The Voice Season 21 - What We Know So Far

Believe it or not, NBC's reality talent competition "The Voice" is entering its 21st season, a decade after "The Voice of Holland" inspired an American version that started airing in 2011. For 20 seasons, the series has paired a panel of experienced vocal coaches with aspiring unsigned singers, who enter the scene by wowing the judges with that all-important, bias-reducing blind audition. Their initial auditions, complete with giant buttons and turning chairs, also add drama to the proceedings. Then, the coaches work with their teams to win the ensuing competition.

The television series' viewership has continued to decrease after its first few seasons, when it was regularly racking up ratings of more than 10 million viewers per episode (via TV Series Finale). Still, it remains the most-watched television show in primetime, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "The Voice" is looking to spice up the proceedings with a new judge and plenty of amazing performers, making this season one to watch if you're a fan of the feel-good format.

NBC announced via social media in July that Season 21 of "The Voice" would debut on September 20, 2021. It will air Monday and Tuesday nights; it's normal for this series to air two nights in one week, although in Season 20 the schedule was reduced for a few weeks to one weekly evening in order to accommodate "This Is Us" (via Heavy).

"The Voice" will air Monday nights from 8-10 PM ET and then Tuesdays from 8-9 PM ET. It's unclear at this time how many episodes will be in the season, as it often varies with this particular show. Seasons have been as long as 32 episodes (Season 3) and as short as 12 (Season 1). However, fans can probably expect the run to last into December 2021, meaning that viewers can expect plenty of reality-competition hijinks and emotional moments to watch for the next few months. 

As usual, the roster of coaches in Season 21 includes Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, and John Legend, with Carson Daly acting as host. Nick Jonas, who acted as a coach in Season 18 and Season 20, is out. Replacing him is Ariana Grande, who is apparently a fan of the show and has been negotiating for some time to appear on it. She's been on "The Voice" in the past as a performer, but has never coached. Page Six spoke to an unnamed source in March who claimed, ""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 social media post from March announcing her involvement, Grande wrote, "I am beyond thrilled, honored, excited to be joining @kellyclarkson @johnlegend @blakeshelton next season — season 21 of @nbcthevoice ! 🤍 @nickjonas we will miss you." Jonas responded on Twitter, saying, "You're going to kill it next season! Welcome to the family." If sneak previews are any indication, Grande is already making quite the mark. A sneak peek trailer shows the star getting a standing ovation, and it looks like they're all "obsessed" with her, as Blake Shelton called it — in a good way, hopefully.

And speaking of trailers: There have been a few released to promote the return of "The Voice." The official YouTube channel for the franchise released a preview, which is high on Grande but also features all the things you expect from a new season. There's banter between the judges ("What's happening, why's he being nice?" Grande asks about Shelton, to which Legend replies, "Never trust it," and Grande shoots back, "I don't") and some teases about the people pulled from obscurity who hope "The Voice" will change their lives. Among them, there's a U.S. Navy man, a registered nurse, and more than one Ari fan. "I'm super moved by how brilliant the performers are," Grande said in an interview segment.

"Gonna be hard to convince someone to come Team Legend," Legend said later, "but I'll make my case." There's even a hilarious moment when he's sincerely telling a performer he wants to work with them, at which Grande presses her "Thank u, next" button, shutting him down.

Another video has the veteran judges giving advice to Grande (as in,"Beware of Shelton"). She responds by thanking them and also telling them, "Watch out." If the comment sections on the videos are any indication, Grande will indeed attract new viewers who are into her, bringing new life to a show that its fans haven't gotten tired of over the course of 20 seasons. At least, not yet.