could handle the pressure of the competition.
But there was an interesting complication for Adam: before the Blind Audition, Connor hadn’t necessarily pictured Levine as the coach he would choose. What Connor imagined before stepping onto the stage, however, began changing once he actually heard the coaches
