Connor Closs grew up pretending he was a contestant on The Voice in his New Jersey living room. Years later, that childhood game became real when the 23-year-old stepped onto the Blind Auditions stage and delivered a smooth performance of Hozier’s “Too Sweet.”
Connor’s distinctive tone immediately gave the performance its own personality, but the coaches didn’t rush their decisions. Adam Levine listened closely through the opening before finally hitting his button when Connor reached the first chorus.
That first chair turn changed everything for Connor. With Adam now facing him, he continued pushing through the demanding song, showing off the range and controlled upper register that had caught the Maroon 5 singer’s attention.
Then Riley Green joined the battle.
Riley’s turn gave Connor two coaches to choose from, while Kelly Clarkson and Queen Latifah remained facing away. Still, the reaction after the performance made it clear that Connor had impressed more than just the two coaches who pressed their buttons.
Adam appeared particularly surprised that Connor hadn’t earned more turns. He praised the uniqueness of Connor’s voice and believed his efficient approach to difficult notes was something worth developing.
Riley had a different argument. He acknowledged that his team was already becoming heavily filled with country singers and told Connor that someone with his style could bring something completely different to Team Riley.
Connor’s background also caught Riley’s attention. Before reaching The Voice, Connor had developed his skills through extensive live performing, including singing aboard cruise ships — an experience Riley pointed out requires a performer to deliver night after night.
Adam, however, saw similarities between Connor’s vocal range and his own. He believed that connection could make him particularly useful as a coach, especially when it came to helping Connor understand how to use his higher register without losing the character of his voice.
Then came an interesting revelation: Adam hadn’t necessarily been the coach Connor originally imagined himself choosing.
But Blind Auditions can change plans quickly. After hearing Adam’s pitch and realizing how closely the coach understood what he was doing vocally, Connor reconsidered what he had pictured before walking onto the stage.
When it was finally time to make the decision, Connor chose Adam Levine.
The choice officially placed Connor on Team Adam and completed a journey that began years earlier with a kid pretending to compete on The Voice at home. This time, the chairs were real, two coaches actually turned, and Connor walked away with a coach who convinced him to change his original plan.
