Blake Shelton’s Lonely Tonight, released in 2014 with Ashley Monroe, quickly became a country favorite. The emotional duet soared to #1 on the Country Airplay chart and reached #47 on the Billboard Hot 100, also topping country charts in Canada. Their powerful collaboration even earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
Since Shelton and Monroe can’t always perform together live, he’s invited other artists to step in over the years. Stars like Lauren Alaina and Carly Pearce have taken on Monroe’s role on stage, and more recently, Shelton performed Lonely Tonight with The Voice Season 23 finalist Grace West. The moment was especially meaningful as it marked his final performance on the show as a coach.
One of Shelton’s closest friends and fellow former Voice coach, Kelly Clarkson, has also shared the stage with him numerous times. They’ve performed hits like Don’t You Wanna Stay, Neon Moon, and Austin together.
During his Friends & Heroes Tour in 2021, Shelton stunned the Denver crowd by bringing Clarkson out for a surprise duet of Lonely Tonight. Fans had no idea she was waiting backstage, and when she stepped onto the stage, the energy in the arena skyrocketed.
A fan-captured video of the performance spread quickly, and after the song ended, Shelton couldn’t contain his excitement, shouting, “Kelly freakin’ Clarkson, Denver!”—perfectly capturing the magic of the moment.
Though the duet happened years ago, the performance has resurfaced online, proving that some musical moments are simply unforgettable.