Skip to main content
tiered.tv
ShowsThe VoiceSeason 9
Gwen Stefani returns; the ascendant era finds its stride

The Rhythm

Season nine brought Gwen Stefani back to the coaching panel alongside Pharrell Williams, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine. The combination was more settled than her debut cycle — coaches who knew the dynamics, competing with sharper instincts.

Filmed
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Premiered
Sep 21, 2015
NBC · September 2015
Format
Blind audition competition
Gwen Stefani returns to the coaching panel
Cast size
4 players
Coaches: Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams
Host
Carson Daly
Carson Daly — ninth season at the helm
On this page
  1. 01The take
  2. 02The shape of the season
  3. 03Where it sits in the canon
  4. 05Adjacent in the canon
  5. 06Also appears in
01The take

The Rhythm.

The ascendant era at its most assured — coaches knowing exactly what they want.
02The shape of the season

A rhythm worth tracking.

Gwen Stefani's second run in season nine hit differently than her debut. The novelty had settled into confidence — she knew how the competition worked, and that translated into sharper recruiting in the blind auditions. The four-coach chemistry with Pharrell Williams, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine had a looser, more comfortable quality that made the coaching interactions more watchable than the previous cycle. A well-paced season from a format running at its cruising altitude in the ascendant era.

03Where it sits in the canon

The #08 slot.

Slot #08 of 10 in the The Voice Editor's Canon. The seasons on either side show what I ranked it against.

No spoilers. Every page is reviewed before it goes live.
06Also appears in

Cross-references.

The Voice — Editor's CanonEditor's Canon · #08
The Voice S9 — The Rhythm — tiered.tv