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When season 26 of “The Voice” kicks off the Knockouts round on November 11, 2024, the remaining contestants will receive guidance from two music superstars, including one former “Voice” coach.
At the time of publication, NBC had not yet announced with its usual fanfare who would fill the Mega Mentor role for season 26, but an episode 13 description provided to media outlets by NBC and published by TV Guide during the weekend of November 2 revealed that music legends Sting and Jennifer Hudson will both appear to mentor the singers who’ve advanced through the Blinds and Battle rounds. Midday on November 4, NBC confirmed the news in a press release.
Sting & Jennifer Hudson Have Big Shoes to Fill as Mega Mentors
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GettySting with his wife, producer Trudy Styler, and Jennifer Hudson attend a Grammy Gala in Beverly Hills in 2013.
This will mark the first time two Mega Mentors have appeared on “The Voice” simultaneously, per NBC. Hudson and Sting will divide their responsibilities mentoring the remaining 36 contestants, with Hudson advising Michael Bublé and Reba McEntire’s teams while Sting works with Snoop Dogg and Gwen Stefani’s teams. Both mentors have plenty of experience and wisdom to rely upon for their roles.
Hudson, an EGOT-winning singer, actress and talk show host, originally rose to fame on season 3 of “American Idol.” Serving as a mega mentor will be a return to the show where she was a coach on seasons 13 and 15. Hudson, 43, was also a coach on “The Voice UK” during seasons 6, 7, and 8, according to her show’s website.
British-born Sting, meanwhile, has won 17 Grammys since skyrocketing to fame as the lead singer of The Police in the 80s and later launching his solo career, per his website. In September, the 73-year-old released his first single in three years and kicked off his “Sting 3.0” North American concert tour.
The two legendary musicians do have big shoes to fill as Mega Mentors on “The Voice,” which has recruited major stars to serve in the role during recent seasons. According to NBC, country star Keith Urban was the Mega Mentor in Season 25, Wynonna filled the role during season 24, and season 23’s Mega Mentor was Reba McEntire, who joined the show the next season as a coach.
How the ‘Knockouts’ Will Work During Season 26
When the Battles wrap up during the November 4 episode, each season 26 coach — Reba McEntire, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani and Michael Bublé — will have nine remaining contestants on each of their teams, NBC said in press materials.
That makes it possible for “The Voice” to bring back three-way Knockouts, first introduced during season 22, where an artist competes against two other teammates versus one, per NBC. Each singer will get to choose their own song to perform while their teammates watch from the sidelines, and their coach can only choose to keep one teammate out of each trio of singers — unless they use their one save.
Coaches will also have one save to use during the Knockouts. Anyone not selected to stay with their coach after their Knockout round is fair game for the other coaches to steal. When all is said and done, the coaches will each leave the Knockouts with their teams whittled down to five contestants.
On November 4, “The Voice” will feature its last Battle round, in which each coach pits two artists on their team against each other. Typically, only one can advance unless another coach steals them away. The show will not air on November 5 due to election coverage on NBC.
Meanwhile, the Knockouts will start on November 11 with Sting and Hudson there to listen in and give their guidance before the contestants take the stage.
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