A second contestant from Indiana appeared on Season 24 of “The Voice,” this time from Indianapolis.
All four of Ephraim Owens’ coaches wanted him to join their teams during the second night of the blind auditions aired in September. 26 on NBC.
Owens’ appearance on the singing competition followed in September. The Season 25 premiere saw Austin, Indiana’s Jackson Snelling end up on Reb’s team.
Who is Ephraim Owens?
Owens, 36, lives in Carmel and has two children with his wife, Elizabeth McRoberts Owens. (Their daughter even joined him on stage to help sing John Legend’s “Nervous.”
Owens, who grew up in Indy and competed as an MMA fighter for six years, currently operates a concrete block machine to earn a paycheck, but keeps the music in the air by knocking down 600 pounds of concrete.
“I feel macho just turning it on, but I’m in the control room singing ballads,” he said in a voiceover.
“I grew up in a musical family. Whether I sang with my family, in the summer theater, in church, the music was always constant.”
His grandmother sang backing vocals for Marvin Gaye and Al Green, and his father was a minister of music.
Make all four judges court him
Owens sang Labrinth’s “Beneath Your Beautiful” and almost immediately won the approval of coaches Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan. John Legend was the next to push the button and fight for Owens. Reba McEntire then did a four-chair turn.
McIntyre called his performance explosive. “You’re a firecracker,” she said. “You are explosive. You were dynamic all over the stage.”
While trying to convince Owens to choose him as his coach, Legend told Hoosier he noticed an urgency in his voice.
“You sang like your life depended on it,” said Legend, an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner. “You not only gave us this feeling, but also performed the song with great skill.”
Who did Owens choose to coach?
Owens was seen riding a horse in his induction package as he talked about working with McIntyre. And when he came face-to-face with all four coaches in recruiting mode, he told the country music superstar how excited he was to know she’d be on the show this season.
“When I found out who the coaches would be this year, my wife screamed at the top of her lungs, ‘Rebaaaaaaaa!’ – he said.
But then he told Legend that he was an inspiration to him.
That’s who he chose.
Where to watch “The Voice”
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:00 pm on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
Also airing this week: The Golden Bachelor.
Owens and Jackson aren’t the only Hoosiers competing at nationals this week.
The Golden Bachelor premieres on ABC at 8:00 pm on Thursday, September 9. 28, with host Jerry Turner.
Hudson, Indiana:How is it where the “Golden Bachelor” lives?
Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl W. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter:@cherylvjackson.