Foreigner frontman Kelly Hansen has opened up about his decision to leave the long-running rock band after 20 years.
The 64-year-old will play his final show with the “Cold as Ice” hitmakers October 11 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
He initially announced his departure earlier this year on the season finale of The Voice.
In a new interview with People, Hansen said: “I'm trying not to use the word retirement. I don't even know what that means.”
He added: “I'm not looking for future work. I'm so fortunate to be able to make that choice.”
Hansen went on to explain that being at home in Los Angeles during Covid lockdowns made him more of a homebody.
“I started to have the sense of being home,” he said. “I started to say, ‘Wow, this is something I haven't had in my life for a very long time. I had this feeling of what it's like to be home and also with a sense of, I feel I have some kind of stability financially and otherwise, where I could start thinking about making a choice that's different than what I'm doing.
“Although I love what I do, I've been in this business nearly 50 years, and I put in my time.”
Hansen was an independent studio singer before founding the hard rock band Hurricane in 1985. He joined Unruly Child in 1998, and Foreigner in 2005. He was the third lead singer of the band after Lou Gramm and Johnny Edwards. After Hansen departs, guitarist Luis Maldonado is set to take over singing duties.
Hansen noted: “I think that Americans, in a way, have a work ethic that says, work till you die, and I thought to myself, I've traveled the world, I've seen a lot of places, I've seen a lot of cultures and I've experienced how other people in other countries approach living and the style of living. I said to myself, I want to enjoy and live my life. I have many other passions and pursuits.”
He clarified to the publication that he is not leaving the band due to health concerns, describing himself as “completely healthy” but admitting that “physicality plays a part because these songs are really difficult to do at the level and the standard that I will accept.”
Looking ahead to his final show this Saturday, Hansen said: “I don't want to not acknowledge the weight of this for me, and I'm not even going to assume what the weight is like for anybody else. I want it to be joyous, and I want it to be memorable, and I want it to be fun.
“I've been telling the audience that I'm taking mental snapshots because this year is different than the 20 years prior, because the 20 years prior were the blur of being in the thick of it. Now I'm poking my head out of the forest, and I'm seeing the pasture ahead, and I'm not just fighting the trees every day. I'm seeing the sun, the pasture in front of me.”
As for what his life after leaving the band will entail, Hansen said he’s looking forward to cooking and tinkering with cars.
“I really am not troubled by living a smaller life,” he added. “I really am not. I mean, I've lived. My whole life has been loud music and bright lights and a lot of s***, and I spent a lot of my time trying to avoid f***ing landmines, and I don't want to have to do that. I just want to live my life with my friends and my family and just dig it.”
MAGA turns on country star Zach Bryan over teaser for new song mentioning ICE
Rush announces new drummer ahead of first tour in over a decade
Rod Stewart, 80, hints at upcoming projects: ‘I still enjoy what I’m doing’
All the Easter eggs in Taylor Swift’s ‘The Fate Of Ophelia’ music video
Cat Stevens shuts down question about past remarks on Salman Rushdie ‘burning effigy’
Julia Roberts on why she still listens to The Smiths despite Morrissey controversies
