Reba McEntire speaks out for the first time about the real reason she turned down The Voice years before she agreed to join: “I was so scared because…

Joining The Voice as a coach wasn’t always Reba McEntire’s plan.

In a new interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the 70-year-old country superstar opened up about why she didn’t initially want to become a coach on the hit NBC singing competition series.

“I was really dreading it at first because I don’t want to tell anybody they suck,” said McEntire, who appeared on the show as a part-time advisor three times before officially getting her own red chair for season 24.

The “Fancy” singer explained, “I passed on it years ago when it first came over from Holland, and I said, ‘I can’t tell somebody, you know, don’t give up your day job.’ I’m not gonna do that!”

“But the way we did it on the first time I was on The Voice, it was more helpful and encouraging,” added McEntire, who will return for season 28 later this year alongside Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé and Niall Horan.

“We’re nice people,” she said of the coaching crew. “We encourage. We lift up.”

Between coaching on The Voice, acting on Happy’s Place and hosting the recent 2025 ACM Awards, McEntire is quite busy as of late. She’s also celebrating 50 continuous years in country music and recently told PEOPLE it’s a “mind-boggling” anniversary.

“Very grateful, very thankful,” she said earlier this month of her feelings toward the special milestone.

“I never thought at the 20th anniversary that I’d be hitting this one. But I have to give a lot of credit to people who have been before me — Tammy [Wynette], Dolly [Parton], Loretta [Lynn] — who have paved the roads for girl singers of my generation and the ones that are coming up after me,” added McEntire. “So it’s been a lot of fun.”

“You always want to work real hard and make them proud,” she added.

The Grammy winner also gave thanks above for her lasting musical tenure. “God gave me a gift and I try to use it and to give him all the praise and the glory,” she said. “Because without him I wouldn’t have had it and could have given it to somebody else, so I try to make him proud.”

Last week, McEntire released her new single “Trailblazer” with Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson. The track marks the “Consider Me Gone” performer’s first release since last year’s “I Can’t.”

Reba McEntire Finally Reveals Why She Turned Down The Voice – “I Was So Scared…”

For decades, Reba McEntire has reigned as one of country music’s most iconic voices. But when the opportunity to join The Voice first came knocking, the “Queen of Country” slammed the door shut. Now, in a rare and deeply candid interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, the 70-year-old legend is finally opening up about the real reason she originally passed on the hit show—and it’s not what fans expected.

“I was really dreading it at first,” Reba confessed. “Because I don’t want to tell anybody they suck.”

It’s a brutally honest statement from one of the warmest stars in the industry. But McEntire says the fear of crushing dreams haunted her back when NBC was first assembling its coaching panel. Originally offered the position that later went to fellow country star Blake Shelton, Reba revealed that she simply couldn’t stomach the idea of having to criticize hopeful singers.

“I passed on it years ago when it first came over from Holland,” she explained. “I said, ‘I can’t tell somebody, you know, don’t give up your day job.’ I’m not gonna do that!”

And so, despite her legendary status and coaching potential, Reba walked away from a career-defining opportunity. But in hindsight, the timing may have been just right. After years of building her brand, nurturing her acting career, and continuing her reign in music, Reba was finally ready. In Season 24, she returned not as an advisor—but as a full-blown coach in the iconic red chair.

Her second act on The Voice has been nothing short of triumphant. Now preparing for Season 28 alongside a star-studded panel featuring Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé, and Niall Horan, Reba says the show has evolved into something she’s proud to be a part of.

“We’re nice people,” she said with a smile. “We encourage. We lift up.”

And that’s exactly what Reba has been doing—not just on TV, but throughout her career.

With over 50 years in country music, Reba McEntire has become more than just a singer. She’s a trailblazer, mentor, and living legend. Her recent collaboration with Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson on the new single “Trailblazer” is a testament to that. The song celebrates fierce female voices in country music—something Reba has spent her life defending and uplifting.

As she reflects on her incredible career, Reba is both humble and deeply grateful.

“I never thought at the 20th anniversary that I’d be hitting this one,” she admitted. “But I have to give a lot of credit to people who have been before me—Tammy, Dolly, Loretta. They paved the roads.”

Now, Reba is paving roads for others—through mentorship, music, and grace.

“You always want to work real hard and make them proud,” she said.

It’s clear that Reba’s passion runs deeper than showbiz. In her eyes, her career has been a calling—one she credits to a higher power.

“God gave me a gift and I try to use it and to give him all the praise and the glory,” she said earnestly. “Because without him I wouldn’t have had it… I try to make him proud.”

From a hesitant sidestep to a full-circle moment on The Voice, Reba McEntire continues to lead with heart. And in an industry often dominated by ego, her honesty and humility are exactly what make her such a beloved figure—not just in country music, but in American culture at large.

Whether she’s standing on stage, sitting in a red chair, or encouraging the next generation of dreamers, one thing’s for sure: Reba’s voice—both literal and figurative—still matters more than ever.