‘The Voice’ 2017 Winner Chris Blue Reveals What’s Next After Season 12

Chris Blue was announced as the winner of The Voice Season 12 Tuesday night, and the singer already has big plans for his future.

Chris beat out his fellow finalists to win The Voice at the end of Tuesday night’s Season 12 finale, giving Alicia Keys her first win as a coach. Speaking with the press after Tuesday’s live finale, Chris suggested that he hopes his first album will bring joy to people’s hearts.

“[My album will be] stuff that makes you feel good and enjoy life,” Chris said. “That is what coach has been preaching to me this whole season. She said that she hopes I produce something I feel because if I do’t feel it, no one else will. It’s very important when an artist knows what they want.”

Winning The Voice traditionally comes with $100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group, although not every winner has released an album on the label.

Meanwhile, Alicia had nothing but positive words for her winning artist, discussing how she admires his ability to overcome his nerves.

“Chris really has the uncanny ability to somehow, no matter how nervous he may be — I mean, who wouldn’t be nervous under that pressure — no matter how much he might be battling internally like we all do, somehow he gets on stage and he delivers in a way that is not only emotional, but powerful. He shows all sides of him and I think that is what he did on this show and I am really proud of that!”

Chris had many high-spirited performances throughout Season 12 of The Voice, including covers of Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic,” Rihanna’s “Love On the Brain,” Al Green’s “Love and Happiness,” and Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation.” He also gave it his all in emotional performances of Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” and Tamela Mann’s “Take Me to the King.”

Chris is very happy to call Alicia Keys his coach, but more importantly, his friend.

“She is truly a special human being. She has been beyond phenomenal and one thing I tell people everywhere is that the life you feel on television and the pureness and the love that you feel when she smiles, you just feel that everything is going to be okay. She knows what you are going through. To call her a coach is great, but it is better to call her a friend.”

While Chris was voted through by the public every single week during The Voice live shows, his win may have been shocking to some. He only reached the Top 10 on iTunes last week and during this finale week while Lauren Duski reached the Top 10 on iTunes every week since Top 11 night. Lauren actually reached no. 1 and no. 2 on iTunes for her finale performances, while Chris reached no. 3 and no. 8. Lauren was announced as the runner-up of Season 12 while Aliyah was in third place and Jesse was in fourth place.

Alicia has now become the second female coach to win The Voice in its 12-season history, following Christina Aguilera’s victory in Season 10 with Alisan Porter. She is the fourth coach to win The Voice in their second season, following Blake in Season 2 with Jermaine Paul, Usher in Season 6 with Josh Kaufman, and Pharrell Williams in Season 8 with Sawyer Fredericks. Blake went on to win four other seasons of The Voice, while Adam Levine has three victories.

The Voice will now return for Season 13 with Adam, Blake, Miley Cyrus, and new coach Jennifer Hudson. It’s not yet known if Alicia will return for Season 14 next spring, but if so, she would be joining Adam, Blake, and another new coach, Kelly Clarkson.

[Featured Image by Trae Patton/NBC]