The Voice Surges into 6th Season

Many American reality TV shows have come and gone over the years. There have been many which started out with a big bang and large audiences – only to subsequently fizzle when the competition from other similar shows began to sizzle. The Voice, which is now into its sixth season, is one such program which has managed to maintain a consistently high level of fan interest since it made its debut in April 2011. It’s also managed to score very well with the critics, as evidenced by the long list of awards and nominations that it’s managed to bag since its introduction. This long list includes wins at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, and the Teen Choice Awards. The teen demographic has been particularly important to the high level of success which the show has been able to achieve. Now, as it soars into yet another exciting season, NBC will be hoping that it’s able to further enhance its reputation as a big crowd puller and pleaser.

 

The Voice’s Formula for Success

Different reality shows follow different paths to success. However, when it comes to reality singing competitions, there are a number of time-tested formulas that always seem to produce rich dividends. Here’s a look at some of the key features of the show that keep fans coming back for more from year to year.

 

• Talented contestants with interesting personal stories

You just can’t have a successful reality singing show without a cast of talented contestants.  Gifted singers and musicians are truly the lifeblood of any show like The Voice. Over the years, the program has managed to attract many dynamic vocal talents with big personalities and compelling personal stories. The last season of the show featured one of the best stories yet. Tessanne Chin, the eventual winner of the competition, was a virtual unknown in the United States before wowing everyone with her outstanding rendition of Pink’s “Try” during the blind auditions. Subsequently, the Chinese-Jamaican reggae fusion artist captivated audiences with her outstanding vocal range and likeable personality as she ran through the competition like a hot knife through butter. It eventually emerged that she was on the verge of packing it in before entering the competition. However, her time on The Voice (and in the “Land of Opportunity”) threw her career a lifeline that now has her primed to achieve international musical stardom.

 

• Influential judges with a lot of knowledge to share

Do you watch The Voice as much to see the coaches as you do to see the actual contestants? If you do, you’re probably not alone. The producers of the show have done a phenomenal job of attracting some of the best and brightest professional entertainers to coach, mentor, and groom the respective talents who’ve entered the competition over the years. Adam Levine, the dynamic frontman of the Grammy Award-winning band Maroon 5, has been a fixture on the coaching panel since the show’s first season. Country music star and multiple Grammy nominee Blake Shelton has also been a member of The Voice family from the start. A collection of other outstanding coaches have also lent their talents to the show on a rotational basis through the seasons. All of them – eccentric singer-songwriter Cee Lo Green, pop songstress Christina Aguilera, sultry singer-songwriter Shakira, and soulful performer Usher – are multiple Grammy Award winners. They bring all of the traits that have made them successful to the table when offering guidance to their young (and not so young) protégés.

 

• You get the chance to be a judge

In today’s environment, active fan/viewer participation is critical to the success of any reality singing competition. Every show that’s worth its salt now allows you to throw your support behind the singer you fancy by casting a vote for them via a number of diverse channels – both online and offline. However, The Voice has taken it to another level by giving you the power to play an even bigger role in supporting your favorite contestant on the show. A partnership between NBC and Universal Republic Records saw the show pioneering the innovative “iTunes song purchase” voting model. This model gives you the ability to vote for your fancied contestant by purchasing a version of the song that they perform in that week’s live show from the iTunes Store. However, you won’t just get any old version of their song. You’ll get an exclusive studio version.

 

Season 6 sees Shakira and Usher returning to the big, red chairs.

 

Who’ll emerge victorious on The Voice this season?

Your guess is as good as mine. That’s the beauty of a show like The Voice. The contestant who starts off the strongest might not necessarily be the last man (or woman) standing when the curtains eventually come down. How last season played out perfectly illustrates the unpredictability which is characteristic of reality talent competitions. There were many people who saw Matthew Schuler as a likely winner of the competition during the initial stages. However, as he and other more favored talents fell by the wayside, the likes of winner Tessanne Chin and runner-up Jacquie Lee just kept going from strength to strength. Can early season favorites Bria Kelly and Christina Grimmie buck the trend this year? We’ll all just have to wait and see.

 

When can you watch?

The sixth season of The Voice hits the airwaves on Monday and Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET. You’re invited to tune in if you want to be treated to some eardrum-seducing, eye-popping entertainment from some of the best musical acts who are on the verge of breaking through in the music biz.

 

The Voice Surges into 6th Season