Simone Biles to join Snoop Dogg as a guest mentor for an episode on
NBC's 'The Voice'
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[November 22, 2024]
By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Snoop Dogg and Simone Biles turned their Olympic bond
from this summer’s Paris Games into a new challenge: The superstar
tandem will team up on NBC’s “The Voice.”
Biles will join Snoop for an episode on the reality competition
television series, airing Monday. As a coach on the show, the rap star
enlisted Biles as a mentor in the playoff round to help advise five
vocalists who are vying for a spot in the live shows.
For Snoop and Biles, their pairing was a superb match for the sports and
music icons — who carried their effortless chemistry from the Olympics
to the TV set of “The Voice.”
“We were able to riff off each other and give the artists the best
insight going into the next round,” Biles told The Associated Press in a
recent interview with Snoop after both finished filming the episode in
Los Angeles.
“It was pretty easy, simple,” added Biles, the most decorated gymnast of
all-time who won four medals — three of them gold — at the recent
Olympics. “We’re both very mellow. But if we need to bring that energy
up, then we can. For us, it was about instilling confidence going into
the next week.”
Biles might be famous for her athletic prowess, but she was able to
relate to the music contestants — from one competitor to another.
“These are the learning steps: Learn, process, go back in and work,” she
said. “They all have the vocal talent. It’s about harnessing that,
knowing when to bring it out and which songs to sing and which genre you
fit in. And what you want your legacy to be. This is truly a special
show as well as the judging. They don’t get to see the physical
appearance first. It’s all off of ears, listening and putting their
craft together as well.”
Despite having different career paths, Snoop and Biles share a mutual
respect for each other’s ability to shine on the biggest stages.
“We have such diverse careers. But the things that we dealt with,
they’re dealing with now,” said Snoop, the ultra-smooth entertainer who
took on a starring role as a special correspondent in NBC’s
record-breaking coverage. He’s a coach on “The Voice” along with Michael
Bublé, Reba McEntire and Gwen Stefani, with each attempting to discover
and coach the next singing phenomenon.
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This combination of photos shows Simone Biles at the premiere of the
Netflix documentary series "Simone Biles Rising: Part 2" in Los
Angeles on Oct. 23, 2024, left, and Snoop Dogg appears before an NFL
football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans
Saints in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 19, 2021. (AP Photo)
Snoop said they felt the need to
instill wisdom and confidence in each participant.
“We have the best experience and knowledge to give to these
performers,” he said. “She’s a performer. I’m a performer. We’ve
performed under extreme conditions. We always do our best. But
sometimes things happen behind closed doors that you don’t know
about. So, we’re able to speak to those things and give them real
reassurance.”
During the Olympics, Biles and Snoop had a few viral moments. Both
caught up with each other to cheer on Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
during her 400-meter hurdles race; he gifted Biles’ father, Ronald
Biles, with a Death Row Records gold necklace for his 75th birthday;
and he was spotted dancing in the crowd during the women's
gymnastics qualifying round as Biles and her teammate Jordan Chiles
joined in.
While on set, Biles was often all smiles while watching Snoop in his
charismatic element.
“I knew Snoop would stay true and authentic to himself here on ‘The
Voice.’” she said. “It’s nice that you don’t have to fit a mold.
There’s a space for everyone.”
Snoop said it made sense for both to work together on the episode.
“This is family. It feels good,” Snoop said. “(Biles) can do
anything she wants to do. She picks and chooses what she wants to
do. We’re at that point of our careers right now. It has to feel
good. It can’t be forced or I’m not doing it. Period, point, blank.”
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