Incensed Viewers Accuse Dan + Shay of Ruining ‘The Voice’

Like any fandom worth its salt, The Voice viewers are notoriously resistant to change. Many were still mourning longtime coach Blake Shelton’s departure when his wife, Gwen Stefani, announced her exit. And two-time champ Niall Horan devastated fans when he announced he would not return for season 25.

We’re only two episodes deep into Season 25, but if social media is any indication, many viewers have yet to warm to Dan + Shay. The pop-country twosome took over for Horan as the first coaching duo.

So what do we think of the new #TheVoice coaches, Dan & Shay so far?

— Robert Anton (@SoUWanaBaSinger) February 27, 2024

There’s no clear consensus on exactly what viewers’ beef is with the “Speechless” singers. Maybe some are having trouble telling the two apart? “My goal before blinds are over is to remember which one is Dan and which one is Shay,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

My goal before blinds are over is to remember which one is Dan and which one is Shay #TheVoice #VoicePremiere
— H4PPIN3SS (@43Happiness) February 28, 2024
Another user complained, “Dan and Shay have ruined The Voice for me! I can not stand listening to them, never mind watching them!!”

#TheVoice Dan + Shay are pissing me off bc wtf you mean looking for originality and then don’t turn on Mecca
— KOJ 🩶 (@ColleaLauryn) March 5, 2024
“I don’t know about Dan + Shay as coaches on #TheVoice,” another user commented. “They’re a little too aggressive right out of the gate.”

Another user seemed to agree. “They are too over the top right out of the gate. They talk too much and cut everyone off.”

Some viewers simply see a case of “too many cooks in the kitchen.” “Refocus on the singers they are the reason we tune in, less about judges egos, remind dan&shay that they get 1/4 of the time not 2/5,” an X user wrote.

One viewer even felt compelled to comment directly on the “Tequila” pair’s personal Twitter account. “Can’t wait til the season ends so I never have to see or hear you again,” they wrote.

The Duo Is Still Pretty Excited To Help Aspiring Artists

While a good chunk of social media may not be thrilled to have Dan + Shay on The Voice, the pair themselves are pretty thrilled at the opportunity to help shape music’s next generation.

“We felt like we were well equipped to really help people on that show, helping new artists along, and making them better — better people and better artists,” Dan Smyers told Variety in September 2023. “We’ve made a lot of mistakes in our life, and have a lot of wisdom to share through those mistakes that we’re gonna be able to share with those artists.”

Dan + Shay Answer One Burning Question About Their Role On ‘The Voice’ [Watch]

Dan + Shay are clearing up some key details about their upcoming stint as The Voice coaches — specifically, they’re explaining their seating arrangements.

See Dan + Shay Live-Get tickets as low as $26.00

The country duo will be the show’s first-ever coaching duo, joining the roster in Season 25 alongside John Legend, Chance the Rapper and fellow country coach Reba McEntire. Of course, a very important part of the coaching process is sitting in the iconic big red chair during the Blind auditions. That chair comes complete with a button for the coach to press when they want to turn their chair around and invite a contestant to join their team.

But The Voice had to make some special arrangements for Dan + Shay, building them a custom coaches chair with two seats — and fans had some burning questions about the logistics of the seating set up.

The duo hopped on The Voice’s Instagram to clear things up, responding to one fan who asked on social media if they would be sharing a chair.

“Listen, people have been asking, ‘Is it two chairs? Is it one?'” the duo’s Shay Mooney replied. “It’s two chairs….but one button.”

“The double chair!!” Dan Smyers added.

Taking a look at the mock-up of the double chair, it looks like it might be most accurate to describe it as a kind of loveseat: The two chairs are connected, with one platform — where the button sits — between them.

That one button means that they’re won’t be any room for the band mates to disagree. During Blind Auditions, they’ll have the extra step of having to work it out amongst themselves whether or not they’re turning for a given Blind Audition — before the performer is finished with their song.

Dan + Shay’s role on The Voice starts on Season 25, which will air in 2024. It’ll mark a new direction for the show, and not only because it’ll have its first-ever coaching duo that season: It’ll also mark a season that’s more country than ever, with a total of three coaches hailing from the genre. McEntire will also be returning for that lineup, after making her debut as a Voice coach in Season 24, which airs this fall.

She’s replacing longstanding country coach Blake Shelton, who retired earlier this year after being a coach on the show for every single season since The Voice’s inception.