Singer-songwriter Machine Gun Kelly is set to appear on The Voice Season 26! The “Rap Devil” singer will join Gwen Stefani as her playoff advisor on the cult-classic reality TV competition show on The Voice Season 26, Episode 15 “The Playoffs Premiere.”
A clip from the episode shared exclusively with PEOPLE showed Machine Gun Kelly giving advice to contestant Jake Tankersley during his rehearsals. The “Bad Things” singer gave the contestant notes on how to improve his performance by telling him to crack a smile in an attempt to connect with the audience. He also advised Tankersley to step away from the mic and play his guitar during moments when there are no lyrics. The rapper shared how performing on stage is all about the feel while sharing his two cents with the contestant.
In an exclusive first look at the on-the-fly interviews, coach Gwen Stefani shared notes from her experience working alongside Machine Gun Kelly. She expressed that the “Wild Boy” singer has a unique identity as far as self-style is concerned, praising him for having a bold approach to the craft while noting that the rapper doesn’t shy away from being creative. Stefani believes that Machine Gun Kelly has a fresh perspective on his journey as a singer and performer.
The Rapper Is Thrilled To Be on the Voice
Even mgk was thrilled to be a part of the popular reality competition show and was eager to work with Stefani, noting how working with the contestants reminded him of the heydays in his career. The rapper further expressed how The Voice is an excellent platform for individuals to showcase their talent while remarking that even if a contestant doesn’t emerge as a winner, it’ll prove to be a great learning experience. The songwriter reflected on his brief stint on the show in the following words:
“I still feel like so much of a student, so it’s hard to be in this role, but hopefully I added something.”
Gwen Stefani’s Team Faced a Major Loss
Prior to the episode featuring mgk, Gwen Stefani’s team faced a setback during The Voice Season 26, Episode 14, “The Knockouts Part 3,” which aired on November 19, 2024. While introducing her team’s next round of Knockouts to Mega Mentor Sting, the “Just a Girl” singer revealed that one of her team members, Mor Ilderton, had left the show.
Stefani revealed that the 20-year-old indie folk singer from Teays Valley, West Virginia, Ilderton, had to go home due to an undisclosed reason. Ilderton’s exit marks the second contestant withdrawal on The Voice Season 26 following Tanner Frick‘s departure from Michael Bublé‘s team during Knockout rehearsals.
The network hasn’t revealed a reason for Ilderton’s exit. However, the singer took to his Instagram on November 18, 2024, to plug new music he’d be dropping. He teased that his latest single, “Stranger,” will drop on November 22, 2024. New episodes of The Voice Season 26 air on Mondays and Tuesdays on NBC at 8/7c. The episodes are also available to stream on Peacock the following day.
