When The Voice kicks off Season 23 on March 6, Kelly Clarkson won’t be the only coach on the panel who got their start on a singing competition. Niall Horan has claimed a Big Red Chair for himself this season — along with fellow rookie Chance the Rapper — and the One Direction veteran thinks his own experience of breaking into the music industry will help him as he navigates his initial journey as a coach on The Voice. However, while knowing what it’s like to be in the contestants’ shoes does have its advantages, there’s also one aspect of the show that Horan finds “so terrible.”
Niall Horan and his One Direction bandmates placed third on the UK version of The X Factor in 2010, so nobody’s more familiar with how much an opportunity like The Voice can mean for its artists than him. The singer opened up on Audacy Check In about what it’s like to be on the other side of things, telling host Bru:
The only thing I don’t like about it is the power that I have.
The “Slow Hands” singer pointed out that everyone who was invited to audition in front of him, Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and Chance the Rapper was “sick,” and knowing that they were counting on him to potentially jump-start their careers was a lot to handle. Niall Horan said he enjoyed the Blind Auditions portion of the competition, but he struggled when it came to eliminating his team members in the following pre-recorded rounds. He continued:
The early part of the show is so fun. The rest of it is hard, like to make decisions, people have to go home. Having been on a show like that, it’s just, watching their little faces when you’re going, ‘OK, you have to go home now,’ it’s just so terrible.
Niall Horan realizes he was lucky to find success by way of a reality competition, so knowing that he alone could be what helps or hinders other artists from taking the same path does sound really intense. Overall though, Horan said his experience on The Voice so far has been a positive one, and he even had kind words for fellow coach and resident troll Blake Shelton, who will exit the show following Season 23.
The One Direction alum called the cowboy “an absolute legend” and said from day one, Blake Shelton has made him feel very welcome. You can see more of Niall Horan’s comments about being on The Voice below:
Blake Shelton may be playing (somewhat) nice with Niall Horan, but the country superstar has already reignited his rivalry with Kelly Clarkson, who is returning after a one-season hiatus. After the American Idol Season 1 champion joked that his exit was a gain for humanity, the “Boys ‘Round Here” singer fired a shot back at the daytime talk show host, saying there’s “too much Kelly Clarkson on television, in general,” showing their rivalry is very much still alive.
Tune in to see the talented artists The Voice has in store for us — as well as all the coaches’ antics — when Season 23 premieres at 8 p.m. ET Monday, March 6, on NBC. Also, be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other shows are coming soon.
