After 23 seasons coaching contestants on NBC’s “The Voice,” country superstar Blake Shelton wasn’t interested in being part of another “singing show,” he told TV Insider on August 28, 2025. In fact, Shelton admitted in May that it took him a full year to recover from the burnout he felt after leaving “The Voice” in May 2023.
But two years later, Shelton is ready to get back in the saddle, launching his own talent competition on CBS, “The Road,” scheduled to premiere in October.
Shelton described to TV Insider why he thinks “The Road” is different from “The Voice,” noting that he got excited about the idea as he and his TV producer friend Lee Metzger started to ask themselves, “‘What if we built a show that actually looked like what it takes to make it as an artist? Sleeping on buses, playing for crowds that didn’t buy a ticket to see you, writing songs that may or may not pay the bills.’ That’s real.”
Blake Shelton & Keith Urban Say ‘The Road’ Isn’t Designed to Just ‘Highlight Great Singers’
Although Shelton had a great run at “The Voice,” he didn’t hold back from complaining at times about the lack of support for its contestants after each season aired.
According to the US Sun, Shelton told ET in 2020, “One of the frustrating things for me as a coach on this show year after year is they win this record deal with Universal, and so many times the ball’s been dropped.”
But on “The Road,” 12 up-and-coming country singers will get real-world experience, opening for country superstar — and former “American Idol” judge — Keith Urban, who was also coach on Australia’s version of “The Voice” for three years.
“I loved the concept of the show, especially because there isn’t another one like it,” Urban told TV Insider. “There are some shows that highlight great singers, but this is the only one that emphasizes playing live and being on the road.”
Shelton told the outlet that contestants will learn from Urban as they prepare for the spotlight, noting, “He knows what it takes to survive out there, and he’s one of the best musicians in the world. Plus, he’s a guy who genuinely cares about helping other artists.”
Concert Crowds & Gretchen Wilson Will Decide Who Moves Forward on ‘The Road’
On “The Voice” and “American Idol,” celebrity coaches or judges decide which contestants move on before eventually letting the audience at home vote. But on “The Road,” Shelton said the concert crowds are the true judges.
Country star Gretchen Wilson will mentor the singers backstage as the show’s “tour manager,” and will decide which ones get to move on to the next city. But she’s often letting the crowd reaction be her guide.
“The cool twist here is the audience was really the judge,” Shelton told TV Insider. “Keith’s fans came to see him. They didn’t know who was opening. So if they didn’t like you, they could walk out, hit the bar, whatever. That’s as real as it gets. At the end of the night, if you can win over Keith’s fans, you’ve earned your spot.”
On “The Voice,” contestants — from first-time performers to seasoned singers — have to cover other artists’ music. But the artists chosen to compete on “The Road” are ready to rock with their own material.
Shelton told TV Insider, “Some of them have written hits for other people, some of them have been grinding it out on the road for years. The common thread is they all have original music that’s ready for radio right now.”
In the end, the one winner of “The Road” will receive $250,000 and a record contract. “The Road” premieres on CBS on October 19. Meanwhile, season 28 of “The Voice” kicks off on NBC on September 22.
