It's the End of an Era! Kelly Hansen Shockingly Announces He's Leaving Foreigner

After nearly 20 years fronting one of rock music's most iconic bands, Kelly Hansen has announced that he will be leaving Foreigner. The longtime lead vocalist, who joined the group in 2005, revealed that he will be departing following the conclusion of their 2025 summer tour.

Kelly made the heartfelt announcement during a special appearance with Foreigner on the May 20 episode of The Voice, marking an emotional moment for fans of the band: "Being the voice of Foreigner has been one of the greatest honors of my life," he said.

While the news has come as a surprise to many, it raises the inevitable question: After so many years of touring, recording, and keeping Foreigner's legacy alive on stages around the world, why is Kelly Hansen leaving now?

During Foreigner's recent appearance on The Voice, longtime frontman Kelly Hansen shared that after two decades, he feels the time has come to "pass the mic" to a new voice for the next chapter of Foreigner's journey. That moment came to life during the broadcast when Kelly introduced guitarist Luis Maldonado as his successor, marking an emotional and symbolic passing of the torch.

"It's time to pass the mic," Kelly said in a statement. "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."

The transition is not only significant for the band's future but also marks the end of a remarkable era. Mick Jones, Foreigner's founding guitarist and the last original member still with the group, offered his own tribute to Kelly and welcomed Luis with open arms.

"In 1976, my goal was to assemble the finest group of musicians I could find. Results have shown that it worked!" he said. "About 30 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."

Mick continued, "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."

He went on to praise Kelly for "his boundless energy and flawless talent," saying it helped the new group "climb the mountain and set up the opportunity for Foreigner vocalist and guitarist, Luis Maldonado, to bring us home."

"I wish Kelly great happiness in his next endeavors after our summer tour, and I look forward to welcoming Luis to his new position," Mick concluded. "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."

For his part, Luis Maldonado expressed his excitement about stepping into this new role. He shared, "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."