As they say, Chris Blue blew them away.
The 27-year-old worship leader from Knoxville was named the winner Tuesday on the 12th season of NBC's "The Voice." Jesse Larson of Brooklyn Park finished fourth.
Blue closed the show with his new single, "Money On You," a contagious dance-pop tune that would make Usher or Bruno Mars proud. Blue debuted the song on Monday's program, when he also electrified the studio audience with a dance-happy rendition of Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation."
However, Blue's crowning achievement may have come on Tuesday — teaming up with Usher for a stirring, slightly churchy reading of R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts," an acknowledgment of the tragic killings this week at Ariana Grande's concert in England.
"The Voice" made viewers wait two hours — two hours! — to find out the winner. They filled the time with a parade of stars — from Gladys Knight and Alessia Cara to Little Big Town and Luis Fonsi — singing with this year's contestants.
Some other stars, including Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson and Chris Stapleton, did solo versions of their current singles.
At least the four finalists got to show off their voices while their stomachs were probably churning in anticipation of the big moment.
After "The Voice" coach Adam Levine called Larson "the white CeeLo Green," Larson got to duet with Green, who is of similar short and stocky build, on Earth, Wind & Fire's "Shining Star."
Green dazzled in a white-fringed outfit while Larson sparkled in a black sport coat with sequins and gold lapels. And there was a neon sculpture of Larson's distinctive visage — bald, bearded and bespectacled — hanging in the background. Pretty fancy for a former manager of an auto-parts store from Anoka.
Other fillers included "comedy" bits with "The Voice" coaches. Regular viewers know that country star Blake Shelton is an Okie who dates pop princess Stefani, the epitome of a California girl. So the bit was about the always-silly Shelton going Hollywood, doing yoga, slurping kale shakes and putting cucumbers on his eyes.
Before landing on "The Voice," Larson, 35, was best known as the guitarist in the funk band MPLS. In 2015, Prince recruited Larson to be a guitarist in the band of his protégé, Judith Hill, a former "The Voice" contestant. Nicholas David, of St. Paul, finished third in 2012.
Twitter: @JonBream • 612-673-1719
