Reba McEntire Hilariously Snubs Kelly Clarkson on The Voice

by

Now that Reba McEntire has left, Kelly Clarkson is poised to take her place as the leading female artist on The Voice.

It seems Kelly Clarkson, who was formerly married to Reba McEntire’s late stepson Brandon Blackstock, will face stiff competition from her fellow coach John Legend during the upcoming 29th season of the show.

During the season premiere on February 23rd, John pointed out to contestant Julia Golden that they didn’t have any artists who solely perform country music. He added that Kelly seemed to think she deserved to work with every country artist.

Kelly laughed, “I don’t feel that, I know that.”

During a discussion about who knew more about country music, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend – both coaches on the current season of the show – talked about their experiences. Kelly mentioned performing with Reba McEntire, which prompted John to share a message from the country star.

The 47-year-old mentioned Reba McEntire, praising her as a great coach and calling her the ‘Queen of Country Music.’ They added that they think McEntire would likely have an opinion about them.

As for what she said?

Reba McEntire started a video message by addressing a common question: could John Legend successfully coach a country singer? Her answer was a resounding yes, jokingly adding that she wished he would coach her personally.

“He’s absolutely fantastic. He’s a genius. He can do anything. He plays, he sings, he mentors—I know,” the 70-year-old added. “I’m the Queen of Country Music and I endorse John Legend. I approve this message.”

Even though Reba and John tried to convince her, Julia decided to work with Team Kelly. This gives Kelly more motivation to become the leading country music coach, particularly now that Blake Shelton isn’t participating this season.

In a TikTok video posted on February 27th, she expressed her enthusiasm for featuring country artists and pledged to strongly support them.

John teased, “You and Blake used to constantly compete over who could snag tickets to see country singers, and Blake always won. Now you have the opportunity to finally one-up him – you could probably outdo both of us when it comes to country music!”

And Blake’s absence was quite the thrill for Kelly. 

This is my first season without Shelton, so I’m focusing on recruiting country artists who probably wouldn’t have chosen me if he were still here.

For a look at all the behind the scenes about The Voice, keep reading.

As a lifestyle expert, I often get asked about what winning shows like The Voice really mean for the artist. Well, the big prize is a recording contract with Universal Music Group, which is fantastic! However, it’s tricky to put an exact dollar amount on it. The value really depends on so many factors – it’s not a fixed sum, so it’s hard to say precisely what it’s worth.

Although NBC and the show’s creators haven’t officially said how much the winner receives, reports suggest the last contestant remaining gets $100,000.

Previous winners of the show have confirmed they receive prize money. For example, Todd Tilghman, the winner of season 18, told People magazine in 2020 that the winnings would help cover his expenses for a while, and he wasn’t sure what the future held.

He also mentioned his wife had promised their children a trip to Disney World, so he figured he’d be spending money on that as well.

Not that the value of the music opportunities that open up for the winners should be discounted.

In May 2025, Adam David, the winner of season 27 and a member of Team Bublé, told Parade that he’s been writing songs and wants to work with some fellow songwriters. He plans to release new music and then go on tour.

Besides directly contacting singers like Frenchie Davis – who they found eight years after her appearance on American Idol – The Voice used to hold auditions in cities across the country. Now, the show finds talent online. Judges review video submissions and hold virtual open calls, and those who stand out might get a chance to perform for the coaches, hoping to turn a chair.

Participants need to be 13 or older to audition. During the audition, they’ll have 90 seconds to introduce themselves and sing a song of their choice. The show recommends choosing a song that showcases their voice and personality.

According to executive producer Audrey Morrissey, judges spend five to six days listening to auditions, with around 18 to 20 singers performing each day. Once a contestant is chosen for the blind auditions, they spend several days rehearsing with the show’s band, getting help with their wardrobe and style, and practicing on stage with the camera crew, as Morrissey explained to SheKnows in 2018.

The show also involves filming introductory packages for each contestant and their families, which came as a surprise to Ddendyl Hoyt, a former contestant from season six. She explained to the Washington Post in 2014, “I didn’t realize reality TV was filmed like a dramatic series. It’s all shot in segments, and that’s actually the most time-consuming part of the process.”

You can try out for the show as many times as you like, but only once per season. Even if you don’t get past the initial rounds, or don’t make a team after the blind auditions, you’re welcome to try again next season.

As someone who’s spent a lot of time helping people shine, especially on shows like this, I just can’t bring myself to be overly critical. When I’m giving feedback, I always try to be encouraging. I usually tell contestants that if things didn’t quite click this time, they shouldn’t give up! I suggest they come back next season with a song that truly plays to their strengths – something they feel really comfortable with and that lets their talent truly shine. It’s all about giving them a little advice and a lot of encouragement to keep pursuing their dreams. I saw this work wonderfully with Asher HaVon when he won season 25, and it’s a philosophy I really believe in.

Starting with season 28, there’s a new “Carson Callback” card. It allows host Carson Daly to give a second chance to a contestant who didn’t receive any chairs turned.

The show’s large costume team makes sure contestants look fashionable once they’ve joined a team and are ready to perform.

We carefully select outfits for each artist to create fantastic styles,” Morrissey explained to SheKnows. “Then, for each live performance, we tailor those looks to fit the specific show.”

The celebrity coaches aren’t working around the clock, but they’re dedicated to preparing their teams for the battle rounds and the rest of the competition.

According to Morrissey, the coaching lasts for four days, while the competitions themselves take two.

The level of involvement a coach has with each artist varies, she explained. Some coaches enjoy being heavily involved in all aspects of the performance, meticulously planning every detail. Others prefer to concentrate primarily on the musical side – the song itself and how it’s arranged.

Morrissey also noted that some coaches prefer to communicate by text message, while others use email. He explained that all communication between coaches and artists outside of what’s filmed becomes more frequent as the competition progresses and more is on the line.

Former contestant Hoyt explained to the Post that the show isn’t just about talent – a lot of help goes on behind the scenes. He said, “They don’t show all the coaching you get from the staff – the vocal coaches, the band director, the producers, everyone gives you notes and advice.”

In a September 2025 interview with Access Hollywood, Snoop Dogg highlighted the often-overlooked contributions of those working behind the scenes in entertainment. He explained that many people work hard to make events run smoothly, allowing performers like himself to simply focus on their performance onstage. He believes these crucial team members don’t receive enough recognition.

Between coaches and artists, Morrissey said, “The No. 1 communication is about song choice.”

Artists can share their opinions on which songs to perform, but ultimately the coaches usually make the final decision.

Frenchie, a contestant from the first season who was coached by Christina Aguilera, shared with Cosmopolitan in 2021 that it was often funny when the judges criticized a song choice, especially because they were the ones who had selected it.

However, season 24 winner Huntley praised his coach, Niall Horan, for guiding him, telling NBC Insider that the former One Direction member has a great ear for choosing songs.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve noticed something really interesting when it comes to coaching on these competition shows. Each coach has their own way of connecting – some prefer quick texts, while others lean towards more detailed emails. But what really ramps up is all the communication happening behind the scenes. As the artists progress and the pressure mounts, they’re talking a lot more, and honestly, most of it revolves around picking the perfect song!

Before the show begins, potential contestants are evaluated to make sure they can handle the stress of the competition. Throughout the show, and even after it ends, mental health experts are available to support the artists.

Former contestant Kat Perkins explained to Cosmopolitan that contestants immediately met with counselors after being eliminated. “As soon as you leave the stage, you go straight to a psychiatrist for a debriefing,” she said. “They make sure you process what happened, which is really important because nothing else quite compares to that experience. It’s a very intense and potentially traumatic situation, and you aren’t prepared for something so big happening so fast.”

The coaches are experts in their fields, and their iconic big red chairs have changed over time, but still spin around with the touch of a button. In 2018, the chairs were updated with a new feature: three extra buttons that allow each coach to block another coach, once per round, from trying to recruit a particular singer.

These chairs are as comfortable as a luxury car seat! They’re built with a strong aluminum frame, feature a sleek paint job, and even have self-adjusting heaters – Snoop Dogg joked they were the best at keeping you warm. Plus, at the request of former coach Blake Shelton, each chair includes two cup holders.

Perkins says the exciting ‘whoosh’ sound you hear when the chairs spin around on the show is actually added during editing, after the filming is done.

It’s easy to miss,” she explained to Cosmo, “particularly when you’re concentrating and performing for the audience in the studio.

Friendly banter between the coaches has always been a part of what makes the show fun, but over the 16 seasons Blake Shelton and Adam Levine worked together on The Voice, it wasn’t always clear if their playful frustration with each other was genuine or just for show.

Blake described their relationship as intense and complicated, telling The Tennessean in 2017 that they often argue and get frustrated with each other. He explained they share a deep, almost inexplicable connection, like those two friends from high school who always pushed each other’s buttons. This bond brings out both their best and worst qualities, making for a very dynamic—and sometimes volatile—relationship. Blake even admitted he knows exactly how to annoy his friend.

Translation: “He’s one of the best friends that I have, but I still want to kill him sometimes.”

And even though they haven’t competed against each other since 2019, Adam knows what the fans want.

I was just reminiscing about the after-party I hosted for the very first season of The Voice! I stumbled upon an old photo and it brought back great memories – especially of hanging out with Blake Shelton. He’s the original coach, and we’re both so excited to be back for season 27 in February 2025. We definitely had some fun with dips that night, let me tell you!

These days, coaches are much less likely to publicly share each other’s personal contact information.

Niall explained in an interview with NBC that he was worried their on-screen chemistry would feel fake. He didn’t want their interactions to seem overly enthusiastic just for the cameras, like a forced ‘Hey, Snoop Dogg!’ He admitted he was initially nervous about doing the show, but relieved that their relationship felt genuine and not at all contrived.

Read More

2026-03-03 01:19