The Voice shocked fans when host Carson Daily unexpectedly announced that Adam Levine had decided to exit. Not only that, but that it would take effect immediately. That means the now-former coach will not be participating in the singing competition’s Season 17, giving returning coaches John Legend, Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson a chance to experience the first Levine-free season of The Voice.
John Legend, who joined The Voice as a coach in Season 16, shared his reaction to Levine’s departure, saying:
Yeah, we're sad to see him go. We are very sad, and he's been a part of the show since the beginning, 16 seasons. He's been so important to the show even existing, so we're all going to miss him.
As John Legend told ET, Adam Levine had been on The Voice ever since it debuted, which was back in 2011. Following Levine’s departure, only one original coach remains: Blake Shelton. Don't expect Shelton and Legend to start trading barbs, though. Fans had taken issue with remarks that Adam Levine made during the season towards Blake, so that tradition might be done for.
John Legend got to experience just one season coaching on The Voice alongside Adam Levine. As it turns out, it was Legend’s first and Levine’s last on the NBC series. That might have been a lucky charm for the Grammy winner, though, since Legend's team member Maelyn Jarmon won it all in the end. Meanwhile, Adam Levine ended up with none of his team members making it into the top eight.
Nevertheless, Adam Levine’s exit ahead of Season 17 came as a surprise to viewers, and even to those behind the scenes on The Voice. He'd already been confirmed as one of the returning coaches for Season 17, which would have welcomed back all four Season 16 stars. That won't be the case now, though.
Rumors as to what exactly led to Levine’s Voice exit have been making the rounds. Whatever did or did not lead to it, Adam Levine remained kind when addressing his exit on social media. The Maroon 5 singer shared a farewell message that paid tribute to The Voice’s beginning. Levine shared that after filming the first episode, he thought there was “some magic here.” He did not share any specific reasons why he had decided to leave, though, beyond saying it was time to move on.
For fans of The Voice anticipating the next season, there is the road ahead to consider. Filling Adam Levine’s red chair in Season 17 will be Gwen Stefani. But the show's coaching panel now has one more potentially revolving spot moving forward, so start placing your bets for Season 18.
Gwen Stefani returns after serving as a coach on Seasons 7, 9, and 12. She's likely wanting a win, since she has yet to coach a victorious team member on The Voice. How does John Legend feel about her return? Legend weighed in, saying:
Yeah, Gwen's going to be great. I think Blake is pretty happy about it.
John Legend sounds excited about Gwen Stefani’s comeback. He also offered an astute analysis of Blake Shelton’s feelings on Stefani’s reprise. Stefani is, of course, Shelton’s girlfriend. As for fans, they are familiar with Stefani’s run from previous seasons. Thus, her return should help soften the sudden blow of the shakeup that was Adam Levine’s departure.
Fans will have to stay tuned to find out if she sticks around after Season 17. Find out how everything turns out without Adam Levine when The Voice Season 17 premieres this fall on NBC.
