Niall Horan confirmed that he’s still friends with Blake Shelton, even after beating him on season 23 of The Voice. Although the former One Direction member was a first-time coach on the hit competition show, he led Gina Miles to victory.
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During the finale in late May, the 18-year-old won over Team Blake’s Grace West and NOIVAS. When host Carson Daly announced the champion, Horan told PEOPLE that Shelton rushed over to him.
“They announced the winner, and I stood up, and then he came for a big hug,” recalled Horan to the outlet. “I gave him a big hug, and he said, ‘I taught you everything you know.’ That’s all he said, not congratulations or anything.”
Team Shelton has won the heated battle nine times since the country hitmaker joined the show in 2011. Despite their friendly rivalry, Horan declared that they grew exponentially close during production.
“I’m going to miss him,” said the 29-year-old, referring to Shelton’s retirement from the show. “He is not one of those famous friends, in my eyes. I think if I had met him outside of The Voice, I would have probably been friends with him anyway.”
Although the two come from different backgrounds, Horan mentioned that they are similar in numerous ways.
“Weirdly enough… we’ve got a lot in common,” Horan noted. “We’re quite similar people. Though not in dress sense,” he jokingly added.
The “Meltdown” singer said he’s eager to work with Shelton’s wife, Gwen Stefani next season. The panel of judges will include Horan, Stefani, country legend Reba McEntire, and John Legend.
“I’m going to miss [Blake], but I get to work with the other half of that marriage,” he shared. “I met Gwen at the afterparty for this season’s Voice. She came and surprised Blake on the last night. She was so funny and so cool. So, I’m excited.”
Horan is confidently heading into the next season, as he believes his personal experience is a secret weapon. Horan is no stranger to singing competition shows. The platinum-selling musician appeared on X Factor UK in 2010, where One Direction was born. His life quickly changed after he joined forces with Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, and Zayn Malik.
“[The X Factor] did come into play more than I thought it would, or more than I thought I would allow it to,” uttered Horan. “Having come from a show like that, it felt normal to be doing The Voice to me. If I was just a singer and I hadn’t been on a show like that before, I’m sure I would have been a bit more deer in the headlights, but I knew what I was getting myself into, and I think it was helpful.”
Season 24 of The Voice will premiere on NBC in the fall of 2023.
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