Old coaches are out and new coaches are in on The Voice… and we didn't have to endure months of speculation surrounding possible new coaches? Not even a single, "How about Charlie Sheen?" plea for attention! WOW.
We turn around our chairs and give The Voice a standing ovation.
It's true. Just like that, sources say the The Voice has secured Usher and Shakira as coaches for next season's spring cycle. They will step in for Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera, who both need a break from the hit show to pursue other projects.
Blake Shelton and Adam Levine will remain as coaches.
Cee Lo (and his pet of choice) and Christina are expected to return next fall for season five.
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Christina admits she originally thought of The Voice as a convenient "side project." One that wouldn't be too demanding of her time and allow her to stay close to her four-year-old son Max. Christina says, "Then it kind of took off, and there goes my free time!"
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Thankfully, the powers that be at NBC understand. "Doing 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 Cee Lo," Robert Greenblatt of NBC entertainment says. "The participants on our show benefit from our coaches' expertise and their continued success in the music business allows for significant new contributions to the contestants when they return."
Christina's "break" includes a tour to promote her new album, Lotus. Cee Lo plans to focus on a comedy series he's developing with NBC, as well as two albums.
While executive producer Mike Burnett claims Shakira "instantly came to mind" as one of the "world's greatest female vocal talents," she wasn't the only one considered for the job. Reportedly, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj were in talks with The Voice before finalizing their individual deals with American Idol, which is probably for the best.
The Voice doesn't need the "diva drama" as much as American Idol does.
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WERE YOU SURPRISED TO HEAR CHRISTINA AND CEE LO WERE BEING REPLACED? CAN SHAKIRA AND USHER FILL THEIR SEATS? WILL THE CHANGE HURT THE VOICE?
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