(Reuters) – Pop singer Shakira will leave NBC’s television singing competition program “The Voice” after only one season as a judge in order to spend more time with her family.
The Colombian singer told entertainment news outlet “Access Hollywood” after Tuesday’s episode of “The Voice” that she wanted to spend more time with her infant child and finish up a new album.
“Not for next season,” Shakira, 36, said when asked if she was coming back.
“I was really struggling with the fact that I had to leave my nest with my little baby,” she added. “So now I need to stay with him for a little bit and also work on my next album. You never know, maybe (I will be back) for the future seasons.”
Singer Christina Aguilera is expected to rejoin the show’s panel of four judges in the fall after a one-season hiatus.
Shakira and R&B singer Usher were added as judges this season, replacing Aguilera and singer Cee Lo Green, who had been on the panel along with country singer Blake Shelton and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine since “The Voice” began in 2011.
The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer gave birth to son Milan in January, the first child for her and her partner, Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique.
“The Voice,” which averages an audience of 14 million viewers for its two weekly episodes, will finish its current season on June 18.
NBC is owned by Comcast Corp.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey in Los Angeles Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Leslie Gevirtz)
