John Legend Made The Voice Audience Gasp While Trolling Kelsea Ballerini

Behold, friends: a lesson in Voice Coach banter from John Legend.

Coach Kelsea Ballerini may be new(ish) to The Voice, but with a decade-long career and a reputation that precedes her, no one’s doubting her ability to get the job done. Fellow Season 27 Coach John Legend found that out the hard way when he tried to troll the country singer-songwriter on her Coach inexperience during the February 10 episode.

John Legend had no chance of recruiting a Kelsea Ballerini fan on The Voice

When High Point, North Carolina singer Tatum Scott took the stage at the Blinds to sing “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo, it was almost a done deal that she’d be Team Kelsea. Not only does Scott live and work in Nashville, she was wearing a pair of embellished jeans that Ballerini also owns.

Legend turned his chair, followed by Ballerini, which Legend tried to use to his advantage, calling out his fellow Coach for being “a little late” to hit her button. When that didn’t sway Scott, he added, “Kelsea’s never done this show before. This is just a fact. This is not criticism,” which got a gasp from the audience.

“I listen to Olivia Rodrigo in the car with my daughter. I’m very young and hip,” Legend continued, but Ballerini wasn’t letting Scott go, pointing to her status as the only female Coach in an effort to bond with the Artist. It worked, and Team Kelsea added a new member. “I only have one Artist on my team…I’m on a slump,” admitted Legend.

Tatum Scott on The Voice Season 27, Episode 2. Photo: Christine Bartolucci/NBC

The other Voice Coaches can’t stop (playfully) teasing Kelsea Ballerini

It’s not just John Legend who enjoys poking fun at the “little sister” of the red chairs. During the first episode of Season 27, Ballerini sent a text between Blind Auditions. Adam Levine took notice and teased in a high-pitched voice, “You’re texting your boyfriend, oo-ooh.”

“Guys, really?” Ballerini snapped, prompting John Legend to say, “She said, ‘Mind your business!'” Is Michael Bublé the only one focused on work?

For context, Kelsea Ballerini has been seeing Outer Banks star Chase Stokes for two years. During a chat on Call Her Daddy, she revealed that she met the actor by sliding into his Instagram DMs. “I’ve never seen his show, but I just knew of him, and I just swan dove right on in…” Ballerini said. “I was ready to open back up. I just felt, why not? I’ve never really dated; I don’t know how it works. I’m like, ‘Let’s just put ourselves out there; let’s just vibe.’ And it’s been fun.”