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On March 6, season 23 of The Voice will premiere on NBC. This year, singer Niall Horan is making a debut as a coach on the show. Horan is joining coaches Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, and Chance the Rapper. In a sneak peek for the season, it was revealed Horan plans to use One Direction fans to try and win The Voice.

Niall Horan laughs while sitting at a desk in a white button down and brown jacket
Niall Horan | Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images

Niall Horan wants One Direction fans to help him win ‘The Voice’

Horan got his start appearing on the competition show The X Factor. He was put in a music group with singers Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik.

Together, the five singers formed the group One Direction. Following Malik’s departure from the group and the band’s indefinite hiatus, the members of One Direction have all launched solo careers.

On Feb. 22, NBC published a “First Look” teaser of season 23 of The Voice. In the teaser, Horan is seen telling a contestant on The Voice that his fan base, which is comprised of both new fans and One Direction fans, can help a contestant win the show.

“I know for a fact that I’ve got the fan base that would absolutely love you,” he tells the contestant. “Please come to Team Niall.”

Fans appreciate Niall Horan’s strategy

As a competition show, The Voice incorporates coaches’ critiques, singing competitions, and fan voting to crown a winner. After the teaser was published, some fans of The Voice admitted Horan’s strategy could work.

“I love Niall using his fan base. He’s not lying. Directioners are still hard-core and organized,” one fan commented on YouTube.

“So many Directioners are watching because of Niall,” another fan commented on the video.

One YouTube user commented, “Niall: I’ve got the fanbase ….. The man ain’t playing….the fanbase is mad humongous.”

One Direction originally finished third on The X Factor. After the competition show ended, One Direction released multiple hit albums, topped music charts, and put on multiple world tours, becoming one of the most popular boy bands in history.

Even though the group is no longer active, fans of the band still support the members as soloists and are known for having a strong social media presence to this day.

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‘The Voice’ coaches admire Niall Horan

On Feb. 24, NBC published a teaser focused solely on Horan as a coach in season 23 of The Voice. In the teaser, Shelton, Clarkson, and Chance the Rapper admitted Horan has a huge chance at winning the season thanks to his background.

“I mean, this guy came up on a show like this,” Shelton said in the teaser. “He was discovered on a show like this. And then he became a member of a band through those relationships.”

Like Horan, Clarkson also got her start on a music competition show and she was the first winner of American Idol. Because of this, Clarkson knows Horan has what it takes to win season 23 of The Voice.

“I’m also a little like, ‘Oh, man.’ ‘Cause we’re both from singing shows, right? So we have that in our pocket to like, try and win people on our team. So I’m like, ‘Oh no, you’re gonna be able to use that, not just me,'” said Clarkson.

Chance the Rapper admitted that Horan being a member of One Direction gives him an edge.

“Yeah, I think Niall’s got a lot of things to lean on — obviously the band,” he said.

Season 23 of The Voice will premiere on NBC on March 6 at 8 p.m. ET.

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