Chari didn’t need long to convince the coaches on The Voice that she was different. The 31-year-old surgical technologist delivered such a commanding Blind Audition that all four chairs were facing her before she had even reached the chorus.
Performing Oleta Adams’ “Get Here,” Chari brought both power and emotion to a song that carried a deeply personal meaning. Her father had introduced her to the track, and it was also one of the last songs her mother heard her sing.
Adam Levine was among the first coaches to recognize what was happening. As Chari’s voice filled the room, Adam stood up — and remained standing even after the performance ended.
When it came time to speak, Adam told Chari he wasn’t going to sit back down because he felt doing so would be “disrespectful” after a performance that strong.
But that wasn’t even Adam’s biggest statement.
While trying to persuade Chari to join his team, Adam pointed to his experience winning the previous season and said there is a certain quality he has learned to recognize in singers capable of going all the way.
Then he made his prediction clear: Chari had it.
Adam told her that he had not heard that particular winner-like quality during the season until her audition, adding that he genuinely believed she could win The Voice.
And judging by the immediate reaction online, plenty of viewers were already thinking along similar lines.
Fans praised Chari’s smooth R&B tone, control and emotional delivery, with some calling her one of the strongest singers introduced during the Blind Auditions so far.
Riley Green was equally impressed, telling Chari that she had filled the entire room with her voice and describing the performance as flawless.
Kelly Clarkson also made a passionate pitch, telling Chari that contestants like her were exactly why The Voice exists and confidently imagining what she could accomplish on Team Kelly.
Then Queen Latifah found an argument perfectly suited to Chari’s day job. Referencing her work as a surgical technologist, Queen praised the “surgical precision” with which Chari had taken such a respected song and made it her own.
Queen later revealed just how strongly she felt about Chari, explaining that when she accepted the coaching job she had hoped she would find someone with exactly this kind of talent whom she could help introduce to a wider audience.
With four coaches interested and Adam openly predicting she could win the competition, Chari had an extremely difficult decision to make.
Ultimately, she chose Queen Latifah, admitting afterward that Adam had made a very convincing argument but that something about Queen simply won her over.
Adam may have lost Chari, but he was still impressed enough to make another major statement afterward, saying Queen’s team was stacked and that she might currently have the strongest lineup. And if Chari continues performing at the level of her Blind Audition, Adam’s bold prediction about how far she could go may keep following her throughout Season 30.
