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 The Voice is one of America’s favorite singing competitions. Every season, four judges listen to incredible voices and decide, based on voice only, whether they believe that person is good enough to be on the show. The latest season has brought some incredible talent, but does the show have a minimum age requirement?

The Voice
‘The Voice’ judges: (L-R) Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, Jennifer Hudson | Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

‘The Voice’ premiered back in 2011

For nearly all of the 2000s, American Idol ruled the music-competition scene on television. But at the start of a new decade, a new show, with a similar concept but a few twists, came into play: The Voice. The show, which has been running for more than seven years and fifteen seasons, was an instant hit with viewers. While the show had the same idea as American Idol (a singing competition that would start out with several contestants and eliminate them down to a final winner), it came with some fresh ideas.

The Voice features blind auditions, during which the potential contestant sings for the judges, but the judges can only hear the voice; they can’t see who is singing. If the judge likes the sound, they can press a button to turn their chair. If multiple judges turn their chairs, they then have to convince the contestant why he or she should choose to be on their team. The judges each get to choose eight people to be on their team. From there, the real competition begins.

This year, a 14-year-old girl is in the finale

Each year, it seems that there is one contestant who is much younger than the rest. And this year, it’s Kennedy Holmes. When Holmes first appeared on the show, she was only 13 years old. Yet she has captivated the audience and made it all the way to the season finale while celebrating her 14th birthday in the process. While Kennedy Holmes is definitely the youngest contestant this season, Chevel Shepherd isn’t far behind. Shepherd is only 16 but also competing for a win in the latest finale.

You must be at least 12 years old to audition

Unlike American Idol, you don’t even have to be a teenager to compete on The Voice. (The minimum age requirement is 15 on American Idol.) You do have to be a pre-teen, though; the show requires a minimum age of at least 12 years old, and you must turn 13 by a certain date. For season 16, which hasn’t begun yet, contestants are required to be 13 on or before March 20, 2019. The date changes depending on which season is filming.

While age is a major requirement to audition for The Voice, there are several other requirements potential contestants must meet as well. You also cannot be a candidate for public office or run for public office within a year after the show. You must be willing to be present for filming for several weeks and must also complete a background check. And you must be legally living in the United States.

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