Jennifer Hudson to join 'The Voice' as a judge next season

Jennifer Hudson is joining "The Voice" next season as a judge.

The Oscar and Grammy-winning performer was announced as Alicia Keys' replacement on Thursday, and she'll join returning coaches Miley Cyrus, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton on the panel.

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"Jennifer is an extraordinary vocal talent and one of the premier voices of our time," NBC's Paul Telegdy said in his statement on Thursday. "She embodies the experience, expertise, positivity and sheer talent that 'The Voice' stands for. Her exceptional skills as a singer and actress have extended to film, television and Broadway, which makes her an incredible addition and a natural fit for our show."

The move comes a week after it was revealed that Keys would be temporarily stepping away from the show to focus on her upcoming album.

See photos of Jennifer Hudson:

Hudson joining the show is even more notable considering that she shot to fame as a contestant on former rival of "The Voice," "American Idol," which will be returning to TV with a new home at ABC.

The 35-year-old served as a judge on the UK edition of "The Voice" earlier this year. She won an Academy Award for her star-making turn as Effie in "Dreamgirls" back in 2007, and she has also won two Grammys.

The star took to Instagram once the news broke on Thursday to share a heartfelt message about her exciting new opportunity.

"In tears thinking of what this means and represents to me and knowing and walking the journey," she wrote. "Wow, who would of thought after being a contestant, that one day, I would be sitting in one of those chairs from the U.K. To the u.s! Only God!!!! Oh but I made it!"

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