For about a year now, there have been buzzings that the producers of NBC’s “The Voice” were looking to replace Christina Aguilera — although to be fair, it always seems like we hear these stories about the women on musical competition judging panels (think Jennifer Lopez) and never the men. The dudes are just trying to get along, right? Meanwhile, the chicks are presented as “divas,” but I think we all know that Adam Levine qualifies under his own brand of diva–douche extraordinaire too.
Not that I’m an expert on this show by any means. As CB has stated before, none of us have really watched “The Voice” except for a few moments while channel surfing, so it’s not like our views hold much sway here. However, there have been a number of reports which make it clear that Christina and Adam have regularly clashed on air and (especially) behind the scenes with Adam calling Christina all manner of derogatory terms; and Christina has been “appalled” at his treatment of her while looking like “the golden boy of the show.” For his part, Cee-Lo Green was said to be uncomfortable and worried about the future of a judging panel where two members can’t get along for even a moment. Now it seems that both Christina and Cee-Lo are leaving the show after the third season (which has just started), and they will be replaced by … Shakira and Usher?
Two very accomplished artists will be taking over Christina Aguilera and Cee-Lo Green’s fancy red chairs on The Voice during its fourth season.
A source tells Us Weekly Shakira and Usher are set to replace Aguilera and Green, who have each coached teams on the show — alongside fellow mentors Adam Levine and Blake Shelton — for the past two seasons. (The show’s third season has just gotten underway on NBC.)
Earlier this month, Aguilera opened up to Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show about her stint on the hit singing competition, admitting she once viewed her job as a coach on The Voice “kind of like a side project.”
“[I thought], ‘It’ll keep me close to my son [Max, 4] in L.A. I don’t have to travel,” the five-time Grammy Award winner said. “Then it kind of took off, and there goes my free time!”
The Voice source tells Us that Aguilera will use her break from the program to focus on tours and promotional duties surrounding the release of her new album, Lotus; Green is currently working with NBC on a new show of his own.
Both Shelton and Levine are set to return for Season 4.
[From Us Weekly]
Perhaps this change was inevitable, but I can’t claim to have strong feelings about it one way or another because (like I said already) I’ve never watched the show. From the tone of the story, it sounds like Cee-Lo Green wanted to resign from the panel so that he could move on and pursue his own show. Likewise, Christina is releasing her new album soon as well, and she may have seen fit to leave the show on her own terms as well. From the sound of her underwhelming new single, Xtina doesn’t quite have the running start that JLo had when leaving “Idol.” I predict she’ll be back on “The Voice” in a few seasons, if they’ll have each other.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet
Shakira judging someone else’s singing? Really?
She sounds like an agonizing goat!
I was seriously just going to post that Shakira sounds like a goat.
I swear her singing gives me seriously painful headaches.
Exactly. I truly can’t listen to her songs.
Shakira’s wretched bleeting is more annoying than Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion and Adam Levine’s singing combined 🙂
I’m not trying to be a b**ch, but Cee-lo’s dinosaur arms almost made me shut my laptop. Gross. And I agree with Eve, Shakira? For real?
Lol! Funny you say that.
I remember once telling my sister who’s a MAJOR Cee Lo Green fangirl that he reminds me of the little green dinosaur in toy story
Hahaha! These comments made my morning 😀
Uh, and they replace one blonde singer of latin origin with another blonde singer of latin origin. And one R&B singer gets swapped for another.
Makes it seem LESS like they’re leaving under their own steam, and more like producers are re-shuffling and making sure they keep the same demographics covered.
From what I remember, Mark Burnett was BIG on keeping the rumours about drama circling because it made for “better television.” SO — I’d expect some sort of Usher/Blake feud or something, next season?
Ugh — I’m over-thinking (and over-typing) this, big time.
I’m not quite sure you were over thinkin, because I thought the same exact thing. They seem to be sort of typecasting.
I was thinking if someone accused the show of typecasting, they’d say something about how they ‘want to provide artists from different musical backgrounds, to give it ‘variety’ (or some such nonsense, they are totally typecasting.)
I actually LOVE Shakira, have a couple of her CDs.
I’ve never watched The Voice or any other talent show for that matter but has the Voice ever produced anyone that made “it” after the show? I dont recall ever hearing about anyone that ever won. what happens to them after? I dont even know what happened to some of the AI winners except for Kelly and Carry. I really dont think these shows are producing the careers they once did like when Idol first started. They all seem about the judges or manufactured drama any more.
I read somewhere yesterday that it’s only for season 4 and they’ll be back season 5. It had something to do with filming the seasons back to back.
that’s what I heard.. and that Blake and Adam will take time off the season Christina and CeeLo come back..
found it: http://www.justjared.com/2012/09/17/usher-shakira-replace-christina-aguilera-cee-lo-green-on-the-voice-season-four/
I love Shakira, or the old Shakira. I have all of her old albums but refuse to buy that she-wolf rubbish. However, I will not be watching The Voice, not only because they employ Blake Run Over Turles Shelton but because I don’t watch anything on regular TV. All these talent shows seems so tacky. Do people really watch? Who cares to her amaturs singing? Not me.
the old shakira? where she had black hair or multicolored hair,also she played the guitar and she was well a rocker. you mean that shakira? Yeah I hella miss THAT shakira =(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ2tm6S4eRI&playnext=1&list=PLD8C2B1DC244FE758&feature=results_video
I like Shakira. Can’t stand Ursher
Apparently, it’s only going to be for one season (Season 4 in the spring) so Cee-Lo and Xtina can both tour. They are already contracted to come back for season 5 next fall. So the offical word is that they aren’t getting replaced, but getting subs for the spring season.
http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/09/17/the-voice-usher-shakira/
Now what does it mean that Blake and Adam don’t feel the need to tour?
I do watch this show and have since the beginning. It’s pretty entertaining – I know there is a lot of Adam hate here, but he is one of the better parts of the show (as is his bromance with Blake.) Someone must have told Christina to pipe it because she is much more calm and normal this year. I’m glad she finally got her mouthing off in check, it was obnoxious.
As much as I love Blake, he isn’t all that ‘big’ – He toured between seasons and played a lot of smaller venues, including some of the fair circuit (which is common for country stars.) Can’t say I have any idea about Adam.
I don’t love the Shakira decision, but Usher should be a lot of fun to watch. I’m looking forward to them changing it up.
When I first heard that Chrisitna was no longer going to be on the show, I wondered if LeAnn Rimes was going to go on and on again, about them having asked her initally. Perhaps even say they asked her yet again.
I don’t mind who they replaced them with, I think they’re looking to have someone from each of the major music categories, so it makes sense to replace with people similar in style.
I’ll be curious to see if they do come back next season as promised. Don’t blame them for wanting to take a break, the show is now filming quite a lot it seems.
I’ve been watching again, but I DVR and fast forward everything but the actual singing. All the sob stories are ridiculous, and I don’t want to watch Carson Daly stand around either.
I used to love shakira when she sang in spanish, played her own instruments, and her lyrics were beautiful . Now, i can’t stand her music, can’t understand it( and im bilingual!) and can’t seem to forgive her for selling out! Singing with beyonce?! Really?! A she wolf?! Are u freaking kidding me?!
I actually loved that “Beautiful” song with Beyonce. I love Shakira’s Spanish and English albums pre-She Wolf. Like you said she was natural in those and you could tell she felt the music and believed in it. Then she sold out like they all do wanting to conquer the US market pretending that She-Wolf album was spiritual and that she felt it, which was total BS. In the words of Suze Orman, she wsn’t “owning her truth”. The thing about that Beyonce video is it showed very clearly how Shakira is a very natural dancer who dances from within and her movements are very fluid and it is very sexy whereas Beyonce looked like a hooker in Vegas dancing. Her moves were forced and reminded me of a cheap woman trying to be sexy. That is how I could tell them apart throughout the video. So Shakira might sound like a goat but I love her voice. I have all her old music and play it over and over and have introduced my toddler to it. But, I will never listen or buy any of her music again until she gets honest with herself.
Oh man, why does Shakira insist on being blond? It reaaaally doesn’t work for her. Christina too!
Her hair is so fried and so awful. A color closer to her natural one would do wonders for her rather homely face.
Christina was a natural blonde as a child, so that color works well with her skin tone. However, she bleaches it to get that really artificial-looking platinum blonde which looks terrible on people with dark tans or, in Christina’s case, orange skin.
Shakira should stick to her natural hair color. She looks good as a brunette. I think she’s an excellent dancer (awesome bellydancing), but I can’t tolerate her singing for very long. Definitely more she-goat than she-wolf. Don’t understand why they chose her to judge others on their singing.
Wendy Williams is right about Usher. On her show today, she said he’s very talented but has no personality off the stage.
Agree tg and mely I’m more of a hard rock fan but early shakira is pretty good; she wolf stuff is awful but the parodies on youtube are hilarious as you can imagine; why not just replace all of these faux “talent” shows with real entertainment hey I’ll settle for Cosby, cheers, seinfeld,etc. reruns even on the major networks – they would be more entertaining.
Tta with u. I still dont get it she’s so talented. She’s very famous in latin america and pr. I guess it is all about $$, as always( face palm)
Tta with u. I still dont get it she’s so talented. She’s very famous in latin america and pr. I guess it is all about $$, as always( face palm).
Totally agreed. I still dont get it she’s so talented. She’s very famous in latin america and pr. I guess it is all about $$, as always( face palm).
Totally agreed. I still dont get it she’s so talented. She’s very famous in latin america and pr. I guess it is all about money, as always( face palm).
Thanks for the response I think the management teams for these people are only interested in the gravy and keeping it flowing; obviously, pop music is easier to crank out and market, and right now makes more money, but Shakira would’ve been better off artistically improving her latin/folk/rock genre; on one of her tours this yr or last in NYC she covered a metallica song, so she can sing this genre when she wants to. But as you said its the $$ and what sells most at the moment.
Usher giving away advices, really? Not going to watch. Just saying.
Damn phone!!!! Sorry
Shakira brings bad luck. It’s a fact here in South America. Now see what is happening in Spain.
That’s why we Europeans have bought her one way ticket to US.
She started dating the son of an argentinean president like 10 years ago and soon after this president had to leave the presidency. Now she’s dating the spanish tennist (or footballer) and Spain is going down as Greece. 😛
I love the voice I watch it all the time. I like the four judges/coaches they have on now. I don’t like Shakira at all she really does sound like a goat!!! I’ll just have to get used to it though it’s only for one season. I’m willing to give Usher a chance, I’d be interested in what he has to say.
I don’t know if this is news but Shakira is pregnant, there were pictures of her shopping in Milano few days ago, and she is pregnant. The pictures were published by a major newspaper in Italy (the on-line edition) Corriere della Sera:
http://www.corriere.it/gallery/spettacoli/09-2012/shakira/01/shakira-incinta-fa-shopping-milano_7089fbdc-fe7d-11e1-82d3-7cd1971272b9.shtml#5
I have been hearing that she is preggers for a while now. I hope it is true, but these pics don’t show anything. But they are suspect since she does seem to be using her purse as a shield. Which leads me to my questions about celebrity clothing. Why do celebs wear the most unflattering clothes they can find? What is the point of starving yourself and/or working out like crazy to wear clothes that you would wear if you were a buffalo? I am thinking about a ton of celebs who dress this way. always having extra clothes on top with weird angles and super baggy tops.
I didn’t even think Cee-Lo would come back. He seems to have lost interest and he got upset last year with the bashing of him on twitter. He has a huge career to tend to.
Christina knows after her last bomb album she has to promote and tour the hell out of the new upcoming album. With a child she can’t do that and have this show.
They’re not leaving permanently–just focusing on other projects/touring for the season.
hakira seriously has nothing to do, so I can see why she’d take the gig. Say what you want about Xtina but at least she’s tried to remain relevant in the US music scene.
Sure. But they know there’s a risk their replacements will be a hit and the show not need them or want them back as judges.
.
Maybe because her music career means more than her tv career to her, anyway she’s already contracted for a further season she just couldn’t commit to filming two seasons back to back hence the break.
I won’t watch. I blame Usher for Justin Beiber. It’s the principle, man. ;).
Ditto =\ He released that obnoxious little scourge unto the world, creating a pompous arrogant little twit with more money than God.
(…Sorry. He just annoys the pure hell out of me.)
Awesome…I love Shakira!! Now there’s an example of a pop star who is beautiful, kind, gracious, and stunning. I’ll always like her if only for all that she’s done for her homeland and charity.
It’ll be hilarious when none of the contestants choose Shakira as a judge. Seriously, what kind of idiot would want her molding their career? She’s a total nobody who has had a lucky couple of random hits over the years, and she “sings” horribly. Xtina should be insulted by her replacement.
And btw, can she even speak & understand English adequately yet? The last time I saw her give an interview a few years ago she was still struggling with the language.
I love Xtina and she is the better singer and more successful but shakira is hardly a nobody, she’s sold like 50,000,000 records.
I would agree with you if she were hosting South American Voice. But in the US market she’s pretty irrelevant and is only truly known here because of her rump shaking.
I don’t usually watch the show, but Shakira is intelligent and articulate. I think she’ll make a very good and interesting judge.
I’m just happy that Christina will be OFF the show, yay! Usher will be a good pic, and probably Shakira,too. What I don’t like about the show is the way the chairs are turned away from the performer, and the way they only turn them back if they approve….I’m much more in favor of the format used for X-factor or American Idol.
Aren’t the turned away chairs the whole point of the show, so the judges can hear the vocal quality of the singers without being influenced by their appearance?
We already have A.I. and X-Factor. There’s absolutely no need for a third show that uses the same format, which makes fun of auditioners who can’t sing (and have no business being there) and which spends too much time on backstage drama between contestants.
Amen.
the man and i actually enjoy the heck out of the show, i think the draw is the dynamics of the judges. and there is a noticeable difference in christina – i’m giving her the benefit of the doubt and hope she saw what a major beeyotch she was on replays, so she’s being extra sweet this time around.
Um… Isn’t this just them taking a break for one season because the network wanted to film the next two back to back and Xtina and Cee Lo have other commitments?
Anyway Xtina’s single is actually racing to the top of Itunes and the video clip is causing a big stir so she’s actually doing well, and lets not put her in the same category as JLO, Christina had ONE flop album that she barely promoted while JLO’s last 3 or 4 albums have been flops with her busting her ass to sell then, pluss Xtina can sing.
P.S how is anybody still buying into “everyone hates christina, they’re gonna fire her” bs when she’s been signed up for more seasons with way more money?! lmao
Something I noticed…
Christina – ““[I thought], ‘It’ll keep me close to my son [Max, 4] in L.A. I don’t have to travel,” the five-time Grammy Award winner said. “Then it kind of took off, and there goes my free time!”
So she didn’t get to spend as much time with Max as she hoped (because the show took off). But *now* she’s not currently on the show for a whole season, but now are rushing out to go touring & promoting a new album?
How is that spending any time with her son? I’ll bet she’s going to have so much free-time to spend with him on tour. Her child is freaking 4 years old. He needs to see his mother & spend time with her. This just make it look like her career takes first place…
(Can’t stand this woman.)
omg get a grip… she never said she doesn’t spend time with her son, she just meant the show took up more time than she was expecting. She gets seen with her son all the time, lives with him and she can take her son on tour with her he’s a child. Would you be bitching about a woman who goes to work in a supermarket with a kid? doubt it.