The Voice Contestant Ian Flanigan Gets Chair Turn From Blake Shelton

The Voice is back in action on NBC, and on the premiere episode on Monday, October 19, contestant Ian Flanigan floored coach Blake Shelton with his unique voice in the blind auditions. The 30-year-old musician sang Zac Brown Band’s “Colder Weather” as the the coaches listened with their chairs turned, but Flanigan’s low, gravelly voice made the song his own. Coach John Legend was visibly impressed when Flanigan started singing, but it was Shelton who turned when the singer started stretching his range toward the end of the song.

Shelton got out of his chair once the song was over, and surprised at the singer’s beardless appearance, asked him, “Where is your beard that’s supposed to go from here to there? Your hat, your giant beer gut, all the stuff that goes along with that voice that you have? How is that possible?” Flanigan then told the coaches that he’s already an established musician and lives in a motor home touring full-time with his family. While the other coaches opted not to turn for Flanigan, they complimented his interesting tone.

“You have so much richness in that baritone of yours; it sounds like you’ve lived a thousand lives,” said Legend.

Coach Gwen Stefani also spoke up, saying, “Your voice sounds like it’s already on a record. It’s so beautiful. I can’t wait to se what happens next with you.”

“Your voice sounds like you would travel around the world for a living,” added Kelly Clarkson. “Like, literally, it sounds like a passport that’s been used forever. The only reason I held back was, range wise, I didn’t know where it was going to go, and by the end of it, you kind of showed a little bit of it, and I noticed that Shelton was turned around, and well, you’re a country singer.”

The Voice will return with the second night of blind auditions tonight, October 20, at 8pm ET on NBC.