'The Voice' season 12 premiere tonight: Time, judges, latest news and more

Culture

The Voice, NBC's hit talent show that pits judges as well as aspiring stars against each other, will begin its 12th season on Monday. The series premiere will reunite alumni of the show as well as introduce new talent. 

When does The Voice air? 

The Voice airs on NBC on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern. Monday episodes are generally two hours long, while Tuesday episodes are an hour.

Who are the judges? 

Previous coach Gwen Stefani will return after a two-season hiatus to replace Miley Cyrus. Stefani's addition to the judges' chairs will also mark her onscreen reunion with real-life boyfriend, fellow judge Blake Shelton. 

But the former No Doubt frontwoman doesn't intend to let their relationship impede her judgment. "He is in trouble this season," she told Us Weekly. "I'm about ready to get on him."

The Voice's coaches will also include Alicia Keys, who is returning alongside Shelton and Adam Levine. Coaches for previous seasons have included Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, Pharrell Williams, CeeLo Green, Usher and Shakira. 

Carson Daly also returns for his 12th season as host of the show.

How is it judged? 

The Voice, which first aired in 2011, features a panel of coaches who select a team of artists based solely on their sound, not their appearance. The competition is made up of five rounds: blind auditions, the battle rounds, the knockouts, the live playoffs and performance shows. Whenever an artist wins, so does their coach. As a result, competition exists not only between the contestants, but between the coaches. 

Levine said of Shelton, who has been on the show since 2011, "I don't want this to turn into the Blake Shelton Show." Shelton has coached five contestants to victory since the premiere.

Previous contestants on The Voice, which recently won the Emmy for outstanding reality competition program, include Cassadee Pope, Will Champlin and Dia Frampton. 

Mic has ongoing The Voice coverage. Please visit our main Voice hub.