Kelly Clarkson had already put her own spin on Riley Green’s “Worst Way” before the country singer was announced as her fellow coach on Season 30 of The Voice. Their new connection has renewed interest in her Kellyoke performance—and in the possibility of the pair singing together—though no duet has been confirmed.
Clarkson performed Green’s romantic country hit on The Kelly Clarkson Show in February of the previous year. The Kellyoke segment gives her a chance to reinterpret songs from artists across genres, and she brought her own phrasing and powerful vocal style to Green’s track while keeping its romantic tone.
After the performance, Clarkson noted that Green had described “Worst Way” as one of the biggest moments in his live shows. She also made her admiration plain, telling viewers, “I love him. I dig him.”
At the time, the two had not been announced as colleagues on the singing competition. That changed when Green was named a coach for Season 30, joining Clarkson, Adam Levine and Queen Latifah on the panel. For Clarkson, it marked her 11th stint in the red chair; she had previously coached for 10 seasons and won four times.
Green shared the news on Instagram, where a video included a voicemail from Clarkson welcoming him to the show. She said she was excited to coach alongside him and praised his music. Her warm welcome also came with a joking warning that Team Kelly would be tough competition.
Clarkson sent Green a customized Voice chair, giving him a chance to try out one of the show’s signature features before his coaching debut. In the video, he tested the chair and joked that he could get used to it. The exchange offered a playful first glimpse of their dynamic as colleagues—and rivals.
The pairing gives Clarkson and Green a shared stage after her earlier performance of his song. That history makes a collaboration an appealing possibility for anyone curious about how their voices might sound together, but the available details point to a coaching partnership, not a confirmed performance. For now, “Worst Way” remains the link between Clarkson’s Kellyoke rendition and Green’s arrival on the show.
