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  • 23
    Apr
    2013
    5:24pm, EDT

    Blake Shelton says 'Voice' judging panel chemistry is 'as strong as it's ever been'

    By Ashley Majeski, TODAY contributor

    When NBC announced at the end of last season that popular judges Christina Aguilera and Ceelo Green were temporarily leaving "The Voice" in order to pursue their own musical endeavors, viewers were skeptical the show would be as good with Shakira and Usher sitting in their places.

    Adam Taylor / NBC

    "The Voice" judges, from left, Adam Levine, Shakira, Usher, and Blake Shelton.

    On Monday, at a panel discussion for "The Voice" held during NBC Summer Press Day, mainstay judges Adam Levine and Blake Shelton revealed that they, too, were worried the new judging panel wouldn't be as good as the original.

    "I was a little nervous. [The show] was beating the odds," said Shelton. "It was a [successful] music talent show in a world where there's a lot of those. I never met [Usher or Shakira] before, and one thing you can't fake is chemistry. And damned if its not as strong as its ever been."

    "We were certainly curious to see what the chemistry would be when the new guy and gal came," Levine told reporters after the panel discussion. "I think that we're beyond happy ... It's obvious, too, if you watch the show that there's a lot of chemistry."

    Levine and Shelton weren't the only ones that didn't know what to expect in regards to the new format.

    "I didn't get any preparation for this show," Shakira told the audience. "I was thrown to the lions with no rehearsal time. There really was no guidance whatsoever. [The producers told me] 'just be yourself.' There are no poses here. It's just all about being spontaneous."

    Usher, too, remarked that he was worried about being able to find his place on a show that was already a big hit.

    "They didn't need us in order for the show to work," he said. "I was very proud of what I saw before [and] I brought years of experience and opinion ... being able to mentor other artists."

    Shelton had nothing but praise for his new co-stars, and the production team that chose them to replace Green and Aguilera after last season.

    "[Whoever] picked these two knew they weren't dealing with artists with egos," Shelton said. "They [are] really good people."

    From Usher's signature "one leg up" judging stance ("The network was originally against it," Usher told the audience. "[They said] we don't think that will read well. But it worked!") to the foursome's playful ribbing of one another, the new formula is certainly working, something executive producer Mark Burnett also attributed to the show's focus on keeping things fresh.

    "'The Voice' has clearly been claimed by young America. It's fresh, the music is current. [These judges] are current super stars," he said, slightly jabbing at other singing shows that use judges whose careers may be past their prime. "This is not their day job -- their day job is touring and making music."

    With all the talk about how great the new judging panel has been working out for the show, audience members were eager to find out if Green and Aguilera would even be invited to return next season, but even NBC doesn't seem sure on what to do. A rep announced during the panel discussion that no decision had been made yet in regards to who would be sitting in the judges' chairs for season five.

    Related content:

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    • 'Voice' coach Shakira haunted by cutting contestants: 'The guilt is overwhelming'
    • 'The Voice's' Christina Milian 'totally would audition' if she needed a big break

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  • 17
    Apr
    2013
    9:50pm, EDT

    Shakira sued for $100 million by ex-boyfriend

    By Bruna Nessif, E! Online

    Ethan Miller / Getty Images file

    Shakira and Antonio de la Rua in 2007.

    Shakira's ex-boyfriend believes he deserves a big payout.

    The singer and "Voice" coach has been slapped with a $100 million lawsuit in California by Antonio de la Rua, who claims that he built the "Shakira brand" and was brains behind her hits, "Hips Don't Lie" and "Waka Waka," according to court documents. 

    De la Rua filed the lawsuit on April 12, after initially filing a $250 million lawsuit against the star in New York last November. Shakira filed a motion March 28 asking the court to dismiss that lawsuit because they do not have jurisdiction over her and because de La Rua has failed to state an actionable claim. 

    LOOK: Shakira and her beau spotted with baby Milan at the airport 

    Shakira doesn't believe her ex-boyfriend is to thank for her success, and according to legal documents, the new mommy states that when she first met de la Rua at a concert in Argentina in 2000, she was "already a well-known and recognized artist with an established international career." 

    She does say that her former flame, who is the son of an Argentine president, was one of "numerous advisers," but it wasn't because of his vast knowledge of the business. In fact, the performer stated that "though he lacked experience or knowledge of the music industry," she decided, in 2005, at his request, she decided to involve him in some matters relating to the business because he "was unemployed." 

    NEWS: View the court documents 


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    After dating for a year, de la Rua's father "was forced to resign as president of Argentina at the end of 2001, for safety reason, plaintiff became self-exiled from Argentina and was unemployed," Shakira said. 

    But in the court documents de la Rua insists that her fame is partially due to him, saying he convinced the star to record "Hips Don't Lie" even though she "hated it" at first, and helped her land a $300 million deal with Live Nation in 2008. The docs add that he "inspired" Shakira to write her song "Waka Waka," which became the anthem for the 2010 World Cup. 

    De la Rue's attorney tells E! News, "We just want to have our day in court." Shakira's rep was not immediately available for comment. 

    --Reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum 

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  • 16
    Apr
    2013
    10:32pm, EDT

    Usher's bad luck continues on 'The Voice'

    By Craig Berman, TODAY contributor

    Trae Patton / NBC

    Usher's not having much luck beefing up his team so far.

    Poor Usher. So far in his first season on “The Voice,” he’s having a tough time even getting his second choice of singers, and the ones he did get aren’t making him very happy.

    For the second time in two nights, the coach lost out on a singer he tried to steal. After begging for Sasha Allen only to see her choose Shakira on Monday, he couldn’t convince Caroline Glaser to pick him over Adam Levine on Tuesday. And considering Blake Shelton seemed to be steering her toward Adam, now Usher has reasons to hold a grudge against all three of his fellow coaches, plus host Carson Daly.

    Caroline suffered an agonizing defeat to Danielle Bradbery, as ultimately Blake decided that he would look pretty dumb if he passed up on the teenage Danielle and she wound up being a country star. For those of you in “The Voice” pools, this just in: Blake will almost always pick the country artist if it’s close. And while Caroline’s voice is more unique and, as Adam noted, ethereal, the coffeehouse singer is unlikely to wind up sharing a bill with Blake in Nashville, so there’s less chance of awkward dialogue backstage.

    Watch on YouTube

    Caroline's defeat set up some drama among the judges, which viewers had to be thankful for because the rest of the night was a whole lot of dull.

    Adam pulled a veteran coaching move and started his sales pitch before the results were even announced. “Caroline, I’m an imbecile. I actually caught it on TV and saw myself not turning around and said, ‘What is wrong with you, you idiot?’ ”

    Then once Blake picked Danielle, both Adam and Usher pounded their buttons as if the result would be decided by the speed and power of their response. Carson let Adam speak first, causing Usher to stand up on his chair in protest that he’d pushed the button first. Sadly, we did not get the slow-motion replay to determine who, in fact, shot first. You know “American Idol” would have thought of it.

    “What you do just astonishes me,” Adam said. “I don’t know why I didn’t hop to it earlier, but I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to make that up to you if you come to my team. You lost the battle but you definitely haven’t lost the war.”

    Usher was unfazed. “I love your voice. I love the potential of what I can do with you. I understand who you are. I’m willing to set myself on fire.”

    “That was my line! I said that already!” Adam protested.

    “You said it but I mean it,” Usher retorted.

    Blake chimed in with his own thoughts. “Caroline is a singer-songwriter. That’s very important to her. Which one of you can coach her as that type of an artist?”


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    Adam took that to mean himself, and apparently so did Caroline. Usher was philosophical in defeat. “I gave it my best shot. I even stole one of Adam’s lines. But it didn’t work out for me.”

    Perhaps Caroline had heard stories about Usher’s coaching and shied away. He’s definitely more intense than the others, trying unique approaches to get the best out of his people, and is not afraid to challenge them in ways viewers haven’t seen from the others this season.

    Jeff Lewis found that out in his battle against Josiah Hawley. Usher wasn’t pleased that the waiter was laughing after a brutal rehearsal of “Roxanne,” and channeled his inner Joe Pesci to ask what was so funny.  Fortunately, tragedy didn’t ensue as it did in “Goodfellas,” but Jeff did lose what was the least impressive battle of the season so far.

    At least Usher has some more time to get his team in shape. And pretty soon, he’ll have more luck stealing people, if only because at this point, he’ll soon be the only one left who won’t have used up both of his opportunities. 

    Did Caroline choose the right coach? Did the right singers win the battles? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

    Related content:

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  • 15
    Apr
    2013
    11:42pm, EDT

    Shakira makes some fast steals on 'The Voice'

    Trae Patton / NBC

    New "Voice" coach Shakira wasted no time stealing talent from her opponents.

    By Craig Berman, TODAY contributor

    If you’re ever playing poker against Shakira, take note: She’s not afraid to go all-in before anyone else has had the chance to get comfortable.

    “The Voice” brought back the steal this season, with each coach getting two to use to take an opposing coach's losing singer in a battle. Shakira had used up both of hers by the end of Monday’s episode, so she’ll have to be content with sitting quietly the rest of the way while everyone else gets to swipe talent.

    Or, if she prefers, she can just take Blake Shelton’s advice after she moaned, “I never should have taken this job.”

    “Just drink, like I do,” Blake suggested.

    Shakira got started quickly, convincing Sasha Allen to pick her instead of Usher after Adam Levine declared Amber Carrington the winner of their battle. In the time-honored “What was Adam thinking?” gesture, both coaches pressed their buzzers about three words into Carson Daly’s speech about how the steal still existed.


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    And while obviously this is a TV show and the coaches tend to err on the side of creating drama, Usher seemed genuinely upset that Sasha dissed him for the second time. He pushed his button for her both at her blind audition and the battle round, and both times she rejected him.

    “I didn’t see that one coming,” Usher said. He also said he was “flabbergasted” and “mortified,” which means he must not have heard Sasha’s daughter screaming for her mom to pick Shakira.

    After selecting Garrett Gardner to advance past J’Sun in her own battle, Shakira raided Adam’s team again for her second steal, taking advantage of the decision to pit Judith Hill and Karina Iglesias against each other. The two big voices made the most of their time in the ring, bowing to each other at the outset and then doing their best to bring down the light fixtures. It definitely made for an entertaining couple of minutes.

    Watch on YouTube

    “That was not a great battle. That was the best battle I’ve ever seen on this show,” Adam said.

    Of course, while it made for good TV, that call also meant Adam got an earful from Blake, whose feedback concluded with, “The only negative thing I'll say is that Adam's really stupid for putting you two together.”

    Shakira also called the matchup “stupid.”

    “And that was all true. I’m a stupid person with bad ideas,” Adam said. But he picked Judith, and Shakira used her final steal of the season to nab Karina.

    Blake got the other steal of the night, swiping ex-gymnast Taylor Beckham after Usher decided she’d lost her matchup against Jess Kellner. Taylor has some potential, but she still has a lot of work to do. Moreover, she’s not a country artist, and Blake used that as his self-proclaimed tie-breaker when picking Holly Tucker and the Swon Brothers as battle-round winners for his squad.

    “The Voice” continues with the battle rounds on Tuesday, and we’ll see if Shakira sits quietly or takes Blake’s advice instead.

    What do you think of Adam's decision to pair Judith and Karina against each other? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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  • 9
    Apr
    2013
    11:24pm, EDT

    Shakira mocks Usher to complete her team on 'The Voice'

    By Craig Berman, TODAY contributor

    Mark Seliger/NBC

    Shakira had a little fun with fellow coach Usher Tuesday night.

    “The Voice” wrapped up its blind auditions on Tuesday, with each of the four coaches having one spot left to fill as the show kicked off. That gave Blake Shelton, Usher, Shakira and Adam Levine a difficult choice: Turn their chairs around early, secure their squad and then sit around bored stiff until everyone else finally got motivated to complete their rosters? Or wait around and hope that the next Justin Bieber walks through the door when each of the other judges had already fired all their bullets?

    Blake took the first approach, turning around in a nanosecond for Jacqui Sandell and then convincing her to pick him over Usher. And wow, was that a mistake. Not necessarily because better singers followed, but because the country star’s too antsy to sit around and twiddle his thumbs until everyone else was finished.

    So he spent the remaining 45 minutes of the episode (and goodness knows how long in real life) trying to convince the other three that whoever was onstage at that moment was the greatest performer ever, so they should turn their chairs around and let him get back home to Miranda Lambert as soon as possible.

    Adam Levine soon rounded out his own team by securing country singer Amber Carrington. With the veteran coaches both set, Shakira and Usher now had two voices urging them onward.

    “Buble! Buble!” Blake whispered to Usher when Dustin Hatzenbuehler took the stage. The hype didn’t work. The R&B star didn’t turn around, perhaps because while Dustin was pleasant enough, he was far from Buble-esque.

    Blake and Adam were moments away from asking to get their seats switched so they could be next to each other and at least play some cards while the newbies finished up, but Luke Edgemon got onstage just in time. He inspired both Usher and Shakira to turn around, and even got Shakira to do her impression of how Usher lounges around in his tilt-a-whirl chair. That broke the tie, and she got the nod.


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    Had the rules been different, and had Usher been smart, he could have used being the last coach left with an incomplete roster to his advantage. Imagine if he had stretched things out, forced singer after singer to take the stage as the other three judges started falling asleep. Surely they would have offered their top singers in trade just to end this phase of the competition.

    But instead, Usher caught a break with Jessica Childress, who surely would have caused multiple coaches to fight over her had she come around earlier. Because the hopeful came in so late in the blind auditions, he got her without a fight.

    Now, it’s on to next week’s battle rounds, where a bunch of these finalists will ask themselves the time-honored question: "What on earth was I thinking when I chose this judge anyway?"

    Which coach do you think has the strongest team? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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  • 8
    Apr
    2013
    11:47pm, EDT

    'Voice' coaches get strategic in fight for contestants

    By Craig Berman, TODAY contributor

    With the blind auditions winding down on “The Voice,” coaches Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Shakira and Usher can’t afford to make a lot of mistakes. As a result, Monday's episode featured even more gamesmanship among the four, with a lot of waiting around to see what everyone else would do before making a commitment.

    Trae Patton/NBC

    Coaches Blake Shelton, Usher, Shakira and Adam Levine consider hopeful Mary Miranda Monday night.

    That meant that top singers had multiple coaches to choose from … and that viewers got to see the difference between a sincere sales pitch and  “Well, I guess I have to say something, since I did flip my chair around.”

    Jeff Lewis got the latter after his audition earned late chair flips from Blake, Shakira and Usher.

    “Let me get my little thing in here because I’m screwed,” Blake began. In other words, you won’t break my heart if you go the other way.  

    After a similarly tepid response from Shakira, it was up to Usher to make the sale to a guy who loved him so much that he sang an Usher song for the blind audition.


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    “I’m not gonna say it will be easy. There’s a lot that comes with who I am. I just say it how it is, and I leave it to you to make the decision. If that’s what you’re all about, then come on over here, man,” Usher said.

    How’s that for love?! Well, it was enough for Jeff, who signed on what is likely to be a short stay on Team Usher.

    Next up was Shawna P, who got a chair flip from Shakira ... and what looked like the most reluctant buzzer-push in “Voice” history from Adam. The Maroon 5 frontman gamely (sort of) tried to woo her,  but Shawna bailed him out by choosing Shakira.

    Shakira also won Mary Miranda after token resistance from Blake and Usher. The Cuban native was a natural pick for the superstar, and the two guys looked like they pushed their buttons in order to push Shakira’s. (She mouthed something unkind to them when they joined her facing the stage.) Considering Miranda teared up as soon as Shakira started complimenting her, the choice was never in doubt.

    Watch on YouTube

    Other hopefuls caused the coaches to fight harder. Sasha Allen got all four to turn around within about 30 seconds, with Adam staring at her with undisguised longing and fascination. She chose him, causing him to exult in his success at the four-chair turnarounds.

    Blake had better luck with Grace Askew, whom he liked so much that he forgot to use his inside voice and shouted his praise like a guy who forgot there were microphones around. He got his wish, and Askew’s boots walked right over to Team Blake, though Blake was compelled to walk over to Shakira’s chair and give her a hug and a kiss for her vigorous efforts to secure Grace. Likewise picking the country star was Caroline Glaser, who impressed with her “Tiny Dancer” cover.

    Usher came through big on the last singer of the day. Despite the fact that Adam turned his chair around within seconds of Ryan Innes’ first note of gravity, Innes ignored his gut (which apparently wanted Blake), and chose Usher instead.

    “I think part of my winning is that I don’t oversell,” Usher said.

    This came seconds after telling Ryan, “You’re going far, man. You’re going all the way.”

    Then again, “oversell” is a relative term.

    Do you think any of the coaches made mistakes in turning their chairs Monday? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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  • 2
    Apr
    2013
    10:34pm, EDT

    Contestant shoots down Adam Levine on 'The Voice'

    By Craig Berman, TODAY contributor

    Trae Patton / NBC

    Audrey Karrasch wasn't shy about telling coach Adam Levine exactly what was on her mind.

    Blake Shelton went 1-2 on Tuesday night’s blind audition episode of “The Voice,” ending Adam Levine’s one-night run of stealing his country acts, but losing a former model to Usher’s winning smile.

    Ironically, the singer Blake liked first is the one who got away.

    Audrey Karrasch not only had the looks and the voice to succeed, she’s also got the spunk. Three of the four judges turned their chairs around for her, with Blake doing so a nanosecond after her first note. But when Adam, the lone judge to keep his back to her, tried to offer her advice, she shot him down.

    “You didn't even turn around. Why do you care?" she said, instantly becoming a fan favorite. Because who hasn’t wanted to say that to Adam, or any of the other judges, at some point this season?

    Audrey eventually went with Usher, but Blake had better luck with the final singer of the night.

    Watch on YouTube

    Savannah Berry got everyone but Usher to turn around with one of the most memorable vocals of a bland night. This time, it was Adam who was instantly smitten while Blake held off until late in the song. But when she cited Miranda Lambert as one of her influences, Adam closed his eyes and banged the back of his head against the chair. Not surprisingly, the 17-year-old who once sang with Sugarland went with Mr. Miranda Lambert.

    “It’s so easy. It’s just so easy,” Blake said. It was especially easy to predict because he hadn’t won a featured contestant yet on the episode, and the credits were about to roll.

    Aside from that, both Shakira and Usher were the lone judges to have faith in a particular contestant. Brandon Rouch won over the never-to-be-underestimated Colombian with his cover of “With a Little Help from My Friends,” while Orlando Dixon’s family sounded like they had already given up by the time Usher turned around his chair at the last minute.

    Memphis, Tenn., native Patrick Dodd went wild and crazy and sang Mark Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis.” His raspy voice compelled both Adam and Shakira to compete for him, with the Maroon 5 frontman taking the honors.

    “Shakira deserves him and you ought to be ashamed of yourself,” Blake told Adam.

    Agina Alvarez wasn’t featured, but longtime fans of the show will remember her from her failed audition a year ago. Her second chance (well, fourth chance if you count the two failed record deals that were discussed last season) paid off, and she’ll be on Team Adam this time around.


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    Betsy Barta wasn’t so lucky, as the street musician didn’t inspire anyone to pick her.

    With one more week to go in the auditions, Shakira has nine singers under her wing, with three spots left to fill. Adam and Usher each have eight, while Blake still has room for a lot of Miranda Lambert disciples as he has just seven of his 12 spots taken.

    Which hopeful was your favorite of the night? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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  • 25
    Mar
    2013
    11:58pm, EDT

    Usher gets a geography lesson on 'Voice' premiere

    By Ashley Lee, The Hollywood Reporter

    Adam Taylor/NBC

    New "Voice" coach Usher made a bit of a geography boo-boo on his first night of the show.

    Returning champion coaches Blake Shelton and Adam Levine welcomed single-name superstars Usher and Shakira to "The Voice" on Monday night, as season four began the Blind Auditions with banter, bribery and tear-jerking backstories.

    The new quartet of coaches began with a performance of The Beatles’ “Come Together,” further reiterating that this singing competition touts working musicians who each play instruments as mentors. As the only female coach on the show, Shakira knows she’s got big shoes to fill -- so if you miss Christina Aguilera belting on Cee Lo Green’s “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, Shakira makes up for it with...a harmonica.

    Meet the first additions to "The Voice’s" fourth season (and the ones who almost made the cut):

    The Morgan Twins
    Song: “Fallin’”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: All four. How else would the show kick off the blinds?

    The coaches had no idea that a pair of blonde bombshells in red cocktail dresses were standing behind them. But after one sister nailed Alicia Keys'signature opening, Shelton and Usher immediately hit their buttons, with the other two coaches following suit. “This is a dream come true for most...men,” jokes Shelton. “Like a damn Doublemint commercial!” Looks like being a two-time champion is a nice selling point -- the duo opts for Team Blake, even if it does get him in trouble with wife Miranda Lambert.

    Jess Kellner
    Song: “Can’t Help Falling in Love”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: Usher and Shakira

    Using music to heal emotional scars from an alcoholic mother, Kellner’s brassy tone and patient phrasing departed from typical "Voice" auditions. Shakira took a nurturing approach -- praising the “haunting” timbre of her voice -- but Usher simply smiled with his leg up on that rotating chair and let his sex appeal ooze out. Clearly, the latter approach works, as Team Usher gained a first contestant.


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    Mark Andrew
    Song: “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: Levine, Shakira

    Andrew -- a vocal blend of "Voice" alumni Tony Lucca and Nicholas David -- was hesitant to give music a second try, after two of his former band members recently passed away. After Shakira pointing out that Levine only won with a beginner’s luck that she now has (“Don’t be blinded by lust, my friend!” pleaded Levine), the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer successfully recruited Andrew. Looks like sex appeal won again, even when she’s pregnant!

    Janetza Miranda
    Song: “Titanium”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: none

    The Bachata singer who rocks bird call wanted Shakira to coach her to a bilingual musical career. After a shaky, nervous performance, the pitchy powerhouse is consoled with hugs from a compassionate Levine.

    Danielle Bradbery
    Song: “Mean”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: Shelton, Usher, Levine

    Bullied as a kid for having bad teeth, the 16-year-old stuck it to haters with the Taylor Swift song, and turned three chairs. While Usher tried bribing her with Justin Bieber meet-and-greets, he accidentally referred to the city of Nashville as a state -- a geography flub that must have cost him. Bradbery chose Team Blake, probably with hopes of following last season’s winner Cassadee Pope into the country music scene.

    Watch on YouTube

    Vedo
    Song: “Boyfriend”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: Usher

    With experiences of homelessness and a mother with stage-IV lung cancer, this R&B singer sang through the whispers of the Justin Bieber hit and received a standing ovation -- and his first-choice coach.

    Christian Porter

    Song: “Sexy and I Know It”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: Shakira, Shelton, Usher

    The bar musician (aka a champion of covers) took a creative risk and put a blues twist on the LMFAO hit that displayed his vocal range and got Shakira all hot and bothered. “The women were going so crazy, I really thought I was gonna turn to a stripshow!” said Usher, and Shelton scolded an audience member who shouted for Porter to choose Shakira. Looks like intimidation worked -- Porter then chose Shelton.

    Leah Lewis
    Song: “Blown Away”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: none

    Lewis was adopted from China as an infant and hopes to break the country music stereotype as an Asian American. Though the 15-year-old blew raw and untrained notes throughout the performance, there’s no doubt "The Voice" will be seeing her again. “if you’re 99 percent amazing and you’re fifteen, you have nothing to worry about, sweetheart,” said Levine as she left.

    Kris Thomas
    Song: “Saving All My Love For You”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: Shakira

    This pastor’s son fell into depression and alcoholism after losing a record deal, and got a wake-up call when he found himself drunk at the wheel. Only Shakira picked up on Thomas’ feminine timbre and controlled falsettos, while the other three coaches were surprised to see a man standing before them. “I wish I knew you were a guy!” shouted Levine with regret; “Women go crazy over a guy with falsetto; they love that,” Usher (who discovered Bieber) told Shakira.

    James Irwin
    Song: “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: none

    A carpenter whose twin daughters died only minutes after a premature birth, Irwin’s subdued performance didn’t turn any chairs. “Life, thank God, is full of second and third chances,” said Shakira to Irwin. “You should try it again, because you deserve to come back.”

    Judith Hill
    Song: “What a Girl Wants”

    Coaches Who Turned Their Chairs: All four

    The female duet singer and background singer set for Michael Jackson’s This Is It tour spent two months rehearsing with the legend before he passed away. Though offers poured in after she sang at Jackson’s memorial service, Hill said “it seemed like poor taste” and instead opted to try "The Voice" and put a soulful spin on coach Aguilera’s early hit. “You’re the first person who’s ever done a Christina song, and done it as well as Christina Aguilera,” says Levine. After plenty of four-way banter, Hill became Levine’s first contestant of season four.

    But all of this is only half the story -- the two-night premiere of "The Voice" continues Tuesday night at 8 p.m. on NBC.

    How do you think the new judges did on their first night? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

    Related content:

    • Blake Shelton: Usher is a 'thorn in my side' on 'The Voice'

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    Explore related topics: reality, voice, usher, shakira, blake-shelton, adam-levine
  • 28
    Dec
    2012
    7:34am, EST

    Did Shakira give birth to her baby, or did daddy Gerard Pique just prank fans?

    Scott Heavey / Getty Images

    Shakira and Gerard Pique.

    Based on his recent Twitter feed, FC Barcelona soccer star Gerard Pique has become a dad -- which means his girlfriend, singer and "Voice" mentor Shakira has become a mom. 

    But not so fast. Eagle-eyed fans will note that he made his announcement on Dec. 27 -- and Dec. 28 is a day reserved in some countries (such as Spain and Latin America) for jokes and pranks, like April Fool's Day.

    Check out the two posts Pique made:

     

    Initially the first tweet caused waves of interest from news outlets, but when Shakira herself failed to also tweet the good news -- and Pique went silent for the next 11 hours with no follow up -- it appeared that the news might be a bit premature. His most recent post, actually noting the "prank" day, seems to confirm that he was just joking.

    Still, a baby is definitely on the way; the couple, who met while Shakira was filming a video for the South Africa World Cup, announced via Facebook in September that they were expecting a child.


    Follow @ TODAY_ent

    "Gerard and I are very happy awaiting the arrival of our first baby," said the 35-year-old singer and new mentor on "The Voice." "At this time, we have decided to give priority to this unique moment in our lives and postpone all the promotional activities planned over the next few days."

    Looks like they'll have to extend those postponements a little longer.

    Related content:

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    Show more
    Explore related topics: tv, voice, shakira, featured
  • 19
    Sep
    2012
    6:38pm, EDT

    Shakira to her fans: I'm pregnant

    Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images

    Shakira

    By Us Weekly

    Follow @ TODAY_ent

    September has been pretty good to Shakira so far.

    Earlier this week, NBC announced the international superstar (along with Usher) will join "The Voice's" upcoming season as a coach. And on Wednesday, she took to her Facebook page to tell her 54.6 million fans that she and boyfriend Gerard Pique are expecting.

    PHOTOS: Celebrity pregnancies

    "Gerard and I are very happy awaiting the arrival of our first baby!" she wrote. "At this time, we have decided to give priority to this unique moment in our lives and postpone all the promotional activities planned over the next few days."

    Shakira, 35, has been dating the FC Barcelona soccer star for more than a year and a half; she officially confirmed their relationship in March 2011.

    VIDEO: See what Shakira thinks of Taylor Swift's impersonation of her

    Before meeting Pique, the Colombian-born beauty dated Antonio de la Rua for over a decade.

    Congratulate the couple on their happy news on the TODAY Entertainment Facebook page.

    More in TODAY Entertainment

    • 'Modern Family' star Ferguson is engaged
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    • Tori Spelling undergoes emergency surgery

     

    Show more
    Explore related topics: shakira, featured
  • 22
    Mar
    2012
    11:14am, EDT

    Dating Shakira could get soccer player kicked off team

    Getty Images file

    Singer Shakira and boyfriend Gerard Pique.

    By Courtney Garcia

    There are many ways to get kicked off of a professional sports team, but ... dating a celebrity?

    Singer Shakira’s swinging hips could become trouble for her boyfriend, Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué.

    Piqué plays for both the Spanish national team and for FC Barcelona, and Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is allegedly threatening to leave the team if the 25-year-old star defender doesn’t get the boot first.

    According to reports, Guardiola isn’t exactly thrilled with the influence of the Latin pop star on his player’s game, deeming Shakira “too big of a distraction” for Piqué.

    A headline on NESN.com calls Shakira the club's "Yoko Ono," and the story says problems began when Pique posted photos of himself vacationing with Shakira last summer.

    "In the pictures, he was white-water rafting; an activity not allowed by the team," NESN reports. "He had been late to training as recently as October and has consistently broken team rules.”

    Piqué may have nothing to worry about, as the team reportedly can replace the coach easier than it can a talented player. The soccer star previously proved his worth as a key player when Spain won the 2010 World Cup. He began dating Shakira that same year, and was featured in her World Cup-themed music video for “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).”

    Watch on YouTube

    Follow @ msnbc_ent

    Shakira confirmed their relationship via Twitter in 2011, posting a picture with the tweet, “Les presento a mi sol” (I present to you my sunshine).

    The couple has since been open about their developing fling, even caught in some very visible public displays of affection. 

    While some sports fans understand Guardiola’s attitude, others are saying this is all nonsense.

    “Guardiola has other issues in mind and I don't think he cares about who Piqué is dating, but it's true that Piqué is not playing well at all,” writes a reader going by naroa728 on MSN.

    Adds reader Jeremy, “The silver lining between where a manager involves himself in a player's personal life off the field is not always clear, and differs from every club. Should Piqué be allowed to keep dating Shakira and Barcelona go on to win the Champions league then Pep will be criticized for wanting to split the couple. Should Barcelona let go of Pique and they go on to have a great future without him then Pep will be thanked by all the fans and hailed as a great manager.”

    Watch on YouTube

    Should the coach be able to kick a player off his team if he feels his girlfriend is a distraction? Tell us on Facebook.

    Related content:

    • Hanks to O'Reilly: Sorry about blackface joke
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    17 comments

    Soccer, or sex with Shakira. Hot, sweaty, messy sex. Yeah, go ahead and fire me, douchebag.

    Show more
    Explore related topics: music, shakira, featured

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Ashley Majeski, TODAY contributor

Ashley Majeski is the founder of TheAshleysRealityRoundup.com and is a regular contributor to TODAY.com. She is the co-author of "Teen Mom Confidential."

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