Getty Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney
After more than a decade on NBC, “The Voice” is always coming up with new twists and format changes to keep the series fresh. The latest twist is called the “Double Chair”, which will bring in the first coaching duo in the history of the show, country pop duo Dan [Smyers] + Shay [Mooney].
While season 24 of the singing competition show has yet to air on NBC (and is expected to begin in Fall 2023), the Spring 2024 installment of the series had its coaches revealed in June 2023, with Dan + Shay joining returning coaches Chance the Rapper, Reba McEntire, and John Legend.
Although the new season is a ways away, many fans wanted more information on exactly how the Double Chair was going to work, and Dan + Shay took to “The Voice” Instagram account to clarify the Double Chair setup in a July 1 video.
Dan & Shay Explain Double Chair Format
Dan + Shay responded to a fan comment asking if they’d be sharing a chair on “The Voice”, with Smyers telling viewers, “We have never been more excited for anything in our entire lives than to announce that we are the new coaches of season 25 of ‘The Voice'”.
“People have been asking. Is it two chairs? Is it one?” Mooney added, going on to explain, “It’s two chairs, but one button.” This means that all coaching decisions will have to be made together, and opens up the possibility of one member of the duo pressing the red button during the Blind Auditions without the other member fully agreeing.
Fans in the comment section of this post were thrilled to see the singing duo and Grammy winners joining the coaches panel for next Spring’s season, and weren’t afraid to let them know it.
“now even more of the world get to see how hilarious/amazing/wonderful the two of you are! 🥹” one user wrote.
“Gonna be good!!! Love the Voice will miss Kelly and Blake. But have every confidence this is going to be a good season with you all. Brought some Kelly into that last bit, lol. 👏 👏 👏” another user commented.
“I couldn’t be more excited for you guys! I’m so proud of you both! Is it next spring yet?! 😍 🎶 🎤” a third fan added.
Not every user was completely on board with the change, however, with one user expressing reservations when they wrote, “I have no idea who these two are, but they look fun. The Voice still won’t be the same without Blake though.”
Dan & Shay Have Been on ‘The Voice’ Twice Before
Season 25 will mark Dan + Shay’s first turn in the spinning red chairs, however the coaching duo are familiar with “The Voice” stage, as they’ve appeared twice on the show in the past. Their first time on the stage was during season 15 when they sang their song “Speechless” alongside finalist (and eventual winner) Chevel Shepherd. Five seasons later, the duo returned to be Team Blake [Shelton]’s mentors during the Battles round of the competition, a job which their fellow coach Reba McEntire filled during the first season of the show back in 2012, as well.
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