KELLY Clarkson has been replaced by another powerhouse singer on The Voice after a tragedy forced her to step away from filming.

The singer won’t appear for the Season 29 kickoff of the Battle Rounds on Monday night, and the presumed reason for her absence is heartbreaking.

Kelly Clarkson reacting on "The Voice."
Kelly Clarkson has been replaced on The Voice with another A-list singer after a tragedy forced her to step away from filmingCredit: Getty
 

Jennifer Hudson smiling on The Voice set, with "JHud is back on The Voice" text.
The show announced that Jennifer Hudson will be filling in for Kelly on Monday’s episodeCredit: Instagram/nbcthevoice
A promo video for the episode shared on The Voice‘s official Instagram page teased the guest coach filling in for Kelly this week.

The clip first captured a purple high heel sitting on a white chair, with the words, “Get your shoes ready…” written over it.

The camera then panned to Jennifer Hudson warming up in the background, as the words, “…JHud is back on The Voice” read across the screen.

“Grab your shoes… Jennifer Hudson is in the building. The Voice Mon 9/8c | @NBC and next day on Peacock,” the post’s caption read.

The high heel appeared to reference Jennifer’s reputation for throwing her shoe onstage in response to a great performance in her earlier days as a coach on the singing competition show.

Jennifer was a coach on The Voice for Season 13 (2017) and Season 15 (2018), and for three seasons on The Voice UK.

She will join the two other coaches, Adam Levine and John Legend, in the special Battle of the Champions-themed season.

While the post didn’t address Kelly’s absence, fans suspect this was the point in filming when the American Idol alum’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, died in August.

Brandon, who is the father of Kelly’s two children: River Rose, 11, and Remington Alexander, 9, passed away after a three-year battle with melanoma.

A source exclusively revealed to The U.S. Sun at the time that Kelly stepped away from filming to be with her family.

The insider claimed that Kelsea Ballerini and Miley Cyrus were being considered as the Stronger singer’s replacements, but it wasn’t clear who landed the gig.

Reba McEntire, Brandon’s former stepmother, who was filming Season 28 of The Voice when he died, also took time away.

A source who was present at the taping of Kelly’s season in late September revealed that the TV star returned later in the Battle Rounds, but she appeared “very solemn” and significantly “less chatty” than in past episodes.

“She was professional and did all her bits and hit her marks, but she didn’t seem as happy, outgoing, or excited as she was previously on The Voice,” the insider exclusively shared to The U.S. Sun about the Piece by Piece singer.

“She seemed to try to hold it together, but when the cameras weren’t on her, she let out some tears,” they added.

Kelly has since made some significant career adjustments in the wake of Brandon’s passing.

Early last month, Kelly announced that her NBC talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, is ending after its seventh season.

Kelly explained that her departure is to give her more flexibility to be with her children and be present at home.

Several celebrities have already been tapped to possibly fill the show’s time slot, including pop star Pink and Olympians Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir.

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock attend the CMT Music Awards.
Fans suspected that this was the point in filming when Kelly’s ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, died from cancerCredit: Getty
 

Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, and John Legend posing for a photo.
Kelly stars alongside Adam Levine and John Legend for The Voice’s special Battle of the Champions-themed seasonCredit: Getty
 

Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Blake Shelton smiling together.
Jennifer was previously a coach on The Voice and The Voice UK