Foreigner lead singer Kelly Hansen has elaborated on his decision to step down from the iconic rock band after two decades, stating it’s simply “time for me to do other things in my life while I still can.” His departure, which will occur at the end of the band’s summer 2025 tour, was initially announced during Foreigner‘s performance on the May 20th season finale of NBC‘s “The Voice,” where guitarist Luis Maldonado was introduced as his successor.
In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, the 64-year-old Hansen expressed his gratitude for his time with the band but emphasized his desire to explore new avenues. “It’s been a great experience for me and I have nothing but love for this organization and all the guys in the band,” he said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “But I have other things — I have other fish I wanna fry.” He hinted at future projects, including focusing on his “fairly new family” and potential “cooking stuff.” Hansen also assured fans this isn’t a complete disappearance: “The band’s gonna continue on with Luis and I’m probably gonna pop in here and there and say hi.”
Foreigner bassist Jeff Pilson also spoke to Entertainment Tonight, describing the band’s full support for Hansen‘s decision and their outlook on the transition. “Wow. It’s hard to say any one highlight, ’cause every, everything’s been great,” Pilson remarked on their recent touring. “But I think the biggest thing for us is making this transition. Kelly having a life is really cool and we’re so supportive of that… I think making the transition has been a very emotional, but also a very focused thing for us. This is a big change. I mean, he’s been singing for 20 years, so it’s new horizons, but we’re very, very excited about it.”
When Hansen first announced his departure on May 20th, he stated: “Being the voice of Foreigner has been one of the greatest honors of my life. 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.” The band’s ongoing tour will feature both Hansen and Maldonado on stage, providing a symbolic handoff as Foreigner approaches its 50th anniversary in 2026.
He also invited fans to join them and “party with us” while they still can. “Please come party with us. We’ve got a lot of rocking to do. And again, thank you guys so much.”
Foreigner – Upcoming Tour Dates 2025-2026:
June 2025:
- Jun. 11 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Theater
- Jun. 12 – Del Mar, CA – San Diego County Fair 2025
- Jun. 14 – Scottsdale Ranch, AZ – The Pool at Talking Stick Resort
- Jun. 15 – Tucson, AZ – The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall
- Jun. 18 – Paso Robles, CA – Vina Robles Amphitheatre
- Jun. 20 – Reno, NV – Reno Ballroom
- Jun. 21 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Sacramento
- Jun. 26 – Arnolds Park, IA – VIB Acoustic with Foreigner Members
- Jun. 27 – Arnolds Park, IA – Arnolds Park Amusement Park
- Jun. 29 – Council Bluffs, IA – Stir Concert Cove-Harrah’s Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel
July 2025:
- Jul. 4 – Windsor, ON – The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
- Jul. 5 – Windsor, ON – The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
- Jul. 9 – Winnipeg, MB – Princess Auto Stadium
- Jul. 11 – Prior Lake, MN – Lakefront Music Fest 2025
- Jul. 12 – Chippewa Falls, WI – Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds
- Jul. 22 – York, PA – York Expo Center
- Jul. 24 – Columbus, OH – Ohio Expo Center & State Fair
- Jul. 25 – West Bend, WI – Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center
- Jul. 26 – Mount Pleasant, MI – Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
- Jul. 29 – Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
- Jul. 30 – Doswell, VA – SERVPRO presents Atlantic Union Bank After Hours
August 2025:
- Aug. 2 – Cherokee, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
- Aug. 4 – Selbyville, DE – Freeman Arts Pavilion
- Aug. 5 – Cohasset, MA – South Shore Music Circus
- Aug. 8 – North Lawrence, OH – Clay’s Resort Jellystone Park
- Aug. 10 – Rockford, IL – Coronado Performing Arts Center
- Aug. 11 – Cedar Rapids, IA – McGrath Amphitheatre
- Aug. 13 – Lincoln, NE – Pinewood Bowl Theater
- Aug. 15 – Hammond, IN – The Venue at Horseshoe Casino
- Aug. 16 – Gibson City, IL – Sangamon Ave
- Aug. 28 – Vancouver, BC – Pacific Coliseum
- Aug. 30 – Palmer, AK – Alaska State Fair Inc
September 2025:
- Sep. 5 – Brookville, NY – Tilles Center – Krasnoff Theater
- Sep. 11 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond 2025
- Sep. 12 – Lampe, MO – Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater
- Sep. 14 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond 2025
- Sep. 16 – Corbin, KY – The Corbin Arena
- Sep. 20 – Verona, NY – Turning Stone Resort Casino
- Sep. 21 – West Springfield, MA – The Big E 2025
October 2025:
- Oct. 3 – Durant, OK – The Grand Theater – Choctaw Casino & Resort
- Oct. 4 – Durant, OK – The Grand Theater – Choctaw Casino & Resort
- Oct. 10 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
- Oct. 11 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
- Oct. 21 – St. John’s, NL – Mary Browns Centre
- Oct. 23 – Sydney, NS – Centre 200
- Oct. 24 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre
- Oct. 25 – Moncton, NB – Avenir Centre
- Oct. 27 – Montréal, QC – Place des Arts – Théâtre Maisonneuve
- Oct. 28 – Ottawa, ON – TD Place
- Oct. 29 – Kingston, ON – Slush Puppie place
- Oct. 30 – Sudbury, ON – Sudbury Arena
November 2025:
- Nov. 1 – Sault Ste. Marie, ON – GFL Memorial Gardens
- Nov. 2 – Thunder Bay, ON – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
- Nov. 5 – Medicine Hat, AB – Co-op Place
- Nov. 6 – Cranbrook, BC – Western Financial Place
- Nov. 7 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place
March 2026 (Las Vegas, NV):
- Mar. 6 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
- Mar. 7 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
- Mar. 11 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
- Mar. 13 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
- Mar. 14 – Las Vegas, NV – The Venetian Theatre
