The Reason Gwen Stefani Is Leaving 'The Voice'

Gwen Stefani has certainly made her run on NBC's The Voice a memorable one. As a judge, she's been an amazing presence, bringing her unique rock and roll style to everything she does. She's been an invaluable help to many of the contestants on the show, and off-set, she happened to find love with fellow judge Blake Shelton. So why Stefani isn't a Voice judge anymore might be a surprise to many, but the reason for her absence is actually pretty great.

According to an interview with Extra, Stefani is leaving the show as a judge in order to focus on her career. Said the singer, "What am I gonna do? I'm gonna put out my record and do some shows." Knowing that her time away from the judging chair will be spent creating some musical gifts for her fans, like her just-released, highly acclaimed album This is What the Truth Feels Like , certainly takes some of the sting of her absence away.

Still, it hurts to see her leave the show. Luckily, fans will have another phenomenal blonde powerhouse to stand in for Stefani while she's off being a rock goddess. Christina Aguilera will be returning to The Voice as a replacement for Stefani, and viewers of previous Voice seasons already know the greatness — and plenty of gif-able moments — that she brings to the table.

But for those upset about not seeing Stefani on The Voice ever again, fear not. The singer will be returning this season, just not in the capacity of judge. Instead, she will be making Shelton's team stronger by serving as an advisor/mentor for Team Blake. The other coaches better watch out this season, because Shelton might be unstoppable with his talented girlfriend helping his team along. He's gunning for another win, and with Stefani on-board, he's certainly on the path to getting it.

And in the meantime, fans will get to keep hearing how much Shelton is going to miss Stefani being a constant presence on the show. In the Extra interview, Shelton admitted, "I don’t want Gwen to not be on the show. Why can't we have a fifth coach?” Aww. How sweet is that? The duo's love story is one of the best things to come out of The Voice.But Shelton brings up a good point — why can't there be a fifth coach? I know that I, at least, would want to see a show featuring both Stefani and Aguilera. Those two ladies would kill it together, and their dynamic would be so fun to watch every week.

Yet no matter what happens later on, it's good to know that for now, Stefani will be busy doing what she does best: making music and helping her fellow musicians find victory.