OMG, Niall Horan Is Joining The Voice

The next season of The Voice is going to be a big one. On Oct. 12, NBC announced that Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper will join the show as first-time coaches. Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton will also return to coach, though this foursome is only temporary. Shelton announced the upcoming season will be his last.

As for Horan’s addition, it’s significant. He launched to fame on the British singing competition The X Factor as a member of One Direction in 2010, so the fact that he’ll now be coaching contestants means his journey has come full circle. “I’m excited to be joining this season of The Voice as a coach,” Horan said in a press release. “I’m looking forward to meeting and mentoring the new crop of talent while we battle it out with the other teams!”

Chance the Rapper also said in the same statement that he’s “thrilled” to come on as a coach. “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,” he said.

As for Shelton’s departure announcement, it came by way of a lengthy Instagram post on Oct. 12. “I’ve been wrestling with this for a while, and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after Season 23,” he wrote. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me.”

Shelton joined the show’s inaugural season in 2011 as a judge alongside Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, and CeeLo Green. He is the only remaining original judge still on the show. In his post, Shelton called the past 12 years “a hell of a ride.”

“It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week,” he said, adding that he’s made “lifelong bonds” on the show with host Carson Daly, his fellow coaches, and obviously, his wife, Gwen Stefani.

The stars were both coaches on Season 7 in 2014 and began dating a year later. After six years together, the couple officially tied the knot in Oklahoma in July 2021.

As for Clarkson, she joined as a coach in Season 14 and continued through Season 21. She briefly retreated from the series earlier this year to spend more time with her kids. Now, she’s back for Season 23.

Season 23 of The Voice is set to return in Spring 2023.