Lead singer of legendary 80s band announces shock departure on live TV
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The lead singer of Foreigner, Kelly Hansen, is leaving the band after nearly two decades.
Hansen, 64, shared the news live on the finale of The Voice last night, revealing that guitarist Luis Maldonado will take over as frontman.
While appearing on The Voice finale, Foreigner performed several of the band's massive hits, including Feels Like the First Time and I Want to Know What Love Is, before announcing the big news.
Hansen told the screaming crowd: 'After 20 magical years performing with this band, this will be my last year with Foreigner. This summer, a new great voice will sing these songs for you, my friend Luis Maldonado.'
'Being the voice of Foreigner has been one of the greatest honors of my life,' Hansen said in a later statement. 'But it's time to pass the mic. Luis has the voice, the energy, and the soul to carry these songs into the future. I couldn't be prouder to hand this off to him.'
Maldonado added, 'This music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I'm ready to honor Foreigner's legacy and bring my heart to every performance.'
Fans on social media reacted quickly to the news, with X user @Karine_BJ writing: 'Sad news 😢 Kelly Hansen did an amazing job keeping the legacy alive. Fantastic frontman and singer! 👌👏'
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@RobertCazar agreed: 'He is an amazing singer and stage leader. He gave Foreigner a new lease of life when they lost Lou Gramm.'
@The_Rock_Oracle posted: 'He deserves to go out on his terms, he was instrumental in helping Foreigner find their audience again, replacing an all-time legend, Lou Gramm. The odds were against it, but they did it. Wish him the best!'
Mick Jones is the only founding member who currently plays with the band. The 2025 lineup includes Maldonado, Bruce Watson, Michael Bluestein, Chris Frazier, and Jeff Pilson.
Jones, 80, added in a statement about the band's latest transition: 'In 1976, my goal was to assemble the finest group of musicians I could find. Results have shown that it worked!
'About thirty years later, Jason Bonham encouraged me to do it all over again and create a brand-new Foreigner, and the magic was still there. I was especially fortunate in the choice of lead singer. Kelly Hansen is one of the best front men in our business and over the last twenty years he has breathed new life into our songs.
'His boundless energy and flawless talent has helped us climb the mountain and set up the opportunity for Foreigner vocalist and guitarist, Luis Maldonado, to bring us home.'
He added: 'I wish Kelly great happiness in his next endeavors after our summer tour, and I look forward to welcoming Luis to his new position. Luis was my choice as a guitarist and he has already shown us what he can do on lead vocals by fronting the band in South America to incredible reviews. He will soon lead the charge that will carry us forward to new heights.'
The band was founded in 1976 by guitarist Mick Jones, vocalist Lou Gramm, drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboardist Al Greenwood, bassist Ed Gagliardi, and multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald.
With Gramm leaving the band over creative differences in the early 2000s, Hansen joined Foreigner in 2005. More Trending
The band, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its formation next year.
Their current tour will feature both Hansen and Maldonado on stage in a symbolic handoff.
Foreigner is one of the most successful rock bands ever, achieving massive commercial success in the late 1970s and 1980s, blending hard rock with pop sensibilities.
They've sold over 80million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time, and produced a string of iconic hits, including I Want to Know What Love Is, Cold as Ice, Hot Blooded, Urgent, and Juke Box Hero.
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