The Voice

"The Voice" is a U.S.-based reality TV show that aims to identify and promote previously unsigned vocal talent. Each season features aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. Contestants who earn spots on one of the super star mentors' teams face off through several rigorous rounds of competition, with those judged to be the best of the best advancing to the live shows.

The winner of "The Voice" is determined by television viewers who cast votes via Internet, SMS texting, and iTunes purchases of the artists' vocal performances. Each season crowns one winner, who takes home $100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group.

"The Voice" employs four vocal coaches who critique the participants' performances and guide their teams of selected artists through the season. They also compete amongst themselves to ensure that one of their team members wins the final competition, thus making him or her the winning coach. To date, Blake Shelton, who has shepherded five contestants to the title, is the winningest coach.

What makes "The Voice" unique from like-reality TV shows is the initial phase of the competition, during which the aspiring artists' appearances are hidden from the coaches. This so-called 'blind audition' process allows them to objectively judge the merit and quality of each hopeful's vocal talent without the distraction of looks.

Members of the coaching panel have, to date, included notables Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Shakira, Usher, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys.

"The Voice" initially premiered on April 26, 2011 as a spring season program. The show proved to be a big a hit for NBC and has been renewed twice a year --spring and fall-- ever since.

The winners of the 12 seasons of "The Voice" to date include (in order):

• Season 1 (premiered on April 26, 2011): Javier Colon
• Season 2 (premiered on Feb. 5, 2012): Jermaine Paul
• Season 3 (premiered on Sept. 10, 2012): Cassadee Pope
• Season 4 (premiered on March 25, 2013): Danielle Bradbery
• Season 5 (premiered on Sept. 23, 2013): Tessanne Chin
• Season 6 (premiered on Feb. 24, 2014): Josh Kaufman
• Season 7 (premiered on Sept. 22, 2014): Craig Wayne Boyd
• Season 8 (premiered on Feb. 23, 2015): Sawyer Fredericks
• Season 9 (premiered on Sept. 21, 2015: Jordan Smith
• Season 10 (premiered on Feb. 29, 2016): Alisan Porter
• Season 11 (premiered on Sept. 19, 2016): Sundance Head
• Season 12 (premiered on Feb. 27, 2017): Chris Blue

"The Voice" season 13 is slated to premiere on Sept. 25, 2017 with long-time coaches Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, returning coach Miley Cyrus, and newcomer Jennifer Hudson on hand to discover America's next great vocalist.