'The Voice’ turns chaotic as coaches fight over 20-year-old after ‘insane’ performance earns four chair turns
With Reba McEntire, Michael Bublé, Niall Horan, and Snoop Dogg gracing the iconic red chairs, 'The Voice' Season 28 got its first four-chair turn in the premiere episode itself. The 20-year-old contestant captivated viewers and judges with a stellar performance of Adele's 'Love in the Dark,' earning rave reviews. Not only that, but McEntire was so impressed with the performance that she called it 'mesmerizing', and honestly, we couldn't agree more.
The contestant was Aiden Ross, and he barely started his performance when Snoop Dogg turned his chair, followed by the other three coaches. Horan, the last to turn, praised him, saying, "I just love how you could take Adele and take it on in an audition scenario and make it your own. It was literally like you'd written the thing. When you hit some of those bigger notes, you hit them with ease, and that makes me excited," as per Parade. "Now that you're 155 percent on the show, and you're going to be on Team Niall, obviously, I've worked with similar voices to yours and had some success on the show previously. If you don’t pick me, I wish I could turn this chair around and never turn it again," the judge added.
McEntire also wanted Ross on her team. "When you were singing and then you walked towards us, that was not an amateur move. It took me a while to be able to do that. I couldn't wait to hit my button so I could see the person that was with the voice. It was mesmerizing, and I would love to have you on my team," she said. Bublé and Snoop Dogg, too, praised Ross for his talent, mentioning his strong vocals and potential. Notably, apart from the four chair turns, Ross managed to get a standing ovation from all four judges.
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In an attempt to woo the 20-year-old to join his team, Bublé expressed the importance of forming genuine connections with contestants to help them reach their potential. Snoop, on the other hand, said that Ross' voice and spirit instantly made him feel he belonged on his team. The rapper also tried to woo him by mentioning future opportunities to create and release music beyond the show. Horan insisted on having the final word, saying, "I have to be honest. That was Snoop Dogg talking. I understand that, but I have to put my neck on the line here, because the belief I have from hearing like six notes out of your mouth is insane."
He added, "I think you could be in the final of this competition, like straight out of the gate. You do have three other great options, but we have nice hoodies and stuff as well. I won this thing a couple of times; Bublé, stay quiet for a second. I need to fight for my life here." When McEntire asked the pivotal question, "Who do you choose as your coach?" Ross quickly made his decision, opting to join Team Niall.
Notably, 'The Voice' Season 28 introduces several exciting changes to give more power to Carson Daly, the artists, and the fans. During the blind Auditions, Daly can award one artist who didn't get a chair turn the Carson Callback card, giving them 24 hours to prepare a new audition. In the Battles, artists will now choose their own pairs instead of coaches selecting them, as per NBC. For the Knockouts, each coach can use a Mic Drop button for one standout artist, and fans will vote for the winner, who will perform at the Rose Parade on Thursday, January 1, 2026.