Ariana Grande can't save The Voice from itself

The Daily Beast

Grande's addition as a coach this season is NBC's latest attempt to draw younger viewers. But even with Grande, The Voice remains the same, says Kyndall Cunningham. "It becomes clear thirty minutes into Season 21’s premiere that The Voice will always be a protracted celebrity meet-and-greet, first and foremost," says Cunningham. "While judges for more cutthroat competitions like American Idol and The X Factor have historically been less approachable and more daunting—they purposely hold the position of judges, not coaches after all—The Voice has always presented its stars as the most caring and good-natured people in the industry, suggesting that you actually should meet your heroes and even feel safe enough in their presence to be the most vulnerable version of yourself. During a time when cruelty on reality-competition shows is phasing out, this #positivevibes ethos has worked in the show’s favor and even inspired American Idol to eliminate 'bad' auditions."