Blake Shelton is a country singer first, never wanted to stay in Hollywood

Although Blake Shelton was a coach on “The Voice” for 23 seasons, he couldn’t be happier that he’s distanced himself from Hollywood and returned to his country music roots.“I really, and I mean really indulged in not being on a television show anymore,” Shelton told People.“It’s just been great for me to get back in the mode of, ‘Hey, I’m a country singer first.’ That’s what I left Ada, Oklahoma, when I was a teenager to go be.

I never want to get that far away from what I feel like I meant to do ever again.”After announcing his exit, Shelton admitted that he’d been itching to leave for a while. “I think I was close to calling it a day right when COVID hit.And then because of COVID, I didn’t want to walk away from the show, and leave everybody in a bind.

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 is a scenario that would intrigue him enough to return.“If they were ever able to put together the original four coaches again, maybe [I’d return] for one season, a one-off,” he shared at the time.“That would be fun for me… That would be something I would be interested in doing,” he said of reuniting with CeeLo Green, Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine.Maroon 5 frontman Levine left the show after 16 seasons, while Aguilera and Green’s tenures were much shorter.In the meantime, Shelton is happy with creating country music again.“The last couple of years, especially since I’ve retired from ‘The Voice,’ I’ve just kind of been trying to be very mindful of the next thing that I do, be thoughtful about it and be sure that I’m not just doing things because I’m on the hamster wheel anymore,” Shelton told People.“It happens, and before you know it, you go, ‘My God, where have the last 10 years gone?'”Earlier this year, Shelton left Warner Music Nashville after 25 years and signed with BMG.

In taking so...