Gwen Stefani: Relevant or Old News?

 Gwen Stefani Black and WhiteIt’s been officially confirmed that Gwen Stefani will be filling in on NBC’s The Voice for the 8 months pregnant Christina Aguilera. After surprising Coachella with a performance of “Hollaback Girl” along side Pharell she will be sitting beside him in one of those puffy red chairs. While fans of her pop persona are happy for this TV appearance, we can’t help but wonder if this is a last ditch effort to stay relevant.

No Doubt reunited in 2012 to release Push And Shove. While it received few negative reviews, the record wasn’t the smash hit it could have been. After announcing a hiatus in October 2013 it’s difficult to determine if the band’s leading lady is now trying to make another comeback in the pop-music realm. Are we about to see more Stefani solo work? Or is this the beginning of the end for her relevance?

No offense to reality singing competitions, but they aren’t known for the star power of their judges. Paula Abdul became more popular after Idol, while her music stayed just as insignificant  as it has been this side of 1991. If Stefani is trying to cash in on the success of The Voice, we wish her the best of luck. Because it’s not a sure thing by any means. For every Abdul, there’s there’s a Keith Urban with bleached hair wearing too many bracelets trying to out peacock J-Lo.

Whether she’s headed for the graveyard of obscurity or revived stardom, Stefani is trying to stay in the lime light. There’s no telling how The Voice will affect her career. But, we can say for certain that she won’t disappoint viewers of the NBC show. With per powerful vocals and years of experience she’s sure to be an asset to any contestants she coaches.

Here’s a No Doubt classic that never went out of style.

No Doubt - Just A Girl