The sixteenth season of the American reality television show The Voice premiered on February 25, 2019, on NBC. Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, and Blake Shelton returning as coaches from the previous season. John Legend was a new addition as a coach this season, replacing Jennifer Hudson. This became the eleventh season to feature three male coaches on the panel since season 10. For the second time, the show featured a fifth coach, Bebe Rexha, who selected contestants to participate in The Comeback Stage, replacing Kelsea Ballerini as the fifth coach.
This is the first season trios are allowed in the show, and also the first (and only) season to feature a "Live Cross Battles", similar to the Chinese counterpart of The Voice (The Voice of China and Sing! China) whereas artists compete against artists from opposing teams for a place in the Live Shows. "The Comeback Stage" twist also returned and it now extended until the "Live Cross Battles". The Live Shows now followed eliminations similar to the semifinals since season 9 with the artists receiving a higher vote count directly advances or lower vote count eliminated immediately.
Maelyn Jarmon was named the winner of the season, marking John Legend's first win as a coach and making him the second new coach (after Clarkson) to have a winning artist on his first attempt. As of April 2026, this is the most recent season John Legend's team have won the show.
Coaches and hosts
On September 13, 2018, John Legend was confirmed as a new coach, replacing Jennifer Hudson, who opted out from the coaching panel to serve as coach of The Voice UK. Legend joined returning coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. Carson Daly returned for his sixteenth season as host. This is Legend's second appearance after he appeared as Team Adam's battle advisor on the 12th season. This is also Legend and Clarkson's second competition show before the show appearing Duets. This season's advisors for the Battle Rounds are Charlie Puth (who previously appeared in the 11th season in the series as an advisor) for Team Adam, Kelsea Ballerini (who was the coach for last season's "Comeback Stage") for Team Kelly, Khalid for Team Legend, and Brooks & Dunn for Team Blake.
Teams
Coaches Top 54 artists Adam Levine LB Crew Mari JonesBetsy AdeDomenic HaynesKalvin JarvisLB CrewKendra CheckettsCelia BabiniRod StokesAndrew JannakosCiera Dumas Jimmy MoweryKarly MorenoPatrick McAloonAnthony OrtizTrey Rose John LegendMaelyn JarmonShawn Sounds Celia BabiniJacob Maxwell Jimmy MoweryLisa RameyJulian King Beth Griffith-ManleyKayslin VictoriaSavannah Brister Oliv BluBetsy AdeMatthew JohnsonDenton ArnellTalon CardonKelly Clarkson Rod StokesJej VinsonRebecca Howell Matthew JohnsonAbby KaschPresley TennantBetsy AdeThe BundysKaren GaleraDavid OwensBeth Griffith-ManleyMikaela AstelAlena D'AmicoJackson MarlowRizzi MyersBlake SheltonGyth RigdonDexter RobertsAndrew SevenerKim CherryCarter Lloyd Horne Oliv Blu Kendra CheckettsSelkii Karly Moreno Kendra Checketts Rod StokesDalton DoverCecily HenniganLiLi JoyHannah Kay Bebe RexhaLB CrewKanard Thomas Ciera Dumas Savannah Brister David Owens Kayla Seeber Nathan & Chesi Crystal Rose J.T. Rodriguez Klea Olson.
Blind auditions Color key Coach pressed "I WANT YOU" button Artist defaulted to a coach's team Artist selected to join this coach's team Artist was eliminated and was not invited back for "The Comeback Stage" Artist was eliminated, but got a second chance to compete in "The Comeback Stage" ✘ Coach pressed "I WANT YOU" button, but was blocked by another coach from getting the artist Blocked by Adam Blocked by John Blocked by Kelly Blocked by Blake
Episode 1 (Feb. 25) Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Adam John Kelly Blake1Gyth Rigdon24Singer, Louisiana"Drift Away"– ✘ 2Maelyn Jarmon26Frisco, Texas"Fields of Gold" 3Karen Galera19Dallas, Texas"Mi Corazoncito"– –4Trey Rose27Hugo, Oklahoma"Wake Me Up" ––5Kim Cherry30Niceville, Florida"No Scrubs"–– 6AJ Ryan30Brooklyn, New York"Love Runs Out"––––7Rizzi Myers29Nashville, Tennessee"Breathin"– ✘ 8Lisa Ramey33New York, New York"Sex on Fire"– ––9Jimmy Mowery31Altoona, Pennsylvania"Attention" ––10LiLi Joy15Chino Hills, California"Cool"––– 11Nathan & Chesi27 & 28Paintsville, Kentucky"Waymore's Blues"––––12Matthew Johnson26Jacksonville, Florida"I Smile"
Episode 2 (Feb. 26) Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Adam John Kelly Blake1Domenic Haynes18Tampa, Florida"River" ✘–2Savannah Brister17Memphis, Tennessee"Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing"– –3The Bundys25 - 31Cincinnati, Ohio"Closer to Fine"–– 4Klea Olson20Layton, Utah"No Roots"––––5Hannah Kay18Magnolia, Texas"Coal Miner's Daughter"–– 6Julian King25Philadelphia, Pennsylvania"All Time Low" ✘ ––
Episode 3 (March 4) This episode is dedicated in memory of season 13 contestant Janice Freeman who died of a blood clot in her lung two days before this episode aired. Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Adam John Kelly Blake1Jacob Maxwell20Coeur d'Alene, Idaho"Delicate"– –2Karly Moreno23Mission Viejo, California"Starving" –––3Luna Searles37Atlanta, Georgia"Nutbush City Limits"––––4Carter Lloyd Horne19Marietta, Georgia"Drinkin' Problem"–– 5Talon Cardon18Pleasant Grove, Utah"Say You Won't Let Go"– ––6Patrick McAloon40Barrington, Rhode Island"Runaway Train" –7Ruby McAloon16Barrington, Rhode Island"Back to You"––––8Alena D’Amico27Shelby Charter, Michigan"In My Blood"–– 9Kanard Thomas28Jacksonville, Florida"Riding With the King"––––10Dexter Roberts27Fayette, Alabama"Like a Cowboy" 11Jej Vinson22Davao City, Philippines"Passionfruit"
Episode 4 (March 5) Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Adam John Kelly Blake1Betsy Ade40Kenosha, Wisconsin"Hunger" ––2Dalton Dover20Aragon, Georgia"Don't Close Your Eyes"––– 3Rebecca Howell18Cochran, Georgia"The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia"– 4Kendra Checketts19San Diego, California"Sober"––– 5J.T. Rodriguez28Chattanooga, Tennessee"Higher Love"––––6LB Crew29Little Rock, Arkansas"Waves"
Episode 5 (March 11) Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Adam John Kelly Blake1Beth Griffith-Manley46Detroit, Michigan"Until You Come Back to Me"– –2Selkii31Durban, South Africa"I Try"–– 3Jae Jin33Baltimore, Maryland"Hallelujah I Love Her So"––––4Denton Arnell32Chicago, Illinois"Hold On, We're Going Home"– ––5Ciera Dumas21Kernersville, North Carolina"Tell Me You Love Me" ––6Andrew Sevener22Alvarado, Texas"Honky Tonk Women"––– 7Mari20Clermont, Florida"Boo'd Up" –8Crystal Rose26Kansas City, Missouri"Wicked Game"––––9Abby Kasch20Palos Park, Illinois"Here for the Party"–– 10Mikaela Astel14Queens, New York"Electric Love"– –11Anthony Ortiz20Tampa, Florida"What Makes You Beautiful" –––12Oliv Blu20Flossmoor, Illinois"On & On"– ––13Kayla Seeber18Poplar Grove, Illinois"...Baby One More Time"––––14Shawn Sounds33Houston, Texas"All My Life"
Episode 6 (March 18) Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Adam John Kelly Blake1Celia Babini17New York, New York"Idontwannabeyouanymore" 2Cecily Hennigan16Conway, South Carolina"Foolish Games"––– 3Kalvin Jarvis29Tucson, Arizona"A Good Night" ––4Ava August13Laguna Niguel, California"The House of the Rising Sun"––––5David Owens24Indianapolis, Indiana"I Can't Make You Love Me"–– –6Presley Tennant16Norco, California"Stone Cold"–– –7Rod Stokes35Moss Point, Mississippi"To Love Somebody"– 8Calista Garcia17Arlington, Virginia"Wishing Well"–––rowspan="6" 9Andrew Jannakos25Flowery Branch, Georgia"Beautiful Crazy" –10Kayslin Victoria16Clermont, Florida"Feel It Still"rowspan="4" 11Maddi Fraser24La Canada Flintridge, California"Get It While You Can"rowspan="3" –12Jackson Marlow18Rogersville, Alabama"Troubadour"
Episode 7 (March 20) This episode, titled "The Best of The Blind Auditions," featured certain Blind Auditions from the season before the battles began.
Battles The Battle Rounds started on March 25. Season sixteen's advisors include: Charlie Puth for Team Adam, Khalid for Team John, Kelsea Ballerini for Team Kelly, and Brooks & Dunn for Team Blake. The coaches could steal two losing artists from other coaches. Contestants who won their battle or were stolen by another coach advanced to the new Live Cross Battles, which replaced the Knockout Rounds. Three eliminated artists were chosen by Bebe Rexha and have the opportunity to compete in "The Comeback Stage".
Color key Artist won the Battle and advanced to the Live Cross Battles Artist lost the Battle but was stolen by another coach and advanced to Live Cross Battles Artist lost the Battle but got a second chance to compete in "The Comeback Stage" Artist lost the Battle and was eliminated Episodes Coach Order Winner Song Loser 'Steal' result Adam John Kelly BlakeEpisode 8John Legend1Shawn Sounds"Never Too Much"Matthew Johnson –Kelly Clarkson2The Bundys"Songbird"Mikaela Astel–––Blake Shelton3Gyth Rigdon"Drunk Me"Rod Stokes––Adam Levine4Domenic Haynes"I Need a Dollar"Trey Rose–––John Legend5Maelyn Jarmon "When We Were Young"Savannah Brister–––Kelly Clarkson6Jej Vinson"Jealous"Beth Griffith-Manley––Episode 9Adam Levine1Celia Babini"FRIENDS"Karly Moreno––John Legend2Julian King"Grenade"Denton Arnell–––Kelly Clarkson3Presley Tennant"Whataya Want from Me"Rizzi Myers–––Blake Shelton4Dexter Roberts"Hurricane"Dalton Dover–––Adam Levine5LB Crew"Done For Me"Ciera Dumas–––Blake Shelton6Kim Cherry"Here"Kendra Checketts–Episode 10John Legend1Lisa Ramey"The Joke"Betsy Ade rowspan="7" –Adam Levine2Mari"I Like Me Better"Anthony Ortiz– rowspan="6" –Blake Shelton3Andrew Sevener"Tequila"Hannah Kay–Kelly Clarkson4Abby Kasch"Bring On the Rain"Jackson Marlow––John Legend5Jacob Maxwell"Every Little Thing She Does is Magic"Talon Cardon–Kelly Clarkson6Rebecca Howell"Unchained Melody"David Owens––Adam Levine7Kalvin Jarvis"U Got It Bad"Jimmy Mowery–Episode 11Adam Levine1 Andrew Jannakos"Free Fallin"Patrick McAloonrowspan="5" rowspan="5" rowspan="5" –Blake Shelton2Selkii"Head Above Water"Cecily Hennigan3Carter Lloyd Horne"I Got You Babe"LiLi JoyKelly Clarkson4Karen Galera"Imagine"Alena D'Amico–John Legend5Kayslin Victoria"Location"Oliv Blu
The Comeback Stage This season's fifth coach, Bebe Rexha, mentored selected artists who did not make a team during the Blind Auditions as well as eliminated artists from later rounds of the competition, thus creating new rounds to The Comeback Stage. During the first round of competition, the six selected artists went head to head, two artists per episode, and Rexha selected a winner to move on to the next round. In the second round, Rexha brought back three artists who were eliminated during the Battle Rounds, giving them a chance to re-enter in the competition. These artists faced off against the three artists from the first round. The three winners performed in the Semifinals and one artist was eliminated. In the Finale, Rexha picked one artist to move forward and compete against another eliminated artist from the Live Cross Battles. The two remaining artists performed in the Top 24 Live Results Show for America's votes in the Twitter Instant Save, with the winner officially joining one of the four main teams of their choosing as a part of the Top 13.
The Battles Artist won the battle and advanced to the next round Artist lost the battle and was eliminated
First Round (from blind audition) Episode (Digital) Coach Song Artists Song Winner Loser Episode 1 Bebe Rexha "Tulsa Time" Nathan and Chesi Klea Olson "Brand New Key" Episode 2 "Let's Get It On" Kanard Thomas J.T. Rodriguez "Stormy Monday" Episode 3 "What You Know" Kayla Seeber Crystal Rose "At Last"
Second round