Alicia Keys Discusses The ‘Challenges’ Of ‘The Voice’ & Why She’s Really Quitting

Alicia Keys is opening up about the “challenges” that come with being a full time coach on The Voice as well as revealing the real reason she decided to quit the show after two consecutive seasons.

Keys got candid about quitting the NBC singing show in a new interview, as Alicia admitted that she wants to step away from the show to spend some time with her two kids and be a more “present” parent, as well as shifting her focus back to music.

Speaking out about how she’s currently juggling being a fulltime coach on The Voice, a musician, and a mom to two boys, Alicia told People in a recent interview that “the biggest challenge recently is how to balance all the travel.”

“It’s a lot of time away,” Keys said, admitting that she’s been having trouble being away from her sons Genesis, 2, and Egypt, 6. “I want to make sure they have consistency and are not being dragged from here to there all the time.”

“I feel badly about being away,” Alicia continued, just days after she confirmed that she would not be returning to The Voice for a third consecutive season after appearing on Seasons 12 and 13.

It’s thought that Keys currently resides on the east coast, as New York Daily News reported in 2015 that Alicia and husband Swizz Beats were looking to sell their $14.9 million compound in the Garden State and hoped to build a larger home nearby. The Voice currently films in Los Angeles, meaning Alicia has to make her way across the country.

Keys then insinuated to People that a big reason she decided to quit The Voice this year is because she knew she just couldn’t do it all after making her way to California to appear on the NBC show for two consecutive seasons since joining the show as a coach last year.

“I am a very present mom, and you know us moms want to do it all, but we have to be good to ourselves too,” said Keys of quitting The Voice. “We do the best we can and make the best choices we can,” added Alicia of motherhood.

“I’m glad [Genesis and Egypt] get to see me working hard and going after my dreams so they know what it takes to go after theirs,” Alicia said.

Alicia Keys has also revealed that she decided it was time to quit The Voice, at least for the time being, in order to shift her focus back to music as well as motherhood.

Alicia told Entertainment Tonight that a big reason behind her quitting The Voice and leaving after two seasons was that she wanted to put out a new album – despite only releasing her most recent album, Here, in November.

“I can’t wait for you to hear new music, and so that’s one of the reasons why I won’t be able to come back next season,” Keys said when asked by the outlet why she won’t be returning to The Voice later this year after the current round wraps.

Alicia Keys’ leaving means she won’t be sitting alongside Miley Cyrus, who is so far the only coach confirmed for the upcoming round of shows amid much speculation over which coaches will be back for Season 13.

“I’m ready for the next [album] already, which was kind of the plan the whole time,” Keys continued of her new album, which will likely be released later this year. “I wanted to put out Here where they have a statement body of work, and my next body of work is already in the works,” Alicia admitted.

Adding that she’s “excited” to get back to work in the studio after quitting The Voice, Keys revealed that she’s already around halfway done with her new release.

What do you think of Alicia Keys’ confessions about why she’s really quitting The Voice? Will you miss her on the show?

[Featured Image by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Billboard]