Gwen Stefani gave ‘90s music fans quite the thrill this spring when she reunited with her band No Doubt for the first time in nine years to play Coachella. However, anyone hoping that they might get to see “Don’t Speak” or “Just a Girl” live as part of some kind of reunion tour was likely disappointed when it was announced that Stefani would instead return for her eighth season as a coach on The Voice. According to reports, the ska singer chose the singing competition over the band, and her NBC paycheck might have played a big part in that decision.
Why Did Gwen Stefani Return To The Voice Instead Of Touring With No Doubt?
As it turns out, Coachella wasn’t supposed to be a one-and-done gig, according to a source for The Sun. The esteemed music festival was intended to be the first hit of nostalgia to kick off what would have been the band’s first tour in 12 years. The insider said:
No Doubt’s triumphant Coachella performances was discussed as a relaunching pad for the band. They worked so hard for months to deliver the perfect show and return the magic to the audience. The desire initially was Gwen and the band to use that platform to keep playing beyond Coachella on a tour, but the plan fell apart. But there was talk of tensions between members and managers around going back out and trying to work around everyone’s schedules.
Despite No Doubt fans clamoring for more from the “Hella Good” rockers, Gwen Stefani reportedly had a big offer from NBC to return to The Voice, and amid the scheduling struggles, she went back to the Big Red Chair.
How Much Does Gwen Stefani Make On The Voice?
If you’re thinking that NBC must have offered Gwen Stefani quite a bit of cash if it was enough to keep her from hitting the road with No Doubt again, you’d be absolutely correct. A source revealed to The Sun that Stefani will allegedly earn $13 million for her appearance on The Voice Season 26, where she’ll coach alongside Season 25 champ Reba McEntire and newcomers Snoop Dogg and Michael Bublé.
So how does The Voice coach salary compare to a touring rock star’s? Apparently $13 million is the equivalent of what the singer would have earned for two months on the road with No Doubt, and from an outsider’s perspective, it definitely seems like the singing competition would be the easier paycheck.
Now, that’s not a very rock ‘n’ roll reason to turn down a reunion tour, but we also have to remember that Gwen Stefani still gets to hit the stage quite often with her husband Blake Shelton. The two have even been known to duet on some of No Doubt’s biggest hits, so she’s still finding ways to scratch that live performance itch.
All hope isn’t necessarily lost, though. Gwen Stefani’s NBC comeback is just for one season, as The Voice has already announced that OG coach Adam Levine is returning with John Legend, Kelsea Ballerini and Michael Bublé to serve as mentors for the season set to premiere in spring 2025. Perhaps Stefani and No Doubt will do something then?
Regardless of how that plays out, stay tuned to the 2024 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming through the end of the year.
