Major Country Star Reveals He Was Rejected From ‘The Voice’ Twice

A major country singer recently revealed that he was rejected from The Voice twice before going on to be a massive star. During the show’s Monday night episode, Jimmie Allen joined coach Blake Shelton as a celebrity advisor. While chatting with Shelton, Allen admitted that he previously tried out for the show — twice — and was rejected both times.

“I’ve always wanted to come, see what I could learn from what you’re telling these artists. [But they said,] ‘Uh-uh!’” Allen laughingly recalled. “My bass player, Tate, did it, and he made it farther than I did!” Speaking of working with Shelton as an advisor, Allen confessed that “it’s very rewarding to give back, because I still see myself as a new artist.” Shelton then heaped praise on Allen, saying, “Jimmie couldn’t be hotter right now. He’s starting to hit his stride as a major hitmaker in country music… He can relate to these people who are still on the edge of having their moment.”

Allen has been rising for the past few years, and even picked up New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards in 2021. He put out his first album back in 2018, and then dropped his most popular project to date, Bettie James, in 2020, with a special edition reissue in 2021. That album featured some big names, such as Darius Rucker, Monica, Brad Paisley, Nelly, and Tim McGraw.

Notably, this is not Allen’s first tango with a reality competition TV, as he auditioned for the tenth season of American Idol, but was cut before the live voting rounds. He was also a competitor on Season 30 of Dancing With the Stars. In December 2021, the Grammy nominee spoke with Music Row about why he chose to join Dancing With The Stars, saying, “For me, it’s all about expanding and reaching people that don’t listen to country radio. I tell people all the time: my music is never going to change.”

He continued, “I’m always going to be a country artist, I’m always going to have songs on country radio, I’m always going to be at country award shows and country festivals. But how do we get people that only listen to pop to know who Jimmie Allen is? How do we get, not just for my music, but [the music of all] country artists to new markets? You have to place yourself there.”

“They have to see you,” Allen went on to say. “You have to come in first as a person because that’s what they got to see on Dancing With the Stars. They saw Jimmie Allen, the person. Jimmie Allen the person warms them up to check out my music.” Allen’s newest album, Tulip Drive, is out now. The Voice at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.