Utah Singer Johnnie Kapua Gives Kelly Clarkson The Perfect Reason To Use The Voice’s New Power

Kelly Clarkson didn’t wait for Johnnie Kapua to make his decision.

After hearing the 32-year-old singer from Herriman, Utah, perform Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile,” Clarkson quickly turned her chair — and later used The Voice’s brand-new First In Button to claim him for her team.

The new feature is one of the biggest format changes introduced for Season 30. When multiple coaches turn during a Blind Audition, the first coach to turn can press the button and automatically secure the artist.

There is one catch: each of the four coaches can use the First In Button only once.

Clarkson decided Kapua was worth spending hers on.

Johnnie Kapua’s Blind Audition

Kapua’s audition began with “Die With a Smile,” the Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga collaboration that won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance last year.

Within just a few seconds, Clarkson turned her chair. Queen Latifah, making her debut as a Voice coach, followed.

Throughout the performance, Clarkson looked visibly impressed and eventually gave Kapua a standing ovation.

Green, meanwhile, admitted he was already thinking about what Kapua could do later in the competition.

“I feel like I’m going to be kicking myself because you might be a problem down the line,” he told the singer.

Kapua’s wife and two children watched from the side of the stage, cheering him on and quietly mouthing the lyrics as he performed.

Kelly Clarkson And Queen Latifah Make Their Pitches

With Clarkson and Latifah competing for him, Kapua had two very different pitches to consider.

Latifah praised the performance while also pointing out that there were moments when Kapua appeared to lose some control of his breath.

“I thought you sounded beautiful. That is a big song,” she said.

Kapua laughed and admitted, “I was terrified.”

Latifah told him those were things that could be worked on, adding that she could help him find his own voice without getting distracted by comparisons — even to Bruno Mars.

Clarkson took a more personal approach.

She explained that she and her children love the animated films Sing and Sing 2. Kapua’s performance reminded her of Johnny, one of the characters in the movies.

Then Clarkson discovered something that made the connection even more amusing: the singer’s first name is Johnnie.

“You sing with such soulfulness,” Clarkson told him. “You have a different cadence to your vibe and your style, and I really dig it.”

But Kapua never got the chance to weigh both offers.

Clarkson pressed the First In Button, using her one opportunity to secure him for Team Kelly.

Who Is Johnnie Kapua?

Kapua, who is originally from New Zealand, began singing and playing guitar while he was in high school. He eventually competed in a national singing competition in his home country, according to a The Voice news release shared with the Deseret News.

After graduating, however, music gradually took a back seat to work, marriage and fatherhood.

Kapua rarely performed unless his wife, Kat, encouraged him to do so.

In fact, Kat was the person who signed him up for The Voice. She was also eight months pregnant when the audition was filmed.

Speaking during the episode, Kat explained why she wanted her husband to take the opportunity.

“I’ve just always been so proud of him, and I’ve always really believed in him,” she said emotionally. “He just never really believed in himself, I would say.”

For Kapua, the opportunity is about more than appearing on a singing competition. According to the show’s release, The Voice gives him a chance to represent his culture, honor his wife’s support and show his children that fear should not determine how far they pursue a dream.

Kapua’s Blind Audition has since attracted roughly 450,000 views on The Voice’s YouTube channel.

New episodes of The Voice Season 30 air Monday nights on NBC.