After 21 wonderful seasons of The Voice, and some of the most memorable singing performances in reality competition history, season 22 is bringing yet another fan-favorite to the limelight — country music sensation Jay Allen.
It’s only been a couple of hours since his beautiful vocals made their way to social media, but the soulful crooner is already on his way to viral status following his incredibly moving act at the blind auditions. Calmly, yet confidently pulling in the crowd with his rendition of Cody Johnson’s “Till You Can’t”, Allen’s voice caught the attention of judges — particularly Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton — who both turned their chairs around for the singer.
In an exciting battle between the married couple, Stefani and Shelton stated their cases as to why Allen should side with them, but only one could emerge victorious.
So who is Jay Allen, and why has he become instantly popular?
According to The Tennessean, Allen began singing in the church, and from his revelation at his audition, his father helped introduce him to all the classic country legends. A rising star for a decade now, he has extensive experience on stage and has been performing for several years since moving to Nashville in the hopes of becoming a country music star.
Allen’s incredibly moving audition may have won the respect of all four judges, but it’s his inspiration to sing that’s got the fans singing his praises many hours after his performance. When asked by judge John Legend the reason behind his song selection, he shared that his mother was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and died in 2019 at 54 years old.
He also added that he wrote a song about the entire ordeal, and is “proud” that the song has helped raise almost 50 million dollars in fighting Alzheimer’s, much to the joy of the judges and the crowd as his dad and fiancé watched from the sides. He performed the song, titled “Blank Stares” moments later.
While onlookers believed he’d go for Shelton as his coach, an obvious choice given the his love for country, Allen shocked viewers by selecting Gwen as his mentor in the competition.
Season 22 of The Voice will air on Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC, and Allen is already a shoe-in to progress far in the competition. Stefani returns as a judge after missing seasons 20 and 21, and Camilla Cabello joins the judges after being a guest advisor on the last season. Shelton remains the only judge that has appeared on all seasons of the show.