The Voice is back in business, with Season 27 starting its 2025 run on NBC with three magnificent episodes featuring a selection of awe-inspiring blind auditions. In the most recent episode 3, there were several eye-catching performances, from a cover of Maroon 5‘s “She Will Be Loved” sung to coach Adam Levine, to a mind-blowing rendition of Whitney Houston‘s “I Have Nothing”. However, it was a cover of the Aretha Franklin classic “I Say A Little Prayer” that caught most people’s eye, with Conor James’ audition not just racking up the views online but also earning the coveted four-chair turn.

Recently, the late noughties school choir series Glee‘s cover of “Say a Little Prayer” has returned to virality, with the beloved dance performed by a trio of Cheerios copied on TikTok and other social media platforms across the world. This will surely help boost this audition’s reach, turning what is already a neatly realized rendition into a moment that could define a strong run throughout Season 27 for singer James.

All Four Coaches Were Desperate For James to Join Their Team

After stepping foot on stage, James caught the coaches and viewers off-guard by delivering a spine-tingling slowed-down version of the song’s opening, with the recognizable opening lyric attaining an “I like it already” out of defending champion Michael Bublé. It would only take James several more seconds as he finished the first verse to gain his first two chair turns from Bublé and John Legend, with both understandably loving this cover’s stripped-back style. As his rendition continued, James upped the tempo and returned to the song’s original melody, which brought about the spinning of the remaining two judges, Kelsea Ballerini and Levine, with the former instantly admitting she was “obsessed” with him.

After his moment in the singing spotlight had come to an end, it was time for the coaches to pitch and James to pick. The 28-year-old auditionee basked in the glory of his four-chair turn before Legend kicked off the pitching, commenting that the audition was “so beautiful,” before adding, “It really took us on a journey. It was soulful and elegant – it was all so tastefully done.” Next, it was the turn of Bublé, who kicked off his pitch by calling James “adorable,” before delivering a heartfelt pitch that seemed to attract some interest from James. Ballerini and Levine followed, with the latter calling James, “a true testament to the fact that true originality is blind.” It was then time to choose, with James eventually teaming up with the former winner, Levine, for a partnership that certainly looks to be one of the best so far in Season 27. Make sure to check out brand-new episodes of The Voice Season 27 streaming on Peacock, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.