Not much stands in the way of Blake Shelton, but Ariana Grande did.
In 2016, years before they began working together on NBC’s The Voice, both released albums at the same time: Shelton’s If I’m Honest dropped the same day Grande released Dangerous Woman.
“I released the album, and I had some momentum going at that point musically,” Shelton shares with People during a press junket for The Voice. “I was excited thinking that this might be my chance to have the number one album in the country.”
That’s not how it worked out, however.
“Literally, I may as well have released a coaster of a CD,” Shelton continues teasing, telling Grande, “You trashed my album!”
Shelton’s If I’m Honest actually did reach No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart, but it peaked at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Dangerous Woman opened at No. 2, but both albums were held out of the top spot by Drake’s Views, which was in the middle of a multi-week run at No. 1.
Fellow The Voice coach Kelly Clarkson claims to know better than to go head-to-head with Grande in the charts.
“I think I’m smart enough to steer clear of her releases,” the singer says.
Grande was a good sport and agreed to make it up to Shelton by not “squashing my release dates,” although she did joke that she will be coming out with a new cover of If I’m Honest.
This playful spat is another in the ongoing light-hearted feud between Shelton and Grande. At the onset of the current season, Shelton worried that Grande would “take his crown.”
“Is everyone in here just obsessed with Ariana?” he joked in a teaser for the season.
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