‘The Voice’ to Begin Filming Remotely for Final Rounds

The Voice is the latest show to adjust its filming process due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Variety reporting the NBC competition is planning to finish its latest season remotely. The remote rounds will begin on Monday, May 4 and will feature host Carson Daly filming from the show’s empty soundstage in Los Angeles, which will be staffed by a small crew practicing social distancing measures.

Contestants will perform remotely from their homes, and this season’s coaches, Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Nick Jonas, will also appear from their homes. Ahead of the Top 17 performance show, the coaches held mentoring sessions with contestants remotely and helped them plan musical elements for their performances including song selection, vocals and arrangement. Contestants were also provided with wardrobe, guidance on choreography and art direction and were given production kits with camera and audio equipment to film their performances.

“Reinventing the live shows has allowed us to create innovative ways to bring The Voice to life in a fresh and intimate way,” said Audrey Morrissey, The Voice executive producer and showrunner. “It has been an incredible team effort with the coaches, artists and their loved ones being involved in the process. With Carson at the helm from the stage, we are excited to share a unique Voice experience that will feel both new and familiar.”

For Monday’s episode, all interaction between the coaches and contestants will be recorded live-to-tape and contestant performances will be pre-taped. On Tuesday, contestants will learn the results of Monday’s voting live, with one contestant from each team instantly advancing to the Top 9. Each coach will select another contestant to move forward and the artist with the next highest overnight votes from each team will compete in the Wildcard Instant Save for the last spot in the Top 9.

“What’s scary is we’re going to have to do The Voice in some fashion like this,” Shelton said during a recent virtual appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, referencing his call-in to Fallon from his ranch in Oklahoma. “It’s gonna be crazy. We’re gonna have to coach like this, it’s just gonna have to work out this way. It’s gonna be nuts.”

“I think they do,” Shelton said in reference to the show’s producers when Fallon asked if there was a plan for the competition series’ upcoming episodes. “Gwen [Stefani]’s brother actually set up this computer and this interview and everything for me today because I clearly don’t know how to do this stuff,” he admitted. “So I think they have a plan and they’re going to tell me when to be at the computer.” Of the contestants, the Oklahoma native mused, “I’ll listen to them, I guess, perform, and then give them some pointers and… I don’t know.”