The Voice season 18 premiered on NBC Monday night (Feb. 24), and the blind audition talent is already stacked to say the least.
16-year-old Tate Brusa took the stage for a chance to be on the show with a performance of Ed Sheeran?’s “Perfect” on the guitar. Brusa’s sweet vocals impressed the coaches, but his high note in the last chorus is what got Blake Shelton and first-time judge Nick Jonas to turn their chairs.
Then came time for Shelton and Jonas to fight for Brusa’s heart. With the crowd wildly cheering for Jonas (“You can tell the crowd really likes Nick,” John Legend observed), the “Jealous” star decided to hop on stage for some “real time coaching” to prove that he has what it takes to be a great coach.
“When I was 16, just having gone through that point in your voice where it starts to break, I know it well, I would rely on just my throat. Think about your posture, standing a bit taller,” Jonas said before delving into his own performance of “Perfect” to show Brusa the proper way to stand. The 16-year-old then gave the chorus another shot, with some definite improvements.
Shelton, feeling like he was “at a disadvantage,” decided to throw his Hail Mary by randomly bringing an adorable puppy onto his lap. “Tate, I want you to know that if you don’t choose me as your coach, this puppy is going to go straight back to the animal shelter,” the country superstar joked.
Despite the lighthearted threat, Brusa ultimately chose Jonas as his coach. Watch it all go down below.