Jennifer Hudson Supercharges NBC’s “The Voice”

Season 13 of NBC’s hit singing competition The Voice debuts tonight with the first of its blind audition rounds.  Along with an amazing array of new talent, the coaching panel has a new face in its ever-rotating chairs with former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson.  She joins the U.S. version of the show fresh off a triumphant debut on the U.K. franchise, winning it with one of her contestants.  According to The Voice executive producer Audrey Morrissey, the addition of a talent as immense as Hudson will not only be good for the contestants this season, but a big benefit to the show.  “Jennifer Hudson is a force to be reckoned with,” she declared at special screening of the season premiere.

“She goes toe to toe with absolutely everybody,” Morrissey continued.  She’s obviously a world-class vocalist and all of these young artists know that.  They were all really happy to possibly have her as a coach.  I think she’s the first coach to have ever been a coach before, having just come off the U.K. version -- where she won!”

After seeing the first episode, it is evident Hudson is most definitely a powerful judge -- and a very entertaining one at that.  Morrissey attributes Hudson’s experience in the U.K. coupled with her post-Idol accolades (including an Academy Award for her performance in the 2006 movie adaptation of Dreamgirls) as a major factor in making her a natural for The Voice.

“Even though it’s her first season with us she’s won so many awards and she brings that element with her along with being a person who’s walked in [the contestants’] shoes,” she explained.  “She has that extra special ‘knowing’ of what they’re going through and I can tell you, that carries on throughout the season.”

Steve Gidlow

Steve Gidlow, a long-time columnist for MediaVillage ("Behind the Scenes in Hollywood"), has written about television and pop culture since 1994, beginning in Australia.  Since moving to Hollywood in 1997, Steve has focused on celebrity interv… read more