As a mother of four with albums to promote, a daytime talk show about to launch and endless personal appearances, Kelly Clarkson gets why adding a coach gig on The Voice can be a lot for anyone. That’s why she told Extra that she totally understands why original red chair rambler Adam Levine recently split the show after appearing on all 16 seasons so far.
“I found out the night before everyone else found out. I was texting him and everybody else,” she said. “It was kind of a shocking thing. But I kind of get it. He’s been doing it for eight years — that’s a long time. He’s got a couple kids. Still has a career. It’s a very rigorous schedule fitting everything in.”
Clarkson will appear on this fall’s 17th season of The Voice alongside the only other OG coach, Blake Shelton, as well as John Legend and Levine’s replacement, returning coach Gwen Stefani.
Levine’s departure was announced on May 24 by Voice host Carson Daly, where he said it was the Maroon 5 singer’s decision to leave the gig. A day later, Levine posted an emotional farewell to the show, which he dubbed a “life shaping experience that will be close to my heart forever.” Clarkson made her comments over the Memorial Day weekend, at the Indy 500, where she performed the National Anthem.
Clarkson also said it’ll be hard to climb into her big red chair without Levine next to her. “It’ll be weird going to work. ‘Where’s Adam?’ But I totally get how busy it is trying to fit everything in plus having a family.”
