Watch Dan + Shay React To 'Risky' Song Choice During 'The Voice' Audition
By Kelly Fisher
February 27, 2024
Dan + Shay immediately reacted to a bold song choice by one singer during his blind audition on The Voice.
Ryan Argast, of Illinois, took the stage with his soulful spin on “Speechless,” a track Dan + Shay related on their self-titled album in 2018, along with “Tequila,” “All to Myself” and other highlights. Throughout Argast’s performance, Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney turn to one another, asking “what do you think? I like him. …I think we should go for it.” Smyers and Mooney turned their double chair for Argast. They joined The Voice for the first time this season and became the first-ever coaching duo, alongside returning coaches John Legend, Chance the Rapper and Reba McEntire. Though the other coaches didn’t turn their chairs during Argast’s audition, they applauded his performance.
“I love the texture of your voice. I love that it feels like it’s breaking, but it’s strong at the same time,” Legend said as he welcomed Argast to The Voice. Chance the Rapper added, “I could tell that Dan + Shay wanted to turn. They just wanted to hear more of their own song before they turned around.”
McEntire assured Argast that he’s “gonna have such a good time with these two over here,” gesturing to Dan + Shay. “They are knowledgable. They are such great singer-songwriters. (I’m) so sorry I missed out on it, but you’re gonna have fun with them.”
Mooney hailed Argast’s audition “unbelievable,” and noted that Argast’s long, curly hair is similar to Smyers’ former signature look (Smyers said he “had that hair” weeks ago, though “yours looks way better than mine looked,” he told Argast).
“That was risky, man, but it paid off dude,” Mooney said of the song choice. “I knew exactly what I was listening for, and you were the magic we were looking for, man.”
“The beginning of it was super true to form, super sexy, super R&B, and when that chorus hit, you made it your own,” Smyers added. “I’m gonna be thinking about that performance every time we sing that song now. We’ll try to keep up with you, man. It was really, really great.”
Legend suggested the duo join their new Team Dan + Shay artist on stage to sing a snippet of the smash-hit ballad together. Smyers and Mooney took the stage with Argast, joining forces on their version of “Speechless” as a trio. Mooney improvised lyric updates to sing: “I’m speechless that we got you and nobody else did/ You know it’s Team Dan + Shay all day/ Everybody, make some noise.”