Nearly 20 of Cee Lo Green‘s former “Voice” team members will participate in his Christmas TV special to help publicize his upcoming holiday album.
“I have truly kept my word and remained committed to everyone,” Green told a group of media gathered Friday afternoon on the NBC Universal Studios back lot, noting he had recently signed Juliet Simms to a management contract. “I’m actually doing a Christmas special — next week I’m filming. And so I’ve invited about, I think it’s going to be 19 in total. All of my people are coming from Season 3 as we stand, and I’m going back to Season 1, getting Nakia, Nicci, Vicci, Jamar, Cheesa.”
Green and Carson Daly, the host of “The Voice,” spent an afternoon fielding questions from the media in advance of the battle rounds that begin Monday on the singing competition.
NBC banned reporters from talking about or releasing any information about Monday night’s participants or repertoire, but Green was able to talk about what goes into building his team, whether it’s during the blind auditions or through the new “steal” portion of the battle rounds whereby a coach can add a disqualified singer to their team.
“I think that’s the only thing that has changed is we’ve grown and we’ve evolved over a period of time,” Green said. “It is so well executed and so well articulated. And even with the new additions that we’ve made to the system and how it runs, we even adjusted to those because they were very exciting and it kind of revitalized something that could become routine.
“Network television has a status quo that must be met at all times. So sometimes it can feel like a box to be in. But here, it’s very lively and energetic and very liberal in the way that they allow us to be alive and advocate that organic energy there.”
So far this season, Green has been the low-key member of the coaches’ crew when it comes to campaigning to get a singer to join his team. Once “the steal” is introduced, coaches will again find themselves vying for a singer to move over to their teams. Does Green change anything to sway a singer?
“I’m looking for a certainty of self and I’m looking for someone to be mindful enough and present enough in their own life and career and aspiration to know exactly what they want,” Green said. “I kind of only want who wants me. And you can kind almost see the similarities and likeness in these different pairings. So, my group of people, they do kind of resemble me. But sometimes, something out of the ordinary, something extraordinary will happen in an artist or in a performance that everybody’s compelled to get the fortune, turnaround, and everybody wants it. You have to sell it a little bit harder.”