'The Voice': Keith Urban Returns as the Season 25 Mega Mentor!
There's more country music cred headed to season 25 of The Voice!
NBC announced on Monday that Keith Urban will be making his return to the singing competition show as the Mega Mentor during the Knockout Rounds.
After previously serving as an advisor for Blake Shelton's team during season 15, this time around Urban will be working alongside all the season 25 coaches -- Reba McEntire, John Legend, Chance the Rapper, and first-timers Dan + Shay -- helping them to hone their remaining team members into potential Voice champions.
The Knockout Rounds -- which kick off on April 8 following the conclusion of the Battle Rounds -- again feature competing pairs of singers from the same team going head-to-head, however, this time around they each sing a song they picked themselves, hoping to earn their coach's praise, and a ticket to the Playoffs.
This isn't the first time Keith's name has come up on the current season of The Voice. After hearing that 28-year-old Ronnie Wilson named gospel and country as his top two musical influences, Reba saw an opportunity.
She cut John off, pretending to lift a phone to her ear.
"Nicole, would you put Keith on the line, please?" she teased, pretending to speak with her fellow country star and his wife, Nicole Kidman. "Hey, Keith, how ya doin'? Yeah, we're here at The Voice -- if you were on The Voice, who would you want to coach you? Me? Nicole said her too?"
Unfortunately, Reba's pitch fell just a little bit short, and Ronnie ended up joining Team Legend.
ET spoke with the season 25 coaches ahead of the premiere, where they shared what it's been like to welcome The Voice's first-ever coaching duo to the competition.
"They give great notes. They're really good," Reba praised. "They're knowledgeable about the business but they also have a lot of heart and that's what they're going for."
Dan + Shay said they've been fans of the show for years -- they served as mentors for Blake Shelton's team back in season 20 and even stepped in to guest coach Niall Horan's team last season -- but getting to serve as full-time coaches for the first time has been a whole new experience.
"It's changed everything for us," Shay admitted. "I just really enjoy the process of getting to work with these artists, and you really, you get attached. It becomes heartbreaking when you have to let people go. But it's been an amazing experience."
Chance makes his return this season for the first time since his season 23 Voice debut, where he joined Blake, Niall and Kelly Clarkson. He told ET that it's especially exciting to be back with a whole new roster of coaching talent.
"I've always just admired John and he's helped me in so many different ways," he reflected. "To be working with him and then to be around Reba, and Dan + Shay, and with this amazing crew... I do miss Blake, but it's just cool to be back in the building."
Despite the good vibes, however, the coaches are still plenty competitive. With Niall stepping away this season after winning back-to-back titles, the Voice trophy is up for grabs -- and there's a better-than-average chance it could go to a first-time champion, as only John has won the competition before.
"It's getting heated out there for sure," Shay revealed.
"That's why we're here," Reba agreed.
The Voice airs Mondays at 8 p.m. PT/ET and and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. PT/ET on NBC and streams next day on Peacock.
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