![Kelly Clarkson Reveals Why She Really Took a Break From ‘The Voice’](http://townsquare.media/site/252/files/2022/08/attachment-kelly-clarkson.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Kelly Clarkson Reveals Why She Really Took a Break From ‘The Voice’
Kelly Clarkson fans were devastated when they learned the "Stronger" singer wouldn't be returning to her position on the coaches panel for Season 22 of The Voice.
But give the woman a break — and we mean literally.
The singer recently sat down with the TODAY show to explain why she took a break from the hit TV singing competition.
Speaking to Hoda Kotb and Carson Daly, Clarkson said she is finally taking some time off for herself for the first time since she was a teenager.
"I don't think it's maybe common for a lot of working people. You don't get summers off generally unless you're in high school. But I hadn't had a minute, and it's obviously been a rough couple of years," she said, acknowledging her divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
"So it was really important to me to shut down for a minute," Clarkson continued, adding she prioritized her family this summer.
Instead of sprinting through TV tapings, she and her family "literally four-wheeled in the mountains and walked."
"My sister, my nephew and I, and a couple of friends literally spent the whole summer in the mountains, just getting out in nature," Clarkson shared.
Clarkson also revealed she and her kids — River, 8, and Remington, 6 — were able to spend some quality time together visiting Blackstock in Montana.
"The kids were with me and their dad, and it was nice because they usually have to travel a lot because of our separation. We were both in Montana. I think my kids felt a little more centered as well. So it was nice," she explained.
While Clarkson's absence on The Voice will surely be felt, pop star Camila Cabello will be stepping in to fill the American Idol alum's chair.
The Voice Season 22 premieres Sept. 19 at 8/7CST on NBC and Peacock.
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