A new era of The Voice has started, and the talent is exciting. This season is special because there are new ways for singers to choose their coaches.
Season 26 of The Voice is already different. The Blind Auditions allowed new singers to find their groove, while the veteran coaches watched their new competition closely.
There is a new button called The Coaches Replay. To kick off the season, The Voice had a special intro package led by sports broadcaster Mike Tirico.
He got everyone excited about the competition aspect of the show. He says anything can happen, and it sure did during this premiere!
The Returning Champ Reba McEntire faces off against The Vet Gwen Stefani, who battles The Rookie Michael Bublé and The Wildcard Snoop Dogg.
All these coaches are on a mission to find the next great singer. Will the winner come from the first night of Blind Auditions?
It could happen! The first performance of the season came from 31-year-old Oklahoma country singer Jake Tankersley. His backstory already touched hearts, and his version of “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan had four coaches wanting him.
Snoop Dogg was the first to turn, and almost at the same time, Gwen Stefani turned while blocking Reba. The country singer’s smoky voice made Reba and Bublé turn, creating the first four-chair turn of the season!
The chemistry between the new coaches was clear during the first team selection interview. Reba was not happy that Gwen blocked her.
This led to a fun push-up battle on stage. Snoop Dogg surprised everyone by saying he loves country music and has worked with artists like Willie Nelson.
Not to be outdone, Michael Bublé shared that he made a record with Willie Nelson, sang a duet with Dolly Parton, and even wrote Blake Shelton’s number-one hit “Home.”
Before Tankersley could choose a coach, the first prop of the Blind Auditions appeared. Bublé held a bag of Rap Snacks with Snoop Dogg’s face on it. He joked that he always wanted to know what Snoop Dogg tasted like.
In the end, Tankersley decided to join Snoop Dogg, who gifted him a Death Row chain. Torre Blake, the daughter of NFL quarterback Jeff Blake, and 16-year-old Chrisdeo from Queens also received Death Row chains.
Next up was Sofronio Vasquez from Mindanao, Philippines. He mentioned he loves karaoke, but his performance was anything but that.
He sang Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Going Down,” which got all the coaches arguing. Bublé talked about his connection to the Philippines while Snoop Dogg reminded everyone that he owns the label Vasquez was signed to.
The new coaches showed they were ready to compete hard this season. Vasquez became Michael Bublé’s first team member, and he got a hockey jersey as a gift.
Seventeen-year-old Kiara Vega was also impressed by Bublé’s Spanish. She joined his team too. Gwen Stefani, who has been a coach for nine seasons, showed her skills by helping Jan Dan perform better. Jan made more eye contact, which improved his performance and led him to choose Gwen.
Snoop Dogg then showed off his unique approach. While talking to four-chair turn recipient Danny Josephs, Snoop pressed a button that released a cloud of smoke around the other coaches.
It was funny and fitting. However, Josephs still picked Reba McEntire. This season, Team Reba contestants received a Funko Pop Reba as a perfect keepsake. Josephs was not the only one to get a Funko Pop.
While chatting with all four coaches, host Carson Daly revealed a new feature this season: the Coaches Replay Button.
This button allows a coach to have a second chance at an artist if they did not turn their chair before. It can only be used once, so Daly reminded them to use it wisely! Next, they met Kendall Eugene.
He shared that his journey to The Voice had been long because he faced many obstacles on his way to being a professional singer. The Texas father talked about giving his son up for open adoption when he was 17. Luckily, they still have a strong relationship.
When he took the stage, he sang “Don’t Think Jesus” by former The Voice alum Morgan Wallen. At first, no chairs turned, and it seemed like his chance was over. But Reba used her Coaches Replay Button to bring Eugene onto her team.
The episode had many happy moments for artists, but not everyone received a chair turn. RAVS gave Snoop a custom jacket, and Ben Fagerstedt got to sing with Michael Bublé, but neither got a coach. They were encouraged to try again in the future.
Despite some sad endings, the premiere celebrated new talent and introduced exciting twists for the season. Now, it is time to build the excitement and find that special spark.
