Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and John Legend are back in the red chairs for “The Voice” season 29, but they admit one major change has reshaped the competition: Blake Shelton is no longer in the mix.
During a press junket ahead of “The Voice: Battle of Champions,” the returning Coaches opened up about how Shelton’s absence affected the Blind Auditions and overall strategy this season.
Season 29 features a panel of all former winners. Clarkson, Levine, and Legend have each won previous seasons, raising the stakes as they build their teams under a revamped format that includes new rules and a new voting system.
Despite the changes, the coaches said Shelton’s departure stood out immediately.
“In the absence of the cowboy, it made it so the country [artists] were more evenly distributed,” Legend explained.
For years, Shelton, who has won the show nine times, dominated recruiting country artists. Without him, Clarkson, Levine, and Legend said they had a more balanced opportunity during the Blind Auditions.
“It was even, which it usually is not,” Clarkson said. “And we all had a chance at country.”
Clarkson even jokingly addressed Shelton directly during the event. “Hi, Blake!” she laughed toward the camera.
Levine added with a playful tone, “Hi, Blake! You’re stupid! Hey, stupid Blake!”
Clarkson and Legend laughed, underscoring the longtime rivalry between Levine and Shelton, who served as a coach for the first 23 seasons of the NBC competition before exiting in 2023.