Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
How Many Blind Auditions Are on The Voice? Here's What to Expect in Season 26
All eyes are on Snoop Dogg, Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, and Michael Bublé as they form teams during the Season 26 Blind Auditions.
Each season of The Voice begins with a high-stakes series of Blind Auditions, setting the stage for what's to come during NBC's beloved singing competition.
Season 26 of The Voice has kicked off with a bang as returning Coaches Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, and first-timers Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé bring a fresh dynamic to the coaching panel. The blind nature of the auditions — wherein the Coaches sit in their iconic red chairs turned away from the stage — paves the way for some powerful moments as the Coaches ditch any biases, listen for a winner-worthy voice, and duke it out for the most beloved Artists to join their team. As the Coaches listen to a lineup of powerhouse performances, viewers at home wait to see which Artists join which teams before the Battle Rounds.
RELATED: What It's Really Like to Attend Blind Auditions for The Voice
But how do Blind Auditions work on The Voice? How many Artists are giving it their all in each episode? For those new to the singing competition or looking for a refresher, here's the behind-the-scenes scoop on The Voice's Blind Auditions.
How many Blind Auditions are there on The Voice?
This season of The Voice features six episodes of Blind Auditions, and the number of auditions can vary per episode. The Season 26 Blind Auditions conclude on October 15, with the three-week Battle Rounds premiering on October 21.
RELATED: A Full Breakdown of How The Voice Works
NBC Insider got the chance to attend the taping of a Season 26 Blind Auditions episode, and it was just as thrilling an experience for the audience as it is for viewers watching at home. Which Coach would the Season 26 Artists pick for their team?
"A new Artist walks onto the stage with the chairs all turned away. They'll start singing with the band playing like a well-oiled machine for the performer," NBC Insider recounted. "From there, it's all up to the Coaches to respond to what they're hearing... By song's end — regardless of the chair reaction — all four Coaches will give their feedback to the performer. Kindness is the pervading mood."
The Season 26 Blind Auditions forge ahead
For first-time Coaches Snoop Dogg and Bublé, the Season 26 Blind Auditions are all about listening for Artists that align with their style, and the competition is tough against red chair veterans like McEntire and Stefani. Both Coaches have secured victories in the past; Stefani won Season 19 with Carter Rubin, and McEntire is hungry to maintain her reigning victory after scoring her Season 25 win with Asher HaVon.
A known athlete and competitor, Snoop's strategy has been keeping an eye on his competition to see how they play the game. The red chair rookie isn't going down without a fight as he forms the first-ever Team Snoop.
"My strategy was to look, listen and learn. First of all, I'm glad they didn't make me go first," Snoop told NBC Insider. "They made me go, like, second or third, so I was able to watch the other Coaches and see some of the things that they did. And then once I understood that I could add some Snoop-ism to the situation, as far as my conversation and my lingo, to the Artist to try to get them to come home."
RELATED: Snoop Dogg's "Seducing" of This 4-Chair Artist Has the Other Coaches Sweating
As for Stefani, who has made many rotations in the red chair, a Voice O.G. helped her navigate the emotionally-charged Blind Auditions: Adam Levine. The Maroon 5 frontman delivered Stefani a crash course in pitching yourself to Artists who may be on the fence about their teams during her debut season in Season 7.
"Man, I learned from the best," Stefani revealed, fondly remembering Levine, who returns to the red chair for The Voice in Season 27. "It's funny because it's just so different from what we're used to. But then you get to be in this other position of being a Coach, where you get to look back at your career and think, 'Gosh, how did I do that? Like, let me share that with them because maybe I can help them do it too.' So it is just super fulfilling."
— Reporting by Tara Bennett
Watch The Voice on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
