The Voice announced a huge shakeup in its coaching lineup Monday (May 15). The only thing more surprising than Reba McEntire replacing retiring coach Blake Shelton is that Kelly Clarkson is also leaving the show.
In an announcement made to social media, The Voice revealed that in addition to Reba taking Blake’s iconic red chair, John Legend and Gwen Stefani will return after taking a hiatus, and current coach Niall Horan will be back to assume his red chair spot.
Late last year, Blake Shelton announced that Season 23 was going to be his last. As the only remaining original judge, Shelton felt that it was time to hang up his coaching hat to focus on his family…wife Gwen Stefani and her three sons, Kingston, Zuma and Apollo.
The reason for Blake’s departure from The Voice is clear. But, why isn’t Kelly Clarkson on next season’s coaching lineup?
Clarkson, is wrapping up her ninth season on The Voice, has become a staple on the popular singing competition. She joined the show for its 14th season and occupied a coach’s seat through season 21, chalking up four wins before taking a break following her divorce from Brandon Blackstock. She returned for the current 23rd season despite her busy talk show schedule.
All smiles for #TeamKelly! Tune in to see the playoff performances tonight! #TheVoice pic.twitter.com/32wS9PrTFg
— Kelly Clarkson 🍷💔☀️ (@kellyclarkson) May 8, 2023
But, it may be the talk show that is forcing her to leave The Voice. The Kelly Clarkson Show has filmed in Los Angeles, near the studio where The Voice is taped, since its debut in 2019. It was announced last week that Clarkson is moving her show from California to New York City this fall.
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A spokesman for NBCUniversal confirmed the move saying that Clarkson’s show will be filming in front of a live studio audience in New York City’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza for its upcoming season.
‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ will be officially relocating to New York City this fall.https://t.co/RSQ6AsDtjA
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) May 8, 2023
The move is a long time coming for the American Idol champ who told Variety earlier this year that the only reason she lives in Los Angeles is because of work, and she would prefer to live somewhere else.
“It’s nothing against L.A. It’s just hard for me to be in a place that has one season. I love rain, and I love storms. I’m just from a different place,” Clarkson said. “It’s important to love your life – I love work and I love everybody I work with and I love my friends, but geographically speaking, that wouldn’t be my first choice.”
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The “Piece By Piece” singer also told the outlet that she has had a lifelong dream of performing on Broadway.
“I have dreams of maybe Broadway one day. And I have different dreams I’ve had since I was a kid,” she said. “I don’t know how it’s all going to pan out. I could do [The Kelly Clarkson Show] for years, if we’re lucky enough to have the legacy that these other people have. But at the same time, that doesn’t mean I can’t do Broadway in a summer. That doesn’t mean I can’t have that gypsy mentality and change it up.”
Kelly Clarkson hasn’t spoken publicly about her move to the Big Apple and decision to exit The Voice. But, with the move, it’s unlikely that Kelly Clarkson will return to The Voice. Instead choosing to pursue other career endeavors and bask in the glory of her Emmy Award-winning talk show’s success.