‘The Voice’ Returns to Its Roots for Milestone Season
Queen Latifah and Riley Green join Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson as coaches as the singing competition remains a hit.
Fifteen years and 29 seasons later, The Voice is showing no signs of slowing down. But for the incoming milestone 30th season, NBC’s singing competition is taking things back to the beginning, in what the show’s executive producer Audrey Morrissey calls a “full circle” moment: “We’re bringing back live shows,” Morrissey says. “We’re going to have six weeks of live shows.”
Live shows didn’t even exist in Season 29, which aired earlier this year and had been significantly scaled back in the years prior. But thanks to support from Peacock, viewers will now get to vote for their favorite artists in real time over the final six weeks of the competition. “The difference here, though, is we’re not doing an overnight vote,” Morrissey explains, referring to the programming change that puts The Voice on just one night a week. “It’s real-time voting. So, everybody performs, and we find out that night who’s moving on.”
Art Streiber/NBC
This season’s schedule looks like this: The show’s two-hour premiere airs on Monday, September 21, at 8/7c. It returns Tuesday, September 22, and Wednesday, September 23 (both of those nights will be a one-hour timeslot starting at 8/7c). After Week 1, the series will air only on Mondays for two hours, starting at 8/7c and switching to 9/8c in November.
The crux of The Voice, of course, is still the Blind Auditions, where the celebrity coaches decide which artists they want on their teams, without being able to see what those singers look like. Season 30 will introduce two new coaches: Grammy winner Queen Latifah and country singer Riley Green, whom viewers might recognize as Kayce Dutton’s pal Garrett from CBS’s Yellowstone spinoff Marshals. Green and Latifah join longtime experts Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson (both four-time champions) in the big red chairs. And of course, Carson Daly returns as host.
“The coach dynamic just felt great from moment one,” Morrissey says about this year’s competing celebs. “And that’s hard to do, especially with two new coaches. I think part of it is because we had such experienced coaches that were the OGs, and the two new ones just got it instantly. We had a lot of fun.”
Right out of the gate, the newbies, who are both already set to return for Season 31’s The Voice: Celebrity spinoff, airing next year with Keke Palmer as host, were stiff competition for the longtime vets, Morrissey confirms. “There’s this internal light force that Queen Latifah just beams, and all the artists loved her,” she says, adding that the hip-hop star is someone producers have wanted as a coach for years. “She was like a magnet. Even if [people] weren’t thinking they would go with her, she just had that pull.”
And while Morrissey understands why some may be quick to compare Green to former Voice coach and fellow country singer Blake Shelton, who left the show in 2023, she promises that he’s “his own brand of humor” who “will be a big discovery” for those who may be unfamiliar with him before the September 21 premiere episode. “He is just so funny,” Morrissey adds. “He brings that Southern gentleman with a razor sharp, dry wit about him.”
Trae Patton/NBC
Levine and Clarkson won’t be going easy on the rookies. “Kelly’s definitely talked the most trash,” Green previously admitted. Perhaps that’s because Green has a real opportunity to put a damper on Clarkson’s success among the country artist competitors in Season 30. “Kelly’s got her work cut out for her,” Morrissey admits. “If anybody knows who Riley is, it’s the country people. They are well aware of him. He’s really riding high.”
To keep things fresh during the Blind Auditions, the show has gotten rid of the Block button of seasons past and is now introducing a brand-new First-In button instead, which each coach can use only one time. “So many coaches would use as their pitch, ‘I turned first. I heard you instantly. They slept on you.’ So, we’re making a virtue out of it,” Morrissey explains. “It’s an asset. If you use your First-In button and you did turn first, you automatically get [that artist].”
All four coaches will also bring even more superstar power to set with their guest advisers in the Battle Rounds later in the competition. Here’s what we know: Queen Latifah brought in someone she considers her own mentor to work with her team, while Levine “has a young, very big pop star,” Morrissey teases. “Riley has a big country name with whom he has recorded songs. He has a big song out with her.” And Clarkson has an award-winning multi-hyphenate.
But even with the new additions to the show, from fresh coaches to more gameplay elements, the goal for Season 30 is to “go back to basics,” Morrissey acknowledges. “I think one of the things we wanted to do was, in some ways, go back to our roots,” she says. “Let’s just deliver The Voice that everybody knows and loves.” We’ll be waiting in the wings.
The Voice, Season 30 Premiere, Monday, September 21, 8/7c, NBC
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Bkb
6 weeks of live shows that so good!!!! Now bring back itunes too!!
DEBRY LYNN POWE
Bring back JOHN LEGEND. I MISS HIM. HE WAS GREAT FOR VOICE.
Sharron Gilling
I really like Michael Bublé. I think he is quite funny .
Kim Myers
Can't believe they invited Adam Levine back. Won't watch it!
britt
so is Carson Daly the host or Keke palmer!? im confused? or are there 2!? doesn't really matter to me cause I only watched it when niall was a coach
aj
Carson will be for this upcoming season, but for the season after, the celebrity one, it'll be Keke Palmer. I can see how you'd be confused though 🙂
Pam. Johnson
I mostly don't watch the voice but since Riley green. And queen Latifah will be new judges on it. I probably will be watching it more often now pam Johnson. McPherson ks
slowcrank
drivel with a side of raging marxism
RSA
Love the Voice, miss Blake but excited for the 30th season!
lesan48
Please
.. ask Kelly to stop talking! Last year, she never shut up and it was SO annoying.
Bob
The choice of coaches has been amazing. Loved them all except for one. Please replace Adam Levine next yime
Cinder789
This is Awesome!! Can't wait for the new season to start!! Love Kelly and Excited to see Adam back for another round. Can't wait to see what Roley and Latifah bring to the show. Lets Go!!!
Serpentstar
Ditch Adam Levine. Only savior is Riley Green.
13205
Definitely boycotting
Bam
Didn't know the queen knew talent. Wow . they had the chance to have good 4 judges.
David Arambula
Please say it isn't so!
I will definitely won't be watching.