Making his The Voice debut this year, Michael Bublé coached Shye and Sofronio Vasquez all the way to season 26 finale night. Once voters had gotten their say, only Team Bublé still stood onstage. In the end, the crown went to Sofronio Vasquez. The announcement unleashed a torrent of mixed feelings for Bublé—elation for Vasquez sprinkled with disappointment for Shye. In an interview after the announcement, the “Feeling Good” crooner revealed the first words he spoke to the season 26 runner-up.

Michael Bublé Immediately Thought Of Shye

As host Carson Daly prepared to announce The Voice season 26 winner, Michael Bublé looked on with tears in his eyes. When Daly called Vasquez’s name, the Grammy-winning pop star headed straight for Shye.

“Actually, the first words I said to her was, “And now we begin,” Bublé told Vasquez’s hometown news outlet,
WKTV NEWSChannel2. “Because it’s important for her to know that I’m going to be there for her, and for Sofronio.”

Bublé is right about Shye’s unlimited potential. The 18-year-old New Yorker skipped her high school graduation to attend the season 26 Blind Auditions for The Voice.

Her rendition of Five for Fighting’s “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” scored a four-chair turn and a bold declaration from coach Snoop Dogg. “You were made for everything that’s about to happen to you,” the legendary gangster rapper said.

Is a Repeat in Store for Next Season?

Viewers have tuned into The Voice for 26 seasons now. Since 2011, a variety of A-list musicians have filled the NBC show’s iconic big red chairs. After wrapping up season 26, Michael Bublé is the only coach who will return for the show’s 27th season premiere in February 2025. The “Home” singer is looking to join Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and Niall Horan among the list of back-to-back winners.

In fact, Bublé has issued a preemptive apology to his fellow season 27 coaches. “Because I’m going to be a pain in your butt now,” he told Access Hollywood. “‘Cause you know I’m already a pain in the butt… But now they’re going to be like, ‘Oh my God, this dude doesn’t shut up about it.’”

Season 27 premieres Monday, Feb. 3, on NBC at 8 p.m. Eastern. Veteran coaches John Legend and Adam Levine will join Bublé, along with newcomer Kelsea Ballerini.

Featured image via Instagram