Blake Shelton Reveals Why He’s ‘Never Had A Harder Time’ On ‘The Voice’

Blake Shelton is opening up about why he’s “never had a harder time” as a coach on The Voice than he’s having right now. Fans could be forgiven for thinking that Blake’s having a bit of a rough time on the NBC singing competition this season because, for the first time in its eight-year history, friend Adam Levine isn’t on the judging panel, but it’s actually for a much different reason.

Instead, the country singer admitted that it’s actually because of the intense talent of the contestants this season. He and his fellow coaches – girlfriend Gwen Stefani, Kelly Clarkson, and John Legend – are finding things so tough right now because they just don’t know who to send home.

“The talent for Season 17 is… incredible,” Blake said, per Win Country. “I think the thing that really shocks me the most about it is, everybody’s pretty even in their talent, too.”

“Us coaches, we’ve never had a harder time trying to figure out who to keep and who to let go,” he explained of what fans can expect to see in the upcoming battle rounds and beyond. He also admitted that all of Season 17’s acts are “so equally matched” when it comes to talent, that it’s “amazing” for them all to see.

While he may be having a bit of a hard time in the popular talent search this go around because of all the impressive contestants, Shelton also confessed that he’s happy to see Legend back again after the “All of Me” singer won the show’s Season 16 earlier this year with his act Maelyn Jarmon.

As for why he’s so happy to see him return? So he can beat him this time around.

“I’m really glad that John came back for a second season, because it’s gonna give me a chance to beat him,” Blake teased in the new interview while referring to John’s big win, quipping that he simply got “lucky” last time when he was crowned the big winner.

While there’s clearly some big competition between the two, the country star did have a few nice words for Chrissy Teigen’s husband, too, revealing that he actually “really likes” working with him on the show because of his calm demeanor before describing him as being pretty “sneaky.”

“He’s really a kind of a quiet guy, and so that’s what makes him sneaky as a coach,” Blake said of John.

As for how Shelton’s really adapting to life on the show without Adam, earlier this year he admitted that it actually “sucks” not having him back by his side. However, he also gushed about having his girlfriend Gwen take over his red spinning chair instead.

“It sucks not having Adam on the show. He’s been there since the beginning, and it’s hard not to have somebody that stupid to make fun of,” Shelton joked to Access, while also revealing he and his now former co-star still speak to one another following his sudden departure in May.

The Voice Season 17 with Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, and John Legend airs on NBC.