Chapter 463: An Unexpected Choice

Chapter 463: Chapter 463: An Unexpected Choice

The brief self-introduction was clean and neat, without any unnecessary emotional buildup—pure and sincere.

It was this calm and composed demeanor, paired with creative strength far beyond his age, that made the four coaches appreciate him more and more.

"A truly outstanding original performance, with a unique musical style and phrasing that caught our eyes and ears," Carson Daly smiled, raising a hand to signal. "Next, let us invite the two turned coaches to explain their reasons for choosing Christopher."

Kanye West spoke first, his tone bold and confident with an overwhelming aura, carrying the inherent confidence and control of a top producer.

The certainty in his eyes almost spilled over, as if he had already deemed victory his:

"Christopher, I must be blunt. This song of yours, your phrasing, your creative attitude—they completely hit the absolute cutting edge of today’s top musical aesthetics. You possess the most scarce original aura of the new generation; you do not follow trends, you do not blindly obey, and you have your own attitude, your own thoughts, and your own rhythm."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone growing even more certain and filled with absolute confidence:

"I have spent years deeply cultivating hip-hop and R&B production. From front-stage singing to backstage arrangement, I understand all your creative logic, the expression in your lyrics, and the vanguard nature of your musical style.

Out of everyone here, only I can accurately mine your potential, help you polish your works, upgrade your stage, broaden your track, and let the entire music scene see your originality. Furthermore, we share the same skin color, the same cultural background, and the same musical context. Without a doubt, you are most suited to join my team."

His words were confident, bold, and well-structured.

They not only affirmed the young man’s talent but also precisely pointed out his own absolute advantages.

Every single word hinted that their compatibility was irreplaceable, fully exposing his mindset of holding victory in his grasp.

As Kanye West’s voice trailed off, the calm Steve Winwood slowly spoke up.

Without aggressive lobbying, his tone was steady yet immensely weighty: "Child, I do not listen to styles, I do not look at tracks, and I do not compete on talent labels—I only listen to the music itself. In your singing, I heard the purest soul rhythm and intellectual power, along with a clarity and depth that transcends your age. In you, I clearly saw the shadow of another legend—Stevie Wonder."

"Stevie Wonder swept across America in the seventies and eighties, influencing the entire landscape of pop, rock, soul, and hip-hop. He is a hall-of-fame musician, a benchmark of black music and Motown music, who defined the musical aesthetics of an era with deeply thoughtful works. And in your singing, you happen to possess that rare thoughtfulness, commercial appeal, and soulful texture, along with creative potential that transcends eras. This is the most precious and rare talent."

As soon as these words were uttered, the entire audience instantly fell silent.

Everyone understood Stevie Wonder’s transcendental status in the music industry, and they instantly grasped just how heavy and rare Steve Winwood’s extremely high evaluation was.

Meanwhile, Irene Coppola was thinking to herself that she had previously told these coaches to try to make their pitches a bit more upscale and exaggerated.

She had not expected the first one to execute it to be Steve Winwood.

It seemed that despite his age, his mind was still very agile, knowing what the audience loved to watch and hear.

Carson Daly seized control of the stage at the right moment, handing it back to the young man: "A truly wonderful commentary! Now, we have reached the most crucial counter-selection moment! Christopher, you hold the ultimate power of choice. Over the next ten seconds, think carefully and shout out the name of the coach you want to join!"

As his voice fell, ten red ambient lights around the stage lit up simultaneously, sequentially representing the countdown seconds.

The atmosphere was maxed out, and everyone’s gaze in the audience was in the spotlight on the young man—even the control room staff held their breath, quietly awaiting the final result.

Ten, nine, eight... The lights lit up one by one, and then slowly extinguished one by one.

Time ticked away second by second, and the tense atmosphere piled up layer by layer.

Kanye West leaned back against his seat with a smile on his lips, looking relaxed and confident.

He quietly waited for the young man to say his name, having long prepared to take in the genius.

When the last red light slowly extinguished and the countdown officially ended, Christopher Francis Ocean raised his head, his gaze firm and his voice clear, speaking solemnly word by word: "I choose—Coach Steve Winwood."

As the words fell, the entire audience stirred instantly, and the studio was filled with utter astonishment.

Kanye West’s confident smile on his face instantly froze, his eyes filled with disbelief as he stood completely dumbfounded.

Britney Spears and Bonnie Raitt both wore looks of astonishment, exchanging a glance filled with incredulity.

Everyone had assumed that this black teenager walking the original hip-hop and vanguard R&B route would definitely choose Kanye West, who shared the same track, skin color, and aura.

No one expected him to make such an unexpected, reversal choice.

Only Steve Winwood had a gentle smile rippling at the corners of his eyes, his steady gaze filled with gratification and joy as he calmly accepted this unexpected windfall.

Carson Daly was also deeply surprised, then smiled and followed up, taking the opportunity to supplement the show’s highlights: "This is truly the most unexpected reversal of tonight! Can you tell us what reason led you to finally choose Coach Steve Winwood?"

Hearing this, the young man lowered his head slightly, his cheeks flushing with youthful shyness.

With a sincere and pure tone, he candidly stated the answer: "Because my idol is Stevie Wonder. I grew up listening to his music, and his works, his thoughts, and his musical framework have always guided the direction of my creation. Coach Winwood saw Mr. Wonder’s shadow in me, and I want to follow my seniors to learn, polish my own music, and become a musician like them who has works, warmth, and thoughts."

This simple and pure sentence instantly untied everyone’s doubts, turning the entire audience’s astonishment into relief.

It had nothing to do with tracks, styles, skin color, or the current trendiest fashion winds.

It stemmed solely from an idol faith hidden deep in his heart for many years, an ultimate pursuit of a pure musical framework.

Upon learning the truth, Kanye West shook his head helplessly and let out a wry chuckle.

The astonishment and regret in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by appreciation and relief.

What the young man pursued was not the currently hottest traffic track or the coach most fitting to his style, but a guide who could lead his musical framework and nourish his musical soul. ℴ

As the stage lights slowly dimmed and the red swivel chairs simultaneously reset and turned back around, Kanye West reined in his emotions, straightened his posture, and continued to quietly await the appearance of the next talented contestant with a hint of regret.

Meanwhile, Steve Winwood’s team successfully recruited the first and highly potential original dark horse contestant of this season, laying a fantastic groundwork for the subsequent team competition stages.

In the control room, all the staff members finally breathed a sigh of relief as the tense atmosphere completely dissipated.

This high-energy battle-for-artist scene with an opening reversal and a mutual two-way sprint perfectly revitalized the show’s rhythm and completely broke the dull and oppressive stalemate of the early stage, making it more than enough to become a blockbuster breakout iconic scene of the show’s premiere.

Looking at the youthful yet resolute teenager on the monitor, Irene Coppola slowly raised a trace of certain smile in her eyes.

From this moment on, the true charm of The Voice was only just beginning to bloom.