Carson Daly Helps Ryan Mitchell Make History on The Voice with an Artist-First

Here’s how this is gonna work…

After years as a radio station host, the face of TRL and now the host of The Voice, Carson Daly knows a thing or two about musical talent. And thanks to a new rule, he’s empowered to help an Artist in need when he sees one. That’s exactly what happened during the first night of Blind Auditions for Season 28 of The Voice, when Ryan Mitchell failed to secure any chair turns during his try-out, despite having obvious talent.

Carson Daly Was Jimmy Kimmel’s Intern

How to Watch

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

Mitchell is a 25-year-old from Los Angeles who performed “Cigarette Daydreams” by Cage the Elephant. He described his connection to the song’s meaning about growing up too fast, explaining that while he once drank a handle of vodka a day, he’s now four years sober. But while he may have related to the song emotionally, it didn’t quite give him a chance to show off his range, and the four Coaches agreed that it just wasn’t his night.

“Sometimes the Coaches just don’t get it right,” Daly told Mitchell and his family backstage, adding that he particularly likes what Mitchell was bringing to the table. “We rarely get a cool alt-rock Artist on the show anymore.”

How Carson Daly went the extra mile to help Ryan Mitchell on The Voice

Ryan Mitchell smiles in front of a red backdrop.

Ryan Mitchell  appears on The Voice Season 28.

Photo: Danny Ventrella/NBC

“Twenty-eight seasons, I see Coaches let great singers like yourself fall through the cracks sometimes, and I’ve never been able to do anything about it until right now,” Daly explained, handing a stunned Mitchell a special card and instructing him: “Ryan, this is the Carson Callback Card. You’re just too good to let go. Pick a new song. Ryan, you have 24 hours to prepare for this second and last chance.”

Over the years, there have been Artists who have auditioned for The Voice multiple times. They’ll make it all the way to the Coaches only to be sent home with advice to come back stronger in a year and audition again. That’s when they’ll make a team.  Essentially, this speeds up that process. Instead of waiting a whole year to see if he can show another side of himself, Mitchell will have a day. And he’ll get to audition again. Because the auditions are blind, the Coaches won’t know it’s him until someone (hopefully) presses their button.

To find out if this happens, watch The Voice Tuesday, September 23 at 8/7c on NBC.