10 Rules You Didn’t Know Contestants of ‘The Voice’ Have to Follow

Appearing on The Voice can be exciting for contestants, but they have plenty of rules to keep in mind during their time on the show.

The Voice has been going strong since 2011, and it’s now in season 28. Presented by Carson Daly, the series began with Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton as coaches, while the current panel consists of Michael Bublé, Reba McEntire, Niall Horan and Snoop Dogg.

Among some of the most successful artists to have braved the auditions and been chosen by at least one of the coaches are Morgan Wallen, Melanie Martinez, Koryn Hawthorne, Loren Allred and the late Christina Grimmie.

While some of the rules may have changed over the seasons, these contestants have all had to abide by a set of regulations from their initial application to the final stages of the show. Here are 10 rules that contestants of The Voice have to follow.

Contestants have to be at least 13 years old

According to the show’s official casting site, contestants need to be at least 13 years old to audition for the show. All applicants younger than 18 need their parents or legal guardians to complete a consent form in order for them to participate.

There’s no upper age limit, however. Gail Bliss auditioned for season 26 at the age of 61, while Todd Tilghman became the oldest winner at the age of 42 when he won season 18.

They can audition for the show multiple times

There’s no limit to the number of times somebody can audition for The Voice. Somebody who auditioned the previous year is welcome to audition again — however, candidates can only submit one video audition per season, per the show’s FAQs.

Sometimes, auditionees who get rejected are asked by producers to return for a different season. Ddendyl, who appeared on season 6, first auditioned for the season before and made it to callbacks. The producers told her, “We’re not going your direction this season — but please come back,” she told The Washington Post in May 2014.

Ddendyl explained, “I said, all right, I’ll give it another try, but whatever. But if this is a no-go, this is the last time I’m doing any of these things, ever.”

Contestants have less than two minutes for virtual auditions

As well as submitting a video, hopefuls have the option to participate in a virtual open call, which is the same as a regular open call audition but can be done at home using a device with a webcam.

Contestants register and choose a date and time for their audition, and the casting team will review auditions in real-time. Auditionees have one minute and 30 seconds to audition, and need to use this time to introduce themselves, tell the team what song they’re going to sing and perform it, per the virtual open call information.

They shouldn’t use effects

Hopefuls have the choice of whether to sing a capella, use a backing track or play an instrument. However, those who opt for a virtual open call audition are strongly advised to have everything prepared before they enter the virtual audition room.

They’re also advised to avoid using too many effects, including reverb, compression and vocal enhancers, per the video audition tips.

Contestants can choose any song for their audition

When contestants audition for The Voice, they don’t have to choose a song from a set list. They’re allowed to prepare a song that “best suits your voice and represents you as an artist,” according to the show’s FAQs.

However, The Voice encourages contestants to choose a song that best represents them as an artist and matches their “vocal and performance style.”

They don’t always get to choose their songs later on in the process

While hopefuls can choose their songs, contestants who make it further along the process will often have their songs chosen for them by the coaches.

Season 1’s Frenchie Davis told Cosmopolitan in September 2021 that it’s “always hysterical when the judges say, ‘I don’t think that was a good song choice for you,’ and I’m thinking, you picked that song.”

Contestants cannot hold or be a candidate for public office while on the show

Contestants cannot be a candidate for or hold public office while they’re on the show, and are required to agree not to become one until one year after the first broadcast of the final episode of The Voice they appear in, according to the show’s casting site.

If a contestant has any related changes in circumstance, they are required to notify NBC as soon as possible.

They must submit to medical exams

Contestants are required to voluntarily complete a background check and share any documents requested by the producer, per the show’s casting site.

Likewise, they need to complete and return an agreement and release, while the offer to become a participant on the show may also be subject to examinations by medical professionals to ensure they meet the physical and psychological requirements.

Contestants cannot live with or have in their immediate family anybody involved with the show

The rules state that contestants are not allowed to take part if any of their immediate family members or people they live with have been employed in the previous two years by any of the companies involved in The Voice, such as NBC and MGM Television.

The rule also applies to people involved in advertising or sponsorship for the show, or anyone supplying “goods, services or prizes” to the program.

They can’t choose their own clothes

Executive producer Audrey Morrissey told SheKnows in February 2018 that, while contestants choose their own clothes for their blind auditions, it becomes more of a collaborative process if they get further along in the competition.

She said, “We shop for each artist to come up with great looks. Once we get to the live shows, looks are customized for each specific performance.”