Kelly Clarkson Stuns Riley Green By Successfully Wooing an Alabama-Born Country Singer to Her Team on ‘The Voice’

Kelly Clarkson just did the impossible on The Voice. During night four of the Blind Auditions, the pop star managed to land an Alabama-born, female country singer on her team, despite Riley Green’s best attempts to take her for himself.

It all started when Anna McElroy took the stage to singer Maren Morris’ “80s Mercedes,” impressing Clarkson, Green, and Queen Latifah in the process.

As soon as McElroy ended her performance, Clarkson noticed the 26-year-old hopeful eyeing Green.

“No. Don’t do it,” Clarkson pleaded. “I know you were looking this way, and the reason I know that is that I turned around first… I already feel defeated.”

Upon learning that the singer, like Green, hailed from Alabama, Clarkson made her way up to the stage to shake McElroy’s hand.

“I just want to say it’s nice to meet you,” Clarkson said. “Enjoy Riley’s team.”

Though Clarkson wasn’t feeling too good about her chances, she still attempted to pitch herself, stating, “I love country music. I love so many different styles. Just like Maren.”

“Can we get a timer on her?” Green requested. “Like, a buzzer?”

Though Adam Levine didn’t turn his chair, he piped up to advocate for McElroy choosing anyone but “Blake [Shelton] 2.0.”

“I’ve got to be like Blake 4.0,” an aghast Green insisted.

“You’re like way more handsome, talented, younger,” Levine conceded. “You look better in a cowboy hat. Just smarter in general.”

“I have cowboy hats!” Clarkson joked amid the back-and-forth.

Kelly Clarkson Nabs a Country Artist on The Voice

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Queen Latifah was the next coach to try and throw her hat in the ring, telling McElroy, “You are definitely country, but you are also the world. I see you moving into different spaces, trying different things.”

Next, it was finally time for Green’s pitch.

“I would love to tell you why you need to be on my team, but I think the fact that everyone here has made it so clear that you shouldn’t should tell you why should be on my team,” he said. “It’s the obvious choice. We grew up very similar, both from Alabama… I’ve got to imagine you’ve got a very country background. If that’s where you truly live and where your heart lives, then I think it should live with me.”

That statement bummed Clarkson out, as she remarked, “oh my God,” before giving a pitch one more try.

“I have won this show. I am proven!” she exclaimed. “I know you’re going to pick him. I know you’re from Alabama. I know he’s got this vampire glamour thing going on, but I’m just saying I can win with you.”

McElroy wound up proving Clarkson wrong and picking the former American Idol winner as her coach.

“Anna is the country artist I’ve been waiting for. I love her voice. I love her range. I love that she chose Maren,” Clarkson told the cameras after her victory. “If I could beat Riley this season with a country artist, you know what that would feel like?!”

After Clarkson’s surprise win, Levine hilariously remarked, “We did it everybody!”

The Voice airs Mondays on NBC.

Photo by Trae Patton/NBC