Call it what you will, but Microsoft and NBC have paired to wrap up the current season of four-time Emmy Award-winning series "The Voice." Due to the ongoing pandemic, the show had to go remote, just like many other jobs, in order to continue.
While the news broke last week about the show's bold, last-minute reinvention, it was not known that Microsoft would play an essential part.
In tonight's episode, the current superstar coaches, including Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, Nick Jonas, and John Legend, will remote in from their home locations to provide artist feedback using Microsoft Teams. On the other end, the 17 participating artists vying for the top prize will also be using Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft's Teams software, which is primarily used for remote collaboration for businesses, schools, and government, has seen a massive surge in usage due to the current stay-at-home orders.
Interestingly, Microsoft is also providing the hardware with the coaches and artists using Surface Pro 7 laptops to facilitate the coaching sessions and remote performances.
From the media briefing:
Despite the physical distance that separates the coaches and artists during these mentoring sessions, audiences will get a closer look than ever before at the intimate coach-artist relationship in their home environments as the coaches not only guide the artists through the technical aspects of their performance but also provide personal mentorship as they navigate the pressures of the competition."Reinventing the live shows has allowed us to create innovative ways to bring 'The Voice' to life in a fresh and intimate way," said Audrey Morrissey, "Voice" Executive Producer and Showrunner. "It has been an incredible team effort with the coaches, artists and their loved ones being involved in the process. With Carson at the helm from the stage, we are excited to share a unique 'Voice' experience that will feel both new and familiar."
Tonight's showcase isn't the first high-profile marketing win for Microsoft and its Teams app. The recent 2020 NFL draft also used the collaboration app along with various Surface hardware to facilitate the process.
Catch the stars and contestants Monday and Tuesday on the "The Voice" starting May 4th (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on NBC.
