Dollywood Sisters Ferryn and Brinkley Wright Make ‘The Voice’ History With Season 30’s First Four-Chair Turn
Ferryn and Brinkley Wright needed only one performance to get every coach on their feet and turn all four chairs.
The sisters from Sevierville, Tennessee, opened their The Voice Season 30 journey with a harmony-filled rendition of Linda Ronstadt’s “When Will I Be Loved,” earning the season’s first four-chair turn during the September 21 premiere. The performance ultimately sent them to Team Riley Green.
At 20 and 17, respectively, Ferryn and Brinkley already have years of experience performing together. Both are full-time performers at Dollywood in their hometown, placing them in a particularly close orbit to Dolly Parton and the musical traditions of East Tennessee.
Before stepping onto The Voice’s stage, the sisters also shared their personal connection to Parton. Ferryn had previously sung with the country legend onstage, while both sisters had the opportunity to take part in a Dollywood parade alongside her before her death.
Their appearance on The Voice brought that East Tennessee background to a national audience.
A Harmony That Turned Four Chairs
Ferryn and Brinkley deliberately leaned into their greatest strength as a duo: their harmonies.
Their choice of “When Will I Be Loved” gave the sisters room to blend their voices while keeping the performance rooted in the country sound they grew up around. Kelly Clarkson and Queen Latifah were the first coaches to turn their chairs, with Riley Green and Adam Levine eventually following. That made Ferryn and Brinkley the first act of Season 30 to receive a four-chair turn.
Queen Latifah was immediately taken by the sisters’ vocal blend and the energy they brought to the stage. She told them their voices sounded sweet together and said their performance made her want to turn around and see the singers behind the sound.
Adam Levine also praised the chemistry between the sisters. He acknowledged that he initially wondered why they would choose him, but said seeing the two perform together changed his mind.
For Riley Green, their sound brought back memories of the music he heard growing up.
“Y’all’s voices go so well together,” Green told them, praising the old-school country feel of their performance. He also pointed to the current resurgence of that kind of sound and connected their potential as a duo to his own experience working with duet partner Ella Langley.
Kelly Clarkson had her own argument. She reminded Ferryn and Brinkley that she is the only coach to have won The Voice with a group. Girl Named Tom, a sibling trio, won Season 21 under Clarkson’s coaching.
With four coaches competing for them, the sisters had a difficult decision to make.
Ferryn and Brinkley Choose Riley Green
After hearing each coach make a case for why they should join their team, Ferryn and Brinkley chose Riley Green.
Green was thrilled to add the sisters to his team, particularly because of what their harmonies could bring to his group.
“I’m so excited I got Ferryn and Brinkley,” Green said after their decision. He praised their vocal ability and said having them on his team made him feel as though he had an edge.
The other coaches recognized the challenge of trying to attract country singers with Green sitting in one of the four chairs.
Kelly Clarkson put it bluntly, joking that Green possessed a combination of cowboy charm and glamour that was difficult for the other coaches to compete with.
In the end, the sisters’ connection to Green’s country background and his appreciation for their traditional sound helped make the decision.
Their Musical Journey Began Long Before ‘The Voice’
Ferryn and Brinkley’s appearance on The Voice was the latest step in a partnership they have been building for years.
The sisters grew up performing in East Tennessee and eventually made music their full-time work at Dollywood. Brinkley began performing at a very young age. By 10, she had already been introduced as a youth performer at the Country Tonite Theatre in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, with her biography noting that she had been performing since age 4.
Their ambitions extended beyond local stages. The sisters had previously auditioned individually for American Idol Season 23 in 2025, since that competition does not allow duos. Both received golden tickets, although their auditions did not air.
They also released their first single, “Wrong Girl,” in late August. The song was written with Adam Wheeler and former American Idol standout Janelle Arthur, who also produced the track.
Their years of performing together have helped establish the vocal chemistry that became their biggest advantage on The Voice.
A Special Connection to Dolly Parton
For Ferryn and Brinkley, working at Dollywood has been a particularly meaningful part of their story.
The sisters have performed extensively at the resort, including appearances connected to the DreamMore and Heartsong hotels. Ferryn has also portrayed Dolly Parton in Dollywood’s “From the Heart” show.
Their connection to Parton became even more personal when the sisters were selected to walk just ahead of the car carrying her during a Dollywood parade.
Ferryn also had the opportunity to sing onstage with Parton, a moment that made their journey from local East Tennessee performers to The Voice contestants especially significant.
Following Parton’s death, the sisters paid tribute to her by performing a duet of “I Will Always Love You.”
That history gives their The Voice appearance another layer: the sisters are representing the musical culture of the same East Tennessee community that shaped their careers.
The Sisters Had Dreamed of This Moment
Ferryn and Brinkley have been fans of The Voice for years. Their father even built them a small stage at home, complete with a karaoke machine, giving the sisters a place to perform together while they were growing up.
Their goal was always to build a career as a country duo.
Now, that dream has taken them from a homemade stage in East Tennessee to one of television’s biggest singing competitions.
Their first appearance could hardly have gone better in terms of the coaches’ response. Four chairs turned, all four coaches made their pitches, and the sisters left the stage as the first four-chair act of Season 30.
But the Blind Auditions are only the beginning.
Ferryn and Brinkley will now have to develop their sound further under Riley Green as they continue through the competition, with their close harmonies and country roots remaining at the center of their The Voice journey.
Team Riley Gets a New Country Duo
After the first night of Season 30’s Blind Auditions, Ferryn and Brinkley joined Joe Henley and Caroline Alexis on Team Riley Green.
The other teams were also beginning to take shape. Queen Latifah finished the night with BigCountry, Marcus Ladden Jr. and Mia Knight, while Kelly Clarkson had Hazel Gerson and Brianna Cameron. Adam Levine added Destinee Monroe and Owen Uffens to his team.
For Ferryn and Brinkley, however, the headline from Night 1 was clear: their performance of “When Will I Be Loved” had become the first four-chair turn of The Voice Season 30.
And the Dollywood sisters are now officially moving forward as members of Team Riley Green.