Former Grand Ole Opry Tour Guide Kayleigh Mathews Wins a Four-Chair Turn on ‘The Voice’
At 31, Kayleigh Mathews had already spent years around the heart of country music. On Monday night, the Tucson, Arizona, singer proved she belonged on the stage herself when her emotional performance of Vince Gill’s “When I Call Your Name” prompted all four coaches on The Voice Season 30 to turn their chairs.
The Blind Auditions have been moving toward the final spots on each team, making four-chair turns especially significant. Adam Levine was the first to respond to Mathews’ performance, followed by Riley Green, Kelly Clarkson and Queen Latifah. By the time the song reached its biggest moments, every coach was facing the stage.
From Grand Ole Opry guide to ‘The Voice’ contestant
Mathews’ connection to Nashville runs deeper than her appearance on the singing competition.
She moved to Nashville in 2018 and, after initially struggling to find work, landed a position as a tour guide at the Grand Ole Opry. The job gave her an opportunity to immerse herself in Nashville’s country music community while continuing to develop as an artist.
That experience eventually became part of a broader musical journey. Mathews has gone on to perform around the country and release her own music, making her appearance on The Voice another step in a career that has been closely connected to country music.
For her Blind Audition, she chose one of Vince Gill’s best-known songs, a demanding selection that gave the coaches plenty of room to hear the emotion and control in her voice.
The choice immediately paid off.
All four coaches wanted Kayleigh
Levine was the first coach to hit his button, recognizing Mathews’ voice before the other three coaches joined him. Green, Clarkson and Latifah soon followed, turning the audition into a four-chair battle.
The response from the coaches only grew stronger as the performance ended. Levine and Latifah both stood to applaud Mathews, while all four coaches made it clear that they wanted her on their teams.
Levine made a particularly direct case for himself. He acknowledged that Riley Green had an obvious connection to Mathews as a country artist, but argued that The Voice was his world and that he could help her navigate the strategic decisions that come with the competition.
He also focused on the sheer impact of her voice, praising her as a remarkable talent and telling her he would be honored to coach her.
Queen Latifah makes her case
Queen Latifah took a different approach.
Calling her “Queen Kayleigh,” Latifah told Mathews that the performance deserved all four chairs. She described the audition as a deeply spiritual experience and emphasized the emotional quality she heard in Mathews’ singing.
Latifah also suggested that she could help Mathews find songs that brought out the strongest qualities in her voice and allowed her to connect with audiences.
Riley Green, meanwhile, highlighted Mathews’ decision to tackle a Vince Gill song. He praised Gill as one of country music’s greatest vocalists and clearly appreciated that Mathews had chosen such a respected piece of country repertoire.
Green also connected with the emotional character of the performance. Other coverage of the audition noted that he said its feel reminded him of growing up in Alabama.
The coaching panel for Season 30 features Green and Latifah alongside returning coaches Levine and Clarkson. The season premiered September 21, 2026, with the Blind Auditions continuing through October.
Kelly Clarkson hears Patty Loveless and LeAnn Rimes
Clarkson was the final coach to give Mathews feedback, and she made it clear that she was already a fan.
Rather than focusing only on Mathews’ country style, Clarkson pointed to the female vocalists she heard in her sound. She compared elements of the performance to Patty Loveless and LeAnn Rimes, while also noting her own musical connection to Vince Gill.
With all four coaches having made their pitches, Mathews faced the difficult part: choosing where to go next.
There was plenty of reason to expect Green to be a strong contender. His country background appeared to make him a natural fit for a singer whose voice was rooted in classic country. Levine, meanwhile, pushed hard for her, even pointing out that she would fill the country spot on his team while Green already had several country artists.
But Mathews ultimately went in another direction.
Kayleigh chooses Team Queen
After listening to all four coaches, Mathews chose Queen Latifah.
The decision meant that the country singer who had attracted strong interest from both Green and Levine would instead continue her The Voice journey under Latifah’s guidance. The choice also gave Latifah another standout artist as her team continued to take shape.
By the end of the Blind Auditions, Team Queen had 11 artists, while Team Adam, Team Kelly and Team Riley each had 10. Mathews was among the final additions to Latifah’s roster.
For Mathews, the four-chair turn marked a striking moment in a career that began with a move to Nashville and a job guiding visitors through the Grand Ole Opry. Years later, she found herself on another major stage, this time with four of the music industry’s biggest personalities turning their chairs to recruit her.
And after hearing every pitch, she made her choice: Team Queen.
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