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How "Unicorn" Conor James Used "True Originality" to Get 4 Chairs: "He Could Win"

This young singer is just a joy to behold.

By Elizabeth Logan
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Conor James was barely a measure into his performance of Aretha Franklin's "I Say a Little Prayer" during his Blind Audition on Season 27 of The Voice when Coach Adam Levine pressed the button to turn his Chair around.

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Watch The Voice on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock. 

By the end of the song, everyone else had, too, earning James the rare 4-Chair Turn.

Conor James sings Aretha Franklin's "I Say a Little Prayer" for The Voice Season 27 Blind Audition

Shortly after Levine turned around, Coaches John Legend and Michael Bublé joined him, with Coach Kelsea Ballerini just behind, trying (and failing) to Block a fellow Coach. After he finished his seemingly effortless rendition, James was showered with compliments.

"You are so cool!" said Legend, who asked about James' interests. The young singer is into musical theater, writes and produces, and "plays keys like you sir," he told Legend, who noted that he was composing for Broadway in his spare time. "Shameless," quipped Levine.

RELATED: Adam Levine's Sky-Scraping Falsetto Singing "Tiny Dancer" Hit a New Dimension

"You can tell when someone feels it," said Ballerini of James' obvious connection to the song, adding, "I never wanna lose that in myself."

Calling him a unicorn (his go-to animal, as seen on his team sweaters), Levine told James he had a "spirit" and "limitless potential. You can win this show and I want you bad on my team." It worked, and James joined Team Adam.

Adam Levine holds up a sweatshirt for his team on The Voice Season 27 Episode 1

The Voice returning Coach Adam Levine is in it to win it

Back on the show after a long hiatus, veteran Coach Adam Levine sees himself ending up as the winning Artist. After winning the four-way face-off, he said of Ballerini, Bublé, and Legend, "They’re great. There’s definitely a 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in their future." Cold.

"The only way to sum it up is that just energetically... the opportunity came at the right moment and I was really ready, and we started talking about it and one thing led to another and here I am. It was that simple," Levine told NBC Insider of his decision to return. "It didn’t involve too much deliberation or overthinking. I kind of just felt ready. I was really happy to come back and experience it again with these three wonderful people.".

RELATED: Kelsea Ballerini Hilariously Clapped Back at Adam Levine's Blake Shelton Diss

"It was time," he said simply after Bublé quipped, "America needed Adam."

You can watch The Voice Season 27 on Mondays at 8/7c on NBC. New episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock.

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