Director's Cut Blog with Frank Macek

Ricky Manning (Courtesy: NBC) A contestant with Northeast Ohio ties has survived the blind auditions on "The Voice" and will be competing on team Pharrell. Ricky Manning, 19, said he took a year after high school to concentrate on music and has been performing on the streets of New York City. He told judges he is currently living with his father in New Jersey and before that had lived in Cape Coral, Fla., with his mother. Manning told WKYC he was born at an Akron hospital and was raised in Medina. Even thought his family moved to Florida when he was in the third grade, Manning said he still has strong family ties to Northeast Ohio. Both of his grandmothers still live in Medina. Click to see our 11 p.m. live interview:

Special to the Director's Cut Blog By Bill Keveney, USA TODAY The star constellation is shifting at The Voice. Usher and Shakira will join the NBC singing competition as coaches for spring's fourth season, taking the place of Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green, who will take that cycle off. Aguilera is releasing a new album and going on tour, while Green is developing new music and a scripted series for NBC based on his life. Current coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will be back for Season 4. "We are thrilled to welcome Usher and Shakira," NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt said in a statement. "Doing two back-to-back cycles of this show requires a tremendous amount of time, and we are happy to accommodate the commitments made by Christina and Cee Lo. The participants on our show benefit from our coaches' expertise and their continued success in the music business allows for significant contributions to the contestants."...

Special to the Director's Cut By Lynn Elber, AP Television Writer NBC says "The Voice" is teaming a crooner and a country singer for the show's new season. The network said Monday that Michael Buble will serve as adviser to coach Blake Shelton's team of contestants when the singing contest returns in September. Buble, who described himself as a "big Blake fan," said he's having a terrific time working with Shelton and his singers. Buble started taping his appearances on "The Voice" Monday in Los Angeles. NBC has yet to announce advisers for the show's three other coaches, Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green and Adam Levine. Kelly Clarkson, Jewel and Baby Face were among last season's advisers, guiding contestants in their choice of songs. "The Voice" is back for its third season Sept. 10.