Snoop’s jewelry giveaway might’ve helped him seal the deal with the 21-year-old singer from Texas.
Viewers at home typically have an unfair advantage over the Coaches on The Voice during Blind Auditions. While Coaches don’t get to see what the Artist looks like before pressing their button, viewers at home have already gotten to know a little bit about most contestants, oftentimes thanks to a nice interview where the singer gives a little backstory to their life. But Episode 3 of Season 26 began with a truly blind Blind Audition, causing all four Coaches to turn their Chairs.
Ultimately, it was Snoop Dogg who “seduced” the Artist with that powerful voice: Georgia Starnes, a 21-year-old from Dallas, Texas. Granted, the Coaches — and the audience — didn’t know that when she began to sing Sam Smith’s “Too Good at Goodbyes.”
Watch Georgia Starnes’ Performance of Sam Smith’s “Too Good at Goodbyes” During Blind Auditions for The Voice Season 26
Georgia Starnes performs onstage during The Voice Season 26 Episode 3. Photo: Tyler Golden/NBC
It wasn’t until Coach Michael Bublé pushed his button to see what the person behind those pipes looked like that the camera showed Stranes, wearing a cowboy hat and looking younger and more vibrant than the experience and emotion of her voice might suggest. Coaches Gwen Stefani and Snoop pushed their buttons next at almost the same time, and finally, Reba McEntire slammed her button, too, meaning Starnes got the elusive 4-Chair Turn.
“I love being shocked in this competition,” Bublé said. “You don’t look like the sound that comes out of your body. I feel like we have that in common because when I start to sing, people expect an 80-year-old white guy.”
Stefani next asked Starnes to tell them a little bit about herself, and the Artist explained that she’s been singing since she could talk, and has recently been “gigging” around Los Angeles, where The Voice is filmed. Stefani was complimentary to Starnes’ singing, and the Texan returned the favor by complimenting Stefani’s outfit, leading to a brief fashion show. (McEntire noted that Stefani’s sparkly ensemble involved tube socks and fishnet pantyhose, which Snoop called “a West Coast thing.”)
“You rock a cowboy hat very well,” McEntire said, continuing the fashion talk before explaining why she turned her chair for Starnes. “You hear it, but you want to see what the whole package is. You look terrific, You sounded wonderful.”
Snoop said that when he first saw Starnes after hearing her voice, his reaction was, “Wait a minute, that’s what comes with that?” He further praised her voice and said he wanted to help her be all she could be, but that it could only happen if she joined Team Snoop.
“I feel for you because it is so easy to be seduced by Snoop or Reba or Gwen,” Bublé said. But then he made another pitch for the young singer, explaining how he would help establish Starnes’ identity in a way that audiences and record labels would understand. Stefani chimed in again to note her status as the most experienced Coach on The Voice. But Snoop countered — and he had an enticing prop.
“Not only was I signed to Death Row Records in 1992, but I am now the owner of Death Row Records,” Snoop said, before dangling the golden necklace he’s been giving to every member of his team. After all the fashion talk, it was intriguing, to say the least.
“Snoop definitely has a game plan and knows how to pick the perfect team,” Stefani said afterward. “Snoop is seducing everyone with his necklaces. Everyone’s eyes are like [gasp!]. When they see it, they’re like, ‘I want that!’”
“Gwen, give ‘em one of your rings next time,” quipped Reba.
Where can you watch The Voice?
Catch new episodes of The Voice Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC. Every episode also arrives on Peacock the next day, so if you missed it the night before, you can always catch up.
