Blake Shelton pulled the ultimate move to secure a 'Voice' singer after audition: 'This puppy...'

After an unforgettable audition, Blake Shelton plays the puppy card to lock down a top 'Voice' contestant
PUBLISHED APR 13, 2025
Screenshots of Tate Brusa and Blake Shelton from 'The Voice' 2020 auditions (Cover Image Source: YouTube| The Voice)
Screenshots of Tate Brusa and Blake Shelton from 'The Voice' 2020 auditions (Cover Image Source: YouTube| The Voice)

A furry friend invaded 'The Voice' blind audition, and contestant Tate Brusa was forced to choose between the pup or a coach of his choice after a rousing performance on season 18. For Brusa, a big fan of the Jonas Brothers, choosing a mentor was difficult. Although the teenager was eager to join Nick Jonas' squad, Blake Shelton jokingly threatened to return the puppy to an animal shelter if he didn't pick him up. Brusa performed Ed Sheeran's 'Perfect' to serenade the coaches. 



 

"Oh, I love Nick Jonas, Jonas Brothers are sick, that's crazy!" Brusa exclaimed in his audition clip. "I'm like totally fangirling, oh my okay all right!" The teen disclosed that he began playing music as a hobby at an early age. Additionally, the young guitarist revealed that he had started composing original music in his bedroom. "It's such a big step because I'm at the very beginning of my career. Blake is an amazing coach, he's won the show six times. And John Legend really seems like he cares about the artist, and he's insightful and has this really honest criticism, but I feel like from any of these coaches I'd have so much to learn," he said. 

Nick Jonas during Jonas Brothers “Five Albums, One Night” Tour - New York at Yankee Stadium on August 13, 2023 in NYC. (Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Kevin Mazur)
Nick Jonas during Jonas Brothers 'Five Albums, One Night' Tour - New York at Yankee Stadium on August 13, 2023 in NYC (Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Kevin Mazur)

"Wow I thought that was an incredible performance and I tell you that towards the end when you hit that note, that's when Nick was like oh crap you know I was going to try to play this cool and wait till the last minute, and then he turned his chair around so there's no way I'm going to let him get away with this, so I want to wait and see what he says, and then I'm going to come back and tear all over the park," Shelton reacted before beginning a verbal battle with Jonas to 'steal' Brusa. In a humourous take Legend urged the teen to choose Jonas over the "veteran" country music icon.



 

"On my right, Nick Jonas. Wow, you can tell the crowd really likes it. Never didn't get as many owls, yeah. Nick has traversed this industry as a young man, and I feel like he has a lot of great advice for you. I say go with Nick Jonas, that's just my opinion," he said. Kelly Clarkson advised Brusa to choose wisely between the two. Jonas, at this point, noted that the teen needed to hone his vocals, "I wrote the word fight because I heard the fight in your voice, and I think I can help you just hone in the moments that vocally weren't your best, so if it's okay I'll do some real-time coaching with you that's all right," he remarked. 


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by tate brusa (@tatebrusa)


 

At this point, Shelton introduced a Labrador puppy in a paw-dorable moment with the other three coaches going into a tizzy. "See, when it comes, that was adorable what just happened on stage," the 'Jingle Bell Rock' singer teased Jonas and Brusa, bonding. "If you don't choose me as your coach, this puppy's gonna go straight back to the animal shelter," Shelton jokingly added. "He's a hostage taker, you don't wanna go," Legend cuts in while adding. "Do you pick a coach or a dog?" Ultimately, Brusa chose the Jonas team, he was later eliminated during the knock-out round of the competition. 

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