Rumors have been swirling over the past several days, and now NBC has made it official: No Doubt lead singer Gwen Stefani is joining The Voice as one of the season 7 coaches, taking Christina Aguilera’s spot in the fall.
There was also recent speculation over whether Adam Levine would be returning, especially after he remained coy when asked directly. But Gwen will be joining both Adam and Blake Shelton, along with another new addition: Pharrell Williams.
The Voice Adds Pharrell Williams as New Coach >>>
Christina got ahead of NBC with this news by tweeting, “So excited to have you join #TheVoice squad #GwenStefani! Welcome to our crazy fam! Kisses- xoxo.”
Host Carson Daly said of the new addition, “[Gwen is] friends with the other coaches but has a strong opinion, which is also important. They can’t all just be too lovey out there.”
Gwen Stefani has sold almost 30 million records worldwide over the course of her career so far, both with No Doubt and as a solo artist. No Doubt has released countless hit songs, including “Don’t Speak,” “Just a Girl,” “Hey Baby” and “Underneath It All.”
She ventured out on her own in the 2000’s by releasing two solo albums, which launched the hit singles “Hollaback Girl” (co-written by none other than Pharrell) and “The Sweet Escape.” Then Gwen reunited with the band in 2009 by releasing a new album and going on a huge North American tour.
Outside of the music industry, Gwen also started her own fashion lines: L.A.M.B., Harajuku Lovers, DWP (Design With Purpose) and Gx.
And Gwen’s no stranger to singing competition shows. She was a guest mentor on American Idol back in 2007 and then again in 2012.
To introduce The Voice fans to the new coaches, both will stop by to perform on Monday, May 5. Pharrell will perform his new single “Come Get It Bae,” and Gwen will take us back to her debut solo album by performing “Hollaback Girl.”
Christina Aguilera, who is pregnant with her second child, normally sits in one of the big red swivel chairs during the fall seasons, but fans shouldn’t be worried about whether or not she’ll remain a coach: NBC also revealed that Christina will be back for season 8 in the spring. This means that Shakira will have an entire year off from The Voice (two seasons’ worth); it is too early to tell when or if she’ll be returning.
Are you excited that Gwen Stefani is joining The Voice in the fall? Or is there someone else that should have been hired instead? And do you think she’ll have great input for the contestants?
The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8pm on NBC.
(Image courtesy of WENN)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.
