Gwen Stefani ropes in rapper as 'The Voice' playoff advisor, dashing fans' hopes of Blake Shelton team-up

MGK will appear on 'The Voice' Season 16 to accompany Gwen Stefani as her team's playoff advisor
'The Voice' Season 26 fans won't see Blake Shelton return as MGK joins Team Gwen for Playoffs (Facebook/@machinegunkellymusic/@gwenstefani)
'The Voice' Season 26 fans won't see Blake Shelton return as MGK joins Team Gwen for Playoffs (Facebook/@machinegunkellymusic/@gwenstefani)

As 'The Voice' enters its playoffs phase in Season 26, the competition heats up as each advancing artist showcases exceptional talent. However, they may seek guidance to refine their stage presence and musical artistry — and that’s where the Playoff Advisors step in.  Machine Gun Kelly, widely recognized by millions, is the first member of Gwen Stefani's squad. The 34-year-old emo artist, whose real name is Colson Baker, is set to make his on-screen debut on November 19.

Without a doubt, MGK as a new coach is a perfect fit for his hip-hop and pop-punk aesthetic. As 'The Voice' approaches its most competitive point ever, Gwen and her Playoff Artists will be his fortunate knowledge recipients. The singer advised participant Jake Tankersley during his practice sessions, as shown in exclusive footage from the show released on the official website. In 2017, MGK made a guest appearance on the singing competition show alongside Bebe Rexha and X Ambassadors, performing their joint song "Home."

MGK to join Team Gwen for 'The Voice' Season 26 Playoffs (Facebook/machinegunkellymusic/gwenstefani)
MGK to join Team Gwen for 'The Voice' Season 26 Playoffs (Facebook/machinegunkellymusic/gwenstefani)

Gwen Stefani ditches Blake Shelton for new Playoffs coach on 'The Voice' Season 26

As The Voice Season 26 live performances approach, the remaining contestants are getting a firsthand experience of what it means to collaborate with exceptional performers. However, it appears that viewers were hoping to witness this former coach's triumphant comeback following what the show just disclosed

Many fans were excited to hear that MGK would be joining the show in this role, while others were disappointed that Blake Shelton, the former coach, and Gwen's husband, would not be there to support her at this stage of the season. Blake won't be on 'The Voice' season 26, but MGK is a fantastic candidate to help Gwen in the playoffs.

'The Voice' Season 26 fans to miss Blake Shelton as MGK joins Team Gwen for playoffs (Facebook/machinegunkellymusic/gwenstefani)
'The Voice' Season 26 fans to miss Blake Shelton as MGK joins Team Gwen for playoffs (Facebook/@machinegunkellymusic/@gwenstefani)

MGK 'eager' to collaborate with 'The Voice' Season 26 coach Gwen Stefani

He has a distinct identity in terms of his style and how he presents himself through his artistic and creative endeavors. Gwen told PEOPLE of the "Bloody Valentine" singer, "He's bold. He sees things from a fresh perspective."

Regarding 'The Voice', MGK expressed his excitement, saying he was "so eager" to collaborate with Gwen in "any capacity," adding, "Dream chasing is so cool. This is a great platform for people to come and present their talent, and, if anything, if they don’t walk away with the win, they still walk away with knowledge, which is also a win." "I still feel like so much of a student, so it’s hard to be in this role, but hopefully I added something," he added.

MGK excited to join Team Gwen in 'The Voice' Season 26 (Facebook/machinegunkellymusic/gwenstefani)
MGK is excited to join Team Gwen in 'The Voice' Season 26 (Facebook/@machinegunkellymusic/@gwenstefani)

Which artists have advanced to 'The Voice' Season 26 Playoffs?

Each coach had nine competitors going into the round. They will have five to bring to the playoffs at the conclusion.

After that, they will select two performers for each of the live shows. The competitors who have advanced to the playoffs thus far are listed below:

Team Buble: Shye, Jaukeem Fortson, Cameron Wright, Sloane Simon

Team Gwen: Gabrielle Zabosky, Jake Tankersley, Jose Luis, Jan Dan, Sydney Sterlace

Team Reba: Katie O, Edward Preble, Adam Bohanan, Lauren-Michael Sellers, Danny Joseph

Team Snoop: Austyns Stancil, Christina Eagle

The Voice new season judges (@nbc)
'The Voice' Season 26 Playoffs to kick off on November 19 (NBC)

New episodes of 'The Voice' Season 26 air on Mondays at 8/7c and Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC. The next day, new episodes from Season 26 will be available for streaming on Peacock. 

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