Watch Blake Shelton Return To 'The Voice' After His Emotional Departure

Blake Shelton returned to The Voice for the season finale on Tuesday night (May 20).

The country megastar took the stage with “Texas,” his 30th No. 1 single. The breakup anthem with a nod to legendary artist George Strait appears on Shelton’s latest studio record, For Recreational Use Only. The 12-track album arrived earlier this month. It also includes “Stay Country or Die Tryin’,” “Hangin’ On” with his wife, powerhouse singer-songwriter Gwen Stefani, whom he met when they were both coaches on The Voice in 2014.

Shelton made the major decision to leave The Voice after 23 seasons. He kicked off the show when it premiered in 2011, and went on to become the most-winning coach in The Voice’s history. Shelton opted to leave the show in May 2023 to spend more time with his family, including Stefani and her three sons from her previous marriage. Shelton has embraced his role as a stepfather, and said in a previous Access Hollywood interview that “being a stepdad has changed my perspective “ in life.

When he returned to The Voice on Tuesday night, however, it was as if he’d never left. Shelton reconnected with coach Adam Levine, and the pair revived their “longtime frenemy” banter, NBC noted. Longtime viewers of The Voice know the duo’s “playful rivalry” that started in the show’s first season. Now, at the end of the 27th season, Shelton poked fun at Levine’s tattoos, and Levine jested that Shelton hasn’t changed a bit.

Lucia Flores-Wiseman represented Team Adam in the finale. She competed against Adam David and Jadyn Cree (both from Team Michael Bublé), Renzo (Team John Legend) and Jaelen Johnston (Team Kelsea Ballerini). Keep scrolling to watch the emotional moment one of the finalists was crowned the winner this season (warning: spoiler).