Jake Hoot may have only been a one-chair turn in Season 17 of NBC’s The Voice, but the 31-year-old artist just proved his talents by taking home the top prize. The coach of The Voice Season 17 winner, Kelly Clarkson, said she keeps making fun of the other coaches for not turning.
“Other than the one season where Chris Blue was a one-chair turn, but Alicia Keys was the only one who could turn for him, Jake is the only person who has won The Voice that everybody could have turned for,” Clarkson said.
The country singer from Cookeville, Tennessee, beat out team Gwen Stefani’s Rose Short, team John Legend’s Katie Kadan, and team Blake Shelton’s Ricky Duran for the win. This was the first finale in seven seasons in which all four coaches had an artist competing.
The single dad wowed the audience every week with his spin on classics like “Desperado” by The Eagles, Trace Adkins’ “Every Light in the House” and “You Lie” by Reba McEntire.
“It is cool to believe in something you hear and turn around and then change someone’s life,” Clarkson added. “I know what that feels like because I wasn’t a waitress anymore. I was a good one but I was not a waitress anymore. I know what it is like to go through this process and it can be really hard. Not just Jake, but all my people, they have my number and my email. I love keeping in contact. I love everyone, not just Jake, who I will help, obviously, but I just think it is cool to be supportive of everyone.”
Hoot, who didn’t believe he’d make it to the end, revealed how supportive his coach was throughout the entire journey. “She does a whole lot more than just sit there,” Jake said. “She has helped me get out of my shell onstage. I say it in every interview. She is just the biggest cheerleader. That means more than you know, so I do appreciate it.”
So what’s the best advice Clarkson told The Voice Season 17 winner? “The best advice is literally to never, ever, ever put your worth or value in this job,” Clarkson said. “I think a lot of people fall prey to that mindset and they get lost. Then, when they’re not as famous as they were, they freak out and they’re having an identity crisis. This job is super fun and we love to be vessels for great songs that might touch people or move people. But at the same time, we have our lives, and you’ve got to invest in your family and all that because that’s going to be there through the day, every day, not this job.”
Hoot’s win marks the third victory for coach Kelly Clarkson, who first won Season 14 with contestant Brynn Cartelli and then went on to win Season 15 with contestant Chevel Shepherd.
This season of The Voice concluded at Universal Studios with a star-studded live finale featuring performances by former coach Jennifer Hudson, superstar recording artists Black Eyed Peas, Luke Combs, Lady Antebellum, Dua Lipa and Season 16 winner Maelyn. Additionally, the finale featured the Top 4 artists collaborating with an assortment of A-list, chart-topping musicians, including Yolanda Adams, Gary Clark Jr., Adam Lambert, and Little Big Town, who sang a duet with Hoot.
Heather Newgen has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 2004. In addition, she travels the world volunteering and launched The Voluntourist in 2017 to inspire others to give back responsibly. Heather currently freelances for various outlets as a writer, reporter, and producer, and when she’s not working or traveling, she loves being at home in Los Angeles with her dog.