Longtime Foreigner singer Kelly Hansen is exiting the band at the end of the summer.
Hansen announced his departure during Foreigner’s appearance on the season finale of NBC’s The Voice on Tuesday (May 21st), and he also revealed his replacement, Luis Maldonado, who joined the band in 2021 as a guitarist and filled in on lead vocals during Foreigner’s last Latin American tour.
“After 20 magical years fronting this band, this will be my last year with Foreigner,” Hansen told the audience on The Voice. “At the end of this summer, a new great voice will sing these songs for you; my friend Luis Maldonado.”
In an emotional sendoff, Foreigner performed a medley of their hits “Juke Box Hero” and “I Want to Know What Love Is,” with Hansen and Maldonado singing a duet for the latter song in a true passing-of-the-mic moment.
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Hansen, 64, took over as Foreigner’s singer in 2005 after classic frontman Lou Gramm stepped away in 2003. In recent years, Foreigner have been on an ongoing farewell tour with plans to feature Gramm at select shows, although he did announce that he was retiring from touring last year.
Meanwhile, it’s unclear when exactly Hansen is calling it quits for good, as Foreigner have tour dates running from June through the fall. Previously, the band announced that singer Geordie Brown, who starred in the Foreigner musical Jukebox Hero, will front the band on their Canadian tour in October and November.
Watch Foreigner’s performance on The Voice below, and get tickets to their upcoming shows at this location.
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