Riley Green duets ‘My Way’ with 19-year-old Joe Henley, wins country vocalist to his team on The Voice

Riley Green’s first week as a coach on The Voice delivered an unmistakably country moment, as he teamed with 19-year-old Joe Henley for a spontaneous duet of Green’s “My Way” before Henley chose Team Riley, according to The Boot. Henley’s Blind Audition leaned hard into tradition with Travis Tritt’s “Anymore,” a performance that prompted chair turns from Green and Kelly Clarkson and quickly framed a two-way battle for the young singer.

Henley had signaled his preference before stepping onstage, saying he hoped Green would turn. During the on-camera back-and-forth, Clarkson acknowledged Henley’s attention seemed locked on the country newcomer to the coaching panel, joking, “He was singing it to you! Quit looking at him!” Henley laughed that “It’s his eyes. I can’t help it.” Clarkson pressed her case by noting she has won The Voice “with country singers. Plural,” and argued Henley could be the lone country standout on her team.

Henley underscored his country bona fides by citing Keith Whitley, Don Williams and George Strait among his influences. When Green teased that Henley had omitted one notable coach from that list, Henley replied, “I didn’t get to my number one.” After Henley revealed “My Way” was his favorite Green track, the coach grabbed a guitar and the two delivered a brief onstage rendition together—an exchange that foreshadowed Henley’s final decision.

Henley ultimately selected Team Riley, telling Clarkson, “I love you, Ms. Kelly, so much, I promise, but I’m gonna go with Mr. Riley Green.” Green, who joined the Season 30 panel alongside Queen Latifah and returning coaches Clarkson and Adam Levine, outlined his strategy: “My strategy is to get as many country artists as I can. I want to get all of them, because I think there’s a great chance of a country music artist winning this whole show.” For country listeners, Green’s arrival signals a renewed lane for classic-leaning vocalists on a major platform. The Voice airs on NBC and streams on Peacock.

Source: The Boot