No doubt: NBC confirms Gwen Stefani to join Season 7 of ‘The Voice’

Gwen Stefani may be “Just a Girl,” but now she’s the newest coach for NBC’s “The Voice.”

The network confirmed late Tuesday that the frontwoman for the band No Doubt will join the singing contest for Season 7, which is slated for a fall 2014 premiere. The move had been expected after reports leaked that NBC was talking with Stefani about taking part in the show.

Stefani will give viewers a taste of what to expect when she performs live on the May 5 telecast of “The Voice,” currently wrapping up Season 6. Pharrell Williams, previously announced as a Season 7 judge, will also perform on that telecast.

Stefani and Williams will join original coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Christina Aguilera, another original coach, will drop out for next season but come back for Season 8, NBC said. Cee Lo Green, the fourth coach from that initial team, told Ellen DeGeneres in February that he is “not coming back at all” to the show.

TV PREVIEW: Full coverage of the season’s shows

Stefani is likely hoping “The Voice” can spark a comeback -- much as it did for Jennifer Lopez on “American Idol.” The No Doubt singer hasn’t released a solo album since 2006. While the band did put out its most recent studio album in 2012 -- its first in 11 years -- it failed to go platinum, as three preceding albums had done.

Using a TV show to goose record sales has worked before, and not just for Lopez. Aguilera hadn’t had a Top 10 hit in years until she teamed up with the pop duo Great Big World for the 2013 ballad “Say Something” -- which she helped promote by performing on “The Voice.” The song peaked at No. 4 on the charts.

What do you think of Stefani and her new role on “The Voice”?