NBC’s ‘The Voice’: Gwen Stefani to fill Christina Aguilera’s chair in season 7

No doubt certain fans of “The Voice” out there are going to like this news: Gwen Stefani is going to be the latest coach joining the judging panel for what is a retooled seventh season of the show.

According to TMZ, Stefani agreed to join the panel after Christina Aguilera, who is currently expecting her second child, decided to bow out. The website reports that she will return for season 8, which is the biggest part of the report we question. Isn’t that the spot reserved for Shakira? The show has never had two female coaches on the show at once, and while it would be nice to see, there’s no confirmation that it would happen. You also would have to replace either Usher, Blake Shelton, or Adam Levine to make it work. (Granted, Blake or Adam could use a break after all the time that they have spent on the show already.)

Gwen is a great choice from the standpoint of casting someone who has a storied career in music and is a genuine household name. Given the level of star that Christina is, getting one of the typical reality TV names rumored out there wouldn’t have worked. She also has a history with fellow new coach Pharrell Williams, as the two parties performed her hit “Hollaback Girl” together while at Coachella earlier this month. It’s always better to have people who go in there knowing each other, given that it means instant chemistry and you have little to worry about from a friction point of view.

Now, this is where we turn it over to you. What do you think about Gwen joining “The Voice,” and do you think that she is a suitable replacement to Christina? Share your thoughts below, and click here to get more news worth singing about via our CarterMatt Newsletter.

Photo: NBC