Fans of NBC’s hit singing competition “The Voice” will get all four of their favorite judges back in their spinning chairs for season two. They will also get Carson Daly along for the ride, as the show’s host. So who’s not returning to the ranks of “The Voice” cast? Announced on October 27th, recording artist Christina Milian will become the show’s new Social Media Correspondent, replacing Alison Haislip.
While Haislip projected a certain digital savvy, it seems that NBC has decided to bring even more music credentials to its show’s staffing. Boasting her “extensive musical background,” network executive Paul Telegdy said that Milian is the “perfect choice” for the role, bringing a new “comfort level” to the competing artists.
It is true that there was a certain manic energy from Haislip as the first season’s social media guru, but the professional host from G4’s “Attack of the Show” had to forge a new hosting role never really seen before in music competitions. While Milian brings a sensitivity to the challenges of musical performance, she may not be able to juggle the demands of promoting social networks and conducting interviews in short, sometimes awkward transitional moments during the show.
Regardless of her ability to handle the hosting position, there is no doubt that the Grammy nominated singer knows that a show like “The Voice” can catapult star power and album sales. The collaboration between judges Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine led to one of the biggest singles of the year, “Moves Like Jagger.” “American Idol” revitalized Jennifer Lopez’s career and put her back on the top of the charts. Christina Milian can use her presence on “The Voice” to re-introduce herself to the world after a 3-year hiatus from releasing music.
The second season of “The Voice” finds itself up against “American Idol,” as well as entrenched in the regular television season. While the show was a massive summer hit for NBC, the network is clearly trying to up its game in order to ensure similar success when vying against much stronger competition. Replacing Haislip — a relatively unknown name with less than 100,00 followers on Twitter — with a hip, young recording artist with almost 3 times as many followers is one way in which the network can attempt to ensure its success.
The show will premiere following the 2012 Super Bowl on February 5th, 2012, and fans will see how the new host handles her new role.
