At just 22 years old, Evan James already had the coaches fighting for his attention on Season 30 of The Voice. But after delivering a powerful Morgan Wallen cover, the Michigan singer shocked everyone by choosing the coach few people expected.

Evan, from Highland, Michigan, comes from a family that runs a Christmas tree farm. He is also a student at Michigan State University, where he is studying Public Relations.

For his Blind Audition, Evan took on Morgan Wallen’s Wasted On You. The song gave him a chance to show off his strong country voice while adding his own style to a familiar hit.

At first, none of the coaches seemed ready to turn.

Then, just as Evan’s performance was coming to an end, three chairs turned almost at the same time.

Riley Green, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine all wanted him.

Riley Green thought Evan was headed to his team

Kelly was the first coach to speak after the performance. She praised Evan for making the song feel like his own and compared his vocal style to Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox.

Riley admitted he waited to turn because the beginning of the performance was a little slow for him. But once Evan pushed his voice harder, Riley said he “cranked it up,” which convinced him to turn around.

Adam, meanwhile, joked that country singers rarely choose him.

“Evan, here I am again,” Adam joked, pointing out that he was always losing country artists to Riley.

But this time, Adam had a different argument.

He reminded Evan that Riley’s team was already packed with country singers and that Kelly also had country artists. Adam suggested that Evan could stand out more by joining Team Adam.

The crowd seemed convinced that Evan would choose Riley, especially with Riley being the country coach.

But Evan had a completely different idea.

Evan shocks everyone with his final decision

When it was time to pick his coach, Evan revealed that he wanted Adam Levine.

The reaction was immediate.

Kelly looked stunned, while Adam appeared genuinely shocked by the decision. He quickly ran onto the stage to hug Evan, admitting that he was “in shock.”

Evan’s choice gave Adam another country artist for his team and proved that Riley’s country advantage does not always guarantee a win.

For Riley, Kelly and Adam, the three-chair turn was already a major moment. But Evan’s unexpected decision made the audition even more memorable.