Blake Shelton has been a coach on The Voice since the show first began.
He is the only original judge left, and many fans believe he is the face of the show.
While those fans might threaten to stop watching if Blake leaves The Voice, fans might have to accept that the time is coming where he will step away from the singing reality series.
What many fans might not have expected, though, is that he is already planning for life away from country music as well.
Blake Shelton already thinking of retirement from music
Blake Shelton released his first album in 2001 and the song Austin made him a huge star.
Since then, Blake has had 40 charted singles, with 28 of them hitting number one on the music charts. His 17 number one hits in a row was a record.
He has picked up nine Grammy nominations and ten of his albums received a certification, with two of them going double-platinum.
Despite this, Blake said he knows a time will come when people are no longer listening and buying his music.
He said when that happens that he plans to call it quits.
Blake was at the Country Radio Seminar (via Country Now) and said that he realizes he won’t be releasing hit songs anymore one day, and he doesn’t plan on sticking around to take up space.
“It’s always over at some point and I’ve always been prepared for that and I’ve braced myself for it,” Blake said. “And I learned to accept it a few years ago, maybe three or four or five years ago that it’s coming.”
“I want to make great records and the moment that I feel like I’m not that relevant anymore, I don’t think I want to make them anymore.”
He said that he feels that the music industry should be open to young fresh singers and he won’t take a spot one of them should hold.
“I’m not somebody that’s ever going to beat my head against the wall, because this room, these people, this industry has given me way, way more than I ever deserved,” Blake said.
He continued, “When it’s my time to make room for somebody else, the last thing I want to do is keep them screaming to keep my spot.”
Blake Shelton also planning an exit from The Voice
While most fans expect Blake Shelton to be back on The Voice in 2022, he knows that his time is coming to an end there too.
Blake is on his third marriage, this time to Gwen Stefani, and he seems ready to step into his role as a stepdad for her kids.
As a result, the time for him to leave The Voice might be drawing nearer.
“Ten years sounds like way too long to me. I’d like to see that sooner than later,” Blake said. “I mean, we’ve both pretty much taken it to the limit as far as our careers go and touring and now the television thing.”
“It’s been fortunate to accomplish a lot of things. But, hopefully, at some point, we get a chance to live some life.”
The Voice is on hiatus. The singing reality competition series should return to NBC in late 2022.