Just under five months after Foreinger singer Kelly Hansen announced he was leaving the band, he'll perform his final two shows this Friday and Saturday at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey, passing the baton to their guitarist, Luis Maldonado.
Hansen announced his decision on May 20th during the season finale of NBC's The Voice, when Foreigner played a medley of “Feels Like the First Time,” “Juke Box Hero” and “I Want To Know What Love Is.”
Hansen says, "Being the voice of Foreigner has been one of the greatest honors of my life. But it’s time to pass the mic. Luis has the voice, the energy and the soul to carry these songs into the future. I couldn’t be prouder to hand this off to him.”
Foreigner founder and former guitarist Mick Jones, who is sidelined by Parkinson's disease, adds, “In 1976, my goal was to assemble the finest group of musicians I could find. Results have shown that it worked! About 30 years later, [drummer] Jason Bonham encouraged me to do it all over again and create a brand-new Foreigner, and the magic was still there. I was especially fortunate in the choice of lead singer. Kelly Hansen is one of the best frontmen in our business and over the last 20 years he has breathed new life into our songs. His boundless energy and flawless talent has helped us climb the mountain and set up the opportunity for Foreigner vocalist and guitarist Luis Maldonado to bring us home.
"I wish Kelly great happiness in his next endeavors after our summer tour, and I look forward to welcoming Luis to his new position. Luis was my choice as a guitarist, and he has already shown us what he can do by fronting the band in South America to incredible reviews. He will soon lead the charge that will carry us forward to new heights”.
Luis, who joined Foreigner after five years in Train, 2016 to 2021, says, "This music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I’m ready to honor Foreigner's legacy and bring my heart to every performance.”
Lou Gramm, Foreigner's original singer, will join the band for eight shows in the Northeast in December in celebration of last month's deluxe reissue of their fourth album, 4.
Hansen is Foreigner's fourth singer following:
- Lou Gramm: 1976–1990, 1992–2003, and special appearances in 2017, 2018, 2024, and 2025
- Johnny Edwards: 1900-1992
- Chas West: 2004
Check out the band's original post about it here from their official Instagram page.