Season 23 of “The Voice” will include new contestants and the departure of the longest-tenured coach.
Blake Shelton will leave the show after the upcoming season, according to a statement released by NBC on Tuesday. Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan, formerly of One Direction, are expected to join as first-time coaches.
Kelly Clarkson will fill up the coach lineup for the upcoming spring season.
“After much consideration, I’ve decided it’s time for me to step aside from ‘The Voice,'” Shelton stated in a statement released by the network. This program has improved every aspect of my life, and it will always seem like home to me.
Shelton extended a particular shout-out to his wife, Gwen Stefani, whom he met on the program. He also acknowledged the “lifelong ties” he had with host Carson Daly “and each and every one of my fellow coaches throughout the years.”
Shelton has won eight times since the show’s debut in 2011, making him a mainstay since the show’s beginning. Additionally, he has taught fifteen musicians whose songs have topped the iTunes Top Songs chart.
Chance the Rapper is “thrilled” to join the NBC competition series and is “eager to help other artists reach the next level and make the most of this life-changing experience,” he said.
Currently, Shelton can be seen alongside fellow judges Stefani, Camila Cabello, and John Legend on Season 22 of “The Voice.”
“I am very proud of you and so fortunate to have discovered you. Stefani remarked on Shelton’s Instagram post announcing his resignation, “your artistry gives joy to the hearts of so many people, and I am so fortunate to be part of ur life’s journey.”
The 22nd season of “The Voice,” hosted by Carson Daly, is now airing. Stefani and Shelton serve as judges alongside John Legend, who is in his seventh season of the show, and Camila Cabello.
The Emmy-winning show announced Tuesday night that Stefani, Legend, and Cabello will depart their spots for the upcoming season, to be replaced by Kelly Clarkson – a frequent judge — and first-timer Niall Horan.
