Returning for another stint in the turning chairs,Niall Horanis excited to return toThe Voice, but theOne Directionstar has also expressed a bit of regret. In a recent video shared onThe Voice’s official Instagram account, Horan joined fellow Season 28 coachMichael Bubléto reveal some trepidation.
“I’m coming back as a coach. I took a year out to go on tour, and I’m not sure how I feel about coming back. …It’s a nerve-wracking experience to come back, and I’m not sure if anyone’s going to want to be on my team,” he said. “Are my pitching skills going to be up to standard? Yeah, in a way, I kind of wish I didn’t take a year out because I would have just been on a roll, but it is nerve-wracking, you know? It’s not easy.”
Despite the comedic video, which featured Bublé hyping up his fellow coach in the background, Horan may have reason to be concerned.He’ll be competing against the Canadian crooner, who, like himself, won back-to-back seasons during his debut on the show.With a newfound rivalry in the works, the upcoming fall season will mark the end of an era beforea major format change for Season 29 next year.
Niall Horan Brought His Own Reality TV Competition to ‘The Voice’
The Voicehas been known for being a revolving door of coaches occupying the iconic turning chairs. And for good reason.The Voiceloves to employ top-tier industry experts who are in the prime of their careers. Having last appeared on Season 24 of the series,Horan took time away for an international tour to promote his third studio album,The Show. Horan’s arrival as a coach sparked a new series direction because hype around the singer was high. The Irish singer rose to fame after auditioning as a solo act onThe X Factorin 2010. Simon Cowell soon paired him with Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, and Zayn Malik—forming One Direction.
Horan’s appeal as a coach stemmed from his singer-songwriter status and his success in navigating the industry. After the boy band took an indefinite hiatus in 2016,Horan went solo, proving that he had the talent and draw to stand on his own as well.Beyond his performing career, he’s collaborated with an array of music’s brightest stars, includingTaylor SwiftandLewis Capaldi.
Horan joinedThe Voicefor Season 23, where he competed against coachesChance the Rapper,Kelly Clarkson, andBlake Shelton. Despite it being the country star’s final season, Horan was victorious thanks to his artist,Gina Miles. He returned the following season, where he made his mark as a back-to-back rookie champion. He coached Season 24 winnerHuntley, in which he beat coachesGwen Stefani,Reba McEntire, andJohn Legend. Though he may be apprehensive,Horan was one of the strongest coaches the show has seen.
Could Niall Horan End Michael Bublé’s Winning Streak?
WhenThe Voicereturns for its 28th season, Reba McEntire andSnoop Doggwill join Horan and Bublé. When it comes to momentum, Bublé is riding high thanks to wins from Season 26’sSofronio Vazquezand Season 27’sAdam David. Though the audience is oftentimes known for giving some votes through coach favoritism,having two coaches with similar resumes will prove to be a newfound rivalry for the series.While their rivalry may be for show, they happen to be longtime friends.
Horan joined a recent TikTok trend known as “how many months have you been friends.“In his video, he shared a photo of himself and Bublé at an airport dating back to 2012. The image, pulled from Instagram, includes the caption, “Look who I met in the airport yesterday!” Horan captioned the photo at the time, calling Bublé his “hero.” In a 2013 interview, Bublé spoke highly of the Irish star to the Irish outletentertainment.ie. “He’s a great kid. We talk a lot …It’s actually really refreshing to see young guys like that get success and for them not to be d—-,” he said of Horan and One Direction at the time. Now, the singers are fighting for bragging rights. As long as they can defeat Reba and Snoop Dogg first.
The VoiceSeason 28 premieres September 22nd on NBC.The Voiceis available to stream on Peacock.
