Riley Green entered Season 30 of The Voice with a clear plan, and it turns out Blake Shelton helped inspire one of his biggest goals.
As a first-time coach, Green joined Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and Queen Latifah for the milestone 30th season. But he did not want to simply sit back and compete. He also wanted to bring some of the playful coach-to-coach rivalry that fans remember from Shelton and Levine.
Riley Green Wants To Give Adam Levine A Hard Time
During a September 2026 interview with Billboard, Green revealed that Shelton gave him some inspiration for his first season as a coach.
When asked what he wanted to bring to The Voice, Green immediately mentioned Shelton and his long-running habit of teasing Levine.
“Well I know how Blake always gave Adam a hard time, so I definitely wanted to do that,” Green said with a smile. “That was one thing I wanted to bring in, which has been really great.”
Shelton and Levine became known for their constant jokes and playful competition during their years together on The Voice. Green now appears to be carrying some of that energy into Season 30.
With Levine back in the coaching lineup, Green has already found a familiar target for some friendly competition.
Riley Green Doesn’t Want To Be “Just A Country Guy”
Green also revealed that he had another goal coming into Season 30. He did not want viewers to see him as a coach who could only work with country singers.
“I didn’t want to be ‘just a country guy,’” Green explained.
Instead, he wants to build a team filled with artists from different genres and show that his musical background goes beyond country.
“I want to get all genres on my team,” he said. “I want to be able to show people that I grew up listening to all kinds of music, and I can work with some people that are outside of what I do — and help them.”
That approach has already started to show during the Blind Auditions. Team Riley has picked up several artists during the opening episodes, giving Green a chance to work with singers beyond his usual country lane.
Green has also already made a memorable impression by leaving his coach chair to join contestant Joe Henley for an unexpected performance of “My Way.”
As Season 30 continues, Green will have more chances to build his team, compete with the other coaches, and show viewers a side of his musical knowledge that goes beyond country music.
The Voice airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
