Only two episodes of The Voice’s 21st season have aired so far, and fans can already tell that new coach Ariana Grande is a force to be reckoned with. On the first night of Blind Auditions, Grande used some impressively quick math skills to take longtime coach Blake Shelton down a peg. But the cast and crew of The Voice, who have been working with the pop superstar since June, were probably already keyed into Grande’s ways, as she recently divulged that she’s been a bit of a rule-breaker since joining the show.
On The Kelly Clarkson Show, Ariana Grande spoke with her fellow The Voice coach about coming onto the singing competition when it's already nearly 500 episodes deep, raving about the opportunity to introduce the world to new artists. Grande told Kelly Clarkson she was so in love with Team Ariana, in fact, that she’s been breaking the rules to talk to her team.
I love them. I’m obsessed with my team. We talk all the time. I’ve broken every rule in my contract. I talk to them all, all the time. I’m like DMing them. They’re like, ‘Hey, you’re not supposed to do that.’ And I’m like, ‘Sorry!’
While the Blind Auditions are just now beginning to air on NBC, they were actually filmed over four days back in June. Live episodes won’t begin until after the pre-recorded Battles and Knockout rounds air, meaning that contestants go some time without working with their coaches while waiting for filming to resume.
I don’t know what the coaches’ contracts say about what can or can't be done with the singers during that time, but apparently Ariana Grande doesn’t really care too much. Kelly Clarkson noted that Grande was always sending things to the hotel for her team members, and Grande has said more than once in just the first couple of episodes that she cares about the singers outside of the confines of the competition. In fact, as the coaches often present their new team members with a gift, such as a jacket or a bobblehead, Grande gave out health kits that included items like tea and honey to help with vocal longevity.
NBC contract be damned, Ariana Grande seems to be enjoying her time on The Voice, but admitted that she was a little nervous to join the established group at first.
It was a little nerve-wracking. but you all made me feel so comfortable and are the nicest people that I’ve met in the whole thing. Like just the most fun ever.
Ariana Grande is off to a strong start in her first season in the Big Red Chairs. After two rounds of Blind Auditions, Grande and John Legend have each picked up five team members, while Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson have argued their way to four apiece. Grande and Legend seem to have similar tastes, while Clarkson and Shelton have fought endlessly to reign over the country genre. Can Team Ariana go all the way in her rookie season?
The Voice Blind Auditions continue Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Be sure to check out our 2021 fall TV schedule to keep up with the premieres of all your favorite shows.
