Don’t mess with Texas…or Tennessee. Nashvillians stick together, as The Voice Coach Adam Levine found out when he tried to troll an absent Blake Shelton on the show, only for fellow Coach Kelsea Ballerini to swiftly come to Shelton’s defense. Here’s what happened.

First, Jaelen Johnson charmed all the Coaches on The Voice
The 21-year-old singer, songwriter, and guitar player Jaelen Johnson attributes his success to “hard work, dedication, and manners,” and it was the manners that first got the Coaches blushing. When Ballerini asked the cowboy hat-wearing Artist if he also writes, he responded “Yes, ma’am,” which made the star feel just a little older. Johnson also had the perfect response when asked what his end goal is: “Up until today it was a chair turn.”

Ballerini pitched herself as a Coach, promising to focus on “figuring out what the full realm of you as an Artist is,” and then it was Levine’s turn, which of course got him a “Yes, sir” from Johnson.

“I feel like a little bit old,” Levine admitted. Coach John Legend praised Johnson’s authenticity, and Michael Bublé said of the Johnson’s style, “Just because I don’t know it as well doesn’t mean I don’t love it.”

Jaelen Johnston performing on stage on The Voice Season 27, Episode 2.
During his moment with Johnson, Levine said, “My batting average when it comes to convincing Artists to come to my team is extremely poor because of that big, smelly guy Blake Shelton.” Not one to back down from a challenge, Ballerini immediately quipped, “Don’t talk about my dad like that.” It got a full belly laugh from Levine. (If you’re confused, no, Ballerini and Shelton are not related, just two generations of Nashville musicians.)

Perhaps sensing that dissing Shelton was not the way to win this Artist, Levine pivoted, saying, “You’re too good for me to have not turned my chair around. The tone of your voice is so unmistakably full and strong.”

Then, just a minute after blaming Shelton for his lack of country experience, Levine touted their friendship, saying, “I know a guy and I’m sitting in his chair.” Despite these valiant attempts, the “cutie patootie cowboy” chose Team Kelsea.