The singer is looking to slow down from a busy work schedule ahead of the new season of the NBC show.

Kelsea Ballerini was a coach on The Voice season 27.
Fans learned Kelsea will not be returning for The Voice season 28.
The singer went on the Today show to explain her reason for leaving The Voice.

Kelsea Ballerini has made a name for herself as a prolific artist in the music industry. And as such, she got to use her talents in quite a unique way this year.

After first being announced as a coach for The Voice season 27 back in 2024, fans got to see her in the new role in early 2025. As she sat alongside Adam Levine, Michael Bublé and John Legend, folks got to see her exercise her knowledge of all things music with the competitors. And while she didn’t end up being the winning coach this season (that went to Michael, whose artist Adam David clinched the top spot for The Voice season 27), she still managed to make an impression on viewers watching over the course of the show.

But as fans wait to see what happens next season, they learned that Kelsea Ballerini is leaving The Voice season 28 in the fall of 2025. And while Michael will reunite with Niall Horan, Reba McEntire and Snoop Dogg as coaches for The Voice season 28, Kelsea has a pretty good reason for why she’s not coming back for the next installment of the NBC series.

NBC

When Kelsea appeared on Today With Jenna and Friends for an interview on May 29, she made a surprising confession about The Voice. While she loved her time on the show, she was in need of a breather from all the work she’s been doing in between being on TV and wrapping up an arena concert tour.

“I need a break!” she told Jenna Bush Hager and guest host Justin Sylvester at the time. “I’ve never been able to say that before, but I really think it’s just time for me to pump the brakes, figure out what’s next, have a summer, what? Go to the beach? Huh? Learn to cook a new meal, hang out with the dogs. So that’s kind of my agenda.”

Now, this we can totally understand! After all, being a working singer and TV personality does come with a lot of responsibility. And while we don’t know what Kelsea’s future with The Voice will pan out to be, she did voice just how special her experience had been being on the show.

“One of the greatest honors of my career to a be a coach on season 27 of @nbcthevoice with these absolute gems of humans. 🤍,” she wrote on Instagram on May 21.

We’ll definitely miss seeing Kelsea on our TVs when The Voice season 28 premieres in the fall!