The twenty-sixth season of the American reality television series The Voice premiered on September 23, 2024, on NBC. The season is hosted by Carson Daly, who returns for his twenty-sixth season. The coaching panel consists of Reba McEntire, who returns for her third season; returning coach Gwen Stefani, who returns for her eighth season after a one-season hiatus; and debuting coaches Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg.
Sofronio Vasquez was named the winner of the season, marking Michael Bublé's first win as a coach, with Bublé becoming the fourth new coach, after Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, and Niall Horan to win on his debut season. With Vasquez's win and Shye's runner-up finish, Bublé became the first coach in the history of the show to have the top two artists on his team on his debut season. Additionally, Vasquez became the first foreign male winner, as well as the second winner of Asian descent to win, following Tessanne Chin in the fifth season. This was the fifth, and second consecutive, season in the history of the show that a coach (Bublé) had the top two artists on their team, following Blake Shelton in seasons 3, 18, and 22, and Reba McEntire in the previous season.
Overview Development On May 10, 2024, NBC announced that The Voice was renewed for a twenty-sixth season to air in the fall of that year. On May 13, the lineup of coaches was unveiled at the network's upfront presentation for the 2024–25 United States network television schedule at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Coaches and host
Of the four coaches that participated in the previous season, only Reba McEntire returned, marking her third season as a coach. Coaches Chance the Rapper, Dan + Shay, and John Legend all departed the panel for the season. The latter two coaches both cited their ongoing concert tours as reasons for their departure.
Former coach Gwen Stefani returns to the show following her absence in the previous season, marking her eighth season as a coach. Canadian singer-songwriter Michael Bublé and rapper Snoop Dogg join the coaching panel for their first seasons, marking the first time since season 23 in which two coaches were introduced in a season. Both new coaches previously appeared on the show: Bublé previously served as a battle advisor for Team Blake on season 3, while Snoop Dogg served as a mega mentor on season 20 during the Knockouts. With Bublé's debut, he becomes the first Canadian to serve as a coach on the American adaptation of The Voice.
Carson Daly returns for his twenty-sixth season as host.
Mega mentors On November 4, 2024, it was announced that former coach Jennifer Hudson would serve as a mega mentor for the Knockouts alongside English musician Sting. Hudson mentored Teams Bublé and Reba, while Sting was paired with Teams Gwen and Snoop. This marks the first season to feature two mega mentors in the Knockouts. For the fourth consecutive season, there were no guest advisors in the battles, meaning the artists were solely mentored by their coaches.
Marketing and promotion Ahead of the season's premiere, on July 26, the show, via its online media platforms, released a cover of the 1966 Four Tops single "Reach Out I'll Be There" performed by the coaches. On September 23, hours before the premiere, the show released a cover of the coaches performing the 1979 Eagles hit, "Heartache Tonight".
Shortly prior to the season premiere, the blind audition of Sofronio Vasquez, performing Mary J. Blige's "I'm Goin' Down", was released online.
Teams + Teams color key Winner Eliminated in the Playoffs Runner-up Stolen in the Knockouts Third place Eliminated in the Knockouts Fourth place Stolen in the Battles Fifth place Eliminated in the Battles Eliminated in the Live Semifinals Contestant withdrew
+ Coaches' teams Coach Top 56 Artists Michael Bublé Sofronio Vasquez Shye Jaukeem Fortson Sloane Simon Cameron Wright Jeremy Beloate Edward Preble J.Paul Kiara Vega Tanner Frick Mor Ilderton Cassidy Lee Aliyah Khaylyn Kamila Kiehne Jamison Puckett Torion Sellers Mark Shiiba Gwen Stefani Sydney Sterlace Jan Dan Jose Luis Jake Tankersley Gabrielle Zabosky Camryn Brooks Felsmere Deon Jones Kay Sibal Mor Ilderton Sloane Simon Austyns Stancil Frankie Torres BEYA Jaylen Dunham Cozy Len Rowdy Shea Reba McEntire Danny Joseph Adam Bohanan Katie O. Edward Preble Lauren-Michael Sellers Jaukeem Fortson Kendall Eugene Cassidy Lee Tate Renner Frankie Torres Tanner Frick Deon Jones 323 Alison Elena Kevin James Graham Creigh Riepe Tsola Snoop Dogg Jeremy Beloate Christina Eagle Mikaela Ayira Aliyah Khaylyn Austyns Stancil Jake Tankersley Torre Blake ChrisDeo Mary McAvoy Georgia Starnes Michael Alexandersson Gail Bliss DREION Suede Lacy MisterMoon Eliza Pryor Brad Sample
Blind auditions The show began with the Blind Auditions on September 23, 2024. In each audition, an artist sings their piece in front of the coaches, whose chairs face the audience. If a coach is interested in working with the artist, they may press their button to face the artist. If only one coach presses the button, the artist automatically becomes part of their team. If multiple coaches turn, they will compete for the artist, who will decide which team they will join. Each coach has one "block" to prevent another coach from getting an artist. This season, each coach ends up with 14 artists by the end of the blind auditions, creating a total of 56 artists advancing to the battles.
This season, a new feature was introduced, dubbed the "Coach Replay." This addition allows each coach to press their button at least one time in the span of the blind auditions for an artist that was originally eliminated with no coaches turning. The artist is subsequently defaulted to that team if only one coach use or gets to pick if multiple do so, but the coach is penalized with replay usage if a singer joins that team. The recipients of this feature for each team were Kendall Eugene for Team Reba, Gail Bliss for Team Snoop, Jaylen Dunham for Team Gwen, and Mark Shiiba for Team Bublé, respectively.
With Michael Bublé having four 4-chair turn contestants, he tied with Camila Cabello and Reba McEntire in which a debuting coach has the most 4-chair turns in their season.
In addition, Gwen Stefani received the most 4-chair turns during a single season in her eight seasons as a coach, with a total of six, which is also the most 4-chair turns a female coach received in all 26 seasons of the show.
+ Blind auditions color key Coach hit his/her "I WANT YOU" button Artist defaulted to this coach's team Artist selected to join this coach's team Artist was originally eliminated with no coach pressing their button, but was saved by the "Coach Replay" Artist was eliminated with no coach pressing their button ✘ Coach pressed "I WANT YOU" button, but was blocked by another coach from getting the artist Blocked by Michael Blocked by Gwen Blocked by Reba Blocked by Snoop
Episode 1 (September 23) + First blind auditions results Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Michael Gwen Reba Snoop 1Jake Tankersley 31 Claremore, Oklahoma "Something in the Orange" ✘ 2 Sofronio Vasquez 31 Utica, New York / Mindanao, Philippines "I'm Goin' Down" 3 Jan Dan 29 Newark, New Jersey "Almost Doesn't Count" – – 4 RAVS 29 Dallas, Texas "Say So" – – – – 5 Danny Joseph 37 Dallas, Texas / London, England "I Put a Spell on You" ✘ 6 Ben Fagerstedt 23 Aberdeen, Washington "I've Got You Under My Skin" – – – – 7 Torre Blake 30 Austin, Texas "On & On" – – 8 Kendall Eugene 37 Indiana, Pennsylvania "Don't Think Jesus" – – – 9 Kiara Vega 18 Tampa, Florida / Vega Baja, Puerto Rico "Amor Eterno" – 10 ChrisDeo 16 Queens, New York "I Won't Give Up" – – 11 Sydney Sterlace 15 Buffalo, New York "Drivers License"
Episode 2 (September 30) Among this episode's auditionees was Felsmere, who previously competed on the first season under her real name, Kelsey Rey, as part of Team CeeLo until her elimination in the battle rounds. Felsmere's reappearance marked the first time that a former contestant, who advanced to the battles, returned to compete in a later season as a solo artist, as well as the second returnee overall, after season 16 contestant Jej Vinson, who returned as part of the trio Sheer Element in season 23. + Second blind auditions results Order Artist Age(s) Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Michael Gwen Reba Snoop 1 DREION 27 Omaha, Nebraska "Shining Star" 2 Mor Ilderton 20 Teays Valley, West Virginia "Coal" – ✘ 3 Crystalla Gonzalez 34 Queens, New York "Heartbreaker" – – – – 4 Felsmere 33 Viera Beach, Florida "Some Kind of Wonderful" – – 5 Kamila Kiehne 17 Los Lunas, New Mexico "Black Velvet" – 6 Tanner Frick 26 Manchester, Tennessee "Thought You Should Know" 7 Iris Herrera 19 Newaygo, Michigan "Gypsy" – – – – 8 Rowdy Shea 23 Bowling Green, Kentucky "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" – – 9 323 18–33 Tallahassee, Florida "(You Drive Me) Crazy" – – 10 Gail Bliss 61 Grants Pass, Oregon / Little River, South Carolina "If It Hadn't Been for Love" – – – 11 Austyns Stancil 34 Oakland, California "Ooo Baby Baby"
Episode 3 (October 7) Among the episode's auditionees was Jeremy Beloate, who previously competed on the eleventh season of America's Got Talent as part of the vocal group OneVoice, until their elimination in the Judge Cuts. + Third blind auditions results Order Artist Age(s) Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Michael Gwen Reba Snoop 1 Georgia Starnes 21 Dallas, Texas "Too Good at Goodbyes" 2 Edward Preble 19 Fernandina Beach, Florida "Luck Be a Lady" – – 3 Creigh Riepe 32 Nashville, Tennessee "Beautiful Things" – – 4 Tiffany Taylor 39 Baltimore, Maryland "What Was I Made For?" – – – – 5 Adam Bohanan 40 Long Island, New York / Minneapolis, Minnesota "Home" – – – 6 Jeremy Beloate 25 Memphis, Tennessee "Heartbreak Anniversary" 7 Jaylen Dunham 14 Charlotte, North Carolina "Listen" – – – 8 MisterMoon 26 & 28 Nashville, Tennessee "Deeper Well" – – 9 Tate Renner24 Nashville, Tennessee "Hurricane" – 10 Malcolm-Ali 27 Galloway, New Jersey "Love Will Lead You Back" – – – – 11 Frankie Torres 24 Minnetonka, Minnesota "Magic Man"
Episode 4 (October 8) Among this episode's auditionees was Sloane Simon, who previously competed on the nineteenth season of American Idol. + Fourth blind auditions results Order Artist Age Hometown Song Coach's and artist's choices Michael Gwen Reba Snoop 1 J.Paul 37 Washington, D.C. "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)" – 2 Sloane Simon 19 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania "Unwritten" – – 3 Michael Alexandersson 26 Salado, Texas "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" – – 4 Jamison Puckett 34 Memphis, Tennessee "Faithfully" – – 5 Zach Foreman 34 Hattiesburg, Mississippi "Eight Second Ride" – – – – 6 Gabrielle Zabosky 25 Oxford, Pennsylvania "Mr. Know-It-All" ✘ 7 Christina Eagle 23 Catawba, North Carolina "Wildflowers and Wild Horses" – – – 8 Jaukeem Fortson 13 Elberton, Georgia "Easy on Me" – 9 Kourtney White 37 McKinney, Texas "Remedy" – – – – 10 Kevin James Graham 33 Boston, Massachusetts "Stay with Me" – – – 11 Shye 17Bethlehem, Pennsylvania / Glen Cove, New York "Superman (It's Not Easy)"
Episode 5 (October 14) Among this episode's auditionees was Camryn Brooks, who previously auditioned unsuccessfully in season 21, and Eliza Pryor, who previously competed on the seventeenth season of America's Got Talent as part of the act Acapop!, and played Valeria in the TV show Team Kaylie.