Riley Green has only been a coach on The Voice for a few episodes, but Adam Levine has already found a comparison that longtime viewers immediately understood: Blake Shelton.
The hilarious moment happened during Anna McElroy’s Blind Audition, when the 26-year-old Mobile, Alabama, singer performed Maren Morris’ “80s Mercedes” and earned chair turns from Kelly Clarkson, Queen Latifah and Riley. Adam was the only coach who didn’t turn.
Kelly had turned early and desperately wanted Anna, but the moment Riley entered the battle, she knew she had a problem. Riley is an Alabama native, Anna is from Alabama, and both have strong connections to country music.
Things became so competitive that Kelly actually got out of her chair during Anna’s performance and stood in Riley’s way, playfully trying to keep him from making eye contact with the singer.
Then Anna revealed she was from Mobile, and Kelly jokingly acted as though the competition was already over, even walking toward the stage to greet Anna before telling her to enjoy Riley’s team.
Adam wasn’t ready to let Riley have such an easy victory.
Because Anna had chosen a Maren Morris song — an artist whose music often crosses between country and pop — Adam suggested that Anna didn’t necessarily have to choose the obvious country coach.
That was when he delivered the line that immediately brought memories of his old Voice rivalry rushing back.
Adam joked that Anna shouldn’t automatically choose “Blake 2.0.” Riley immediately looked surprised by the comparison and fired back that he had to be at least “Blake 4.0.”
Instead of arguing, Adam hilariously upgraded the compliment. He told Riley he was younger, more handsome and talented, looked better in a cowboy hat and was even smarter in general. Kelly then jumped into the joke by reminding everyone that she had cowboy hats too.
For longtime Voice viewers, Adam making the comparison was especially funny. His constant teasing and competition with Blake Shelton became one of the defining relationships of the show’s early years.
And Riley has already acknowledged that connection himself. Before Season 30 began, he said the personality Blake brought to The Voice was similar to what the show appeared to be looking for when Riley was considered for a coaching position.
The similarities are becoming easier to understand. Riley is the country star sitting beside Adam, he isn’t afraid to tease the veteran coach, and he has already developed a competitive streak when the two want the same artist.
Riley has even said there is “no better feeling” than beating Adam after successfully winning singer Harmony McKee earlier in the Blind Auditions, showing that their friendly rivalry has already become part of Season 30.
But the funniest part of the “Blake 2.0” exchange was what happened next. Despite Riley’s Alabama connection, country credentials and Adam practically advertising him as a younger version of Blake, Anna still chose Kelly Clarkson.
So Riley didn’t win Anna, but he may have gained something else from the audition: one of his funniest nicknames of the season. Whether viewers ultimately see him as “Blake 2.0,” “Blake 4.0,” or simply Riley Green, his humor and growing rivalry with Adam are already bringing back some of the playful energy longtime fans remember from the Adam-and-Blake era.
