With another season of The Voice crowning a winner, fans will be able to look forward to some more changes coming to the singing competition. Season 24 saw perhaps the biggest change yet, as it was the first season after longtime coach Blake Shelton left. Fellow country superstar Reba McEntire stepped up to the plate and proved to be a force. Gwen Stefani also returned to the coaches’ chairs, with her final artist being eliminated during the semifinals. Now, it seems she is taking a page out of her husband’s book.
Gwen Stefani previously opened up about how frustrating it was that Shelton left The Voice, and admitted that it was weird to be back with him gone. The singer has had seven seasons total on the series, and she will officially be taking what seems to be a permanent step back from coaching aspiring artists, according to She Finds. It was already announced that The Voice Season 25 coaches will consist of McEntire, John Legend, Chance the Rapper, and Dan + Shay, with the latter being the first coaching duo. While her exit isn’t so surprising, it was only just a matter of time after her hubby.
Even though Stefani is leaving The Voice, the reason does make sense. The singer told Entertainment Tonight her plans post-The Voice, noting she is ready to make her musical comeback in the new year. It will get fans excited, and it’s going to be worth the wait:
I’m actually putting out music, so I’m excited about that. I’ve been working on this for a long time. I’ve finally landed in that place where I’m obsessed, where I can’t stop listening, so I feel like I’m somewhere.
It is still going to be hard to watch The Voice without Shelton and now without Gwen Stefani. Of course, there have been plenty of coaches on The Voice throughout the show’s run, so a coach leaving is just inevitable. Stefani does want to work on new music, but the fact that her husband is no longer on the show probably also factored in to her leaving. There is always the hope she could return in some capacity on a future season as a mentor or advisor, but don’t expect her to be a coach again any time soon.
Team Gwen did still get some help from Blake Shelton, in a way. Stefani admitted that while watching clips of her team’s rehearsals, Shelton couldn’t help but to take a peak and shared his excitement and support. They might not have been able to have the same playful banter on-screen that fans loved, but he definitely made sure to let his wife know that he would still be watching and cheering her on.
Season 25 of The Voice is going to be a season to look forward to, as it will not only have a great coach lineup, but the country will be introduced to even more aspiring artists. Hopefully Stefani returns to the series later down the line, but for now, it sounds like she would much rather focus on her music, which is even better. The new season premieres on Monday, February 26 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC as part of the 2024 TV schedule.