Riley Green’s ‘The Voice’ Contestants Who Started Dating Bring Real-Life Chemistry to Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn Duet
Riley Green may have paired Caroline Alexis and Everett Bounds for their musical abilities, but their Battle on The Voice came with an unexpected bonus: the two singers had already developed romantic feelings for each other. Their real-life connection added a personal twist to their performance of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn’s classic duet, “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man.”
Green, known for his country collaborations with artists including Ella Langley and Carly Pearce, put that experience to use when matching the two contestants for the Season 30 Battle Rounds. What he did not know was that Alexis and Bounds had first crossed paths backstage during the Blind Auditions — and that their connection had quickly moved beyond the stage.
Bounds was immediately drawn to Alexis. After meeting her, he sent flowers along with a handwritten note inviting her to dinner.
“When I first saw Caroline, I thought, ‘Holy moly!’ because she’s just so beautiful,” Bounds told the cameras. “Caroline’s definitely the kind of girl I’d love to have as my girlfriend.”
The pair subsequently went on several dates and began getting to know each other better. Alexis, however, was keen to let their relationship develop naturally rather than rush into anything.
“I just want to take things slow, keep getting to know each other, but he definitely has a lot of qualities that I respect as a person,” she said. “He is very uplifting and supportive. That’s something that’s good to have as a person and as a Battle partner too.”
Riley Green Encourages the Pair to Embrace Their Chemistry
For their Battle, Green assigned the couple-in-the-making “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man,” the classic country duet recorded by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. The song called for both singers to bring personality and playful flirtation to the stage — something Bounds seemed more than ready to do.
During rehearsals, Green praised Bounds’ natural stage presence, while team advisor Carly Pearce highlighted the richness of Alexis’ voice and her distinctive Southern drawl.
Green believed the outcome would depend on which contestant could best embody the song’s characters and make the story convincing to the audience. His advice was straightforward: they should flirt while performing.
Bounds had little trouble with that suggestion.
“Singing this song to Caroline is going to be very easy for me,” he said.
Still, their growing connection made the upcoming Battle more complicated. Unless one of them received a Steal, the performance could mark the end of their time together on the show.
Alexis acknowledged the unusual circumstances surrounding their pairing, admitting that neither knew what would happen to their relationship after the competition.
“It’s an interesting situation not a lot of people find themselves in. We’ll see what happens between us afterwards,” she said. She also revealed that Bounds regularly teased her, telling her, “You better still answer my phone calls, Bama.”
She hoped that one of them might be stolen, allowing them to remain in the competition.
Everett Bounds Wins the Battle
When Alexis and Bounds finally took the stage, their performance of the traditional country duet impressed the coaches. Kelly Clarkson compared the pairing to the classic musical partnerships of Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner, while Green praised the fun, honky-tonk atmosphere they created.
“For one, that was a lot of fun. Y’all turned the place into a honky tonk. That’s the first time it’s felt like home to me,” Green told the contestants.
He praised Alexis for the attitude she brought to the performance and commended Bounds for his natural style and stage presence. Ultimately, however, he had to choose one singer to advance.
Green selected Bounds, explaining that the contestant felt particularly at home performing upbeat, traditional country music — a quality he believed would benefit Team Riley.
The decision meant Alexis’ journey on The Voice had come to an end, while Bounds moved forward in the competition.
As for their romance, the show revealed that the pair had gone on several dates before their Battle, but their relationship status following Alexis’ departure remained unclear. Whether their connection will continue beyond the competition is still an open question.
Photo by Cory Osborne/NBC