Kelly Clarkson Wins Over Alabama Singer Anna McElroy After Heated ‘The Voice’ Coach Battle
Kelly Clarkson appeared to be fighting an uphill battle. Anna McElroy was an Alabama native, Riley Green was making a strong case for himself, and the singer seemed to be looking his way after her Blind Audition.
But Clarkson refused to give up.
During the September 28 episode of The Voice Season 30, McElroy delivered Maren Morris’ “80s Mercedes” and earned chair turns from Clarkson, Green and Queen Latifah. Adam Levine also praised the performance but chose not to turn, leaving McElroy with three coaches competing for her.
In the end, Clarkson pulled off the surprise and convinced McElroy to join Team Kelly.
Anna McElroy Makes a Strong First Impression
McElroy, a 26-year-old singer from Mobile, Alabama, stepped onto The Voice stage with a performance that immediately showcased both her country foundation and her broader artistic potential.
Her choice of Morris’ 2016 hit “80s Mercedes” proved to be a smart showcase for her voice. McElroy brought a smooth but powerful delivery to the song, giving the performance plenty of personality while staying connected to its country roots.
The performance also suggested that McElroy could eventually move beyond a strictly country sound. That made Morris’ catalog particularly fitting, since Morris herself has explored musical territory outside traditional country.
Clarkson and Queen Latifah were quick to turn their chairs, with Green eventually joining them. Levine clearly appreciated what he heard, but with three coaches already competing for McElroy, he decided not to turn his chair.
By the time McElroy finished, the coaches gave her a standing ovation.
Clarkson Realizes She Has a Fight on Her Hands
Clarkson was the first coach to turn for McElroy, and she immediately recognized that she might have a difficult choice ahead of her.
As soon as the performance ended, Clarkson tried to intercept what she believed was already an obvious decision.
“Don’t do it. I know you were looking this way and the reason why I know that is because I turned around first,” Clarkson told McElroy.
McElroy admitted that she had noticed.
“I did see that. I noticed that. I’ll give you that one,” she replied.
Clarkson then acknowledged that she already felt as though she was losing the battle.
“I’m so sorry. I already feel defeated, which is why I led with my pitch…”
McElroy explained that she was from Mobile, Alabama, putting her only a few hours from Green’s Alabama hometown. She had also lived in Nashville for six years, however, and considered Tennessee another home.
That gave Clarkson an opening.
“I lived in Tennessee for 12 years. I love country music. I love so many different styles, just like Maren…I’m just saying, I’ve literally been saying I want country music on my team,” she said.
Clarkson’s determination was part of a broader dynamic between the two coaches this season. Green, who joined The Voice as a new coach for Season 30, has quickly become one of the coaches Clarkson is competing most directly with for country artists.
Adam Levine Encourages McElroy to Look Beyond Country
Levine offered another perspective during the coaches’ discussion.
He pointed out that Morris has performed with Maroon 5 and has demonstrated that she is not limited to a strictly country lane. For Levine, McElroy’s decision to perform a Morris song could indicate that she is interested in exploring different sides of her artistry.
That possibility became part of the debate over whether McElroy should automatically gravitate toward Green simply because the two share an Alabama background and a connection to country music.
Green had already jokingly referred to himself as “Blake 4.0,” playing off the comparisons to former The Voice coach Blake Shelton.
The point was clear: McElroy had more than one possible musical direction in front of her.
Queen Latifah Makes Her Case
Queen Latifah also entered the competition for McElroy.
She focused less on where McElroy came from and more on the possibilities she saw in the singer.
“Anna, you just came on this stage and you showed it who was boss,” Latifah said, praising the performance before emphasizing that McElroy’s voice was what made the coaches turn.
“You definitely are country, but you are also the world,” Latifah continued. She told McElroy that she could see her moving into different musical spaces and encouraged her to “be rolling with the queen.”
Latifah’s pitch gave McElroy another option beyond the country-focused argument being made by Green and the genre-spanning approach Clarkson was offering.
Riley Green Leans Into Their Alabama Connection
Green then made the most direct case for why McElroy should choose him.
Both artists come from Alabama, and Green argued that their similar backgrounds could make him the natural coach for her.
“We grew up very similar, both from Alabama,” Green said.
He acknowledged that Morris has moved through different musical styles, but suggested McElroy should follow her own roots if country music is where she feels most at home.
“If that’s where you truly live and that’s where your heart lives, then I think you should live with me.”
Green’s pitch reflected the connection that had seemed to give him an early advantage. Earlier in Season 30, he had already attracted country artists from Alabama, including 19-year-old Joe Henley, who chose Green after performing Travis Tritt’s “Anymore.”
For McElroy, though, the decision was not simply about geography.
Clarkson Makes One Last Attempt
With the decision approaching, Clarkson made one final attempt to change McElroy’s mind.
“Wait, can I just…Okay, I’m Texan. I love country music. I have won this show. I am proven,” Clarkson said.
She knew exactly what made Green such a natural choice for McElroy, and she acknowledged it herself.
“Look, I know you’re going to pick him. I know you’re from Alabama. I know he’s got this vampire glamor thing going on.”
But Clarkson wasn’t ready to concede.
“I’m just saying I can win with you and I think that I would be a really great coach.”
The crowd then began calling out the names of the coaches they wanted McElroy to choose.
After taking it all in, McElroy finally made her decision.
“We’re going to go Team Kelly.”
Anna McElroy Chooses Team Kelly
Clarkson immediately jumped from her chair in shock and excitement, rushing over to McElroy to celebrate the decision.
The victory clearly meant something to Clarkson, particularly after her repeated attempts to prevent another country singer from choosing Green. Her comments afterward made that especially clear.
“Anna is the country artist I’ve been waiting for y’all. I love her voice. I love her range. I love that she chose Maren…”
Clarkson then compared the feeling of beating Green for McElroy to the satisfaction of eating a fresh donut straight from the oven.
“Donuts are great, but a fresh donut where the icing is melting still and it’s just right out of the oven, that’s the kind of feeling I’m going to feel,” she said.
McElroy’s decision adds another country artist to Clarkson’s Season 30 team. The latest Voice results show McElroy among the artists on Team Kelly, while Green, Latifah and Levine continue building their own teams during the Blind Auditions.
For Green, the outcome was another chapter in the increasingly competitive dynamic between the two coaches. For Clarkson, it was a hard-fought recruiting victory.
And for McElroy, the next stage of her The Voice journey will now unfold under Clarkson’s guidance.
When Is The Voice Back?
The Blind Auditions continue next week with a two-hour episode of The Voice on Monday, October 5, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) on NBC.
McElroy will continue the competition as a member of Team Kelly, after turning down the Alabama connection offered by Green and the broader musical possibilities presented by Latifah and Clarkson.
Season 30 of The Voice premiered September 21, 2026, with Clarkson and Levine returning alongside first-time coaches Green and Latifah.
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