NBC "The Voice"
A superstar is joining this season of “The Voice,” and he goes by the name of Ed Sheeran.
Sheeran will be signing on as the mega mentor for the Knockout Rounds this season, as announced by Entertainment Tonight. And unlike Jason Aldean, Kristin Chenoweth, Camila Cabello, and Dierks Bentley, who will only be working with their respective team’s singers, Sheeran will be working with all four coaches and all the remaining singers in the competition.
How does it work? In the Knockouts Rounds, two singers go head to head, and the team’s coach picks the performer they believe was stronger. The winner then continues on to the Live Playoffs. October 25, 2021, marks the first episode of the Knockouts, now that the Battle Rounds have come to a close.
Here’s what you need to know:
Ed Sheeran Tested Positive for Covid
On October 24, 2021, Sheeran took to social media to share that he tested positive for COVID-19. The singer announced the news on Instagram, writing, “Hey guys. Quick note to tell you that I’ve sadly tested positive for Covid, so I’m now self-isolating and following government guidelines. It means that I’m now unable to plough ahead with any in person commitments for now, so I’ll be doing as many of my planned interviews/performances I can from my house. Apologies to anyone I’ve let down. Be safe everyone x.”
Fortunately, Sheeran has already filmed his segments for “The Voice,” as the show doesn’t go live until the last set of performances, where audience members can vote for their favorite singers. The live episodes are slated to begin Monday, November 8, 2021.
The unfortunate news is that Sheeran is about to release his fourth studio album on October 29, 2021. Fans are well acquainted with his recent hits, “Bad Habits,” and “Shivers”, which have soared to No. 10 and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, per the Hollywood Reporter.
SNL is ‘Scrambling’ to Replace Ed Sheeran
Sheeran was slated to perform on “SNL” on November 6, 2021, per Page Six, but at this rate, he will not be allowed to enter the United States given the fact that he tested positive for the coronavirus.
A source told Page Six that “SNL” is currently hoping to replace him with “another singer who appeals to the same demo,” citing potential acts like Shawn Mendes or Justin Bieber.
The source added, “Ed is offering to perform live via video link, but this isn’t something ‘SNL’ does. The show likes to have the performer in studio.”
The Knockout Rounds
The Knockout rounds, which kick off on October 25, 2021, are expected to be cutthroat. In a sneak peek seen above, Shelton’s team members Hailey Green and Libianca perform against one another.
In the clip, coach Ariana Grande stated, “That was brave of you to sing the one and only Blake Shelton’s song, right in front of him.”
Blake Shelton then added, “I’ve literally lost years off my life trying to get through that vocal, and listening to you sing that, holy crap!”
When it was Libianca’s time to perform, John Legend raved, “It was a master class in vocals. You had me on the edge of my seat.”
At this point in time, it’s unclear who Shelton will pick to progress to the next round, but if one thing is obvious, it’s that it will be neck and neck for many of the artists on this season of “The Voice.”