Niall Horan entered rare air on Tuesday (Dec. 19) after Team Niall's Huntley won Season 24 of "The Voice." Team Niall's Gina Miles won Season 23, which was Horan's first as a coach. With the repeat, Horan joins Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson as the only coaches to win "The Voice" in consecutive seasons.
The only nine-time winner as a coach, Shelton coached three consecutive winners early in the series' run: Jermaine Paul (Season 2), Cassadee Pope (Season 3) and Danielle Bradbury (Season 4). Horan won't return as a coach when Season 25 premieres on Feb. 26, 2024, so Shelton's seemingly untouchable record is safe for the time being.
Horan joins Clarkson as the only judges to win back-to-back seasons in their first two tries. Clarkson, too, won her debut season (Season 14) with Brynn Cartelli. Team Kelly defended its championship when the voting public chose Chevel Shepherd as Season 15's champion. Clarkson went on to coach two more champs before departing the series after Season 23.
Following Miles' Season 23 win, Horan shared with NBC Insider the type of advice he gives to contestants.
"You've got three minutes on live television to do the best version of yourself and I think if you're prepared, you're [won] half the battle," he said. "And just have fun. I think it's very easy to come on a show like 'The Voice'— and be with a lot of really technically gifted singers— and take that serious because you're technically gifted. But you forget sometimes that you're on a TV show. and we're here to have fun, you know. I think Gina's done that so well. She really enjoyed it and gave us some moments that we'll never forget."
For Season 25, returning coaches Reba McEntire and John Legend will be joined by Chance the Rapper and the first-ever joint coaches: country duo Dan + Shay.