The recent announcement that Reba McEntire will represent country music on The Voice as the replacement for Blake Shelton was paired with Season 24's coaches lineup. McEntire will be joined by returning coach and new bestie Niall Horan, as well as two familiar faces: John Legend and Gwen Stefani.
In a chat with People about the end of his 23-season run on the singing competition series, Shelton revealed that Stefani was surprised by the offer to return to her coach's chair.
"When I finally came to the conclusion that I was going to call it a day last year, you know, she even said, 'Well, I guess they probably won't have me back ever again'," Shelton said. "And I go, 'What are you talking [about]? They invited you to be a coach for seasons before you and I were ever thing.' And she goes, 'Oh, yeah, that's right. They did do that.' I go. 'Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're still going to want Gwen Stefani to be a coach.' Then sure enough, you know, she's already going to be back and she was excited to get the call."
Shelton went on to put over what sets Stefani apart from other former coaches.
"She just really comes at coaching in a way that I don't think anybody else has done still and there's been a lot of coaches," he explained. "But she's such a visionary, and that comes through with her artists. You can see these kids come on the show... by the end they actually look like stars, and that's the Gwen Stefani effect."
The series' final original judge, Shelton will end his run on The Voice on May 23. McEntire will fill his boots starting in the fall.
