Reba McEntire Physically ‘Can’t Be a Mean Judge’ on NBC’s ‘The Voice’

For Reba McEntire, joining NBC’s ‘The Voice’ as a judge after Blake Shelton’s departure adds a layer of “pressure” to the gig. “Nobody can replace Blake Shelton. He’s a huge personality and a wonderful person.... I’m just getting in there trying to have fun and represent country music as best I can,” she told Newsweek’s H. Alan Scott. But if anybody can do that, it’s Reba McEntire, who hasn’t stopped making hits since she began nearly 50 years ago. Her next album, ‘Not That Fancy’ (which will also feature a book of stories and recipes), will feature her classic songs scaled back, more acoustic—or rather, not that fancy. “It brought out something in each song that you didn’t hear before. You really hone in on the words and the emotion of the song.” And that’s something McEntire has always been able to do. “I try to sing songs that will help other people while they’re listening to the music. It’s miraculous what music can do.” She says she appreciates performing more now. “To be able to do the music as long as I have, at the level that I’ve gotten to, I’m very grateful, very thankful and I have learned to enjoy it more.” Visit Newsweek.com to learn more about the podcasts we offer and to catch up on the latest news. While you’re there, subscribe to Newsweek’s ‘For the Culture newsletter. Follow H. Alan Scott on everything at @HAlanScott. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.