Queen Latifah Will Be a Coach on Season 30 of ‘The Voice’
The Voice will return in the fall for its 30th season, but there will be one major change to the rotation of judges. Queen Latifah is joining the long-running singing competition as a coach. This will be her first permanent foray into the competition world. Here’s everything you need to know about her addition to the show, who she’s replacing, and the rich history of coaches who have occupied the spinning red chairs.
Queen Latifah will become the newest ‘The Voice’ coach
This week on Instagram, NBC made things official. The network announced the addition of the Grammy-winning singer and actress as the next great coach to grace the beloved stage. The network wrote, “Royalty has entered the stage. Welcome, Coach Queen Latifah, to The Voice.”
Season 30 of The Voice will be Queen Latifah’s first time on the beloved series, but she has a bit of competition experience under her belt. The New Jersey native previously served as a guest judge on America’s Got Talent. Despite that, she feels like the perfect addition to the team, considering her tenure as hip-hop royalty.
Queen Latifah dropped her first album in 1989. In 1993, she followed that up with a history-making album, all before she was 25. She appeared in the beloved TV series Living Single before moving onto the silver screen, even earning an Academy Award nomination in 2002. Queen Latifah has done it all and has plenty of experience and knowledge to share with the contestants she picks.
Who is she replacing?
While Queen Latifah’s joining The Voice is happy news, it is a bit bittersweet. Her stepping into a coach’s seat means someone has vacated one. So, who is she replacing? Queen Latifah will be filling the seat formerly held by John Legend.
Legend has stepped in and out of the spotlight on The Voice a few times since his inaugural season back in 2019. He won the competition once. Legend is stepping away to focus on his tour and other commitments. While he hasn’t announced plans to return at some point, it seems likely that he could if he so chooses.
Latifah isn’t the only new coach who will be filling Legend’s shoes. In addition to Queen Latifah, Riley Green will also join the cast. The country music star and the hip-hop pioneer will be helping return the series to its traditional four-coach setup.
The Coaches Who Came Before
Queen Latifah is a huge “get” for the competition show, but it should come as no surprise that the music icon would sign on to the series. Over the years, The Voice has built one of the most impressive coaching rosters in reality TV history. A-list stars like Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Reba McEntire have graced the stage.
Christina Aguilera was one of the original four coaches alongside Shelton and Levine. She stayed through the first three seasons and then returned for Seasons 5, 8, and 10, winning the show once. Other memorable coaches have included Usher, Alicia Keys, Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, Gwen Stefani, Shakira, and Jennifer Hudson.
Season 30 of The Voice is expected to premiere this fall on NBC, and it promises to be a good one. Adam Levine is riding high as the reigning champion. Kelly Clarkson, returning for her 10th season, is likely looking to be vindicated, while newcomers Riley Green and Queen Latifah will be looking to make their marks as rookies.
