Blake Shelton Says It Took a Year to Recover From ‘The Voice’ Burnout

After Blake Shelton left “The Voice” following 23 seasons as a coach, the singer said he felt burned out. Shelton finally found the motivation that “lit a fire under” him for his next projects.

Blake Shelton Asked Himself ‘What’s Next’ After Being a ‘Voice’ Coach

Shelton left “The Voice” in May 2023, but didn’t have a new project on the horizon yet. He needed a bit of a break from things to formulate his plan.

In a May 2025 interview with People, Shelton shared how he had to take a long beat before attacking his next big thing. “It took about a year before I even was open to the idea of, ‘What’s next?'” he explained.

A call from Post Malone changed everything. The singer wanted to collaborate with Shelton on the song “Pour Me a Drink.”

Shelton said the song’s success “lit a fire under me” to record a new album, “For Recreational Use Only.” The first single, “Texas,” was his 30th number 1 song.

“I’ve always been a nerd for country music stats. Early on I thought it was important to know these things about my heroes,” he shared. “Now to have my own chapter where I can go, ‘Man, this is my catalog and my legacy’ … It really is exciting.”

Shelton also revealed that he recorded the song “Heaven Sweet Home” years ago, but it wasn’t a good fit for his other albums. It’s finally the right time to include the song on his new album, with Shelton noting, “because I’m getting older and have kids now.”

He added, “It just hit me different now.”

Shelton Said He Doesn’t ‘Have Anything to Prove’ Now

The country star is in a new chapter of life and loving it. “After 25 years of doing this, and the ups and downs, I don’t feel like I have anything to prove anymore,” he explained.

Shelton continued, “I used to be almost afraid of my success because I was afraid of losing it somehow. Maybe the worry kept me working hard and focused — but now it’s just fun for me.”

The former “Voice” coach is also pursuing projects beyond the studio, with a new singing competition called “The Road” coming out in the fall.

“It might be my favorite,” Shelton said about helping young singers achieve success.

He continued, “I don’t really feel like I’m in the race anymore. If a young, up-and-coming artist ever looks to me for advice or something, I damn sure have plenty of it to give.”

Shelton added, “I love being a country singer so much.”