When Blake Shelton departed “The Voice” last year, fans knew his spot would prove tough to fill. Country duo Dan + Shay, making their coaching debut this season, recently learned just how tough.
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Dan + Shay Poke Fun at Blake Shelton
“It was Blake [Shelton]’s old chair. It was so big that they let both of us sit in there,” singer-songwriter Dan Smyers joked to ABC Audio.
It’s all in lighthearted fun, though. The pair recently opened up about their love for the “Ol’ Red” singer. Dan + Shay previously appeared on Season 20 of “The Voice” as Shelton’s “battle advisors.”
[RELATED: Are Dan + Shay Brothers? 5 Quick Facts About ‘The Voice’ Coaching Tandem]
“Blake is the greatest,” Shay Mooney said. “We’ve learned so much from him and honestly, that was kind of our first introduction to ‘The Voice’ was getting to be mentors on the show when he was on there. Yeah, I don’t know if we learned anything, but we did learn what not to do and things like that.”
Dan + Shay Joke About “Strategy” to Defeat Reba McEntire
Dan + Shay will join returning coaches Reba McEntire, Chance The Rapper and John Legend for Monday’s (Feb. 26) Season 25 premiere.
The “Tequila” duo are the show’s first “double chair” coaches, but their debut is significant for another reason. Season 25 marks the first time that two of “The Voice” chairs are occupied by country artists.
Mooney couldn’t resist getting in another dig at Shelton as he told Billboard about the pair’s brewing rivalry with McEntire.
The “God’s Country” artist “didn’t have to compete with the queen of country music. He had it really easy,” Mooney joked.
“I feel like we have really been having to strategize and use our blocks to our advantage,” Mooney continued. “Who doesn’t love Reba McEntire and didn’t listen to her music and watch her show growing up? That’s stiff competition. She’s very competitive.”
The Pair Have a “Secret Project” Brewing
2024 has already been a busy year for Dan + Shay, and the duo are showing no signs of slowing down. In a recent Instagram post, the three-time GRAMMY winners teased a “secret project” that fans have requested for more than a decade.
Dan + Shay kick off their “Heartbreak on the Map” tour Thursday (Feb. 29.) The pair assured fans they wouldn’t regret snagging their tickets.
“We’ve been camped out since the beginning of the year putting in early mornings, late nights, and everything in between to make sure that the ‘Heartbreak On The Map Tour’ is our best show yet,” the band wrote on Instagram.
Featured image by Jason Davis/WireImage
