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‘The Voice’: Did These 2 Country Stars’ Eliminations Actually Launch Their Careers?

<p id=”par-1_55″>Each season, <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/the-voice/”>The Voice</a></em> features singers looking for their big break in the music industry. These hopefuls enter the competition seeking guidance but, most of all, exposure. Two of today’s biggest country music superstars took to <em>The Voice</em> stage early in their music journey, only to be eliminated. But, did their exits launch their careers?</p>

<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-luke-combs-was-eliminated-before-making-it-on-camera”>Luke Combs was eliminated before making it on camera</h2>

<p id=”par-2_22″>In 2014, Luke Combs auditioned for <em>The Voice</em>. Combs revealed he was eliminated because he was “too boring to be on television.”</p>

<p id=”par-3_34″>Combs discussed his <em>Voice</em> experience on the <a href=”https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce31E8VMFuM/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=7b7e661e-c7b2-47d1-9d57-4f4c289ff413″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Full Send podcast</a>. He revealed he went through several audition rounds for the NBC series before being rejected not for his talent, but for another stunning reason.</p>

<p id=”par-4_42″>“I tell them I want to do a country song, and they are like, ‘Oh, well, you didn’t sing country before.’ I’m like, ‘So I have to sing one kind of [music]? The show is just about being a singer,’” Combs began.</p>

<p id=”par-5_39″>He continued, “There’s got to be some sort of angle. I got a letter back after the next audition — which, I made it through — and they told me essentially I was too boring to be on television.”</p>

<p id=”par-6_29″>“I didn’t make it to the show but I still have the letter in storage that’s like, ‘You’re a great singer, but…’ Essentially it’s about ratings, right?” Combs concluded.</p>

<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-morgan-wallen-didn-t-want-to-be-a-pop-star”>Morgan Wallen didn’t want to be a pop star</h2>

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<iframe title=”Morgan Wallen Explains Why He Was Dropped From The Voice” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/aacM1a6om_w?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<p id=”par-7_35″>Also in 2014, Morgan Wallen’s mom Lesli signed her son up to compete on <em>The Voice</em>. He auditioned for season 6 with the 2003 hit “Collide” by Howie Day and made it to the Blind Auditions.</p>

<p id=”par-8_26″>Shakira was the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-voice-coaches-lasted-two-seasons-or-less.html/?swcfpc=1″>first coach</a> to <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-voice-secrets-top-seven-songs-guarantee-chair-turns.html/?swcfpc=1″>turn her chair</a> for Wallen, followed by Usher. <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-voice-adam-levine-hairstyle-transformation-buzzcuts-bleach.html/?swcfpc=1″>Adam Levine stole</a> the singer from Team Usher before Wallen was ultimately eliminated.</p>

<p id=”par-9_33″>“I didn’t even know what <em>The Voice </em>was,” Wallen said of his experience on the series to <a href=”https://people.com/country/morgan-wallen-says-hes-thankful-he-didnt-win-the-voice/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>People Magazine</a>. says of the NBC singing competition. “That whole experience kind of kick-started me a little bit.”</p>

<p id=”par-10_45″>“They wanted me to sing pop music, and I wanted to sing country music,” he says. “But it was a big first step — I guess that’s the first time in my life where I realized that maybe I actually have a shot at this.”</p>

<p id=”par-11_33″>Wallen’s conviction to remain a country artist and not cave into industry pressure gave him the push he needed to forge forward in his career. Did exiting <em>The Voice</em> help or hurt him?</p>

<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-was-being-eliminated-from-the-voice-a-blessing-for-luke-combs-and-morgan-wallen”>Was being eliminated from ‘The Voice’ a blessing for Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen?</h2>

<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/morgan-wallen-luke-combs-at-country-music-event.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs attend the 2019 CMT Music Awards at Bridgestone Arena on June 05, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee.” class=”wp-image-3771407″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs attend the 2019 CMT Music Awards at Bridgestone Arena on June 05, 20,19 in Nashville, Tennessee | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for CMT </figcaption></figure>

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<p id=”par-12_29″>After leaving <em>The Voice</em> behind, Luke Combs realized he had to sharpen his chops as a performer. He played small clubs and learned how to connect with an audience.</p>

<p id=”par-13_50″>Combs moved to Nashville from North Carolina not long after <em>The Voice</em>. He signed with a booking agent within one year, and his song “Hurricane” began to receive buzz. Two years after moving to Music City, Combs signed a record deal with Sony Music Nashville and River House Records. </p>

<p id=”par-14_24″>“Hurricane” would hit number one in late 2017. As of September 2024, Luke Combs has had twenty number-one songs. This includes 19 solo hits and one collaboration. </p>

<p id=”par-15_38″>Morgan Wallen remained true to his country music roots, even though he could have had a shot as a pop singer. <a href=”https://people.com/country/morgan-wallen-says-hes-thankful-he-didnt-win-the-voice/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>He told People</a>, “I’m thankful for that time. I’m thankful for how it all turned out.” </p>

<p id=”par-16_52″>“And honestly, I’m thankful that I didn’t win because it gave me a chance to take a couple of years after that show and really figure out who I was as an artist and get the right team around me. When I got there, I had no clue what I was doing.”</p>

<p id=”par-17_50″>Just two years later, in 2016, Wallen’s debut single “The Way I Talk” hit the Billboard Country chart’s Top 40. In 2017, he became a country music superstar with “Up Down,” his collaboration with Florida Georgia Line. As of January 2025, Morgan Wallen has had 3 number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100</p>

<p id=”par-18_10″><em>The Voice</em> airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.</p>

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