After 23 seasons as a coach on The Voice, Blake Shelton couldn't be happier to take a break from Hollywood and return to his country music roots.
“I'm really, really glad I'm not going to be on a TV show anymore,” Shelton told People magazine.
“It was really great to get back into that mode of, 'Hey, I'm a country singer first.' That's what I left Ada, Oklahoma as a teenager, and this is what I'm going to be. , I never want to walk away from what I feel like doing.”
After announcing his departure, Shelton admitted that he had been itching to leave for a while.
“I think I was just about to have that day when COVID hit, and I didn't want to leave the show and put everyone in a bind because of COVID. I mean, this show. changed my life,” he admitted to “Today” host Carson Daly, who also hosts “The Voice,” in February 2023.
But Shelton says there are scenarios that are intriguing enough to keep him coming back.
“If they can get the original four coaches back together, maybe [I’d return] It’s one season, one time,” he said at the time.
“It would be fun for me…It's something I would love to do,” he said of reuniting with Cee-Lo Green, Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine.
Maroon 5 frontman Levin left the show after 16 seasons, but Aguilera and Green's tenures were much shorter.
In the meantime, Shelton is happy making country music again.
“Over the last few years, especially since I retired from 'The Voice,' I've been very careful and thoughtful about what I do next and try to make sure I'm doing the right thing. “I'm no longer just doing something because I'm on a hamster wheel,” Shelton told People magazine.
“When something like that happens, before you know it, you're like, 'Oh my god, where have the last 10 years gone?'”
Earlier this year, Shelton left Warner Music Nashville after 25 years and signed with BMG. Taking some time off allowed the musician to make a “big, big change” in his career and brought back his passion for making country music.
Shelton's latest single, “Texas,” was released on Friday.
“Honestly, it was just time for a new chapter, and I'm ready for it,” he told the outlet. “When I first started down this path, this song came to mind. There was something familiar about it, but also something that felt like a step forward. At the back of my mind is: What am I not doing so that people don't think, 'What does he think he's doing?'
Although Shelton is returning to his roots, he maintains that his experience on “The Voice” changed his life.
“It was the biggest and most important career move of my life. I'll always be grateful for that and everyone who worked on that show helped get me this far.” he said.
Blake's decades of appearances on singing competition shows also led him to meet his wife, Gwen Stefani. Stefani's latest album, “Bouquet,” debuted on Friday, so she's also releasing new music.
“This is coming out the same day that my single is coming out, which is funny for both of us. I said, 'At least we're not going to compete on the album…but , I just want to take over the day for one day,” Shelton told People.
“We want it to be about our family so everyone else can take it back.”
Shelton explained that he has set some strict boundaries when it comes to work-life balance as he prepares to continue making music.
“It's probably going to drive my manager crazy and the people that work with me. I say, 'Okay, you guys booked me here and I have something to do, but leave me alone on my Fourth of July. “And then in the fall, I don't want to do anything. That’s where I come in,” he said.
“Of course there are always exceptions, but for the most part I'm able to set my own schedule. And after years of doing this job, I know the moments when I get extremely frustrated, so That's good. I'll keep it.”
Shelton's most precious time is watching soccer at home with his family. Stefani has three children with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale: Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo. Shelton has no biological children.
“I'm still a huge Arizona Cardinals fan. Last Sunday, I said to Gwen, 'I'm having a great day.' My family came and we cooked a delicious meal,” he said.
“My team won. It was like, 'I want to spend this day for the rest of my life just relaxing and watching soccer with my family.'
Despite Shelton's success, which includes six ACMs and 10 CMAs, he “lives a pretty simple life” these days.
