‘The Voice’ Coaches Find Their Groove With a Soulful Take on ‘The Weight’
The new coaching lineup on The Voice is already showing signs of strong musical chemistry.
Ahead of the Season 30 premiere, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, Queen Latifah and country star Riley Green came together for a performance of The Band’s classic 1968 song “The Weight.” The collaboration gives viewers an early taste of how the four very different performers sound when they share the stage.
Riley Green Opens the Performance on Guitar
Green starts the performance with an acoustic guitar, immediately giving the song a warm country texture. Although he doesn’t take his first solo until later in the song, his guitar work helps establish the relaxed feel of the arrangement.
Levine soon joins him, taking his position behind the drum kit and handling the opening verse. The other coaches gradually become part of the performance, allowing the arrangement to build rather than having everyone sing from the start.
When the chorus arrives, all four coaches come together. Their different musical backgrounds give the familiar song a new character, blending country, pop, soul and hip-hop influences into the same performance.
Queen Latifah then gets her opportunity to take the spotlight, bringing a soulful vocal presence to her section. Green follows with another verse while continuing to play guitar.
The performance builds toward Clarkson’s closing moment. She moves around the stage barefoot before delivering the final vocal passage, ending the song with a powerful note.
Why “The Weight” Fits This Lineup
The Band released “The Weight” in 1968, and the song has remained one of the group’s best-known recordings. Its roots-oriented sound gives the four coaches plenty of room to bring their individual styles into the arrangement.
The choice also suits the show’s tradition of having its coaches perform together. Rather than centering the performance on one voice, the arrangement moves between the four artists before bringing them together for the chorus and finale.
Behind the scenes, the coaches have also described the process as a collaborative one. In footage shared ahead of the premiere, Green explained that he and Levine settled on “The Weight” after deciding another song they had considered wasn’t working. The rehearsal footage shows Levine on drums, Green on guitar and all four coaches working through their parts.
Queen Latifah and Riley Green Enter the Coaching Ranks
The performance marks an important introduction for two members of the Season 30 panel.
Clarkson and Levine are returning coaches, while Queen Latifah and Green are joining The Voice as coaches for the first time. Season 30 will mark Levine’s 19th season with the series and Clarkson’s 11th season on the coaching panel.
For Green, the new role brings a country perspective to a panel that spans several musical backgrounds. He has also spoken about the appeal of helping aspiring artists and using what he has learned throughout his own career.
The new quartet’s first performance offers a preview of that mix. Green brings the acoustic guitar and country influence, Levine adds drums and his rock-pop background, Queen Latifah supplies a soulful presence, and Clarkson provides the climactic vocal finish.
Season 30 Is Almost Here
The coaches’ performance arrives just days before The Voice returns for its milestone 30th season. NBC is set to premiere the new season on Monday, September 21, at 8/7c.
With two returning coaches and two newcomers sharing the panel, the performance provides an early glimpse of the musical interplay viewers can expect when the competition begins.
And judging from their rendition of “The Weight,” the new lineup has already found a way to make four distinct voices sound at home on the same stage.