For the past couple of seasons on The Voice, we’ve seen a couple of interesting rule changes when it comes to how the superstar coaches build their teams, and it looks like Season 28 is no different. When the NBC singing competition returns to the 2025 TV schedule this month, Carson Daly is apparently going to be involved like never before, and I actually love this twist.
Carson Daly has been the host of The Voice since the beginning, and he’s done an excellent job of keeping the show on its tracks and providing encouragement for the artists. However, he’s seemingly about to get more hands-on, as a preview for Season 28 introduces the Carson Callback. The host says:
Sometimes I see great singers fall through the cracks. And I've never been able to do anything about it — until now.
We don’t get any indication of exactly how the Carson Callback works, but presumably the host will now have the power to save or bring back a contestant who didn’t get chosen or was eliminated. It will be interesting to see how it’s implemented, because if Carson Daly does get a say in the Blind Auditions, whose team is he choosing the artist for?
Additionally I’d like to know how many Carson Callbacks the host gets. Maybe one singer per team?
The Carson Callback appears to pose a similar problem to the Coach Replay button, which goes against the premise of the show by allowing The Voice coaches to add someone to their team after seeing them and hearing their story. Carson Daly gets to see and talk to all of the potential contestants (and their families) before they audition, so there’s no way he could participate in the “blind” aspect of it.
However, I’m still on board with the change. Carson Daly might have context the coaches don’t, like if nerves really got the best of someone, or if their song choice didn’t play up their strengths.
Also, as the only person to have been on The Voice (at least on camera) for all 27 completed seasons so far, he’s probably got a really good eye for the kind of artist who can make a long run on the show. I also just enjoy Carson Daly and don’t mind seeing him get a more involved role in the competition.
The Carson Callback feels very much like Terry Crews getting a Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent, and after 23 seasons of American Idol, don’t you think Ryan Seacrest wishes he could weigh in at times?
However the new rule works, it looks like The Voice’s Season 28 coaches are shocked by it, as you can see in the preview below:
Fans are excited about Niall Horan’s return to The Voice, as he appears alongside reigning back-to-back champion Michael Bublé, Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg. I’ll definitely be tuning in to see how the Carson Callback works, as well as what other changes are in store for Season 28 ahead of The Voice’s completely revamped 29th season. The show returns at 8 p.m. ET Monday, September 22, on NBC and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.
