Season 21 of The Voice kicked off on Monday (September 21)…and it kicked off with a bang!
One of the most outstanding performances of the night came from 19-year-old Georgia native Peedy Chavis. He may be young, but Chavis has a deep love for old-school music by legendary artists such as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Elvis Presley.
When it came time for him to perform during the blind auditions, Chavis opted to sing one of Presley’s most recognizable songs…”Heartbreak Hotel.”
Mae Boren Axton was one of the songwriters who wrote “Heartbreak Hotel.” Voice coach Blake Shelton happened to be a friend of hers, so he was listening to Chavis’ performance with attentive ears.
John Legend was the first coach to turn his chair for Chavis’ cover of “Heartbreak Hotel,” and you could tell he was a big fan. Shelton soon followed, and appeared impressed with what he heard.
Kelly Clarkson and new coach Ariana Grande did not turn their chairs around. So that left Legend and Shelton to vie for Chavis’ attention.
“That had me fired the h— up,” Shelton said, making it known how much he loved Chavis’ performance. He also spoke about his own love for Elvis’ music, and touched on his connection to Axton and “Heartbreak Hotel.” Shelton also made sure to point out that he hosted a tribute special in Presley’s honor in 2019.
“I also appreciate Elvis,” Shelton said. “Man I’d be d— proud to be your coach.”
“I think you just lost John,” Clarkson told Legend after hearing Shelton talk about all of his connections to Presley.
“I don’t even know why John turned around,” Shelton teased.
But Legend wasn’t backing down. “I turned because you were singing your butt off man,” Legend told Chavis. Clarkson also tried to paint him in a positive light by pointing out his many accomplishments, and the fact that he’s one of few EGOT winners.
“He’s an ego winner,” Shelton remarked as he bickered with Legend to try and win Chavis for his team.
Despite Legend’s best effort to put up a good argument, Chavis ended up choosing Shelton as his coach. He was the first contestant of the season to land a spot on Team Blake.
Tune in to the video below to watch Chavis’ “Heartbreak Hotel” audition. Then you’ll understand why Legend and Shelton were both desperate to be his coach!