Kelly Clarkson is keeping it in the NBC family with her latest appearance on The Voice, returning to the Los Angeles-based singing competition show’s stage after over a year away.
The 42-year-old reality competition vet was last a coach on the show back in 2023, when she took to the chair for season 23, which also happened to be Blake Shelton’s final season.
Season 23 marked Kelly’s ninth time as a coach, and it was also her final time, as soon after, she and her family moved to New York City for a new start with her popular talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
However, the talk show host and inaugural American Idol champ made her return to the NBC singing competition for a special performance for the season 26 finale.
Kelly performed her track “You for Christmas” off her newly released holiday album When Christmas Comes Around…, which arrived in September, and she completely looked the part.
She wore a stunning floor-length skin-toned semi-sheer gown, covered in sequined and crystal appliqués with a nude dress underneath and some fringe detailing, and feathered trimming on the sleeves and the hem of the skirt.
Her hair was styled into wavy side swept curls, and she was adorned with dangling diamond earrings and glam make-up, topped off with a bold red lip.
Kelly posted a behind-the-scenes clip of her getting ready for her appearance and captioned it: “I loved being at the Voice, always fun to be back! Thank you to my glam team, I love this look!”
MORE:Â Watch Kelly Clarkson accidentally swear over a gift on the air
Coach Gwen Stefani commented on the video: “You’re amazing gx,” while a fan also added: “Reminds me of idol days she looks amazing,” and another gushed: “Absolutely freakin love this… you look like a beautiful Christmas angel.”
© NBCShe was styled by A-list stylist Micaela Erlanger, who has worked with Kelly ever since she moved to New York and helped cultivate her bold and beautiful new look, emphasizing brighter colors, more figure-flattering silhouettes and new styles (like bangs and leather).
MORE:Â Kelly Clarkson’s son Remy blows fans away with incredible singing voice
“It’s a new look, it’s a new year, and it’s a really exciting place to be,” Micaela told HELLO! previously. I’m really grateful that she trusts me and that she trusts my eye and we’re experimenting and playing a bit more.”Â
© NBCThe “Since U Been Gone” singer admitted in a conversation with USA Today that her leaving LA for New York was also a permanent departure from The Voice, expressing a desire to be more present for her family and not spread herself too thin.
MORE:Â Kelly Clarkson highlights miniscule waist in leather skirt and platform heels
“Full disclosure, I put on a smile a lot of those times because I was struggling a lot in my personal life,” she said of the early days of her talk show, which also coincided with her divorce from then-husband Brandon Blackstock.Â
“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.'”
