The Boot (May 17th 2011)

Blake Shelton offers friendship (and his phone number!) to ‘The Voice’ contestants

Blake Shelton returns to NBC's 'The Voice' tonight, along with his team's special mentor, Reba McEntire. The battle rounds continue, with team mates squaring off against each other by singing the same song, while the coaches decide who remains and who leaves.

The newly-married country singer did not see himself as a teacher, but more as an ally and comrade-in-arms to help his teammates accomplish something greater. "I didn't pick anybody that I felt like I had to teach to sing ... The singing thing, they pretty much all have down," Blake tells The Boot. "I want to be a friend to these people on my team and let them know that I'm on their side, and I want to help them with their song choices and the keys that they sing their songs in and how they approach being on stage. Ultimately, and even the ones that aren't on my team anymore that I can't talk about, keeping in touch with them and being sure that they have my phone number and they can call me anytime."

The Oklahoma native, who has been exposed to many nerve-wracking situations, sympathizes with the pressure and stress the contestants are most likely experiencing as they go through the process of becoming 'The Voice.'

"I understand the position they're in is a tough one," he says. "I couldn't have been a brand-new artist that had never really performed in front of that many people and all of a sudden standing on stage in front of a huge studio audience, plus millions of people watching at home, and not had a panic attack. It's a lot of pressure they're under. My thing is letting them know that they have a friend, and they have somebody that will fight for them and be in their corner and pull strings and favors for them when they need it. That's as important in this business as anything."

Blake is currently enjoying a few days off to spend with his new bride, Miranda Lambert. The honeymoon will end next week, as he and Reba co-headline two tornado relief benefit concerts in Durant, Okla., May 25 and 26.

In other news, NBC announced 'The Voice' will return for a second season next year. No word yet whether the current celebrity coaches, including Blake, will return for the 2011-2012 season.