Gwen Stefani has made a conquering return to her judge’s chair on The Voice , but the absence of her husband and former fellow coach, Blake Shelton, is weighing heavily on her heart. As the Battle rounds continued, Stefani found herself facing the unsettling task of choosing between her team members, and her feelings got the best of her. Fans watched as Stefani pined for Shelton and questioned her decision to come back to the show.
After taking a break for a year, Stefani shocked fans with her surprise return to The Voice . She shared a short clip of her iconic red chair with a name tag bearing her name, exclaiming, “Surprise 🙂 I’m back in the big red chair!! See you all this fall 2023.” However, it seems that the surprise might have been Stefani herself.
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The Battle rounds are where the competitive nature is at its peak, with coaches pitting two members of their teams against each other, allowing only the winner to advance to the three-way knockout rounds. The pressure to make difficult decisions is scaling up for Stefani, and she candidly shared her struggles in a video before the show. “Big day today, Battles. I’m getting freaked out on what I’m gonna do. How do you choose?” Gwen questioned.
The burden of responsibility was visible in her voice as she accepted that someone’s singing dreams would be crushed. “My heart is heavy right now,” she sighed. The absence of Shelton, who left the show after last season’s finale, has left Stefani feeling lonely and swamped. She asserted, “I’m back. I’m here. I’m at The Voice again. Without Blake!” The reality of her situation hit her hard, and she couldn’t help but wonder, “What am I doing?” She finally acknowledged, “This is gonna be tough.”
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Blake Shelton’s decision to leave The Voice after 23 seasons was a significant change for the show and for Gwen. According to the reports from The U.S. Sun , in his statement, he stated, “I’ve been wrestling with this for a while, and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after season 23. This show has changed my life in every way for the better, and it will always feel like home to me. It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns, and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC—every producer, the writers, musicians, crew, and catering people—you are the best.” Shelton’s departure from the show was to create more family time.
Stefani’s return without Shelton has been marked by moments of vulnerability. During the blind auditions earlier in the season, Stefani confessed feeling nervous as she observed singers she wanted on her team choose other judges. She even joked about needing to take out her wallet to secure contestants for her team.
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Niall Horan, one of her fellow judges, responded to Stefani’s struggles by humorously pretending to call Shelton for backup. Stefani revealed that she had already texted Shelton about her challenges on the show, reinforcing the strong bond she shares with him. Stefani’s journey on The Voice this season is marked by the absence of her husband and the emotional challenges she faces as a coach. Fans continue to support Stefani as she navigates the competitive world of The Voice without Shelton by her side. Her genuine moments of vulnerability and doubt only make her return to the show more relatable and heartwarming.