Ariana Grande Joining ‘The Voice’ Prompts Response From Nick Jonas

Nick Jonas, who will be replaced next season on The Voice by Ariana Grande, was one of the first to respond to the news that she is joining the singing competition in Season 21. NBC announced that Grande will be a full-time coach on Tuesday, joining Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Blake Shelton. She will replace Jonas, who assured her that there are no hard feelings about the move in an Instagram Story post.

“Congrats [Ariana Grande]!” Jonas wrote with a sunglasses emoji. “You’re going to kill it next season! Welcome to the family.” Jonas added this commentary to Grande’s post, which showed a promotional photo of herself by a coach’s chair on the singing competition show. She wrote: “Surprise!!! I am beyond thrilled, honored, excited to be joining [Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Black Shelton] next season ~ Season 21 of [The Voice]! [Nick Jonas] we will miss you.”

Jonas first appeared on The Voice in Season 18, then returned as a full-time coach in Season 20 to replace Gwen Stefani, who decided to step down after Season 19. Sources close to the production told Page Six that Jonas may not actually be gone for that long.

“Ariana is a huge fan of The Voice and her management team has been negotiating to get her on the show for a while,” they said. “She is replacing Nick Jonas, who is a [coach] on the current season, but he isn’t leaving for good. Nick will remain on rotation with other stars that have appeared on the show. The chances are he will be back soon.”

In a more official statement on the casting, NBCUniversal Television’s executive vice president of unscripted content, Jenny Groom, wrote: “As an undeniable force in pop music, Ariana’s inimitable success in the music industry is extraordinary. We were thrilled to learn that she is a true fan of The Voice and know that this enthusiasm will add to her impact as a dynamic coach. Ariana is a visionary with over a decade of experience in the music industry. Her unmatched vocal skills, creativity and unique expertise on all facets of the industry will make her an invaluable coach to the next generation of artists.”

The Voice has often rotated its coaches throughout its time on the air, though fans are still disappointed when one of their favorites says goodbye. However, their busy schedules also help the show maintain its reputation for acquiring the best talent in the industry. The Voice airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.