Blake Shelton likes to win on The Voice, and in the first promo for the upcoming 21st season, he’s clearly sweating the potential competition from the woman in the seat to his right. The country star — who is the all-time champ with eight wins to date — says, “I’m the returning champion of The Voice and I plan on winning” in one of two new promo clips released Tuesday (Aug. 31) ahead of the show’s return on Sept. 20.
Along with coaches Kelly Clarkson and John Legend, Shelton knows he could be facing stiff competition from newbie Ariana Grande. “Is everybody in here just obsessed with Ariana?” a frustrated Shelton asks the studio audience after yet another singer shouts out the “7 Rings” singer as their favorite. As a defensive move, Shelton laughs as he attempts to push his chair backward to create some further distance between them. “Push it back, push it back,” he says as Clarkson howls in laughter.
In a second video dubbed “First Look,” Grande, 28, introduces herself as the new coach and makes an animated air heart as Clarkson warns Shelton that he has “no chance” of winning this year thanks to Ari’s golden glow. As if on cue, the studio audience begins chanting, “Ari, Ari, Ari!”
The country star soon admits that because Grande is new, he’s “extending an olive branch,” noting that when he’s not in the mix, “I’m trying to help the kid out.” At one point, Shelton, 45, points to Grande and reminds people of how awesome she is, which causes her momentary confusion until Legend warns, “Never trust him,” to which Ari responds, “I don’t.”
The rest of the first peek at the upcoming season features a look at some of the singers, with Grande saying she’s “super moved” by the potential superstars’ dedication to their craft. There’s even a supercut of singer after singer talking about how obsessed they are with Ari’s music, prompting Legend to gush about how she’s “so talented [and] has a very fine-tuned ear.”
But just as he’s attempting to convince a singer to go with Team Legend, Grande hits her buzzer, which croons “Thank U, Next,” prompting a fist pound from Shelton. The new season of The Voice debuts on Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
Check out The Voice promo videos below.
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