Sweet sixteen! Country girl Danielle Bradbery becomes youngest winner in The Voice history... on mentor Blake's birthday

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 00:04 EST, 19 June 2013 | Updated: 04:25 EST, 19 June 2013

It was the perfect birthday present for coach Blake Shelton.

For the country favourite's 16-year-old charge Danielle Bradbery became the youngest ever winner of The Voice on Tuesday night.

Her crowning was Blake's third win in a row and came on the day he turned 37.

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Happy birthday Blake: Shelton's charge Danielle Bradbery became the youngest winner in The Voice's history on Tuesday night's final

As Blake and Usher nervously held hands while awaiting the announcement, 16-year-old Danielle was left in tears of joy as she was named the winner ahead of favorite Michelle Chamuel, Usher's only finalist.

Michelle, who had seemed unprepared for the pressure of winning, had shown the clearest nerves as she held the teenager tight in the build up.

She then leapt away with a giant smile, jumping up with what seemed genuine joy for the schoolgirl who just beat her to top spot.

'I don't even know - I'm so, so thankful - I'm sorry, I'm speechless,' Danielle stuttered, as her parents rushed the stage behind her.

Holding hands: Usher grasped onto the birthday boy for support as they waited to hear the final result

Specs appeal: However it seemed Michelle Chamuel may have been lulled into overconfidence by mentor Usher

Ecstasy: She was clearly overwhelmed with emotion when she was dramatically named the winner

After getting a hug from coach Blake, she was then left to sing Sara Evans's Born To Fly - bursting into laughter halfway through as she failed to control her emotion as confetti rained down on her.

'I came from singing in my room to being in the top three - it's crazy,' she said of being a finalist in an interview taped before knowing she had won.

But she admitted she was confident, revealing: 'I told my high school I would come back home with the win for them.'

She added: 'It means a lot to me knowing my mom has sacrificed a lot for me to live my dream. And I want to win this for my coach Blake.'

Congratulations: The show's cult favourite Michelle Chamuel was clearly crushed by the devastating result

So happy! Blake couldn't contain his excitement when the news was announced

As well as winning, the teenager had another dream come true as she got to perform with one of her favorite country artists, Hunter Hayes, for I Want Crazy, with red balloons dropping down on them at the end.

Shortly before the win, Danielle told her fellow finalists: 'I look up to y'all as my big brothers and sister.'

And she said of Blake: 'You're an amazing coach and an amazing person. You taught me so much and I am so thankful to have you in my life now. I love you coach!'

And Blake said it would 'make my year' to see Danielle - or his other team members, The Swon Brothers, who came third - make it to the winner's circle.

Blake clearly enjoyed his birthday night - and even swapped out his usual Starbucks to-go cup for a blue glass, joking that it was 'my special latte' as he made a big play of slowly sipping from it.

Squeezing tight: Michelle was no doubt offering the firmer of the embraces after the result emerged

Lights and confetti: The youngster could drink in the moment surrounded buy the pomp and circumstance of reality TV

To the victor go the spoils: Danielle could play the modesty card as she received her trophy while Michelle was reduced to over-enthusiastically clapping in the background

He insisted winning the series was all that mattered, not just continuing his winning trend.
'I don't give a c**p, honestly, about a three-peat,' he said. 'I don't. It's about this year and that's all I'm focused on.

'I think that Danielle and The Swon Brothers have done their work - and you know what, so has Michelle. Everybody, at this point in the competition, has done everything they need to do.'

Fellow coach Adam Levine - who tipped Danielle as the winner after all his team were eliminated - admitted his confidence in his choice was not so high going into the final night.

'It's so close this year - closer than any other season,' he said. 'I just don't think there's any way of knowing at all.'

All part of the game: Superstar Usher could afford to be gracious by embracing Blake after the result

Dazed and confused: But the same could not be said for Michelle who had just saw her dreams squished

Look on the bright side: She may be disappointed now but that will surely change when she receives lucrative offers from the cruise ship circuit

Usher called Michelle 'an incredible talent and incredible entertainer being introduced to the world', and insisted that still stood, win or lose.

'I'm already proud of her to be this far,' he said.

But he had got emotional as he thought about the possibility of proudly standing by her side if she had won.

'I can think of nothing sweeter than for me to be able to stand on stage and greet her as the winner of The Voice,' he said, his voice quivering. 

'I get choked up just talking about it.'

She loves Hunter: Danielle clearly enjoyed performing a syrupy duet with country favourite Hayes

Republican: Michelle drew the short straw and had to sing with pop plodders One Republic

Back to the barroom: But The Swon Brothers will be able to regale punters by telling them they played with the legendary Bob Segar

Fans of the talent show got their last look at Shakira as a judge as she is leaving. She said that the show 'has been a blast for me' and, sounding heartfelt, told her fellow judges: 'I want to thank you guys for that - the three of you have been so awesome, it's been so awesome.'

But they got another look at a former coach as Christina Aguilera appeared on top of a large pole to sing with Pitbull on Feel This Moment as musical guests.

Christina, in a short black skirt and pink bra showing through skin colored belly-revealing shirt, got a standing ovation from current coaches following her high-energy performance.

Fans also got to see favorites from the season brought back, both in group performances and also as chosen by the finalists to help them with some of their final performances.

Friendly rivallry: But Danielle will no doubt to go on to rub shoulders with bigger names now she is champion

Puppet master: But Usher's attempts at mind games may have backfired after he declared Michelle the winner on Monday night

Drastic action: It seems the Swon Brothers may be willing to go to any lengths to stay in showbusiness

Danielle's brought back Amber Carrington, Sarah Simmons and Caroline Glaser to sing Carrie Underwood's All American Girl, with them all in red beside Danielle in pink.

The Swon Brothers also brought back Amber Carrington, this time with Holly Tucker and Justin Rivers for Stars Tonight by Lady Antebellum.

Meanwhile Michelle said she wanted to reunite Team Usher for her bring back, getting Vedo, Josiah Hawley, and and Cathia to help her perform Stevie Wonder's We Can Work It Out - all wearing red sneakers in tribute to their coach.

Performing without finalists were Vedo, Christian Porter, Garrett Gardner and Josiah Hawley who came back all-suited up to sing Motown classic Ain't Too Proud To Beg - with Holly Tucker on sax.
Meanwhile for the girls, Cathia, Sasha Allen, Karina Iglesias and Judith Hill teamed up for En Vogue's My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It).

Final farewell: Saucy Colombian Shakira made the most of her last appearance in this dazzling gold outfit

Making his point: Adam Levine was also there despite the fact he had again failed as a mentor

Drinking to their success: It was rookie Usher who provided the stiffest challenge to Blake's dominance

The finalists also got to perform with stars.

As well as Danielle and Hunter Hayes, Michelle - wearing bright red skin-tight leggings - performed Counting Stars with with One Republic.

And The Swon Brothers were joined by country legend Bob Seger for Night Moves, with the three of them alone in the center of the stage on stools and acoustic guitars.

'That was one of the coolest things we've done, period,' host Carson Daly said of getting the musical legend on stage.

All three finalists also won in other ways, getting to take home a Kia car  - with teenager Danielle clearly the happiest, singing: 'My first car! My first car!'

Old stomping ground: Christina showed off her weight loss as she returned to perform during the show

Bringing her Pitbull: The vocal powerhouse was joined by the diminutive rapper

Exhausted: The pair looked like they had given their all after their confetti strewn grand finale

'I'm 16 and it gives me the motivation to get my licence passed!'

Meanwhile The Swon Brothers said they need the car to go on the road for 'Swoncerts'.

During a series of comedy skits, the show joked about Adam and Blake's 'bro-mance' - or rather how it was going through a crisis because Blake has grown close to Usher - ending with Adam kissing Blake and each saying they 'bruv' each other.

Michelle also donned a cowboy hat and shirt to impersonate Blake - while the Swon Brothers put on leotards and wigs to be Shakira in one of the scariest sights on the show.

Hair-raising experience: Cher donned a ridiculous wig before taking to the stage to show the youngsters how it should be done

Frank Bruno: Mars gave a wonderfully honest performance of his latest tune Treasure to the entranced audience

Not close and definitely no cigar: Carson Daly blew his big chance to be mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Ryan Seacrest