In the last five years, The Voice viewers have said goodbye to a handful of the show’s most beloved coaches. The bromance between Blake Shelton and Adam Levine won over fans and helped turn the show into the smash hit it is today. There are also past winners Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan, who no longer grace the panel. Naturally, fans were devastated when Shelton announced his retirement last year after 23 seasons. The country star’s departure came just four years after Levine’s exit. Stefani and Horan left the show after season 24—following Horan’s second consecutive win as a coach.
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With eight seasons under his belt, John Legend is now The Voice’s most senior coach. Still, even the EGOT winner is “replaceable,” according to a pair of the show’s hairstylists.
‘Fresh New Faces’ Keep ‘The Voice’ Fans Coming Back
The Voice is still successful because it is constantly evolving, longtime hairstylist Jerilynn Stephens told The Sun in a recent interview.
Stephens and fellow stylist Darbie Wieczorak are excited about the influx of new blood on The Voice coaching panel. Country superstar Reba McEntire is currently filming her second season after replacing Shelton in 2023. Season 24 champion Niall Horan left a hole large enough to fit two coaches when he exited. Country-pop duo Dan + Shay took over for Horan.
“Now with Reba back… I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with Blake gone, but I really love her,” Stephens told The Sun. “And then having Dan and Shay for the double chair, that’s a really cool new experience.”
Many viewers feared The Voice would never be restored to its former glory after the loss of fan favorites such as Shelton and Levine. However, “We kept going,” Stephens said. “Everyone’s always replaceable.”
In fact, Stephens believes the carousel of new coaches is what keeps The Voice fresh. “Things that contribute to the people coming back to the show… would be the coaches changing,” she said.
Does Dan + Shay Have an Advantage Over Other Coaches?
The Voice staffers may be pleased with the addition of Dan + Shay. However, some viewers are still getting accustomed to the addition of a double chair on the panel.
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