USA Today (Feb. 24th 2014)
'Voice' coaches are tight but tenacious
They'll get along just great -- until it's time to sing
The Voice's coaches and host Carson Daly show a combative camaraderie as they tease one another during a break at a Season 6 "battle round" taping this month.
Usher draws "oohs" by mentioning Adam Levine's status as People's "Sexiest Man Alive." When Daly jokes that nobody knew Blake Shelton before The Voice, Shelton shoots back, "Well, I was never on TRL," referring to Daly's MTV show. After Shelton makes a funny gesture, Levine says, "When somebody is less mature than me, it's amazing." Shakira, between compliments of her colleagues, says "Adam is, like, 12, and Blake is, like, 11."
On camera, "the cordial, nicey-nice (of last season) is gone. It's full-on, 'What's your problem?'" Shelton says of this foursome's second season together, which begins tonight (NBC, 8 p.m. ET/PT).
That tenacity might apply to the singing competition's rise against American Idol, which has seen another sharp ratings decline in its 13th season. Emmy winner The Voice beat Idol last spring among young adults and trailed by just 5% in total viewers.
"Idol has launched so many amazing careers. I believe that's something we have to improve upon," says Levine, adding that The Voice's more supportive critical tone has rubbed off on Idol.
Daly defends The Voice's ability to give hopefuls music careers. "We never got together and said, 'We're going to make stars' Is (Idol's) Kelly Clarkson the only identifiable prism of success, or is Jamie Lono, who doesn't have to make sandwiches anymore? That's success."
When you were coming up, as 'Voice' singers are, who did you look up to?
Adam Levine (sixth season)
"When I was a kid, I loved Pearl Jam because they kind of stuck it to the man a little bit and did things their way. They did things on their own terms, and that was the way they had to do it. (Also) The Beatles, bands that tried different things and went in different directions and were unafraid to experiment."
Blake Shelton (sixth season)
"Growing up in Oklahoma, it was Reba McEntire. She was from the same area that I was born and raised, and just knowing that someone from a nowhere town in Oklahoma could go on and become Reba was inspirational."
Shakira (second season)
"I really didn't have a role model. I grew up loving alternative rock from Seattle, like Nirvana, and also classic rock bands like Zeppelin and Depeche Mode, which is, like, my No. 1. I knew that I was not going to become one of those artists" in similarity of style.
Usher (second season)
"Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway and many others."
What does the musical adviser you're working with bring to the show?
Adam Levine (sixth season)
"Aloe Blacc is amazing. What's great about him (is ) he's been doing this for a while, but he's just now breaking and making it for the first time, which is very inspirational for these guys, too, to see. That's a very valuable perspective to have."
Blake Shelton (sixth season)
"Being a solo artist trying to coach these artists through battles, my weakness is harmonies. I'm just not good singing them. So I wanted somebody that could help me divvy up those parts and be an expert. The Band Perry is a family harmony group with a lot of success and experience."
Shakira (second season)
"Miranda Lambert (Shelton's wife) is just one of the most down-to-earth artists I've ever met but also very knowledgeable. It's very refreshing to find such an expert, but at the same time (have her) be so humble about it, so unpretentious." Did she share secrets on how to beat Shelton? "Hell, yeah. I'm just not going to bring them out."
Usher (second season)
Jill Scott "helped me identify with some of the things that I would have never been able to explain" in advising female singers. "And she gave her perspective based off great musicianship. I had artists from different genres I'd never experienced -- country, rock -- and being able to have her to bounce ideas off of was 100% helpful."
What do you admire in one of your fellow coaches?
Adam Levine (sixth season)
"Shakira is one of the most unique-sounding artists. It's so distinguishable. I think that's really special."
Blake Shelton (sixth season)
"When Usher hits his button and the rest of the three of us hit our buttons, too, and he's just sitting there purposely not saying anything, just giving this (singer) the Usher eyes, it's absolutely devastating to anybody that tries to" compete for the performer.
Shakira (second season)
"I just feel so honored to be surrounded by these guys. They're so, all jokes aside, really talented and smart and hard-working. I think I'm working with the biggest stars on the planet, but at the same time, they are so cool to hang out with."
Usher (second season)
"Adam is witty, he takes risks, he's well-versed in many different genres of music. As for Blake, what an incredible personality. He's more of the authority, given that he's won this three times, but it never goes to his head."