# The Voice Kids (German TV series)
**The Voice Kids** (German: *The Voice Kids*, international title *The Voice Kids Germany*) is the German junior edition of the talent competition format The Voice, in which singers aged 8 to 15 perform for a panel of music coaches who initially hear but cannot see them, and it has aired on the Sat.1 network since 2013.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) • [2](https://www.crew-united.com/de/The-Voice-Kids__268867.html) Sat.1 announced the acquisition on 25 October 2012, opening applications at the-voice-kids.de, after the Dutch original had drawn market shares of up to 43 percent in the 20–49 demographic in the Netherlands.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) The show has aired on Sat.1 since 2013 and is also available on Joyn, with a fourteenth season premiering on 14 February 2026.[3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First aired | Premiered on Sat.1 in April 2013 with a 22.1 percent market share and a prime-time win[4](https://www.prosiebensat1.com/presse/kleine-talente-grosse-quote-the-voice-kids-startet-mit-sensationellen221-prozent-marktanteil-und-holt-den-prime-time-sieg-fuer-sat1-de-337392) |
| Age eligibility | 8 to 14 years in seasons 1–6; 8 to 15 from season 7 onward[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) |
| Winner's prize | A training stipend of €15,000 and an optional recording contract[9](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2425172) |
| Production | Produced by Bildergarten Entertainment GmbH, directed by Boris Retterath, filmed in Berlin[2](https://www.crew-united.com/de/The-Voice-Kids__268867.html) |
| 2026 panel | Leony, HE/RO, Michael Patrick Kelly, and Alvaro Soler; HE/RO is the first twin duo ever to coach[3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/) • [5](https://www.tvinfo.de/fernsehprogramm/2316074942-the-voice-kids) |
| Broadcast | Sat.1, free on Joyn; the 2026 season premiered 14 February 2026 at 20:15[3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/) • [6](https://www.joyn.de/bts/serien/the-voice-kids) |
## Format and rules
The competition follows the structure of the adult *The Voice of Germany* but is built around children. In the Blind Auditions the talents sing before the coaches, who initially hear but cannot see them; when a coach likes the performance, they press the buzzer and their chair turns.[7](https://www.itvstudios.de/produktion/the-voice-kids/) When several coaches turn, the singer decides which coach's team to join.[7](https://www.itvstudios.de/produktion/the-voice-kids/)
In the final, the coaches help their team members improve their musical skills and try to win the audience vote, and with it the show.[6](https://www.joyn.de/bts/serien/the-voice-kids)
**Age limits.** For the first season, applicants had to be at least 8 years old at the application start on 25 October 2012 and no older than 14, meaning they could not turn 15 before 1 June 2013.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) Applications had to be registered by a legal guardian, with a video singing sample uploaded online; the strongest applicants were invited to a scouting tour in five German cities.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873)
## History and seasons
Sat.1 commissioned the show in October 2012 explicitly on the strength of the Dutch original's ratings, and the gamble paid off at launch: the first episode on 6 April 2013 reached a 22.1 percent market share and won prime time for the network, according to AGF/GfK audience research.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) • [4](https://www.prosiebensat1.com/presse/kleine-talente-grosse-quote-the-voice-kids-startet-mit-sensationellen221-prozent-marktanteil-und-holt-den-prime-time-sieg-fuer-sat1-de-337392) The second blind audition episode followed on 12 April at 20:15.[4](https://www.prosiebensat1.com/presse/kleine-talente-grosse-quote-the-voice-kids-startet-mit-sensationellen221-prozent-marktanteil-und-holt-den-prime-time-sieg-fuer-sat1-de-337392)
The show marked ten years on air with a jubilee season starting on 4 March 2022 on Sat.1.[8](https://www.sat1.de/serien/the-voice-kids/news/zehn-jahre-the-voice-kids-die-jubilaumsstaffel-startet-am4-marz2022-mit-vielen-uberraschungen-48017) The 2026 season, its fourteenth by the production database's 2013–2026 run listing, premiered on Saturday, 14 February 2026 at 20:15 on Sat.1 and free on Joyn, with new episodes weekly thereafter.[3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/) • [6](https://www.joyn.de/bts/serien/the-voice-kids) • [2](https://www.crew-united.com/de/The-Voice-Kids__268867.html)
## Coaches and hosts
The coaching chair has rotated frequently.
**The 2026 panel.** For the new season, [ITV Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/itv-studios) announced a panel of Leony, HE/RO, Michael Patrick Kelly, and Alvaro Soler.[3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/) • [5](https://www.tvinfo.de/fernsehprogramm/2316074942-the-voice-kids) The change that drew the announcement's headline was a first in the show's history: the twin duo HE/RO, Heiko and Roman Lochmann, sits together on the coaching panel.[3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/)
The tenth-anniversary season was hosted by Schölermann and Khalaj.[8](https://www.sat1.de/serien/the-voice-kids/news/zehn-jahre-the-voice-kids-die-jubilaumsstaffel-startet-am4-marz2022-mit-vielen-uberraschungen-48017)
## Winners and notable contestants
The winner receives a training stipend of €15,000 and an optional recording contract.[9](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2425172)
Several participants built careers beyond the show. Sat.1's anniversary retrospective credits Mike Singer, who competed in season 1 at age 13, with laying the foundation of his music career there.[8](https://www.sat1.de/serien/the-voice-kids/news/zehn-jahre-the-voice-kids-die-jubilaumsstaffel-startet-am4-marz2022-mit-vielen-uberraschungen-48017) Benicio Bryant, a season 5 contestant, went on after his #VoiceKids appearance to reach the finale of *America's Got Talent*.[8](https://www.sat1.de/serien/the-voice-kids/news/zehn-jahre-the-voice-kids-die-jubilaumsstaffel-startet-am4-marz2022-mit-vielen-uberraschungen-48017) The same retrospective names Chiara Castelli (season 2), Leonie Greiner, who performs as Loi (season 5), and Iggi Kelly (season 5) among the show's alumni.[8](https://www.sat1.de/serien/the-voice-kids/news/zehn-jahre-the-voice-kids-die-jubilaumsstaffel-startet-am4-marz2022-mit-vielen-uberraschungen-48017) Former participants have also returned behind the camera: season 9 winner Egon Werler and season 3 participant Keanu Rapp formed the online moderation team for the anniversary season.[8](https://www.sat1.de/serien/the-voice-kids/news/zehn-jahre-the-voice-kids-die-jubilaumsstaffel-startet-am4-marz2022-mit-vielen-uberraschungen-48017)
## Production and broadcasting
The German edition began as a co-production between the Dutch format creator Talpa Media and the German producer Schwartzkopff TV.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) ITV Studios Germany, which holds the format, presents the show as one of its productions and issues its season announcements.[7](https://www.itvstudios.de/produktion/the-voice-kids/) • [3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/) The industry database Crew United lists the current production as Bildergarten Entertainment GmbH, directed by Boris Retterath, with filming in Berlin.[2](https://www.crew-united.com/de/The-Voice-Kids__268867.html) The show airs on Sat.1 and streams free on Joyn.[3](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/) • [6](https://www.joyn.de/bts/serien/the-voice-kids)
## By the numbers
The premiere's 22.1 percent market share and prime-time win in April 2013 set a high bar.[4](https://www.prosiebensat1.com/presse/kleine-talente-grosse-quote-the-voice-kids-startet-mit-sensationellen221-prozent-marktanteil-und-holt-den-prime-time-sieg-fuer-sat1-de-337392) For context, the adult *The Voice of Germany* had opened its second season on Sat.1 with a record 30.4 percent share in the 14–49 demographic, and the Dutch *The Voice Kids* had reached up to 43 percent in the 20–49 group, the benchmark that motivated the German commissioning.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873)
## Comparison with other editions
The German show is a localization of the Dutch *The Voice Kids*, created within the same Talpa format family as *The Voice of Germany*, and it adopted the blind-audition structure common to the franchise.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) • [7](https://www.itvstudios.de/produktion/the-voice-kids/) It has run from 2013 into a 2026 season on the same network, and the Dutch original's ratings success was the direct commercial argument for bringing the format to Germany.[1](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873) • [2](https://www.crew-united.com/de/The-Voice-Kids__268867.html)
## References
1. [Freut euch drauf! SAT.1 holt die Erfolgsshow "The Voice Kids" nach Deutschland, Presseportal (Sat.1 press release, 25 October 2012)](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2350873)
2. [The Voice Kids, TV-Show, 2013–2026, Crew United](https://www.crew-united.com/de/The-Voice-Kids__268867.html)
3. [HE/RO, Alvaro Soler, Leony und Michael Patrick Kelly buzzern am Samstag! "The Voice Kids" startet am 14. Februar in SAT.1 und auf Joyn, ITV Studios Germany](https://www.itvstudios.de/he-ro-alvaro-soler-leony-und-michael-patrick-kelly-buzzern-am-samstag-the-voice-kids-startet-am-14-februar-in-sat-1-und-auf-joyn/)
4. [Kleine Talente, große Quote: The Voice Kids startet mit sensationellen 22,1 Prozent Marktanteil, ProSiebenSat.1 press release (6 April 2013)](https://www.prosiebensat1.com/presse/kleine-talente-grosse-quote-the-voice-kids-startet-mit-sensationellen221-prozent-marktanteil-und-holt-den-prime-time-sieg-fuer-sat1-de-337392)
5. [The Voice Kids, tvinfo listing](https://www.tvinfo.de/fernsehprogramm/2316074942-the-voice-kids)
6. [The Voice Kids, Joyn show page](https://www.joyn.de/bts/serien/the-voice-kids)
7. [The Voice Kids, ITV Studios Germany production page](https://www.itvstudios.de/produktion/the-voice-kids/)
8. [Zehn Jahre The Voice Kids: Die Jubiläumsstaffel startet am 4. März 2022, Sat.1](https://www.sat1.de/serien/the-voice-kids/news/zehn-jahre-the-voice-kids-die-jubilaumsstaffel-startet-am4-marz2022-mit-vielen-uberraschungen-48017)
9. [Tim Bendzko, Lena Meyer-Landrut & Henning Wehland suchen junge Sänger mit großen Stimmen - "The Voice Kids" ab 5. April in SAT.1 (BILD), Presseportal](https://www.presseportal.de/pm/6708/2425172)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Reality and competition franchise editions › The Voice franchise (The Voice, The Voice Kids)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license