Months after dazzling “American Idol” viewers as a vivacious mentor and guest judge, Keke Palmer has confirmed she’s switching channels, taking over for Carson Daly as host of “The Voice” season 31. It’s a move that’s shocked many fans, since Daly has hosted the singing competition every season since it premiered in 2015.
Palmer, who also hosts NBC’s “Password,” has already begun filming “The Voice: Celebrity,” which was described by NBC in a press release on August 4, 2026, as a “special” 31st season of the show, featuring celebrity contestants instead of up-and-coming singers, set to premiere in 2027.
Keke Palmer Seems Pumped About Helming ‘The Voice: Celebrity’
In a video posted on August 4, Palmer confirmed her new job with a creative take on the “Say It 4 Ways” social media trend, uttering the iconic phrase “This is ‘The Voice'” in four different tones — disappointed, happy, sarcastic, and flirty.
Palmer then exclaimed, “That’s right, it’s true! I am hosting ‘The Voice!’ I’ll see you guys there.”
Fans immediately flooded the post with reactions, including one who wrote, “There’s literally no job she can’t do, lol. Go Keke!”
Hundreds liked another comment that said, “Look how she single-handedly gonna have me watching The Voice again 🥹”
Some fans, however, were confused about the decision — including one who wrote, “Host?! I thought she was gonna be a judge 😭 still happy for her tho.” According to NBC, the season 31 coaches will be Queen Latifah and Riley Green, who are both rookie coaches on season 30, and newcomer Joe Jonas (brother of former “The Voice” coach Nick Jonas).
What Happened to Carson Daly on ‘The Voice’?
NBCMany fans have expressed concern for Daly, who has already filmed the early rounds of season 30, premiering in September. He will, however, remain a producer on Season 31.
One person commented, “wait is carson leaving 😭😭” and another wrote, “I’m not sure I’m gonna like the Voice this year. They’re changing everything up. The guy rid of Carson daily got all new judges. Yeah I’m not sure it’s gonna be my favorite anymore.”
It’s not clear yet if Daly will return for future seasons of “The Voice,” which is filmed in Los Angeles. On August 3, the U.S. Sun reported that was stepping away from the hosting job in order to spend more time in New York, where he is also co-host of NBC’s “Today” morning show.
A source told the outlet, “He wasn’t able to make the upcoming season’s schedule work with his ‘Today Show’ schedule. So his ‘Today’ workload mixed with not wanting to be away from family this next year, made him say ‘no’ to hosting 31.”
Many Fans Had Hoped Keke Palmer Would Get a Permanent Spot on ‘American Idol’
In March, Palmer made her debut on season 24 of “American Idol,” mentoring contestants who’d made it to the Top 24 for the round at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii. Working with rising singers alongside country star Brad Paisley, Palmer’s infectious enthusiasm and kindhearted encouragement won over viewers’ hearts.
She wound up sitting in with judges Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, and Lionel Richie — becoming close buds with the R&B legend along the way — as they critiqued each performance. Palmer also performed her own single, “All They Type.”
Palmer told Billboard at the time, “I grew up watching [‘American Idol’] – since I was a kid. I remember many of the fan favorites, especially the first five to 10 seasons. I remember watching Fantasia win. I remember watching Carrie Underwood. I remember watching Kelly Clarkson. I remember my favorite, Bo Bice. Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert and Ruben Studdard. I really loved watching it because it was one of the best things you could watch as a kid with your family. We all got together, sat together, and watched and just loved the show.”
Palmer, who grew up in Illinois, even auditioned for the show’s short-lived, youth-oriented spin-off series, “American Juniors,” in 2003. She made it through to the Hollywood round, and producers shocked her with footage from her time there at age nine.
Fans loved Palmer on “American Idol,” flooding videos of her appearances with love, including one viewer who wrote, “Keke makes me so emotional! I love the authenticity, the genuineness, and the care that she brings to everything she does.”
Although Paisley returned to perform on the May finale, Palmer mysteriously didn’t — potentially because she’d already signed on the dotted line with “The Voice,” which she began filming in July.
