The Voice is preparing for a major milestone as the long-running singing competition returns for its 30th season with a coaching lineup that mixes familiar faces with two first-time coaches.
Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson are returning to their famous red chairs, while Queen Latifah and country star Riley Green are joining the show for the first time.
The new lineup has already created plenty of excitement, but the returning coaches have now explained what convinced them to come back.
For Levine, the appeal has changed over the years. After spending much of his early career focused on building his own music career, he says he has reached a point where he feels he has something valuable to offer artists who are still trying to find their way.
Levine has been part of The Voice on and off since its very first season. Although he initially had little idea what he was getting himself into, the experience eventually became an important part of his career.
Now, he says mentoring younger artists gives him a different kind of satisfaction.
Rather than simply competing for another trophy, Levine enjoys helping singers understand the challenges that come with trying to build a career in music. His own experiences have given him lessons that he believes can help contestants avoid some of the uncertainty he faced when he was starting out.
Kelly Clarkson feels much the same way.
The singer, who first joined The Voice as a coach in Season 14, has returned several times over the years. She says being able to share what she has learned throughout her own career is one of the biggest reasons she continues to return.
Clarkson famously began her own journey by winning the first season of American Idol. Looking back, she remembers entering the music business without having someone beside her to provide the kind of guidance that contestants on The Voice receive.
That experience has made the mentoring aspect especially meaningful to her.
She wants contestants to understand that they can build a career doing what they love, but that success requires hard work and confidence.
Clarkson also remembers being hesitant early in her own career and worrying about how she would be perceived when speaking up for herself. Now, she hopes she can help young artists avoid some of those fears.
But this season won’t simply be about Levine and Clarkson returning to familiar territory.
Queen Latifah is bringing decades of experience in music, acting and entertainment to her first season as a Voice coach. The Grammy-winning artist has already made it clear that she sees her role as helping contestants recognize their potential rather than simply trying to make the competition about herself.
Before joining the show, Latifah even turned to former Voice coach John Legend for some advice about what to expect.
Apparently, she didn’t need much help.
According to Clarkson, Latifah immediately made an impression during the Blind Auditions and managed to attract a number of artists to her team.
Then there is Riley Green, who brings something completely different to the panel.
The country star is making his coaching debut after spending years building his own career in country music. Green says joining The Voice offers him an opportunity to step away from the nonstop pace of touring and look at music from a different perspective.
Watching aspiring singers take the stage has apparently reminded him to appreciate the career he has already built.
Green has also quickly developed a playful rivalry with Levine, creating one of the most entertaining dynamics among the four coaches.
That relationship has already drawn comparisons to the famous rivalry between Levine and Blake Shelton during the show’s earlier seasons.
Levine and Green have been trading jokes and giving each other a hard time, while Green seems more than happy to take on the role of the country star who isn’t afraid to challenge Levine.
Longtime host Carson Daly has noticed the chemistry as well, saying their relationship reminds him of the playful dynamic Levine and Shelton had during the show’s early years.
But beneath all the jokes and competition, the four coaches appear to agree on one important thing: The contestants are the real reason they are there.
All four stars have experienced the uncertainty that comes with trying to establish a career in entertainment, and each believes they can use those experiences to help the next generation.
For Clarkson, watching contestants find the courage to perform can be inspiring in itself.
Levine has expressed a similar feeling, explaining that focusing on helping someone else can be rewarding for the coaches as well.
That could ultimately become the defining feature of Season 30.
With two experienced Voice coaches returning and two newcomers bringing completely different backgrounds to the panel, the show has created a combination that already appears to have plenty of personality.
Queen Latifah brings her decades of experience and musical versatility. Riley Green adds a country perspective and a new source of competition for Levine. Clarkson returns with years of coaching experience, while Levine once again brings his longtime connection to the series.
And if the chemistry the coaches have already shown continues once the season reaches television screens, viewers may be getting a very different kind of Voice season.
Season 30 premieres September 21 on NBC, with new episodes available to stream the following day.
