Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
“Since stepping away from ‘The Voice,’ I’ve been focusing on being very intentional about my next move,” Shelton shares, as his new single, “Texas,” is set to drop at midnight.
When Blake Shelton revealed he was stepping away from The Voice two years ago, fans were skeptical that he didn’t have a plan for what came next.
While he hasn’t been completely inactive — Shelton collaborated with his close friend Carson Daly on their game show Barmageddon — the 48-year-old country icon took a step back to enjoy a slower pace at home with wife Gwen Stefani and his three stepsons while he reflected on his next steps.
“The past couple of years, especially since I retired from The Voice, I’ve been trying to be very intentional with what I do next,” Shelton tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I wanted to be thoughtful about it and make sure I’m not just doing things because I was stuck in the grind. You get caught up in it, and before you know it, you think, ‘Wow, where did the last 10 years go?'”
After 25 years with Warner Music Nashville, Shelton signed with a new label, BMG, earlier this year. The break, along with the “big, big changes” in his career, has reignited his passion for country music.
“It was simply time for a new chapter, honestly. And I’m ready for it,” Shelton shares, as his latest single, the energetic “Texas,” is set to release at midnight on Thursday, Nov. 14.
“As soon as we started working on this song, it instantly resonated with me. There was something familiar about it, yet it also felt like a step forward,” he explains of the track, which could become his 30th No. 1 hit. “I always have that thought in the back of my mind: What’s something I haven’t tried that won’t make people think, ‘What is he doing?'”
Earlier this year, Shelton found an unexpected source of inspiration in Post Malone.
The genre-blending rapper and singer invited Shelton to collaborate on “Pour Me a Drink,” a fan-favorite track that went viral when it was released in late June.
“I really have to give credit to Post Malone for this new energy I’m feeling because I was getting complacent and wasn’t in any rush,” Shelton admits. “Then this kid reached out and asked me to join him on his song. It blew up and became a big hit this summer, and it reminded me, ‘Hey, get moving! This could be your last chance to really take a big swing at this.’ So here I am.”
Shelton has tried to express to Post Malone how much of an impact he’s had on him. “I’m not sure he believes me. Also, if you’ve ever spoken to Post Malone, you know it’s hard to get him to focus sometimes,” he jokes. “I did send him a text once, and he replied, ‘Dude, stop it.’ He said something really nice back, but I don’t want to spoil his image by saying he’s actually a nice guy.”
The singer, who has six ACMs and 10 CMAs, is always quick to acknowledge that The Voice changed his life.
“It was the biggest, most important career move I’ve ever made. I’ll always be grateful for that, and for everyone who worked on that show who helped me get to where I am,” he reflects.
Although Shelton has a larger-than-life personality suited for TV, Hollywood was never where he envisioned himself long-term.
“I really, and I mean really, enjoyed not being on a TV show anymore,” he admits about the past couple of years. “It’s been great for me to get back into the mindset of, ‘Hey, I’m a country singer first.’ That’s why I left Ada, Oklahoma, as a teenager. I never want to stray that far from what I feel I was meant to do again.”
In addition to propelling him to superstardom, The Voice also led Shelton to Stefani, who just so happens to be releasing her much-anticipated album, Bouquet, on Nov. 15.