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CeeLo Green: I Left the Voice Because “It Became a Job”

In September, the seventh season of The Voice will premiere with Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, and Pharrell Williams, but without CeeLo Green. The “F–k You” singer, 40, officially exited the singing competition show earlier this year, and stopped by Us Weekly‘s New York offices last week to dish why. 

Green caught up with Us Weekly entertainment director Ian Drew to promote his new TBS reality program The Good Life, which debuted on June 23. During the chat, he touched on his departure from the show, as well as advice for new hosts Stefani and Williams. 

Related: PHOTOS: CeeLo's craziest outfits

“It easily and quickly became a job,” Green said of why he left. “Very, very obligating… Taxing and tiring… I still tip my hat to Adam and Blake and those guys who continuously do it, but I think I ran my course there just naturally.”

“Amicably, we parted ways,” he continued. “I’ve got some very great memories there. It really has everything to do with me having the leverage to go elsewhere and be a success as well.”

Related: PHOTOS: The Voice then and now

As to how he first got involved in The Voice when it premiered in April 2011, Green said it was Levine, 35, who called him about the opportunity. (Green, Levine, Shelton, and Christina Aguilera were the four original judges; Aguilera is sitting out the next season because of her pregnancy.)

CeeLo Green US interview

“We were friends prior to [The Voice], and he called and said, ‘Hey man, there’s this new show The Voice and I don’t really know what it’s going to be about, and I don’t really want to do any more kind of music shows—do you think it’s cool? If you do it, I’ll do it. If you don’t do it, I won’t do it,'” Green explained. “And I was like, ‘Well, just judging from the premise, the blind auditions’—It’s something that everybody agrees is just really original. It had a great new spin.”

Related: PHOTOS: Adam Levine's Hottest Pictures

After both Shakira and Usher spent time as judges on the program, Stefani, 44, and Williams, 41, will take their turns in the red chairs this fall. The Goodie Mob performer had some words of wisdom for the newbies. 

“Just kind of pace yourself,” he said. “Find a happy space… Just find it enjoyable, and as long as you’re passionate about discovering new talent and really helping people and encouraging them to be themselves and live out loud and follow their dreams, then you should have no problem.”

Related: PHOTOS: Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert's Love Story

Watch CeeLo discuss the show and his latest venture in the video above!

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