In 2014, Morgan Wallen was just a long-haired country boy with a job as a landscaper. That all changed when he auditioned for The Voice.
Wallen stepped out onto the stage wearing a gray button-up shirt, a black jacket and a black tie — a much different look than what his fans are used to today. He chose to sing Howie Day’s “Collide,” which paired perfectly with his low, gritty voice.
Shakira instantly turned her chair, but it took some time before any of the other coaches pushed their red button. Finally, Usher punched his button, but Blake Shelton and Adam Levine opted not to take a chance on Wallen.
Both Usher and Shakira raved about the uniqueness of his voice, saying there was no other voice like his on the show or on the radio. After both coaches made their pleas, Wallen selected Usher as his coach.
The “Everything I Love” singer would later be stolen from Team Usher to continue his run on Team Adam after the second round. He made it all the way to the playoffs before being eliminated.
“Some things in life are out of your control,” he told Billboard about his elimination. “Being the best you can be isn’t. I didn’t feel like I was the best I could have been. So I practiced harder.”
Fast forward to now, and Wallen is one of the biggest names in country music. He’s in the middle of working on his fourth studio album while also preparing for the 2024 leg of his One Night at a Time Tour, which resumes in April.