The Voice

‘The Voice' Teases Blake Shelton's Final Season With New Coaches Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper

The countdown to the country musician’s final season on the singing competition show is on.

Blake Shelton’s farewell season of “The Voice” is quickly approaching.

On Tuesday, Jan. 24, “The Voice” released its first official trailer for Season 23, which will be the country musician’s last season on the show

In a clip shared on Instagram, Shelton is shown swinging a guitar over his shoulder before he tells a contestant, “This is my last season as a coach on ‘The Voice.’”

Fellow coach Kelly Clarkson, who is returning to the NBC singing competition series after taking the previous season off, then interjects and jokes, “He’s so tired.”

Shelton laughs and agrees. “I am tired of this,” he replies. 

The snippet also teases the arrival of new coaches Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper. 

“This is starting to feel like a competition!” Chance the Rapper cheers at one point.

Meanwhile, it looks like Shelton has selected Horan to be his main adversary this season. 

“Niall is already stealing my incredible artistic expression,” the “Honey Bee” singer announces to the crowd. 

The country crooner took to Instagram on Tuesday to reveal Season 23 will be his last on the hit NBC show, after a 12-year run.

Horan isn’t afraid to push back. “I feel like a young you,” he playfully says to Shelton.

The preview promises that Shelton will not say goodbye to the show without doing a few of his signature point gestures throughout the season. 

He even has a massive pointer lowered from the ceiling to prove to everyone, “There’s only one king of ‘The Voice.’”

There was never any doubt that he held that crown. Shelton and host Carson Daly have been the face of the series since it premiered in 2011. While the show has welcomed a revolving door of coaches that include musicians like John Legend, Adam Levine, Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani and Alicia Keys, viewers have always expected to see Shelton sitting in his spinning red chair every season. 

But, this will be the last time fans will get to watch him select a team of contestants to possibly win “The Voice.”

In October, Shelton revealed that it was time for him to “step away” from the series. 

“This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me,” he said in a statement. “It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at ‘The Voice’ from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best.”

He added, “I’ve made lifelong bonds with Carson and every single one my fellow coaches over the years, including my wife, Gwen Stefani! I have to give a huge shoutout to the singers — the ‘Voices’ who come on this stage season after season and amaze us with their talent and a special thanks to those who chose me to be their coach.”

In the comments, Stefani wrote, “I am so proud of you and so blessed to have found u. your talent brings joy to the hearts of so many people and i am so lucky to be part of ur life’s journey gx.” 

Throughout his time on the show, Shelton has won “The Voice” nine times, including last season with 22-year-old country singer Bryce Leatherwood

If Shelton secures another victory in Season 23, he will leave the show with 10 wins under his belt. Viewers will have to watch “The Voice” when it returns on March 6 to see if he can pull it off. 

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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