Usher and Shakira Nearing Deals to Judge 'The Voice' Spring 2013 Season

Usher and Shakira are reportedly nearing deals to join The Voice for the Spring 2013 season.  Both Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera have voiced concerns about appearing on the show twice a year, leading to speculation that the show would employ a rotating judging panel.  Should be interesting!

Per THR, sources close to the show are reporting that R&B star Usher and "Hips don't Lie," pop diva Shakira are close to signing on the dotted line to join The Voice judging panel for the spring season.

Though we haven't heard much from Adam Levine or Cee Lo Green on the subject, both Aguilera and Shelton have made it pretty clear that they would like some time off from the hit show to pursue their own music careers.  As a result, executive producer Mark Burnett has suggested that the show may employ a sort of rotating panel of judges in order to give the current judges a break from the twice a year run of the singing competition.

It looks like at least two of the current judges are likely to take the spring edition of the show off.  What do you think of the potential new judges?

Usher certainly fits the bill as a "current" artist (plus he did discover the Biebs right?) and Shakira would bring some international flair to the panel, but both artists are at least as well known for their famous dance moves and pretty faces as they are for their voices, so I think they're an interesting choice for the show that is supposed to be looking for "the voice."

It should be interesting to see how much a refreshed panel will affect ratings, particularly when the show squares off against the revamped version of American Idol.