Christina Aguilera Returns to 'The Voice' For $12 Million, Shakira Leaving?
Christina Aguilera will be returning to The Voice for the fifth season this fall.
Sources confirmed this week that the Your Body singer is set to make her return to the singing competition later this year. The Hollywood Reporter detailed that she would be returning to her role as the lone female judge after Shakira exits when the current season ends. Aguilera was an original cast member when the show premiered in April 2011. The fee for her return is allegedly $12 million.
Aguilera left the show last season to promote her album, Lotus. She last appeared on the show in December 2012 and called her departure bittersweet because the coaches had bonded as family. Adam Levine, Shelton Blake and Cee Lo Green comprised the original line up. Shakira and Usher replaced Aguilera and Green respectively for the spring season.
"When me and Adam [Levine] are on breaks backstage, you know, we're writing profanity with my red lipstick all over Blake [Shelton]'s trailer while he's napping inside," she said. "It's like we have definitely become like brother and sister."
At the time of her exit, Aguilera said she was an artist first and wanted to return her focus to making music. The 32-year old said she needed to zone in on her career and that doing so would allow her to be a better judge. She wanted to have more knowledge to share with young artists who are trying to break into the music industry.
"In order to be the best coach I can be on that show is to go out and be able to have the experience as an artist," Aguilera said. "Create new experiences for myself so that I can then come back to the show and share that much more."
When Aguilera left, she declared that door would remain open for her to come back. She relayed that The Voice producer Mark Burnett understood where why she made the decision to leave and connect with her fans one-on-one. Aguilera also discussed the possibility of touring but those plans never materialized.
"I have to feel creatively fulfilled in order for me to then do my job as a coach and be on that show," Aguilera said.
