“The Voice” Season 30 delivered a memorable country moment when 19-year-old Joe Henley stepped onto the Blind Auditions stage and performed Travis Tritt’s “Anymore.” It was an especially big moment for Henley because, outside of singing in church, this was his first real performance.
Henley entered the competition hoping to impress two Coaches in particular: Kelly Clarkson and newcomer Riley Green. Almost immediately, his deep traditional-country voice got exactly the reaction he wanted, with both Clarkson and Green turning their chairs.
Clarkson was visibly excited by what she heard. As an experienced Coach who has previously found success with country Artists, she quickly began making the case that Henley did not necessarily need to choose the obvious country Coach.
Green, however, seemed to have an immediate connection with the Alabama teenager. Henley’s old-school country style fit naturally with the kind of music Green has built his own career around, setting up an entertaining battle between the two Coaches.
Clarkson even tried to keep Henley’s attention away from Green during their pitches. She argued that many country singers would naturally gravitate toward Green, meaning Henley could potentially receive more individual attention as a country Artist on her team.
But the competition changed when Green began asking Henley about the country music he loved. Henley mentioned several traditional influences before revealing a particularly important detail: one of his favorite songs was Green’s own “My Way.”
Green decided that talking was no longer enough. He left his red chair, walked onto the stage and joined Henley for an unexpected performance of “My Way,” turning the Blind Audition into a duet between contestant and Coach.
The moment carried extra significance because “My Way” appears on Green’s new 19-track album, That’s Just Me, released on September 18. The project continues Green’s traditional-country approach while exploring family, relationships, heartbreak and life on the road.
For Henley, suddenly getting to sing alongside an Artist he already admired was difficult to compete with. Clarkson continued fighting for him, but the teenager’s connection with Green had become increasingly obvious.
When it was finally time to make his decision, Henley chose Team Riley. The result gave Green another promising country Artist during his first season as a Coach and left Clarkson frustrated after turning for Henley almost immediately.
Clarkson still had plenty of praise for the young singer. Henley’s combination of a deep country voice, traditional influences and remarkably limited performance experience made his audition stand out, especially considering the “Voice” stage represented such a huge step beyond singing in church.
For Henley, it was difficult to imagine a better beginning to his “Voice” journey. His first major performance earned two chair turns, started a battle between Clarkson and Green, and ended with him singing alongside one of his musical influences before officially joining Team Riley.
