‘The Voice’ Update: When Does Season 21 Begin and Who Are the Coaches?
NBC has finally announced a release date for The Voice Season 21. Here’s when the groundbreaking season will premiere, plus the coaching lineup and more on the singing competition’s fall 2021 schedule.
‘The Voice’ Season 21 release date announced for September 2021
As NBC revealed on July 15, 2021, The Voice Season 21 will officially premiere on Sept. 20. The previous season, which ended on May 25, 2021, experienced a schedule change where the long-running singing competition aired only one night a week rather than The Voice‘s traditional two-night spot. NBC made this change to accommodate another hit series, This is Us, which aired on Tuesday nights.
For season 21, however, it looks like The Voice will return to the two-night format. Starting with the Blind Auditions, the series will air on Monday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. ET, followed by Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET.
The Voice began filming its season 21 Blind Auditions in June 2021. For the first time since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, NBC allowed a live studio audience to watch the audition process from June 21 to 25. Those who attended the auditions in Universal City, California, were required to be at least 18 years old, fully vaccinated, and confirmed negative for coronavirus before the taping.
Ariana Grande has joined as a new coach for season 21
The Voice Season 21 will feature one brand new coach: Ariana Grande. The pop singer joins longtime coaches Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, and John Legend. Grande has replaced newcomer coach Nick Jonas, who participated in the competition for two seasons.
Jonas, who will head out on a Jonas Brothers tour this fall, expressed his excitement over Grande’s addition to the series and offered up some advice for her.
“I mean, Ariana — as we all know — is one of the best singers in the game, and she’s gonna be an incredible coach,” he said during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “I think the only advice I would give is just not to trust any one of you.”
So far, Grande has reportedly gotten along well with the other coaches during filming. Blind Auditions attendees told E! that the Victorious actor has engaged in banter with Shelton, while Clarkson and Legend have been “completely welcoming.”
“Ariana was so fun and sweet,” one source told the publication. “She was interacting with the fans so much and was having the cutest moments on and off camera with the coaches. She was so sweet to anyone who came up to her from the production team, as well. Ariana and Kelly Clarkson were talking selfies. It was so cute.”
‘The Voice’ will only air one cycle per year going forward
The Voice has traditionally aired two seasons per year; one in the fall and one in the spring. However, NBC revealed that season 21 would be The Voice‘s only season for this cycle. Future seasons will follow the same format.
NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Chairman Frances Berwick told Deadline that the change comes as a way to “eventize” The Voice.
“Going into the 21st cycle in the fall, The Voice remains one of the most popular shows on television, and we want to keep it that way. We want to eventize this iconic series,” Berwick said. “We think The Voice will be on NBC for a very long time to come and we believe the best way to protect the brand, while also super-serving fans, is to produce one amazing cycle this year.”
