Last week, Adam Levine announced that he was leaving The Voice after 16 seasons and people immediately began speculating. Rumors swirled that his departure was in response to a bunch of rule changes that went down behind the scenes, including one that was implemented after season 15 that stopped coaches from automatically going to the Live Playoffs with the same number of team members. That particular rule change left Levine without any singers by the semifinals and made him “very difficult” during the taping, according to Page Six. However, Kelly Clarkson suspects there's a different, more benign, reason Levine is leaving: his family.
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The singer spoke to Extra before the Indy 500, saying that she "found out the night before everybody else found out" and that it was "kind of a shocking thing."
"But I kind of get it," she continued. "He’s been doing it for eight years — that’s a long time. He’s got a couple kids. Still has a career. Still touring. It’s a very rigorous schedule fitting everything in."
As for Clarkson, "it’ll be weird going to work," but she'll likely have just a great of a time with Levine's replacement, Gwen Stefani. After all, she's not a new face to the program. In addition to dating fellow coach Blake Shelton, she also coached seasons 7, 9 and 12.
In a lengthy goodbye to the show on Instagram, Levine called the show a "life shaping experience that will be close to my heart forever" and thanked everyone involved.
"To all of the loyal Voice fans, there’s literally no show without you guys," he continued. "For me, it was time to move on. Your support has meant EVERYTHING."
Season 17 of The Voice returns later this year with Clarkson, Stefani, Shelton, and John Legend as coaches.