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Ross Clayton will always have a special place in his heart for Niall Horan, just as the first-time coach on “The Voice” will always remember Clayton. That’s because Clayton was the first person to ever join Team Niall in the season 23 premiere on March 6.
Clayton stepped onto the stage where he gave his take on Keith Urban’s “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” His effort was a four-chair performance which left the decision on whose team to join completely in his hands as Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Chance The Rapper and Horan all were willing to add him to their team.
Ross Clayton Explains Why He Chose Niall Horan
Being a first-year coach, Horan explained his opening package during the premiere some of the benefits he can offer to his team. This included his understanding of music across all genres, “I do listen to it all.”
“I do want to make a team with a bit of everything that I like in there,” he said in the episode. “I’m just waiting to hear those voices.”
One of the first ones that completely won him over was Clayton’s. Speaking with Heavy, the Illinois native who now resides in Oklahoma said he went in feeling like Shelton and Clarkson would be the ones for him. But once it got down to making the pitches, he felt a switch go off as Horan began making his pitch.
What viewers saw was Horan go through “the theatrics” as Clayton put it, but the singer said that was only “about 2%” of what actually happened after his performance, “I was onstage for about 25 minutes talking to them.” This was where Horan’s pitching ability won him over.
“Within that timeframe, I really was convinced that I think [Horan] could probably do a lot for me in my career,” he said. “I think that he could take me in an interesting direction on the show, one that I didn’t really consider until I was up there. I like to take chances… so why not take a chance?”
In that conversation, he recalled Horan sharing his musical influences, which lined up with Clayton’s. This included The Eagles, Tom Petty, and Bob Segar, “ His influence and the way he talked about it and spoke so fondly of it, I just felt we were closer after that.”
Ross Clayton: Niall Horan ‘Was Born for This’
Since then, Clayton has seen the development that he credits to Horan, as well as the rest of the team that operates behind the scenes. What makes Horan stand out, according to Clayton, is his interpersonal skills, “He matches your energy and he makes you want to talk to him.” He added that he’s a “great guy to hang around” because of his knack for being a people person.
“Niall is an incredible coach. He was born for this,” Clayton said over the phone ahead of the playoffs. “He was born for a lot of things, that guy has got it all.”
One of the ways in which Clayton has seen Horan’s advice payoff is in the dynamics of his performance and his pitch accuracy. The latter is admittedly a “niche” thing among musicians, according to Clayton, but it’s about hitting the correct note and not just finding it midway, “When you open your mouth it comes out perfectly.” Between that, helping Clayton understand the importance of building up to those powerful octaves he can belt out and helping to tame the nerves, Clayton said he “owes” his success so far in the competition to Horan.
Having a diverse roster of singers, Clayton said it doesn’t matter to Horan because he has a rare ability to match whatever singer he’s working with.
“He can show you what he’s thinking in his head when we’re going through an arrangement,” he said. “He can do it all. It’s really, really impressive from a vocal standpoint.”
Niall Horan Can Relate to His Team
Trae Patton/NBCNiall Horan has assembled his five singers, which includes Ross Clayton, ahead of his first playoffs.
For a long time, Clarkson was the one who had this ability on the show, being that she had won the first season of “American Idol.” However, Horan has the experience of competing in a singing competition having gone through the British version of “The X Factor.” While he and his band, One Direction, didn’t win, it’s an experience that Clayton said benefits his team.
“He does have that direct experience doing exactly what we’re doing,” Clayton said. “He references that a lot when we’re working together.”
He went on, “And he’s got this built-in trust because you know he knows what he’s talking about because he’s been there. It’s just really easy to take his advice and he also gives advice in a way that’s easy to implement. It’s been great having that angle from him as a coach.”
Clayton is one of five members on Team Niall with the playoffs beginning on May 1. Ryley Tate Wilson, who received his Playoff Pass, Michael B., Gina Miles, and Tasha Jessen round out his team.