‘The Voice’: Kelsea Ballerini to Help Coach Team Kelly During Battle Rounds

Kelsea Ballerini is headed back to The Voice, with the country star set to fill in for coach Kelly Clarkson during the show’s Battle Rounds. Ballerini will appear on Monday’s episode of the show, and a promo indicates that she was called to step in when Clarkson was sick.

The clip begins with coaches John Legend, Blake Shelton and Nick Jonas standing backstage together and wondering where Clarkson is. “Where’s Kelly?” Legend asks. After Shelton quips, “Where is she? In Cancun?” host Carson Daly declares that Ballerini will be sitting in for Clarkson as the country star appears in Clarkson’s big red chair. “Just pretend I’m Kelly,” she tells the other coaches.

When Legend asks her, “Who do we blame when you make a mistake?” Ballerini responds, “Her!” Ballerini also proves that she has Clarkson’s skill when it comes to taking shots at Shelton, telling him, “Hey Blake, have I ever told you that you look like my dad?” The promo also teases the season’s Battle Advisors, who include Brandy, Dan + Shay, Darren Criss and Luis Fonsi.

“Thank you so much @KelseaBallerini for sitting in for me while I was feeling under the weather!” Clarkson wrote on social media. “I know my team is in great hands with you!! Y’all aren’t going to want to miss this!! The battles start next week on @NBCTheVoice! #TeamKelly #TheVoice.”

Ballerini shared, “when @kellyclarkson calls and asks you to keep her seat warm, you put all those years of being her super fan to work. thank you @johnlegend @nickjonas and ole pops @blakeshelton for making me feel like part of the @nbcthevoice family. I’m forever #teamkelly…see y’all at the battle rounds!” The Voice‘s Battle Rounds will begin on Monday, March 29.

Ballerini previously joined The Voice as its fifth coach in 2018 when she helmed the series’ inaugural Comeback Stage competition. The 27-year-old has also worked with Clarkson in the past, joining the American Idol winner on her Meaning of Life Tour in 2019.

During a visit to The Kelly Clarkson Show in February, Ballerini told Clarkson that she credits her for her go-with-the-flow attitude. “I honestly think I learned that from you,” the “hole in the bottle” singer said. “Normally, I do get easily embarrassed.”