When The Voice returns to NBC on the Fall TV schedule in 2024 and for the foreseeable future, it won’t feature Kelly Clarkson, who seemed to permanently end her successful coaching career when her talk show moved to New York City from L.A. But that doesn’t mean she’ll be done talking about her co-stars from the hit series anytime soon, and she amusingly revealed an advantage she’s long had over her male counterparts.
When it comes to potentially avoiding a ton of public attention from fans, Clarkson is apparently able to enter stealth mode far easier than coaches such as Blake Shelton and John Legend. Speaking with the Associated Press, Clarkson was asked if rumors were true about her being a frequent subway rider, and whether she gets recognized. In her words:
Not at all! Girl, I don’t look like this — (motions to made-up face) — this is not how I woke up! (laughs) I usually am in a mom bun, or a hat and I get away with it. It’s only when I speak — as soon as I open my mouth to speak is when people will go, ‘what?’ And then that’s what gives me away. I have a very talented (hair and makeup) team named Harry and Potter — that’s what I call them (laughs) — and I’m very lucky. I realize that.
The act of getting dressed up and made-up can be the bane of any female’s existence, but Clarkson spoke to the specific advantage that celebrities have in that department. If she’d hit the subway with her hair and makeup in full bloom, there’d be no mistaking her. But without those signature features that play up the American Idol winner’s glamor, her biggest giveaway is that Southern twang. If only she was perfect at impersonating others.
Clarkson continued, specifically addressing her former Voice cohorts, neither of whom will be involved with the newest season. As she put it:
I remember, any time I’d ever go out with Blake anywhere or John they just look like them all the time. They can’t get away with it and they can’t go anywhere. I’m very blessed. I get away with leading a pretty normal average life, and I don’t think a lot of people in the limelight get that. But yeah, the subway’s just faster! So, we’re on it all the time.
No matter how much makeup and hair product one would apply to Blake Shelton, I can't imagine a universe where it would be successful at making him unrecognizable. Maybe if he had a different kind of hat beyond a cowboy hat or baseball cap, and had full-color face makeup like wrestlers and clowns wear. But he might not want to go through all those lengths.
Another show Kelly Clarkson won't be popping up on is American Idol, though she recently shared her thoughts about Carrie Underwood joining the show for the judge slot vacated by Katy Perry. Previously, Clarkson denied wanting to vie for, given all of the other gigs she’s got on her plate, and I can't imagine anyone would blame her.
I also can't imagine joining Idol would make the musician more recognizable than she already is. So here's hoping she can continue to have peaceful subway rides now that this info is out there.