According to Blake Shelton, the newest Coach of The Voice may want to watch his back when Season 30 kicks off this fall on NBC.
During a June 2026 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Shelton, who will celebrate his 50th birthday on June 18, spoke about the upcoming 30th season of The Voice — and more specifically, about country superstar Riley Green. The “Don’t Mind If I Do” singer will make his Coaching debut alongside Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, and Queen Latifah.
As it turns out, the winningest Coach in the show’s history (Shelton has nine season victories under his belt) had some words of wisdom to pass along to the rookie Coach. And, as usual, Shelton was his usual blunt-yet-hilarious self when dishing out the advice.
Blake Shelton’s hilarious advice for Riley Green as he makes his debut on The Voice Season 30
“Man, don’t take any crap from the other Coaches. Don’t try to be nice, don’t try get along with them,” Shelton quipped to Entertainment Tonight, before jokingly revealing the awful truth about Green’s fellow Season 30 Coaches.
“They don’t care about you. I promise you, they don’t care about you. You need to get that in your head right now, and play to win,” he teased. “You hear me, Riley? You’re playing to win, not make friends, okay?”
All jokes aside, Shelton did admit that Green has all the tools necessary to be a successful Voice Coach. With four studio albums under his belt (including 2026’s That’s Just Me), Riley is poised to make an impact from his oversized Coach Chair.
“Well, he’s country, personality, and good looks, so he’s like the triple threat,” Shelton explained to Entertainment Tonight. “No one’s ever gonna say ‘No’ to Riley Green when he turns around.”
The last time a country-centric Coach won a season of The Voice was in Season 25, when Reba McEntire won her first and only title.
So, does Shelton have the “itch” to return to the singing competition series that he’s proven to be so successful in? When asked if he would ever consider returning to The Voice again, Shelton had the best response: “Not against Riley Green.”
The Voice is set to premiere on NBC (with episodes available the following day on Peacock, as always) in September 2026 for its milestone 30th season.
