Why Kelly Clarkson Had Blake Shelton Using an Oxygen Mask on The Voice

“Kelly talks…a lot,” the country star joked about his friend and fellow Coach on The Voice.

Never let it be said that Kelly Clarkson had nothing to say. The Kelly Clarkson Show host has a talk show for a reason: she loves to talk! When the Grammy winner joined The Voice‘s Coaching line-up in 2018, taking over for Miley Cyrus in Season 14, her fellow Coaches — Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton — noticed that just like her predecessor, she could be a bit of, in Clarkson’s words, a “Chatty Cathy.”

In a 2018 promo video, Keys compared Clarkson’s strategy to an auctioneer, speaking at a quick clip without pause, as each of the Coaches “pitched” themselves to Artists during the Blind Auditions. “Kelly talks…a lot,” agreed Shelton. But Clarkson took exception to any feedback from Levine, noting that he was just as talkative as she was, if not moreso. “Adam is completely not self-aware,” she protested.

To take the long-running joke about Clarkson’s legendary gift of gab even further, Shelton then pulled out a extravagant prop.

Kelly Clarkson cracked up as Blake Shelton pulled out an oxygen mask on The Voice 

Photo: Getty Images

Speaking to the camera in the 2018 clip, Shelton joked, “I’m sure wherever [Clarkson] is right now, people are passing out because there’s no oxygen left in the room.”

As if to prove his point, the video then cut to Shelton literally gripping a mask attached to an oxygen canister, which Levine was eager to share as Clarkson kept monologuing.”She can talk all she wants,” Levine added. “I will never not love it, I think she’s hysterical.”

Watch the hilarious moment, here!

Through the years, Shelton has poked fun at Clarkson’s talkative side. During a 2019 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Shelton joked that he “can’t get a word in” as Clarkson quizzed him about his own music. And when the two Coaches sat down for an interview with 102.7 KIIS FM, Clarkson made Shelton crack up when she quipped, “I can’t help it that I’m really good at talking!”

In a 2023 interview with NBC Insider, Clarkson opened up about working with Shelton on The Voice, calling him “hysterical.”

“The best part about working with Blake Shelton on The Voice is you laugh a lot. He’s one of the funniest people I know. He’s hysterical,” Clarkson shared before adding with a laugh, “The worst thing about working with Blake Shelton on The Voice is… he is a liar.”

Kelly Clarkson returns as an OG Coach on The Voice Season 29

Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, and John Legend appear on The Voice Season 16 Episode 12.

Photo: Trae Patton/NBC

On The Voice Season 29, officially called the Battle of Champions, Clarkson will be one of three Coaches alongside her fellow vets Levine and John Legend. Beyond marking the first time The Voice has ever had a three-Coach panel, Season 29 will also introduce several new format changes, such as the “Triple Turn Competition” during the Blind Auditions, a new Super Steal during the Battles round, and more.

Aside from getting to guide aspiring Artists throughout the competition, Clarkson also loves the “banter” the Coaches have on The Voice, as she shared on Late Night with Seth Meyers in February 2018. “I love [selling myself as a Coach]. I’m so competitive. Yeah, I’m like annoyingly competitive” she said. And fans can’t wait for her long-awaited return!

The Voice: Battle of Champions

The Voice Season 29 is shaking things up, premiering on Monday, February 23 at 9/8c on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.

Officially titled The Voice: Battle of Champions, Season 29 features the show’s first-ever three-Coach lineup, putting The Voice OGs Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and John Legend back in the red chairs for an epic showdown.

The Voice Season 29 will also introduce fresh format updates such as the “Triple Turn Competition” and the “Super Steal.” You also won’t want to miss the exciting return of CeeLoo Green in a totally new role.

Catch Kelly Clarkson back in a red chair when The Voice: Battle of Champions premieres on Monday, February 23, 2026 at 9/8c on NBC, and streaming the next day on Peacock.