The Voice 2026: Season 29 premieres with Triple Turn and a Battle of Champions
the voice 2026 arrived on Monday, Feb. 23, when Season 29 opened its Blind Auditions — and a new Triple Turn rule already reshaped how coaches pitched for talent and the stakes heading into the Battle Rounds.
Coaches return as an all-winners panel
John Legend, Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine, all former champions, returned to the coaching panel for Season 29, which is being framed as a "Battle of Champions. " The season is also the first to use only three coaches, and producers added the Triple Turn competition: the coach who earns the most three-chair turns will receive an advantage in the Battle Rounds.
Lucas West opens the night with Elton John
Lucas West sang "Benny and the Jets" by Elton John as the episode's first performer. Adam Levine turned first, followed by John Legend. Levine said when he heard Lucas he was "blown away by how different you are, " noting Lucas played keys and delivered a soulful, simple performance "I don’t see that on the show. " Legend and Levine traded pitches onstage; Legend said, "Seeing how soulful you are, it made me want you on Team Legend even more, " and added, "I’d love to coach you. " Lucas’ mother pushed for Legend, and Lucas ultimately picked Legend as his coach.
The Voice 2026: first Triple Turn goes to Adam Levine
Alexia Jayy delivered "(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman, " and Kelly Clarkson turned immediately, joined by Legend and Levine to create the season’s first Triple Turn. Legend praised her: "You have it all. Not only do you have the raw ability, but you know how to deploy it in the right way. You are my type of singer. I love your voice. I love your style. " Levine said Clarkson or Legend might make a better fit and invoked Aretha Franklin and Carole King in describing the song’s lineage, calling Alexia a "golden goddess unicorn with the flowers in her hair" and suggesting she might thrive with an unexpected coach choice. Clarkson raved that singing such a powerful song was "a big, bold statement" and said, "In order to win, you have to come out here and say, 'Yeah, I know that’s the Queen of Soul, but I have something to offer, and I want to do something bold. '" When Alexia brought her son onstage and he revealed Maroon 5 is his favorite artist, Levine lit up and said, "You have the voice that motivates me even more to say this is the best voice in the competition. " Alexia chose Levine, giving him the first Triple Turn point.
Julia Golden earns late turns with country classic
Julia Golden sang Deana Carter’s "Strawberry Wine" and earned chair turns from Legend and, at the very end, Clarkson. Legend pointed out that he had turned first; Clarkson said she’d lost herself singing along. Legend told Julia, "You have such a beautiful texture to your voice, " as the audition concluded.
New rounds, streaming options and what’s next
The season will include a new in-season feature called the "In-Season All-Star Competition, " in which two contestants from each coach’s former teams will compete in a separate round judged by former coach CeeLo Green. The coach that receives the most All-Star wins in the knockout round is guaranteed a second artist in the finale. The Blind Auditions began during the Feb. 23 episode and the Season 29 premiere aired at 9 p. m. ET that night.
If viewers lack cable, the episode notes that a live TV streaming service is needed to watch "America's Got Talent" live; DIRECTV offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers and, after the trial, a plan that can cost as low as $59. 99/month and includes access to more than 90 live channels including NBC. Peacock Premium is listed at $16. 99/month, and Peacock carries new episodes of the series available to stream in full on Tuesday mornings.
Kelly Clarkson enters Season 29 with four wins as a coach — Brynn Cartelli (Season 14), Chevel Shepherd (Season 15), Jake Hoot (Season 17) and Girl Named Tom (Season 21). Adam Levine is in his 18th season as a coach and is a three-time winner, having won with Javier Colon, Tessanne Chin (Season 5) and Jordan Smith (Season 9). John Legend has one win, with Maelyn Jarmon in Season 17.
Additional context on streaming and how to watch was provided by Angela Tricarico, who is described as a Commerce Streaming Reporter for the New York Post, Page Six, and Decider; she tests and compares streaming services, writes about how to watch reality TV and movies on streaming platforms, and previously covered streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews before joining The Post in 2023.
With the Triple Turn now in play and the In-Season All-Star Competition slated to influence the knockout round, coaches will press for three-chair turns through the Blind Auditions to secure advantages in the upcoming Battle Rounds.
