Pharrell Williams to join NBC’s ‘The Voice’ in the fall

Maybe Pharrell Williams’ over-sized top hat is a good luck charm.

His album “Girl” is in the top 5 on the pop charts; his single “Happy” has sold more than 3.3 million downloads in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan; and earlier today, his latest single, a collaboration with Alicia Keys and Kendrick Lamar, was released online. Then this afternoon it was unveiled that Williams will be joining talent competition “The Voice.”

Williams will step into his coaching role in the fall, when “The Voice” returns for its seventh season. Williams has previously appeared on the series as a mentor for Usher’s team, and he’ll be filling a spinning chair long inhabited by Cee Lo Green, who announced in February that he would be retiring from the singing competition.

A press release said the full slate of fall coaches will be revealed at a later date.

Maroon 5’s Adam Levine and country star Blake Shelton have been constants on “The Voice.” The current coaching panel consists of Usher and Shakira, the latter rotating in for regular Christina Aguilera.

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Green said earlier this year that he intends to focus on a new album. The artist last released a proper solo effort of original material in 2010, “The Lady Killer.” The latter spawned the hit “Forget You,”as it was known under its radio-friendly title. Green did release a holiday album in 2012, “Cee Lo’s Magic Moment.”

“I have so many other things I want to do,” Green said. “I haven’t released an album in four years. I’m almost done with an album.”

Williams’ “Girl” has sold more than 192,000 copies in the U.S. since it was released March 3. The artist will be appearing at both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in the desert city of Indio in April. He’s also on the June 1 Hollywood Bowl bill with Bruno Mars.

Williams is scheduled to be the musical guest on this week’s “Saturday Night Live.” Anna Kendrick is hosting.

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