For the first time since 2011, Blake Shelton is no longer a coach on The Voice.
The country superstar has been a mainstay on the show but shocked everybody when he announced that he was stepping away after 23 seasons, as the longest serving and winningest coach on the show.
He’s also largely stepped away from making new music, admitting a while back that he may be done making albums and only release singles from here on out.
So what’s Blake going to do with all of his free time now that he’s done with The Voice?
Well…it doesn’t sound like he knows either – but he’s excited to get out of Los Angeles.
In a recent interview with People, Blake discussed how he and his wife Gwen Stefani enjoy just spending time at home, and that he’s essentially quitting The Voice to do…nothing.
“We get away from everything in L.A., and we’re just us. It truly does feel different. That’s where I feel the most comfortable, happy and safe.
The relationship that we have is so natural and so normal. This feels like the easiest thing I’ve ever been a part of. To me, she’s my best friend and everything that I need and lean on.
I’ve had people say, ‘Man, come on. You’re not quitting The Voice to do nothing?’ But I really am. Please, I’m accepting ideas.
But he says the two were so busy early in their careers that they’ve found a love for having chill nights at the house just watching TV:
“Gwen and I have done so much traveling and touring and work the first half of our lives that now we’re like, ‘Hey, I’m good to put my sweatpants on at 6 p.m. and watch Ozark eight times.’ That’s our life now, and we love it.”
Of course Blake still has plenty going on, with his chain of Ole Red bars, his (light) touring schedule, his Lands’ End clothing line, and his game show on Circle TV Barmageddon.
But according to Blake, he’s more excited about the opportunity to have more time to be there as a stepfather to Gwen’s kids:
“If I walked away from my career at this time, the only thing that I run the risk of is having regrets that I’m missing out on some more important things in life. For now, that’s our kids. This isn’t about me anymore and never will be again.
Even though I’m a stepparent, I take that job very seriously. The kids see me as a very important person in their life. [When they ask,] ‘Why isn’t Blake here?’ I take that stuff to heart. I’ve made plenty of money, but you can’t buy time back. I don’t want any regrets.”
It may not be a full retirement for Blake, but it definitely sounds like he’s ready to cut way back and head in that direction:
“It’s time to push some of this [work] stuff out and let more family and personal life in.”
Although Blake does admit that he owes a lot of his career to The Voice, and that made it harder to make the decision to step away:
“I never really made it to the A-level of country artists until I became a coach. The show did a hell of a lot more for me than I brought to the table at the time. I’ve far exceeded anything I thought I could ever accomplish in the entertainment world.”
Getting out of L.A., getting to spend time with his wife and kids, and laying on the couch watching TV?
Yeah, I’d probably quit my job for that too.
So maybe it’s not so hard to believe that Blake really is quitting The Voice to d0… nothing.
