Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg have been announced as the latest artists to become mentors on The Voice US.
The popular singing competition is set to return this autumn for its 26th season. Earlier this week, it was announced that Dogg and Bublé will join the returning coaches – country superstar Reba McEntire and pop-punk pioneer Gwen Stefani – during a presentation by US TV channel NBC at New York’s Radio City Music Hall.
“Folks, we’ve got a rookie taking the chair. I can’t wait for him to join us — so I can beat him,” McEntire said onstage at the event. “Everyone please welcome the D-O-double-G, Snoop Dogg!”
The legendary rapper then performed his 1994 classic ‘Gin and Juice’, altering the opening line: “With so much drama in the LBC, it’s kinda hard being Snoop on NBC.”
Snoop then said: “Since Reba is the queen of The Voice who brings the sparkle, I can be the king who brings the style, the funk and the fun.”
Bublé and Snoop will replace Chance the Rapper, the country duo Dan + Shay and John Legend as coaches in Season 26. This feat will make Bublé the first Canadian pop star to be a coach on the popular talent competition. He also previously appeared in The Voice US as an advisor to the country star Blake Shelton’s team in Season three in 2012.
Long Beach rapper Snoop was also a mega mentor in the Knockout stage of Season 20 back in 2021. Stefani will serve as a mentor for the eighth time, while McEntire will be a coach for her third season in a row.
On X/Twitter, Snoop celebrated the news by posting a photo of him and Bublé together. In an attached tweet, he wrote, “You hit me @MichaelBuble [phone emoji] [music note emoji].”
— Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) May 13, 2024
There have been numerous changes to the coaches’ line-up over the last few years. Shelton exited the show in 2023 after coaching for 23 seasons over 12 years. He was a coach alongside the likes of Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan, CeeLo Green, and more.
In other news, Bublé was one of the team captains for this year’s NHL All-Star Game, teaming up with hockey stars Quinn and Jack Hughes. Justin Bieber, Tate McRae and Will Arnett were the celebrity captains of the other teams.
Earlier this year, he also collaborated with Jason Derulo on the pop-dance track ‘Spicy Margarita’.
Meanwhile, Drake used A.I-generated verses from Snoop and Tupac on ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’ – a diss track against Kendrick Lamar. Drake had to remove the song after Tupac’s estate threatened to sue him for using his likeness without permission.
Suge Knight also said Snoop was the reason for Tupac’s “downfall and exit” while criticising the song on his podcast, Collect Calls.
