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The Voice fans may have John Legend to thank for Camila Cabello‘s spot on the season 22 coaching panel. Last year, Cabello served as an adviser to Legend’s team, giving Legend a chance to see how she worked with aspiring artists. Apparently, she did so well that the “All of Me” singer encouraged Cabello to become a coach if she ever had a chance. Now, she’s doing just that in season 22, which is set to premiere this fall. Here’s what Legend said about Cabello’s coaching this season.

John Legend and Camlia Cabello on The Voice Season 21
John Legend and Camila Cabello on ‘The Voice’ Season 21 | Trae Patton/NBC

Camila Cabello and John Legend worked together on ‘The Voice’ Season 21

Legend recruited Cabello to advise his team during the Battle rounds in The Voice Season 21. When she arrived on the show, Cabello and Legend discussed how she got her start: a singing competition, just like this one. Cabello was once a member of the now-disbanded group Fifth Harmony, which rose to fame on The X Factor in 2012. After her departure from the band in 2016, Cabello launched a successful solo career. She released her third studio album, Familia, this year.

“I would not be where I am today if I hadn’t auditioned for a show like this,” Cabello said. “It genuinely gives people an opportunity, which I think is so amazing and so beautiful.”

In a behind-the-scenes preview of season 21 with Extra TV, Legend said Cabello’s had “all the experience she [needed] to be the perfect advisor.”

“She has navigated a singing competition before and done very well on it,” Legend shared. “She was part of a group, and in this setting, where the artists are dueting with each other, that’s a very important skill to have. And obviously, she’s an incredibly successful artist and performer in her own right, and all the things she’s learned throughout these years are going to be so important for our team.”

John Legend encouraged Camila Cabello to coach on ‘The Voice’ if the opportunity ever came

Now, it’s time for Cabello to graduate from adviser to coach in The Voice Season 22. Earlier this year, NBC announced the singer would replace longtime coach Kelly Clarkson, who decided to spend this summer away from work obligations and with her family. She joins Legend, Blake Shelton, and Gwen Stefani on the coaching panel.

As it turns out, Legend might be partially responsible for Cabello coming back as a coach. In a recent interview with NBC Insider, the La la Land star said he encouraged Cabello to think about coaching.

“She was on Team Legend as my celebrity guest mentor, and I could tell she was really good at it,” he shared. “In fact, I told her, ‘If a coach opening ever comes up, you should do it because you’d be great at it.'”

Now, though, Legend might be regretting his words a bit. The Voice Season 22 has already started filming, and it sounds like Cabello has already proven herself to be a “tough to beat” competitor.

“I’ve made it harder for myself by allowing her to be my competition,” Legend added. “And now, she’s coming for the crown. We all should look out.”

Camila Cabello is already making friends on the coaching panel

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Even though it’s a tough competition this year, Cabello is already bonding with her fellow coaches. Stefani recently gushed about the newcomer to NBC Insider, revealing that they’ve become fast friends.

“She’s smart, cute, funny, witty, hardworking, smart — I said that already,” Stefani explained. “I think she’s gonna be a great coach. We had a great time doing the Blinds together, and I’m excited that she’s here and I have a new friend.”

Or is this really a case of keeping friends close and enemies closer? Fans will have to wait and see for themselves how Cabello interacts with her fellow coaches. The Voice Season 22 premieres on Monday, Sept. 19, and Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

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