This is ‘The Voice.’
This is “Blake Shelton’s The Voice,” according to the cowboy.
Shelton, the reigning champion and the last original coach on the NBC singing competition, is clearly letting his seventh win get to his head.
“I’m the king of ‘The Voice.’ I think it’s time, after 19 seasons, that I just own it,” Shelton, dressed in a crown and royal cape, said on Tuesday’s episode. “The truth is, this is my show. I know it’s called ‘The Voice’ but it’s ‘Blake Shelton’s The Voice.’ “
And to be fair, in its promos, “The Voice” has been pitching Shelton as the King of Country.
In the second night of auditions, country singer Taryn Papa wowed all the coaches with a soulful rendition of Martina McBride’s “Anyway.” Shelton turned around first, using his only block of the season on his nemesis, Kelly Clarkson. Coach Gwen Stefani also turned.
‘The Voice’ premiere:John Legend’s campaign-style ad attacking Blake Shelton backfires badly
Clarkson didn’t know she’d been blocked until Papa pointed it out. “Oh shoot, Blake. Did you block me?” Clarkson hissed. In typical Shelton fashion, he lied: “No I didn’t … it wasn’t me.”
Turns out, Shelton could have saved his valuable block because, Papa had her heart set on joining the “God’s Country” singer’s team from the beginning. In fact, Papa sings at Shelton’s Nashville bar, “Ole Red.”
“Isn’t it a coincidence that she sings at my bar?” Shelton gloated. “I’m trying to get her out of the bar and into an arena.”
Clarkson looked at the silver lining (“I’m sad I was blocked, but I would’ve lost anyways”), while Shelton let yet another thing get to his head (“I’m surprised the coaches are coming after me when it comes to these country artists”).
But the block reignited Shelton and Clarkson’s notorious feud.
“If she’s going to take Adam Levine’s place – you’re in his chair – I feel like it gives me the liberty to really go for the throat,” Shelton explained. “Kelly is my all-time favorite person to upset on this show, and I feel like I’ve pulled out about every trick out of the book.”
Clarkson, however, exacted her revenge by blocking Shelton from four-chair-turn Cami Clune, who angelically sang Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love.”
“This industry is full of ups and downs. You really got to be careful with who you surround yourself with, and you certainly don’t want to have anyone who takes opportunities away from you,” he said, dubbing himself “Block Shelton.”
Unfortunately, Clarkson’s plan backfired, because coach John Legend swooped in and snagged Clune for his own team.
“I should’ve blocked John. Wasted,” Clarkson said. “I’m an idiot.”
Shelton added insult to injury, “I guess what goes around comes around.”
