While all the coaches from The Voice talk about how great their contestants are, they don’t owe them anything outside of mentoring them on the show.
However, according to one finalist, Blake Shelton was more generous than he ever had a reason to be.
Ian Flanigan said that Blake is “a truly good human down to his core.”
The Voice finalist praises Blake Shelton
Ian Flanigan was a contestant from Season 19 of The Voice and he made it to the finals as a member of Team Blake.
Ian came out and performed Colder Weather by Zac Brown Band in that season. He only had one chair turn for him, and it was Blake.
While Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Gwen Stefani chose not to turn, Blake proved that Ian was worth it as the singer made it all the way to the finals.
Ian also had fans on his side. He won the Battle Rounds and Knockouts, and then the public vote saved him in the Live Playoffs, and he got an Instant Save by public vote in the Semifinals.
In the finals, he sang In Color by Jamey Johnson and finished in third place.
In a podcast appearance on Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef, Ian talked about his single Grow Up, which features Blake.
Ian said he liked the song and thought it would work for him, but he asked Blake what he thought of it.
He never expected the response he received.
Blake openly offered to record a song with Ian Flanigan
“I mean, I got the text somewhere in my phone,” Ian remembered. “He was just like, ‘Hey man, that song sounds great. You mind if I jump on it with you?'”
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh! What is going on?!’ I actually felt like, ‘you’ve done too much for me, man.’ But he’s just that kind of guy. I don’t even know. Like, it’s hard to explain.”
Blake was already planning to come through Nashville when Ian was there recording, so he made sure to stop by and record the song with him.
“I just believe in working hard and trying to be the best person you can,” Ian said. “The more you get to know a guy like Blake, he’s a truly good human down to his core and it’s nice to meet that in Hollywood.”
The Voice is on hiatus. The singing reality competition series will return to NBC in late 2022.