COACHES SHAKIRA AND USHER RETURN TO JOIN ADAM LEVINE AND BLAKE SHELTON IN SEASON SIX PREMIERE OF "THE VOICE" ON FEB. 24-25

Emmy Award-Winning Musical Competition Series Reteams Season Four Panel

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Dec. 17, 2013 - NBC has announced that the Emmy Award-winning musical competition series "The Voice" will launch its sixth season with the return of coaches Shakira, Usher, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton in a special two-night premiere: Monday, Feb. 24 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT) and Tuesday, Feb. 25 (8-9 p.m.).

Reprising her role as a coach in season four, Shakira returns to share her expertise. Over the course of her career, Colombian singer-songwriter and Grammy winner Shakira has sold close to 60 million albums worldwide and has won numerous awards, including two Grammys, nine Latin Grammys, four World Music Awards, three American Music Awards and five Billboard Music Awards. Her collaborations with such stars as Beyonce and Alejandro Sanz have helped grow her audience and she is the only artist from South America to have a #1 song in the U.S. Currently working on a new album, Shakira has had four of the 20 top-selling hits of the last decade, more than any other artist. Tops on the list is 2006's "Hips Don't Lie," the biggest-selling single of the 21st century that reached the #1 spot in an astonishing 55 countries.

A natural born coach, Usher also returns to his red chair. He has been ranked by the Recording Industry Assn. of America as one of the best-selling artists in American music history, having sold over 50 million albums worldwide. He has won numerous awards including eight Grammy Awards and was named the #1 Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade. Billboard named him the second most successful artist of the 2000s decade, with his career-propelling 2004 album "Confessions" being ranked as the top solo album of the 2000s decade. Usher has attained nine Hot 100 #1 hits (all as a lead artist) and 18 Hot 100 top-10 singles.

Usher is also the last artist to reach Diamond sales in music history. He is currently working on his eighth studio album as well as filming the movie "Hands of Stone" where he will be starring as Sugar Ray Leonard opposite Edgar Ramirez and Robert de Niro.

Levine has been a coach on "The Voice" since the show's debut in April 2011. He is also the lead singer of three-time Grammy Award-winning band Maroon 5. The multi-platinum selling group's latest album, "Overexposed," has quickly reinforced the band's status as a powerhouse in popular music with all of the collection's singles quickly rising to the top of the charts. The third single off of the album claimed the #1 spot on both Top 40 and Hot AC radio charts. In the process, the band set a record for the most #1's (six in total) by a group in the Top 40 chart's 20-year history.

Most recently, Maroon 5 wrapped one of the highest grossing tours of 2013 with over $50 million in ticket sales. The band is currently in the studio recording a new album.

Shelton is CMA Awards' reigning Male Vocalist of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. With 10 back-to-back No. 1 singles (15 overall), Shelton is one of the "most versatile of contemporary country singers" (The New York Times). "Based on a True Story...," the CMA Awards' Album of the Year and Grammy Country Album of the Year nominee, has produced three consecutive No. 1 singles including "Mine Would Be You," nominated for Grammy Country Song of the Year and Country Solo Performance of the Year. His current single, "Doin' What She Likes," is the latest single off this celebrated artists' most successful album of his career.

"To a purist, Mr. Shelton is a savvy student of tradition. To a would-be outlaw, he's forever adding a wink. He's a star who is only as explicit as you want him to be," said Jon Caramanica, The New York Times. Shelton's passion for country music and his commitment to mentoring his teammates from "The Voice" make him an incredible ambassador for country music.

"The Voice" has averaged a 4.9 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49 and 14.7 million viewers overall with its Monday edition and a 4.5/12 in 18-49 and 14.0 viewers overall on Tuesdays, making it the #1 Monday and Tuesday series on the broadcast networks so far this season in 18-49, according to "most current" averages from Nielsen Media Research. The Monday "Voice" is also the season's #1 reality series and #3 entertainment show on the Big 4 networks in 18-49.

One Three Media (a Hearst | Mark Burnett company), Talpa Media USA Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series was created by John de Mol, who executive produces along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey, Stijn Bakkers and Lee Metzger.

For embeddable clips and more, please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/TheVoice.

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