Christina Aguilera's Voice hiatus: Here come Shakira and Usher
| Los Angeles
The prospects for bedazzled outfits on 鈥淭he Voice鈥� just diminished significantly: NBC announced Monday that Shakira and Usher will join the show鈥檚 judges panel in the spring, filling in for pant-fearing Christina Aguilera and sequin-loving Cee Lo Green.
The move will allow the veteran judges some breathing room as they embark on other projects. Christina Aguilera is releasing a new album and going on tour. Green is working on new music and developing a scripted comedy series for the network based on his life. Not to worry, ladies (and gentlemen): Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will still be around.
RECOMMENDED: Are you a real American Idol fan? Take the quiz
鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome Usher and Shakira to 鈥楾he Voice,鈥欌�� said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt in a statement. 鈥淒oing two back-to-back cycles of this show requires a tremendous amount of time, and we are happy to accommodate the commitments made by Christina and CeeLo. The participants on our show benefit from our coaches鈥� expertise and their continued success in the music business allows for significant new contributions to the contestants when they return.鈥�
Wanting to ride 鈥淭he Voice鈥� wave some more after solid ratings, the network added a fall cycle of the show, which launched earlier this month. The move adds to the celebrity coaches鈥� already-full schedules but has proved somewhat advantageous in other ways. Thought ratings were down from the previous season, this season鈥檚 premiere still drew people away from the second-season premiere of Fox鈥檚 鈥淭he X Factor鈥� and Britney Spears鈥� GIF-able expressions.
Will the new additions keep things from going south? Usher recently secured his fourth No. 1 album, 鈥楲ooking for Myself鈥� 鈥� his seventh studio album. He was the latest to be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey for the OWN series 鈥淣ext Chapter.鈥� And Shakira has a forthcoming English album in the works, with the first single expected to drop later this month.
In case you need to update your scorecard, let鈥檚 review:
鈥斺赌�American Idol鈥� now has Keith Urban, Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson.
鈥斺赌�The X Factor鈥� boasts Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell.
鈥斺赌淭he Voice鈥� features Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilea 鈥� the latter two will be swapped with Usher and Shakira in the spring.
RECOMMENDED: Are you a real American Idol fan? Take the quiz
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