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Reba McEntire confesses she feared being a coach on 'The Voice' and almost walked away

“I passed on it years ago when it first came over from Holland, and I said, I’m not gonna do that!" McEntire said.

'Country Queen' Reba McEntire brought in her vast music industry expertise while mentoring young artists on 'The Voice.' She debuted on the NBC reality show for season 24 in 2023 and passed on the coveted red chair to Kelsea Ballerini after filming season 26 in 2024. Meanwhile, as McEntire has been looking forward to making a stunning comeback for season 28, the veteran coach made a startling revelation while appearing on 'Late Night with Seth Meyers.' The 'I'm a Survivor' hitmaker said that at first, she experienced extreme anxiety after overanalyzing the duties associated with the position. “I was really dreading it at first because I don’t want to tell anybody they suck,” she told Meyers. 

“I passed on it years ago when it first came over from Holland, and I said, ‘I can’t tell somebody, you know, don’t give up your day job.’ I’m not gonna do that!" she confessed. "But the way we did it the first time I was on The Voice, it was more helpful and encouraging,” she added. “We’re nice people,” she said of the coaching crew. “We encourage. We lift up.” McEntire is all set to share the coach panel with returning fan favorites 'One Direction' alum Niall Horan and famed rapper Snoop Dogg, as per People. The Grammy winner has been enjoying a busy schedule after a short period of absence from 'The Voice.' She recently released the track 'Trailblazer' in collaboration with country icons Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson. 

In other news, the Country Hall inductee has taken up the opportunity to hone her acting skills. McEntire is ready to produce and star in 'The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion,' based on Fannie Flagg's best-selling novel, Deadline reported. “I’ve always been a fan of Fannie Flagg and her writing, and it’s been an honor to call her my friend for the past decade. I cannot wait to work with this incredible team to bring another one of her special stories to life on the big screen,” the Grammy winner gushed while describing her latest project. 

In a 2023 USA Today special, McEntire was seen telling the contestants that she, too, felt nervous while carrying out her coaching duties. “My mentality at first in the Blind Auditions was to hit the button every time when I liked somebody,” she confessed. “Kyra (Thompson) and Audrey (Morrissey), the producers, kept coming over. They said, 'You don't need to hit your button all the time. You've got to be selective,” she added. “I said, 'I waited till four seconds (into the performance). I want this person! I'm going to get them,” she hilariously stated while describing her style of selecting the participants for her team. 

The young musicians competing on the platform benefited from McEntire's 'motherly' guidance and her distinctive Southern charm. She confessed to placing herself in the contestants' shoes to understand their situation better. “You always want to learn new things. That was what was so much fun, sitting and listening to the other coaches, what they would say to the contestants,” she concluded. “It just made it very interesting to apply to my own career, because you're always looking for advice yourself.”