Blake Shelton hilariously questions if he was even alive after watching his younger self on 'The Voice'
After a 12-year-long association with 'The Voice,' Blake Shelton's departure in 2023 came as an unpleasant surprise for fans. Known for his compassionate and heartfelt mentoring, Shelton has seven wins as a coach, and his departure marked an end to an era in the singing competition. However, before bidding farewell, Shelton looked back at his stunning journey on the show, and the singer was left in disbelief seeing his younger self, and we can see why.
After Shelton's announcement that Season 23 would be his final season as a coach, he reminisced about the beginning of his journey on 'The Voice' with Reba McEntire, who was a Season 1 Battle Advisor. The duo enjoyed rewatching Season 1 footage, noting Shelton’s younger, baby-faced appearance but his continued passion for helping his artists succeed. McEntire introduced the memory trip, saying, "Since this is Blake's last season and I am the Mega Mentor, we're going to show some clips that I think will really take us down memory lane," per NBC.
McEntire further excitedly recalled, "Season 1, first time, you and me right there," while Shelton introduced her to his team as "my secret weapon: Reba McEntire." McEntire teased Shelton's changing voice, asking, "Right after this, did your voice change?" to which he laughed, "It must have. Oh my God, that was before puberty."
In the Season 1 clip, a younger Shelton praised McEntire's talent, saying, "Reba definitely gives me the advantage over the other coaches. There’s no one more talented." McEntire marveled at his youthful appearance, saying, "You look so young!" The duo then watched the clip, which was from 2011, with McEntire commenting, "I think we've weathered very well; do you think so?" Shelton replied, "I think you have," and she added, "Well, you have, too. You're more handsome than ever." Shelton jokingly responded, "I'm not even sure I'm alive right now. Like, literally."
McEntire concluded, "Things have changed a lot here on The Voice. Because that was the first year [in the US], and man, it's a well-oiled machine now." During their nostalgic review, McEntire and Shelton watched a Season 1 clip featuring Dia Frampton, a Team Blake artist who struggled with stage fright but went on to become the show’s first runner-up. In the clip, both McEntire and Shelton were seen encouraging Frampton, who then thanked them for the guidance.
Talking about their own experiences, McEntire said, "Stage fright is something I just had to get over. You know, just keep doing it. The only time I still get nervous is if I don't know the song or if I'm wearing new shoes." Shelton laughed, explaining, "That's part of the draw of it for me. Like, "Wow, that freaked me out; I want to do it again." McEntire compared it to a thrilling experience, saying, "Like a ride at Disney World. I don't get nervous anymore; I just have that anticipation: I can't wait to get on stage."
Notably, at the time of his exit from 'The Voice,' Shelton explained that he wanted to focus on his family, as per Good Housekeeping. He told Access Hollywood, "I think the only way for me to really [parent] right is to step away from being committed to something like The Voice that demands a lot of your time. There's no way around it. If you're going to do it and do it right, you have to be 150 percent in. And I just feel like those days are behind me for now. I got a more important job."