Country singer Riley Green is set to make his debut as a coach on the milestone 30th season of “The Voice.” Green won’t be the only newcomer taking a seat in the iconic red chairs, as he will be joined by the legendary Queen Latifah.
The brand-new coaches will face stiff competition from returning judges and veterans Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine as they battle it out to find the next best musical act. Before the season begins, fans are learning more about Green, including that Riley isn’t his first name.
Riley Green Shares Sweet Reason Why He Goes By His Middle Name
GettyWhile fans may know him as Riley Green, that’s not the name he was given at birth. During a June 2 interview with “Katie & Company,” host Katie Neal pointed out that the country singer’s first name is Johnathan.
That prompted the “My Way” singer to share the sweet family story behind why he’s always gone by his middle name and stage name, Riley.
“I know that I got the name Riley because my great-granddaddy, Paul, who I didn’t know, got a little dementia, and he started calling my dad Riley. My dad’s name is Kevon,” he explained.
Green went on to share that his parents then decided to name their “first son” Riley. “Nobody’s ever called me Johnathan,” he added. In fact, having gone by Riley for so long, he joked that hearing his first name wouldn’t even get his attention. “I don’t think I would turn if I heard it,” he told Neal.
Green Shares His Excitement For ‘The Voice’
While Riley Green is stepping into a role previously held by country superstars like Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire, he made it clear that he won’t be limiting himself to contestants from his own genre. During his interview with Neal, Green said he’s excited to hear singers from all musical backgrounds after growing up and listening to a wide variety of music.
“I think it will be fun to see what I’m drawn to musically. I grew up in the burn CD era when it was a Tim McGraw song, and Tupac was the next one on there. I listened to everything growing up,” he shared.
Green made it clear that he won’t just be rooting for those in the country space when he takes the red chair, telling ET during the Academy of Country Music Awards, “And I think it’ll be surprising to know what I’m drawn to, you know? People probably think it’s traditional country, but I grew up listening to all kinds of music. So it’s going to be fun,” he said.
Speaking to Neal, Green also detailed how he plans to approach his new role as a coach for season 30, explaining that he’ll simply draw from his own experiences in the music industry. Green added that he doesn’t have all the answers but hopes the lessons he’s learned throughout his career will be enough to help aspiring artists who are on his team.
“I don’t feel like I’m overly musically talented, feel like there are a lot better players and singers that know more about music than me, so my advice would probably be more in the ‘Here’s some things that I did.’ That’s what it’ll be, ‘Don’t do this,'” he joked.
“The Voice” season 30 is set to premiere in September.
