UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — March 31, 2014 — Grammy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Pharrell Williams has signed on as a coach for the upcoming seventh season of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning musical competition series “The Voice.”
The rest of the coach line-up will be confirmed at a later date.
“It’s been a huge year for Pharrell, with recognition for his contribution in the world of music — the ‘Despicable Me’ franchise soundtracks, his Oscar-nominated song ‘Happy’ and his Grammy-winning collaboration with Daft Punk on the breakout dance hit ‘Get Lucky.’ His dominance in record sales in 2014, coupled with his incomparable accomplishments in the world of fashion and design, make him an irresistible addition to ‘The Voice’ family,” said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment. “He has already made a considerable impact as a mentor, drawing on an impressive track record as both a producer and performer. It is a perfect fit for ‘The Voice’ as we evolve and reach for new heights with this franchise. It feels like we are welcoming an existing family member home.”
Said executive producer Mark Burnett: “I am thrilled to have Pharrell come back to ‘The Voice’ family, and this time … as a coach. Continuing in ‘The Voice’ tradition of having the biggest and most current music stars as coaches, Pharrell fits perfectly.”
Pharrell, who was previously an adviser to team Usher on season four of “The Voice,” is a multi-platinum and international singer-songwriter, producer and fashion designer. He performed the hit single “Blurred Lines” with music sensation Robin Thicke last May on “The Voice.”
Pharrell’s most recent album, “G I R L,” was released on March 3. The critically acclaimed new disc, highlighted by the chart-topping and Oscar-nominated single “Happy,” debuted at #1 in the U.K., France, Switzerland and Belgium. The album also debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S.
“G I R L” — featuring duets with Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys, as well as guest appearances by Daft Punk, Miley Cyrus, and JoJo — has soared to #1 on iTunes in the U.S. and in more than 65 countries. In addition, “Happy” remains an international phenomenon, selling nearly 5 million downloads worldwide. In the U.S., the song tops Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for a third consecutive week, Billboard’s Digital Songs chart for a fourth consecutive week and Billboard’s Radio Songs chart for a second straight week. “Happy” also continues its reign at #1 on iTunes in the U.S. The song has topped the iTunes chart in more than 90 countries.
Earlier this month at the Academy Awards and before a worldwide televised global audience, Pharrell performed the Oscar-nominated original song “Happy” from the Universal film “Despicable Me 2.” The animated movie, from Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment, was a huge box office hit last summer.
Pharrell was a key contributor for the first “Despicable Me” as well. He wrote six of the songs for the film’s soundtrack and performed on four of them. For the sequel, five Pharrell-written songs appeared in the movie. For both films, Pharrell’s songs were nominated for highly prestigious Annie Awards, which recognizes the highest achievement in animated films.
As for the singles “Despicable Me” and “Happy,” both of which Pharrell wrote, Meledandri has previously said: “The role those two songs play in establishing Gru’s character and defining the tone for the movie is extraordinary.”
Pharrell is the lead vocalist and drummer for the band N.E.R.D. and is a partner in the record production duo the Neptunes.
“The Voice” is the #1 unscripted series on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox this season in adults 18-49 and the #2 entertainment series on those networks, averaging a 4.7 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49 with its Monday and Tuesday editions combined in “most current” Nielsen results. In total viewers, “The Voice” is up this season versus last by 9% (14.8 million vs. 13.7 million).
“The Voice” is a presentation of Mark Burnett’s One Three Inc., Talpa Media USA Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series was created by John de Mol, who serves as executive producer along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey, Stijn Bakkers and Lee Metzger.
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