The Voice is about to look very different.
Season 31 is set to introduce several major changes to the long-running NBC competition, including a new host, a celebrity cast, a pre-taped format and a voting system that will take the final decision out of the hands of viewers at home.
For longtime fans, one of the biggest surprises may be the loss of the public vote.
Viewers will no longer decide the winner
Unlike traditional seasons of The Voice, the upcoming celebrity edition will reportedly not rely on viewers voting from home.
Instead, the competition will use a new voting system involving members of the studio audience in Los Angeles. Those audience members will reportedly have the opportunity to help determine which contestants move forward and ultimately who wins.
That marks a significant departure from the show’s familiar format, where viewers have played an important role in determining the fate of contestants.
For Season 31, fans watching from home will have to sit back and watch the results rather than directly influencing them.
The entire season will be filmed in advance
The voting change is not the only major adjustment.
The Voice: Celebrity will reportedly be completely pre-taped, meaning there will be no traditional live shows during the season.
The approach gives producers more control over the production and allows them to edit performances and episodes before they reach television audiences.
It could also make things easier for the celebrity contestants, many of whom already have demanding careers and schedules. Filming ahead of time gives them more flexibility without requiring them to commit to weekly live broadcasts.
Season 29 was also filmed in advance, making it one of the few recent seasons to move away from the show’s traditional live format.
Keke Palmer takes over as host
The format changes also come with a major change at the hosting desk.
After more than a decade as the face of The Voice, Carson Daly will not host the celebrity edition. Keke Palmer has been chosen to take over hosting duties, bringing a fresh personality to the franchise.
Palmer has experience across television, music and live entertainment, making her a natural fit for the new celebrity-focused format.
However, Daly is not walking away from The Voice entirely.
He is expected to remain involved as an executive producer while continuing his other television commitments. Daly has also made it clear that fans should not view the hosting change as his complete departure from the franchise.
Celebrities will take over the competition
Perhaps the biggest change of all is who will be competing.
Instead of undiscovered singers hoping for their big break, Season 31 will feature recognizable celebrities from the worlds of music, television, reality shows and entertainment.
The celebrity contestants will step into the familiar Voice environment and compete in a format that puts a new spin on the show’s famous blind auditions and battles.
The concept is designed to give viewers a different kind of competition—one where the contestants are already famous but must prove themselves in a completely different setting.
A completely new era for The Voice
With a new host, celebrity contestants, pre-taped episodes and no traditional public voting, Season 31 could be one of the most dramatically different seasons in the show’s history.
Whether longtime viewers will embrace the changes remains to be seen.
For now, Season 30 will continue with the traditional format when it premieres on September 21, 2026. The celebrity edition is expected to follow in early 2027, giving fans their first look at The Voice under its bold new rules.