Blake Shelton May Have Left 'The Voice' but His Voice Is Still on 'The Voice' — We'll Explain!

It's hard to believe Blake Shelton has been absent from The Voice, and the big red chair, since May 2023. To no one's surprise, his reasons for leaving the show he helped build, were noble. The country singer told Access Hollywood that he wanted to focus on being a stepfather to his wife Gwen Stefani's kids.

Something fans of The Voice got to learn about Blake over the years is not only is he an incredibly talented musician, but he has a wicked sense of humor. When he was first pitched the show, Blake said he thought it was the stupidest idea he'd ever heard. Thankfully he ignored his instincts and joined the party. Even though he's gone, a piece of him still remains. What is the Blake Shelton button? It's basically a torture device used on Adam Levine.

Adam might soon regret returning to The Voice for the show's 27th season now that judge Kelsea Ballerini has a trick up her sleeve. In the two-hour season premiere, Adam was complimenting a contestant when Kelsea carefully lifted up her red high-heeled shoe and hit the button in front of her chair. Normally it's reserved for turning around but this time, it kind of turned the tables on Adam.

Suddenly, we heard Blake Shelton's voice from on high say, "Adam's a big baby." We've never seen a sigh leave the body of a man as deeply as the one that exited Adam's. "Is that Blake's voice?" asked Michael Bublé with all the joy of a child running downstairs on Christmas morning. "I had it for when I really needed some backup," explained Kelsea, "and I got him." She then hit the button one more time. "Adam won't shut up," said Blake, like the Wizard of Oz from behind the curtain.

Although Adam looked properly annoyed by the idea of the Blake Shelton button, it was also a lovely walk down memory lane. In 2017, Blake spoke with The Tennessean about their unlikely friendship. Let's be honest, without The Voice these two might never have crossed paths. Blake described their friendship as more of a good-natured rivalry.

"We are constantly at each other’s throats, and sometimes we really do get mad at each other," he told the outlet. "We’re those two guys you knew in high school where we have this bond that is unexplainable. It brings out the best and worst in both of us. It truly is an explosive relationship."

In all seriousness, Blake and Adam have been there for each other when times have gotten tough. "I’ve stayed at the man’s house with him. He’s one of the best friends that I have, but I still want to kill him sometimes," said Blake. You could say their friendship can sometimes take its toll but without each other, it would be harder and harder to breathe.