Author: Ms Bich

‘Not That Fancy’ Gives Readers a Behind-The-Scenes Look Into The Life of Country Music Icon Reba McEntire

From never-been-seen-before photos to never-been-heard-before stories and beyond, “Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots” has it all.

After loads and loads of anticipation, the queen of country music, Reba McEntire, has released her first book in over two decades titled Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots. In the book, which has topped bestseller lists from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Publishers Weekly since its October 10th release, Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots gives readers an inside look into the life of the Country Music Hall of Famer, featuring nearly 200 never-been-seen-before photos, numerous never-been-heard-before stories, dozens of recipes for Reba’s favorite dishes, appetizers, sides, desserts, cocktails and more.

To top it all off, McEntire included various lifestyle tips, from how to achieve her one-of-a-kind hairstyle, to how to plan the perfect date night, to how to throw the ultimate dinner party and beyond. If you are yearning for a behind-the-scenes look into the life of the global sensation, Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots is truly a must-read.

In an interview with Music Mayhem and other media, the GRAMMY Award-winning artist gushed about all things surrounding the book, diving into the process of creating it, as well as teasing some of the things it contains.

Reba McEntire – Not That Fancy Book Cover Art

Foreword from Garth Brooks

To open up Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots, country music lovers are in for a real treat.

Fellow Country Music Hall of Famer Garth Brooks wrote the foreword for the book itself, and Reba admits that she was “really flattered that he said yes.”

She then proceeded to gush about her longtime friend, praising not only his illustrious career, but also his character.

“I was grateful, thankful, humbled. It really moved me what he said about me in the book, because I was with Garth at the beginning of his career professionally, when he toured in 90 with me — 90 and 91. I saw the uniqueness. I saw the specialness. Furthermore, I saw a kid from Oklahoma coming out, being bigger than life itself, so for him to say those things about me, it was really nice. It moved my heart tremendously, because he’s a hard worker. He’s a very dedicated person,” she shared passionately.

Concluding with a beaming smile, Reba revealed, “What you see is what you get with Garth. I love him.”

Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks; Photos by Andrew Wendowski

Collecting 200+ Photos for the book

To follow the foreword, Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots features a couple of hundred pictures from Reba’s personal life, with many of them stemming straight from her cell phone.

Describing how she landed on the decision to include so many photos in her book, Reba shared with us, “I mainly at the beginning stuck with telling the stories through my little app, and then it was, ‘We need pictures.’”

“I have a lot of pictures,” she continued, “They’re in the hundreds of thousands, and it’s something that I have to go through and, you know, delete every once in a while, when I’m just sitting around. Maybe on a plane, I’ll delete, because I have so many.”

Reba McEntire; Photo Courtesy of UMG Nashville

With so many pictures featured throughout the book, as well as within her cell phone, readers have just one question — how did she find all of these never-been-seen-before photos?

“It was starting at the beginning with what is on my computer and my phone and just dragging them over onto my desktop and saying, ‘I’d like this,’ and if that had been out before, we stayed away from that, because we wanted new pictures and Lord knows we had them,” the Oklahoma native revealed.

She concluded with a grin, “It was the pictures. It was the memories, and that took a lot of time.”

Favorite Story in the Book

Of course, within the book there are numerous never-been-heard-before stories that accompany said photos, featuring anecdotes that talk about rodeoing with her family, pulling pranks with her fellow country music friends Brooks & Dunn, going on dates with her actor-turned-boyfriend Rex Linn, and more.

When asked her favorite story, Reba could not pick just one…

“My favorite story is about Rex and me going to Sonic for Valentines, and then, you know, all the others are fun, funny stuff… Scaring each other when we’re playing. He loves scary movies — I don’t — but he loves to scare me and I love to scare him, so that’s a lot of fun,” she dished, before diving into some of the more family-oriented stories featured throughout Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots.

“Reminiscing about cleaning out Mama and Daddy’s home, and being with family, and getting to put the restaurant together” are a few more of her favorite things mentioned within the book.

Reba McEntire; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Favorite Recipe in the Book

With photos and stories aside, the recipes featured within Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots are arguably the best part, stemming from her friends and family, her personal kitchen, and even her restaurant in Atoka, Oklahoma, Reba’s Place.

“The recipes were so much fun to get to collect from friends and family. Some of my favorite dishes are in this book,” the CMA Award-winning artist prefaced, prior to revealing what those favorites are.

“Every time I go to the restaurant in Atoka, I’m always trying to find something new to eat, but I always go back to my favorites — my quail poppers. I just absolutely love them. That and the chicken fried steak, which we have in the book,” she spilled.

Recording the Audiobook

As if the book could not get any better, Reba McEntire released an audiobook version of Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots, featuring tons and tons of bonus features.

The audiobook includes a conversation with her and her siblings about growing up a McEntire, as well as exclusive stories from some of the biggest names in the country music industry and beyond — Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, Terri Clark, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Lauren Daigle, Hillary Scott, Kristen Chenoweth and more.

Dives Into Her Emotional Side

With all the goofiness and lightheartedness aside, portions of the audiobook were extremely hard to record for the 68-year-old, forcing her to dive into her more emotional side.

According to Reba herself, speaking about her late mother, Jacqueline, who passed away in 2020 “was the hardest part.”

“It was totally emotional… I think I had to stop four or five times and regroup and go back and do it again,” she explained, before gushing about how her mother shaped her.

Reba McEntire And Her Mom Jacqueline; Photo Courtesy of YouTube

The world renowned singer/songwriter continued passionately, “I’ve got a picture of her right here on my desk. She’s just smiling, and that’s the way I remember her so well. She was a strong woman, and I get that from her. Daddy was strong too, but Mama was really tough.”

To take a deep dive into the life of Reba McEntire, you can purchase Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots now.

Reba McEntire Net Worth and How She Became Famous

Country music singer Reba McEntire has been an entertainer for more than four decades. Here’s a look at McEntire’s net worth, career, and how she became famous.

Reba McEntire | Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for CMA

McEntire got her big break when she sang the national anthem at the National Finals Rodeo. In her book, Reba: My Story, she describes the event as “the World Series of rodeo.” Recording artist and songwriter Red Steagall, who was there when she sang the song, was impressed.

McEntire sang another song for Steagall, and according to her, he was “blown away.” Her mother asked Steagall if he could help with getting a recording contract for her three daughters. Steagall said he couldn’t take all three of them, but he was willing to give McEntire a chance. She eventually landed a deal with Polygram-Mercury Records.

The singer released her debut studio album in 1977, titled Reba McEntire. Her second studio album, Out of a Dream, was released in 1979. The year 1986 was a busy year for the entertainer. She released three albums that year (Whoever’s in New England, Reba Nell McEntire, and What Am I Gonna Do About You).

Reba McEntire | Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for CMA

One of McEntire’s early acting roles was in the 1990 movie Tremors, in which she played the character Heather Gummer. After that, McEntire appeared in The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw, starring the late Kenny Rogers. She played the role of Burgundy Jones.

In 2001, McEntire joined the cast of the Broadway production Annie Get Your Gun. She also landed her own TV show that year, titled Reba. McEntire played lead character Reba Hart until the show ended in 2007. Her next television series was as a lead in the series Malibu Country. She played Reba MacKenzie from 2012 to 2013. McEntire is also known for her appearances in Young Sheldon, Diagnosis Murder, and Frasier.

Will there be a ‘Reba’ reboot?

During an interview with Taste of Country Nights, McEntire says she wouldn’t be opposed to a reboot of the popular comedy Reba. “I’d even like to do a reboot of the Reba TV show,” she tells the publication. “That would be a lot of fun, because we had so many stories we were wanting to tell when they canceled us, so we were shocked.”

McEntire says she didn’t know why the show was cancelled. When the show was taken off the air, she was quite surprised. “We had no idea why they canceled us,” says McEntire. “We were a huge success, so it was a head-scratcher for us. So, to come back now … that amount of time, that time spread, we’d have a lot of stories to tell.”

Reba McEntire’s awards

In 1987, McEntire won an American Music Award for Favorite Country Female Video Artist. That same year, she won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. McEntire has also received many People’s Choice Awards and Country Music Awards. In 1998, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2018, McEntire was awarded with a Kennedy Center Honor.

Reba McEntire’s net worth

As of this writing, McEntire has an estimated net worth of $95 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

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Reba McEntire Comedy in the Works at NBC

The untitled multicamera comedy will reunite the singer-actress with ‘Reba’ showrunner Kevin Abbott.

Reba McEntire Jason Kempin/Getty

The Queen of Country is reuniting with NBC.

Reba McEntire, fresh off her run as a coach on NBC’s The Voice, will star in an untitled comedy that has earned a pilot order at the network. The multicamera vehicle will reunite McEntire with former Reba showrunner Kevin Abbott, who is set to pen the script for the project.

The potential series revolves around Reba, who inherits her father’s restaurant and is less than thrilled to discover she has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew she had.

Abbott, in addition to his five-year run as the showrunner on The WB/CW’s Reba, is a comedy veteran whose credits also include Last Man Standing, Roseanne, The Golden Girls and working with McEntire on her former ABC half-hour, Malibu Country.

Abbott reunites with former Reba exec producers Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis on the NBC McEntire comedy, with Julie Abbott also on board in the same capacity. The multicam is produced in-house by Universal Television.

The McEntire comedy is NBC’s first pilot order of the 2024 season, which has been impacted by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. As a result of production delays, many networks pushed new series that were developed for the 2023-24 season to the 2024-25 cycle. NBC, for example, launched only Found and The Irrational during the strikes and this month launched the Jon Cryer vehicle Extended Family, with drama Dr. Wolf and mockumentary St. Denis Medical already earmarked for the 2024-25 season. That’s when most pilots being ordered at this time of year would typically be picked up for, but with so much inventory already locked in, NBC, ABC and CBS are all expected to forgo millions of dollars in producing pilots amid a larger cost-cutting landscape.

McEntire is a proven star and TV draw, an important element as broadcast networks and streamers alike look for broad programming that can not only break through a crowded landscape but also travel globally.

A Look At Reba McEntire’s Relationship With Her Son Shelby Blackstock

Ed Rode/Getty Images

It’s no secret that Reba McEntire, one of the greatest country stars in history, holds family incredibly dear to her heart. No matter how busy she is, McEntire will find the time to spend with her loved ones, especially her children. The country icon has five stepchildren, two from her first marriage to Charlie Battles and three from her subsequent marriage to Narvel Blackstock. McEntire also has a biological son, Shelby Blackstock, whom she welcomed with Narvel in 1990.

In a 2022 interview with People, the Grammy winner gushed about their deep connection, sharing, “Shelby is a gift from God to me. We’re incredibly close.” McEntire also candidly admitted, “I was a very self-centered person to a degree before Shelby. But then there’s a little character [whom] you are given the job to protect, nurture, love, and teach, so all the attention [is] not on you anymore.”

Although she tends to keep her private life offline for the most part, the singer occasionally shares heartfelt tributes to Shelby on special occasions. To mark his 34th birthday in February 2024, McEntire took to Instagram to celebrate their special bond, poignantly writing, “From the first second I found out I was pregnant, up to today, this child is one of the biggest blessings of my life.” McEntire’s relationship with her son only continues to grow.

Lynn Goldsmith/Getty Images

While speaking to People in 2022, Reba McEntire shared an unconventional approach to parenting that she practiced with her son, Shelby Blackstock, during his younger years. Known for her warm personality and often hailed as one of the nicest people in the entertainment industry, it’s not surprising that McEntire made sure she instilled humility in her son. “When we would play games or cards, I’d never let Shelby win,” she recalled. “He wouldn’t have learned anything that way. I always told Shelby, ‘I’ll always love you, but I want other people to like you. So don’t be a little jerk. Don’t be a spoiled brat.’”

Other than not spoiling him, McEntire hired nannies to help her take care of Blackstock while she pursued her career. Nonetheless, the “Does He Love You” singer revealed that she would rush home after every gig whenever possible, making sure she spent as much time as she could with her son. By the time Blackstock was born in 1990, McEntire was already a household name. That year, she released her 16th studio album, “Rumor Has It,” and ventured into Hollywood with her debut role in “Tremors,” starring Kevin Bacon. It sparked her interest in acting, ultimately leading to the iconic Y2K sitcom, “Reba.”

Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Shelby Blackstock grew up to be a professional race car driver, a path his famous mom wasn’t so sure about at first. In a 2014 interview with People, Reba McEntire confessed to being taken aback when Blackstock approached her with the idea of racing cars for a living, reasoning that he could “be a car dealer or a mechanic” instead. The country icon also wanted her son to go to college, and she got her way (well, kind of). “I bribed him and said if he finished that year in college, his dad and I would send him to racing school in Phoenix,” she informed the outlet.

Following Blackstock’s brief stint at college, McEntire stayed true to her word and sent him to the Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving in Phoenix. “He was a natural. It got our attention,” she said of his first drive. After Blackstock’s passion for racing became evident, the country icon gave in and decided to support her son every step of the way, which fortunately proved to be the right choice.

Blackstock made his professional debut in 2011 and has since participated in several prestigious racing tournaments, including the USF2000 National Championship, the Pro Mazda Championship, and Indy NXT (previously Indy Lights). Notably, McEntire, despite her initial reservations, loves watching her son race, describing it as “very fun and very exciting” in an interview with The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

@shelbyblackstock/Instagram

Reba McEntire just might be the country queen of Christmas, given her extensive collection of holiday-themed music. However, despite boasting three albums dedicated to the festive season, the singer’s holiday traditions are relatively low-key. “[Shelby Blackstock and I] used to watch ‘Christmas Vacation’ every Christmas Eve. We would giggle at the same places every time we watched it,” she told E! News in 2019. The star also revealed that they’d switched up their holiday movie repertoire in recent years, preferring to turn on “Elf” or “Nacho Libre.” She quipped, “‘Nacho Libre’ isn’t really a Christmas movie, but we still think it’s hysterical!”

As expected, family is non-negotiable, which is why some of her most cherished memories of Christmases past are those involving her son. “Watching the excitement of a child opening gifts — that’s the best thing about Christmas,” McEntire shared with The Boot in a 2018 interview, detailing how Blackstock’s excitement was her favorite part of the holiday. According to her Instagram page, she also enjoys reading “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” one of the most beloved Christmas poems, while cozying up by the fireplace. Funnily enough, the country icon is likely to wear “Elf” themed pajamas while doing so, as evidenced by Blackstock’s post.

@shelbyblackstock/Instagram

In 2022, Shelby Blackstock tied the knot with his longtime partner, Marissa Blackstock (née Branch), at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. “We’ve known each other for so long, from both a ‘just friends’ to a dating perspective,” the couple, who originally met on Tinder in 2014, explained to People. “Tackling whatever life throws our way as husband and wife — creating a family and legacy together — excites us more than anything.” Reba McEntire was, naturally, in attendance, and the star brightened up her son’s special day in a way that nobody had anticipated.

She surprised attendees by taking the stage to deliver an impromptu performance of her hit song “Fancy” from “Rumor Has It,” which came out the same year that Blackstock was born. The unexpected musical moment, captured by musician Zach McCabe, added a unique touch to the occasion, which McCabe described as the “coolest wedding reception ever.” Furthermore, another of McEntire’s popular tracks was featured at the reception, as reported by Taste of Country. McEntire and Blackstock enjoyed a special moment to “You’re Gonna Be (Always Loved by Me),” a heartwarming 2005 song that was used as the musical backdrop for their mother-son dance.

The two are not shy about gushing about each other on social media

@shelbyblackstock/Instagram

Although Reba McEntire keeps her private life firmly out of the public eye, including on social media, one thing she’s happy to share is her deep affection for her son. Shelby Blackstock frequently appears in the country star’s heartwarming posts, especially on special occasions. In honor of Blackstock’s 33rd birthday in 2023, McEntire posted a video filled with sweet memories of the two of them to her Instagram, captioning it, “Happy birthday, Shelby! Best accomplishment I’ve ever done in my life! Love you so much!” Similarly, for Blackstock’s 30th, McEntire posted a photo of herself with baby Blackstock sweetly describing him as, “my 30-year-old little boy” and noting “Love you forever.”

Make no mistake, Blackstock is right behind his loving mom when it comes to showing affection online. Each year, he makes sure to commemorate McEntire’s birthday as well as Mother’s Day on his Instagram page, often praising her as the best mom in the world in the process. Other than their loving moments, Blackstock is no stranger to sharing their humorous escapades, like the time he remotely started McEntire’s Roomba from a different state just to scare her.

Chance the Rapper & Kirsten Corley’s Sweetest Family Moments

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Instagram / Chance the Rapper

Skate Date

“My wife took me on a surprise day date to the Rink…so nostalgic,” the rapper wrote on Instagram on Feb. 21, 2020.

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Instagram / Chance the Rapper

Mama and Baby

“Happy Anniversary to the woman that gave me everything. Its been a year since we hit city hall and made it official but you’ve had my heart forever. I love you eternally. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Chance wrote on Instagram on Dec. 27, 2019.

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Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Family Day Out

The rapper appeared with his wife, eldest daughter Kensli and his mother, Lisa Bennett at the Lion King premiere in July 2019.

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Chance the Rapper/Instagram

Three Peas In a Pod

“No matter what we are, we’re always family,” the rapper wrote alongside a candid photo.

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Chance the Rapper/Instagram

Daddy & Me

Kensli clearly has her dad wrapped around her itty bitty finger.

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Chance the Rapper/Instagram

Head Over Heels

It was love at first sight when Chance met “the prettiest girl I ever seen” at the age of nine, the musician once shared.

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Chance the Rapper/Instagram

Movie Magic

Kensli surely had a marvelous time alongside her parents when meeting Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman.

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Chance the Rapper/Instagram

Sweet Tribute

“Thank you Father, I know your grace so well through this woman,” Chance captioned a photo of him and the entrepreneur.

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Chance the Rapper/Instagram

Say Cheese!

In honor of Kristen’s birthday, Chance shared a photo reel of his favorite moments with the then bride-to-be: “You are my oldest and best friend. You are responsible for everyone of the most wonderful things in my life. I’m forever grateful that God made me find you, and even more grateful that you made me find God. Forever and ever babe.”

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Chance the Rapper/Instagram

On the Shoulders of Giants

The rapper and his daughter are thick as thieves.

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Instagram

Making Things Official

She said yes! The Grammy winner proposed to his leading lady during a Fourth of July family gathering in 2018.

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Instagram

Like Father, Like Daughter

Little Kensli rocks her proud pops’ signature “3” cap.

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Swan Gallet/WWD/Shutterstock

Watch John Legend’s Kids Do an Adorable “Interpretive Dance” to His Music

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen’s kids Luna and Miles showed off their legendary dance moves in an adorable video.

John Legend and Chrissy Teigen’s kids have some legendary dance moves.

On Wednesday, The Voice coach shared a heartwarming video of the couple’s children Luna, 3, and Miles, 21 months, busting a move to one of his songs.

“#ConversationsInTheDark with interpretive dance by Luna & Miles, America’s most inexperienced dance troupe,” John captioned the video. Playing a beautiful melody on the piano, the father of the two serenaded the adorable kiddos with a rendition of “Conversations in the Dark.”

Feeling the beat, Luna, who was donning a flowy skirt and pink rain boots, channeled her inner ballerina with some twirls. As John began to sing the chorus, she threw in some jumps and leaps. Following his big sister’s lead, Miles stopped playing with his toy car and imitated Luna’s dance moves. But the twirls proved to be too much for the little guy, who had a minor fumble after executing a big spin.

We’re happy to see that Luna has finally taken a liking to her dad’s music. Back in December, the “All of Me” singer revealed that his daughter thinks Ariana Grande is a better singer than him.

“She told me one day, ‘Dad, Ariana Grande is a great singer,’” he recalled during his visit to A Little Late with Lilly Singh. “‘You’re not a great singer.’”

In fact, John said that Luna dropped this bombshell on him after hearing his and Ariana’s duet of “Beauty and the Beast.” He continued, “Eventually she became such a big fan of Ariana that she’s, like, unfavorably comparing me to Ariana Grande.”

But, the EGOT winner admitted that he’s got the “thank u next” singer beat when it comes to his Christmas album. “But in addition to listening to Ariana all the time, she listens to my Christmas album,” John added.

Kelly Clarkson, 41, breaks her silence about The Voice return after her tumultuous divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock

Kelly Clarkson has shed light on her decision to leave The Voice after nine seasons as one of the four celebrity coaches on the singing competition show.
The pop star, 41, spoke to USA Today in the wake of her personal and professional upheaval.
The Since U Been Gone songstress finalized her divorce from producer and executive Brandon Blackstock in March 2022 – and also just moved her eponymous talk show from LA to New York City for its fifth season, which premiered this week.
Kelly and Brandon, 46, who met in 2006, were married for nearly seven years before the singer filed for divorce in June 2020.

Kelly Clarkson, 41, has shed light on her decision to leave The Voice in an interview with USA Today

Kelly and her now-ex-husband Brandon Blackstock, 46, had been married for nearly seven years before the singer filed for divorce in 2022

They share two children: River Rose, nine, and Remington Alexander, seven.
In the meantime, balancing duties for The Kelly Clarkson Show along with her commitment to The Voice over the past several years began to feel unmanageable, she told USA Today.
‘Full disclosure, I put on a smile a lot of those times because I was struggling a lot in my personal life,’ Kelly said of her performance during the first four seasons of her talk show.
‘I’ve learned a lot about what I’m capable of handling, and also what you should not handle. That was me saying “bye” to The Voice and having this big move. I love that family, but I was like, “I’m struggling. I can’t smile anymore. I don’t feel like smiling.”‘
Kelly appeared as one of four coaches on The Voice for the first time in 2018, making her debut on Season 14.
She stayed on through until Season 21, skipping Season 22 before officially ending her time on the reality series with its 23rd season, which concluded in May this year.
Speaking about her fresh start – both in the aftermath of her divorce and in relaunching The Kelly Clarkson Show out of New York City for its fifth season – Kelly gushed that the current moment in her career had felt like a ‘beautiful gift.’
‘What’s cool for me with Season Five [of The Kelly Clarkson Show] is I am in such a great place, not only with my kids, but with me personally and with the show,’ she told USA Today.

The Since U Been Gone songstress appeared on nine seasons of the singing-competition show, with her first being Season 14 in 2018

Kelly debuted her eponymous talk show in 2019. The first four seasons were filmed out of a studio in Los Angeles – while its fifth season will be shot and produced out of NYC

‘I feel like a weight has lifted. That move was very needed. I think the thing I’m most excited about with Season Five on a selfish level, is just showing up to work smiling and actually meaning it. That’s a beautiful gift that you don’t realize until you’re out of it.’
She further admitted that she’d initially thought that moving to NYC would be a ‘horrible decision.’
‘I’ll be real honest: I thought I was making a horrible decision,’ she said.
‘I knew I needed a fresh start and couldn’t be in LA. I really wanted to be in Montana, but you can’t really do a show from there quite yet. So I was like, “The only other option would probably be New York.”‘
But only a few weeks in, her initial apprehension already felt like a distant memory.
‘I genuinely love it, and I love that my kids love it,’ she said.

The Voice: Britney Spears tapes special message to her former dancer and ‘amazing singer’ Willie Gomez

Britney Spears taped a special message to her former dancer Willie Gomez who performed on Tuesday’s episode of The Voice as the Blind Auditions continued.
‘Willie is a dancer of mine, and not only is he a great dancer, but he is an amazing singer and I’m sending all my kisses to you,’ the 41-year-old pop star said in the video before Willie took the stage to compete on season 23 of the NBC show.
‘Love you,’ added Britney, who was recently cited by the California Highway Patrol for driving without a license and proof of car insurance.
Willie, 37, from Miami, then performed La Bachata by Manuel Turizo. He said La Bachata was a song he grew up hearing in the Dominican Republic. Willie said after his family moved to Miami when he was young his father had a stroke and died seven years later.
‘Those years definitely shaped me, because I had to kind of become the man of the house,’ Willie said.

Taped message: Britney Spears taped a special message to her former dancer Willie Gomez who performed on Tuesday’s episode of The Voice as the Blind Auditions continued

He said he threw himself into his dancing and worked with such legendary artists such as Britney, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera.
Willie’s mother and cousin watched backstage as he sang and cheered when Gwen Stefani, 54, hit her buzzer and turned around. John Legend, 44, Reba McEntire, 68, and Niall Horan, 30, all also turned around.
‘Four chairs!’ John yelled.
‘I thought I had you,’ Gwen said.
‘You still have me,’ Willie said.
‘That was so good,’ Niall said. ‘What a performance.’
‘Your voice is so beautiful and flawless,’ Gwen said. ‘He has so much stage presence. You’re gorgeous.’
Niall then pretended that he was texting Blake Shelton to tell him that Gwen, his wife, was flirting. Gwen laughed.

https://youtu.be/d-Sx8XIquhs

Killed it: Willie, 37, from Miami, performed La Bachata by Manuel Turizo

Great dancer: ‘Willie is a dancer of mine, and not only is he a great dancer, but he is an amazing singer and I’m sending all my kisses to you,’ the 41-year-old pop star said in the video

Turned first: Willie’s mother and cousin watched backstage as he sang and cheered when Gwen Stefani , 54, hit her buzzer and turned around

High praise: ‘That was so good,’ Niall Horan said. ‘What a performance’

‘I know you are going to be shocked to hear this but I didn’t understand a word you said,’ Reba said.
‘She says the same thing to me,’ Niall said.
Willie ultimately picked John to be his coach.
Olivia Eden, 15, from Long Valley, New Jersey, sang Niall Horan’s own song This Town and he immediately hit his buzzer to get her on his team. Reba also wanted her and hit her buzzer, but she was no match to Niall’s charm.
‘Great song choice,’ Niall said. ‘I know that one well.’
Reba told her that her voice was incredible and that she would love to be her coach.
‘Sometimes you can be hard on people who sing your song because you know it inside out, but knowing how creative Olivia is, based on hearing my own song, it makes me excited to work with her.’ Niall said. ‘Because you’ve got so much depth in song choice with her. She’s going to be a real dark horse in this competition.’
Caitlin Quisenberry, 27, from Denver, sang Rainbow. She said music has always been a part of her life. She said she went to law school and that everything changed when her grandmother got sick. She sang on her grandmother’s bedside when she was sick and her grandmother smiled and she remembered how powerful music was. Caitlin dedicated her performance to her grandmother.

Familiar song: Olivia Eden, 15, from Long Valley, New Jersey, sang Niall Horan’s own song This Town and he immediately hit his buzzer to get her on his team

For grandmother: Caitlin Quisenberry, 27, from Denver, sang Rainbow for her grandmother
Reba and Gwen both turned around. John said her beginning was a little shaky but then the rest was good. Reba said she thought she could help her.
‘And we are both redheads so that’s a plus,’ Reba said.
‘Either way you are going to go with a blonde or redhead,’ Gwen said.
Caitlin picked ‘my fellow redhead, Reba.’
Reba gave her some tater tots for picking her.
Clayton Davis, 34, from Chattanooga, Tennessee, went next and sang Sunday Morning by Maroon 5, but none of the judges turned around.
Kara Tenae, 33, from Riverside, California, performed Boo’d Up by Ella Mai. She said she worked as a rideshare driver and was asked to be a part of an Uber commercial that  ended up airing during the Grammys broadcast.
‘To be here is just so surreal knowing that those coaches could press that button and my life could change forever,’ Kara said. ‘It’s just mind-blowing.’
Niall, Gwen and Reba all hit their buzzers.

California gal: Kara Tenae, 33, from Riverside, California, performed Boo’d Up by Ella Mai

‘That was super stuff,’ Niall said. ‘That was amazing.’
‘I was blown away,’ Reba said. ‘Maybe I could teach you a few things.’
‘If you want to work with me we can bounce off each other and get to the next level,’ Gwen said. ‘Pick me!’
Kara picked Gwen, who got out of her seat and gave her a team shirt.
‘I’m super excited to have Kara on my team,’ Gwen said. ‘She’s a full-package deal. She’s gorgeous.’
‘California girls, they stick together,’ John said.
Caleb Sasser, 27, from Los Angeles, performed Another Sad Love Song by Toni Braxton and Gwen and Niall immediately hit their buzzers. They were followed by Reba and John. Caleb shared that he was a middle school music teacher originally from Goldsboro, North Carolina.
‘Four chairs!’ John yelled. ‘That was magical.’
When John asked who his influences were, Caleb said that John was one of his.
‘Clearly, I would love to coach you,’ Gwen said.
‘It would be an honor to coach someone as unique and authentic as you,’ Niall said.
‘I love your voice and I’d love to be your coach,’ Reba said.
Caleb picked John. John ran up and gave him a jacket that said ‘Legend’ on the back.

Team clothing: Kara picked Gwen, who got out of her seat and gave her a team shirt

Four chairs: Caleb Sasser, 27, from Los Angeles, performed Another Sad Love Song by Toni Braxton and got all four coaches to turn their chairs
‘I think we are losers guys,’ Gwen said.
‘Four chair king returns,’ Niall said.
‘If John makes a mistake, Caleb will end up on team Gwen,’ Gwen predicted.
The Voice will return next Monday on NBC.

The Voice fans are outraged as they claim the competition is rigged to favor Blake Shelton’s team… before he says goodbye after 12 years as a coach

Fans of the popular singing competition The Voice have been up in arms in the week leading up to Tuesday night’s season 23 finale.

Several viewers have taken to social media to claim that the series has been ‘rigged,’ and they believe it is all to give country star Blake Shelton a triumphant send-off.

Shelton, 46, the last remaining coach dating back to season one, is finally leaving the show after 12 years and an astounding 23 consecutive seasons.

After several contestants were eliminated on Monday, May 15’s episode, some fans became convinced that the show was trying to set up a final win for him so that he can go out on a high note.

Team Blake’s Grace West and NOIVAS, along with Team Kelly’s D. Smooth, Team Niall’s Gina Miles and Team Chance’s Sorelle were all allowed to move on to the finale on Tuesday night.

Going out on a high note? Several fans of The Voice posted conspiracy theories this week alleging that the show is rigged to allow departing coach Blake Shelton’s team to win

Saying goodbye: Shelton is leaving after 12 years and 23 consecutive seasons. He is the last remaining original coach; the trio Sorelle, which made it to the finale, is pictured

But Ryley Tate Wilson of Team Niall, an apparent fan favorite, along with Team Chance’s Ray Uriel and Team Kelly’s Holly Brand were all eliminated.

In particularly, Ryley and Holly being kicked off the show seemed to send some fans into a fury on Twitter.

Despite the fact that the advancing singers were all voted on by fans, the most suspicious viewers believe that something is amiss because they are convinced that the vote totals for Ryley and Holly are lower than they should have been based on their apparent fan support on social media.

However, some users may be posting positively about the singers without voting, and curated social media feeds may make it so fans are mostly seeing posts backing up their prior beliefs, rather than giving them an accurate picture of where fan support lies.

One user wrote, ‘ryley tate not making it just proves how rigged this competition is, especially for blake on his last season. look anywhere online, notice the overwhelming love for ryley, and realize the votes don’t correlate. the contestants deserve better.’

‘Not saying it’s rigged for Blake to win but I feel like I never see anyone talk about his team compared to like Ryley and Holly,’ added another

‘Sorelle made it over Holly and Ryley!? This is exactly why I haven’t watched this show in years. It’s rigged and it’s such bulls***!!’ wrote one fan with similar gripes.

Another person seemed to think that the posts they saw on a social media should have been a proxy for the final vote tally.

‘I literally saw everyone tweeting they were voting for ryley tate and it was crickets for grace they rigged this for blake so badly actually,’ added one person.

Outraged: Several fans were up in arms about the voted-off contestants, particularly Ryley Tate Wilson of Team Niall and Team Kelly’s Holly Brand

Echo chamber? Many fans who complained of the alleged rigging didn’t take into account that their social media feeds are not representative of The Voice voters, and fans of different singers may not show up on their pages; Kelly Clarkson, Shelton, Niall Horan and Chance the Rapper pictured

Others weren’t so concerned about whether The Voice was rigged, as they felt the contestants were always meant to flatter the coaches’ egos.

‘everyone yelling rigged as if the voice is not the worst singing competition in existence… it’s all about the judges rather than the contestants let’s be real,’ complained one Twitter user.

Part one of the two-part season 23 finale aired Monday night.

The second and final part — and Shelton’s apparent final episode of The Voice — airs Tuesday, May 23, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Blake Shelton reveals what he thought of Gwen Stefani the first time he met her on the set of The Voice 9 years ago

Gwen Stefani’s husband Blake Shelton has spoken about their first encounter.
The country singer made his comments during her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, which took place on Thursday.
Shelton said that when he met her on The Voice she was surrounded by her children, and he humorously quipped: ‘It was chaos.’
However, the 47-year-old songwriter stated that the No Doubt frontwoman, who recently described her marriage as an ‘amazing gift,’ impressed him with her devotion to her family.
He recalled via Today: ‘The first time that I ever met Gwen was in 2014. She wasn’t like any other famous person that I had ever met before. She drove herself to work in a black minivan with car seats in it.’

First impressions: Gwen Stefani’s husband, Blake Shelton, spoke about their first encounter nine years ago when he attended  during her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, which took place on Thursday

The country singer also stated that the presence of her sons Kingston, 17, Zuma, 15, and Apollo, 9, intimidated many of the individuals on set.
‘She didn’t roll in with security. She came in with a baby and two little boys, which at the time worked like security because nobody was going near,’ he said.
Stefani shares her sons with her former husband, Gavin Rossdale, to whom she was married from 2002 until 2016.
Shelton then remarked that the Grammy Award-winning singer’s affection for her children greatly impressed him during their first encounter.
‘It was clear to me that she was a mother first and foremost over anything else in the world — that was her number one job,’ he said.
The hitmaker went on to speak about how he had consistently been impressed by his wife’s achievements ever since they met.
‘She has risen to the top over and over again with her unique style that has made the world fall in love with her. Not as much as me, though,’ he said.
Stefani became visibly emotional during her husband’s speech, and lovingly referred to him as her ‘best friend.’

All over the place: The 54-year-old singer’s spouse described his initial encounter with the performer as particularly intimidating due to the presence of her children, and he humorously quipped ‘It was chaos’; they are seen in 2019

Tight family The country singer also stated that the presence of her sons Kingston, 17, Zuma, 15, and Apollo, 9, intimidated many of the individuals on set

Family man: Shelton then remarked that the Grammy Award-winning singer’s affection for her children greatly impressed him during their first encounter

Affectionate: Stefani became visibly emotional during her husband’s speech, and lovingly referred to him as her ‘best friend’; they are seen in 2016

She then told her spouse: ‘You have given me the kind of love I never knew before. The minute I met you, I knew that I was home and I am so, so proud that you’re mine. I can’t believe it. I love you so much.’
The singer and her husband began dating in November of 2015, and they tied the knot during a wedding ceremony that was held at his Oklahoma ranch in July of 2021.
Shelton was married to Kaynette Gern from 2003 until 2006, and to Miranda Lambert from 2011 until 2015.
Stefani and her husband have collaborated musically on several occasions over the course of their relationship.