Kelly Clarkson Reveals Why She Left 'The Voice'

By Anna Rumer

Kelly Clarkson is taking some time to herself for the first time since she was a teenager. The Kelly Clarkson Show host stopped by the TODAY show Tuesday to visit old friends Hoda Kotb and Carson Daly, revealing the real reason she took the summer off from filming The Voice. Clarkson revealed it had been since she was 16 years old that she had taken a summer off when asked by Daly, who also hosts The Voice.

"I don't think it's maybe common for a lot of working people," Clarkson stipulated. "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 years so it was really important to me to shut down for a minute." During her time off, the American Idol alum said she "literally four-wheeled in the mountains and walked along" the water.

"My sister, my nephew and I, and a couple friends literally spent the whole summer in the mountains, just getting out in nature," Clarkson recalled. The singer, who finalized her divorce from Brandon Blackstock last year, also revealed it was a special summer for her daughter River, 8, and son Remington, 6. "The kids were with me and their dad, and it was nice because they usually have to travel a lot because of our separation," she shared. "We were both in Montana, so it felt kind of the first time I think my kids felt a little more centered as well. So it was nice."

Over on The Voice, Camila Cabello has taken over Clarkson's coaching spot for the upcoming 22nd season of the NBC singing competition, which kicks off Monday, Sept. 19. The "Havana" singer will be competing alongside The Voice veterans Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and John Legend. It won't be an easy competition, the "All of Me" singer told NBC Insider.

"She was on Team Legend as my celebrity guest mentor, and I could tell she was really good at it," he told the outlet. "In fact, I told her, 'If a Coach opening ever comes up, you should do it because you'd be great at it.'" He admitted, "I've made it harder for myself by allowing her to be my competition. And now, she's coming for the crown. We all should look out."

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