‘The Voice’ Reveals Two New Coaches for Season 23

When The Voice returns for a new cycle in the spring, there will be two first-time coaches joining Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson. Chance the Rapper and former One Direction member Niall Horan will make their Voice debuts in Season 23, NBC said Tuesday. This season will also serve as Shelton’s goodbye cycle as he plans to finally put the show behind him after 12 years.

Chance the Rapper, born Chancelor Jonathan Bennett in Chicago, is a three-time Grammy winner. He won Best New Artist, Best Rap Album for Coloring Book, and Best Rap Performance for “No Problem” in 2017. His second studio album, Star Line Gallery, will be released before the end of the year. His most recent singles are “Child of God,” “Wraith,” “A Bar About a Bar,” and “The Highs & The Lows.”

Chance already has a relationship with NBC, having hosted episodes of Saturday Night Live in 2017 and 2019. He performed on the show in 2015 and 2016. Last year, he starred in an episode of Jimmy Fallon’s That’s My Jam. Chance and Vic Mensa organized the Black Star Line Festival, which is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2023, in Accra, Ghana.

“I’m thrilled to join The Voice as a coach for the next season,” Chance said Tuesday. “I’m excited to help other artists get to the next level and make the most of this life-changing experience. Get ready for #teamchance.”

Horan shot to fame as a member of One Direction. He has released two solo albums, Flicker (2017) and Heartbreak Weather (2020). He also performed on SNL in 2019. “I’m excited to be joining this season of The Voice as a coach,” Horan said. “I’m looking forward to meeting and mentoring the new crop of talent while we battle it out with the other teams!”

The Voice is now in its 22nd season, featuring Shelton, John Legend, Camila Cabello, and Gwen Stefani as coaches. Clarkson had been a regular coach since Season 14, but she skipped Season 22 to focus on her talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and her family. Clarkson’s team was victorious in Season 21, with the dup Girl Named Tom winning the season. “I am so excited to be back with my Voice family,” Clarkson said Tuesday. “Let’s do this, Team Kelly!”

As for Shelton, he was the last remaining coach to star in every single season. His rivalry with Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine was a cornerstone of the show until Levine left after Season 16. Singers from Shelton’s team have won eight seasons.

The Voice airs on NBC Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET. The blind auditions phase wrapped up on Oct. 10, with the battles starting on Oct. 11. You can catch up on this season on Peacock.