Because who can honestly say they’ve never forgotten someone’s name right after learning it?
The electrifying Artist performances and tense competition among Coaches have kept viewers glued to their screens for over two dozen action-packed seasons of The Voice, and along the way, there have been countless laughs. But for red chair icon Kelly Clarkson, she’ll never forget the birthday sentiment gone awry of Season 18.
As Coaches Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Blake Shelton, and John Legend duked it out to form a winner-worthy team, they were delighted to meet contestant CammWess, who was keen to tell the impressed judges that his birthday was the following day. Before ultimately jumping aboard Team Legend, Jonas thought it would be a lovely idea for all of the Coaches to collectively sing the Artist “Happy Birthday.” What could go wrong, right?
In a 2021 behind-the-scenes video from The Voice set, Clarkson recalled one of the hardest times she’s ever laughed in the red chair, and it’s hysterically relatable.
Kelly Clarkson recalled one of the biggest laughs from The Voice
“The best moment I’ve ever experienced on this show, comedy-wise, is definitely when Nick had this really great idea to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to CammWess,” Clarkson said in an on-set interview. “And we were all like, ‘Yeah, this is so great!’”
In the throwback clip, all four Season 18 Coaches gleefully prepare themselves to serenade the contestant, but due to the chaotic nature of Blind Auditions and the excitement of first impressions, none of the panel could remember CammWess’ name, instead hoping they’d follow the lead from their red chair colleagues.
“I didn’t catch his name,” Clarkson recalled, humorously adding: “Well, everyone didn’t.”
As the Coaches’ birthday serenade reached the personalized portion, all four of them stared at each other like deer in headlights. After an awkward beat, the audience and CammWess burst into a fit of laughter as the Team Legend Artists reminded the panel of his name. Upon realization of the panel’s mutual mistake, Clarkson couldn’t contain her laughter, screaming with glee.
Kelly Clarkson’s banter with the Coaches is hilarious
From ill-fated birthday wishes to Shelton attempting to coax an Artist onto his team with a golden retriever puppy, The Voice is in no shortage of hysterical moments. Another humorous dynamic — one that fans are sure to see more of in the upcoming Battle of Champions between Adam Levine, Legend, and Clarkson — is that the Coaches love to make fun of Clarkson for her verbose, fast-talking rapport with Artists.
“I feel like Kelly’s gonna talk more than she ever has right now,” Levine said in a throwback clip from an earlier season of The Voice.
“Will you set a timer?” an exasperated Shelton asked the Maroon 5 frontman.
“If you want, I’ll keep a rough track of it,” Levine teased. But Clarkson effortlessly shrugged off the jokes, encouraging her red chair rivals to get some new material. She wouldn’t have become an Emmy-winning host of The Kelly Clarkson Show without being graced with the gift of gab!
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody makes fun of me talking a lot, but, really, that’s old,” Clarkson said, rolling her eyes. “Find a new joke.”
Don’t miss Legend, Levine, and Clarkson’s return in The Voice Season 29’s Battle of Champions, which kicks off with three two-hour telecasts during its first week on NBC:
- Monday, February 23 at 9 p.m. ET
- Wednesday, February 25 at 8 p.m. ET
- Thursday, February 26 at 8 p.m. ET
New episodes of The Voice: Battle of Champions will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.
