A powerful performance on The Voice can make a contestant look completely in control, but choosing the right song is often a much bigger process than viewers realise.
A song can highlight a singer’s strongest notes, reveal a new side of their personality, or expose weaknesses they might otherwise have avoided. And while viewers may assume contestants simply choose whatever they want to sing, the reality is more collaborative.
Behind the scenes, coaches can have a major influence on song selection, and the show’s music team also helps shape performances. This raises an interesting question: how much freedom do contestants really have when choosing their songs?
There is one important clarification before getting into the details: I couldn’t verify a Season 30 contestant accidentally revealing this in a post-show interview. However, interviews with people connected to the show have explained how the process works. Here’s what viewers may not know.
1. Contestants can suggest songs, but the coaches usually have the final say
One of the biggest surprises is that contestants don’t necessarily have complete control over their song choices.
In an E! News behind-the-scenes feature, casting producer Audrey Morrissey explained that communication between coaches and artists focuses heavily on song selection. Contestants can offer suggestions, but coaches usually have the final say.
That makes sense: a coach is trying to choose material that will show off an artist’s strengths while helping them grow as a performer. A song that sounds perfect on paper might not be the best fit for a particular voice or stage of the competition.
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2. The coach’s strategy can shape the entire performance
Song choice isn’t just about picking a popular hit. It can also be part of a coach’s wider strategy.
Some coaches like to be involved in the production details, while others focus more closely on the music and arrangement. Morrissey explained that the amount of involvement varies from coach to coach.
A contestant might be encouraged to choose a song that shows a side of their voice the audience hasn’t heard yet. Another might be given something familiar that allows them to connect emotionally with viewers.
In other words, the song can become part of the coach’s plan for how the artist develops throughout the competition.
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3. Former contestants have admitted that coaches sometimes choose the songs themselves
This isn’t just a theory about how the show works. Former contestants have spoken openly about the influence coaches have over song selection.
Season 1 contestant Frenchie Davis once recalled the irony of hearing coaches criticise a contestant’s song choice when, in her experience, the coach had actually selected the song.
She described it as funny when judges said a performance suffered from a poor song choice, because she knew how much input coaches could have in that decision.
On the other hand, Season 24 winner Huntley praised his coach Niall Horan for knowing how to choose songs that suited him.
These stories show why song selection can be a shared responsibility rather than a completely independent decision by the contestant.
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4. The production team also helps contestants prepare
The coaches aren’t the only people involved in getting a performance ready.
Morrissey explained that the artists receive support from a wider team, including vocal coaches, the band director and producers. Former contestant Hoyt also pointed out that these staff members give contestants notes that viewers never see on television.
That behind-the-scenes work can influence how a song is arranged, how the singer approaches it and how the final performance comes together.
So when a contestant delivers a polished performance, it isn’t necessarily the result of one person’s decision. It can reflect input from several people working together.
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5. Season 30’s Cut Week showed just how important song selection can be
The importance of choosing the right song was especially clear during Season 30’s first-ever Cut Week.
Contestants had to deliver performances that could convince their coaches to keep them in the competition. Each coach had only one final guaranteed spot to award after advancing two artists automatically.
Some of the song choices helped contestants show a different side of themselves. Joe Henley performed Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” while Brianna Cameron delivered Natalie Cole’s “Inseparable.” Chari chose Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly,” and Lillie Kolich performed The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love.”
The performances were judged not only on vocal ability, but also on song fit, emotional delivery and the individuality each artist brought to the stage.
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That is what makes song selection such a fascinating part of the competition: the right song can help a singer stand out, but it also has to work for their voice and the moment.
So, do contestants really choose their own songs?
The answer is: they have a say, but they don’t always make the final decision.
The show’s own behind-the-scenes explanations suggest that song selection is a conversation between contestants and coaches, with coaches usually having the stronger influence. Vocal coaches, producers and the band director also help shape the finished performance.
That doesn’t mean every song is handed to a contestant without their input. Instead, it shows how much planning can happen before a performance that lasts only a few minutes on television.
And perhaps that’s the biggest behind-the-scenes detail: what looks like one singer making one song choice is often the result of a whole team working to create the strongest possible performance.
