It looks like Jennifer Hudson won’t be sitting on the American Idol judges panel next year! She’s set to coach season 13 of The Voice along with Miley Cyrus this fall. Additionally, Shevine fans rejoice! Veterans Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have also signed on for another cycle. Here’s the announcement from NBC:
Oscar, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson will join Miley Cyrus, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton as a coach on season 13 of NBC’s three-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series The Voice.
The 13th season will begin this fall.
“Jennifer is an extraordinary vocal talent and one of the premier voices of our time. She embodies the experience, expertise, positivity and sheer talent that The Voice stands for,” said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment. “Her exceptional skills as a singer and actress have extended to film, television and Broadway, which makes her an incredible addition and a natural fit for our show.”
Hudson recently released her new single, “Remember Me,” which she co-wrote with Jamie Hartman.
Hudson is a passionate fan of The Voice having served as a coach on the U.K. version earlier this year and winning her first season on the series.
Last December Hudson starred as Motormouth Maybelle on NBC’s Hairspray Live!,”where she gave a powerful rendition of “I Know Where I’ve Been,” for which she received rave reviews.
Hudson’s incredible vocal talents were first recognized with her appearance on the third season of American Idol in 2004, where she impressed both the show’s judges and a national TV audience. Her first album, “Jennifer Hudson,” debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 Chart and sold more than 500,000 copies in the U.S. through its first six weeks of release before being certified gold. The album was nominated for four Grammys and won for Best R&B Album.
As the press release mentions, Jennifer coached The Voice UK earlier this year. Her team member, Mo won the season. She outcoached the rest of the panelists–Tom Jones, Gavin Rossdale and Will.i.am. Ran circles around them, actually. She was an enthusiastic and entertaining presence. I’m not surprised at all that NBC nabbed her for a season.
I wonder if The Voice will ever produce an alum famous enough to eventually sit on the panel? Jennifer Hudson is the first singing show alum to coach on The Voice US. Kelly Clarkson, who is rumored to be joining ABC’s American Idol reboot next year, was a Blake Shelton mentor on The Voice season 2.
