Michael Bublé Performing ‘Home’ Duet With Blake Shelton Is Sure To Bring On The Tears

Oct 21, 2022

During a star-studded evening in 2008, Michael Bublé and Blake Shelton sang a duet rendition of the song "Home" during a special concert in honor of songwriter and music producer David Foster, which took place at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The relaxed performance started with just Bublé and Foster on stage and included lots of banter that led into the song, adding to the relaxed atmosphere of the intimate concert. But without warning, Bublé's rendition turned into a duet when country star Shelton literally appeared out of nowhere and joined him and Foster onstage. Their performance that night is still one to remember.

Written by Bublé and co-writers Alan Chang and Amy Foster-Gillies — the daughter of Foster — the Canadian musician originally debuted the song in 2005, and it was later covered by Shelton in 2007. For the one-off concert, the two successful musicians came together for a duet of the same song that probably no one expected while Foster even played the piano. Overall, it was a seamless duet between two artists that confirms musical genres are not definitive and that songs really can transcend different audiences. Additionally, no artist should be limited to one musical style.

The extremely enthusiastic crowd included one of the song’s co-writers, Foster-Gillies, and it was clear the entire audience knew they were witnessing something very special on that night. Thankfully, there was a video taken of the performance, which allows anyone to enjoy it many years later. Let's take a look at this wonderful duet and its backstory.

Bublé’s 2005 hit "Home" has been a favorite of many artists. Shelton was one such performer and offered his cover of the hit in 2007. One year later, in 2008, the two stars had the opportunity to sing the song together during a special concert held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Names like Kenny G, Celine Dion and Brian McKnight in the same breath can only mean one thing; someone in the music business has decided to put on quite a concert. In this case, it’s famed music producer and music business mogul, Foster. Performing songs that were all written or produced by Foster except for one, the night featured a who's who of the musical world and appeared like a natural meeting of very talented performers. 

If you aren't aware of Foster's work and contribution to music, he's a Canadian musician, composer, record producer and music executive who is responsible for a lot of the music you probably love. Songs that were written by him include Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing," Dion and Andrea Bocelli's "The Prayer" and Madonna's "You'll See," among many others. He got his start as a musician himself and his earlier writing work was for the likes of Earth, Wind & Fire and Chicago. Later on, he also produced the debut albums of singers Josh Groban and Bublé, effectively helping them get their start in show business. He's also the recipient of 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. In other words, Foster is a powerhouse in the music industry.

Throughout the years, Foster has garnered quite a reputation for sizing up talent and making numerous stars shine a little brighter. With so many musically gifted friends under one roof, you can be sure that Foster's concert was an evening to remember. Not only were the musicians talented, but the songs were carefully curated to maximize each musician’s gifts.

Bublé and Shelton were two such stars. During this colossal event, the two were slated to perform Bublé’s 2005 hit, and they did not disappoint. As Foster sat at the piano, the audience knew they were in for a treat. Bublé began with some light banter and then quickly switched into a more serious mode. Shortly before performing, Bublé dedicated the performance to Foster-Gillies, Foster's daughter, and co-writer of the song. Foster's already sparkling smile turned effervescent.

After Bublé sang a few lines of his hit song, not in his usual style but putting on somewhat of a country inflection, Foster shot him a few quizzical looks and asked, “What was that?” When Bublé replied that it was country "Home," Foster informed him that, “the guy that actually has a country hit with that song is here.” It didn’t take much convincing to get Bublé to turn it into a duet. Despite the fact that both performers have released their own versions of the song, a duet between the soulful crooner Bublé and country icon Shelton isn't exactly the first collaboration that springs to mind. But we're not complaining — sometimes the unexpected is even more powerful.

Once Shelton took the stage, he quickly added his voice to Foster and Bublé’s musical creation to create a new sound. Although they perform in vastly different corners of the musical universe, they were able to play off one another to find an even better place together. Their performance was proof that "Home" is somewhere for us all.

At the song's end, the audience gave them a big round of applause that was well deserved. The two artists were clearly very happy with their unexpected duet, shaking each other's hands and embracing in a brotherly hug. The performance is unique for various reasons. Firstly, it's less common for two men to duet on a song together, which makes their pairing especially unexpected. Another reason is that it's a meeting of two powerhouses in their respective musical genres, each with his own distinct musical style.

Often musical genres aren't mixed around a lot, with fans of one style not necessarily taking an interest in another. For example, someone who enjoys jazz might not necessarily enjoy rock, or someone who listens to country music might not necessarily like R&B. But that is part of why song covers are so exciting — often they are renditions in a completely different musical style, and can even bring people to a new artist or style of music that they otherwise would have never found. This is one of the reasons the song "Home" is so special — it was popularized by Bublé in his vocal, easy-listening style, but it also became a country hit thanks to Shelton's southern drawl and musicality. 

A hugely successful pop-jazz/easy-listening singer, Bublé released his first self-titled album in 2003, but it wasn't until his follow-up record, 2005's "It's Time," which was produced by Foster, that brought him to the attention of international audiences. In fact, it was Foster who helped Bublé get his start in the industry after first hearing him sing at a wedding. Unsure of how to market the style of music that Bublé performed, Foster got the stamp of approval from veteran singer and his personal friend Paul Anka, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Bublé's career has only gone from strength to strength, as he's continued to win over people's hearts with his smooth and soulful singing style. In total, he's sold more than 40 million records globally and has won various awards, including four Grammys. Other artists he's collaborated with include Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, Idina Menzel and Boyz II Men. Considering his duets with Twain and Parton, maybe he is more acquainted with the country genre than we might have initially thought.

Meanwhile, Shelton is a bonafide country legend at this point. Getting his start around the same time as Bublé in the early 2000s. His debut single from 2001 titled "Austin" was a big success, spending five weeks at the number one spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. His self-titled debut album on which the song was released eventually went platinum and put Shelton on the map. His follow-up albums also did incredibly well, with his fourth, "Pure BS," the record that featured his cover of Home.

In his career, Shelton has had 28 number one singles out of 40 that have charted. Of the 28, 17 were consecutive number ones. And although Shelton hasn't won a Grammy, he's had nine nominations. His work has been widely praised, especially for being a crossover success to other musical genres. The New York Times said that he is "the most important and visible ambassador from Nashville to the American mainstream" while Rolling Stone stated he's "one of country music's biggest stars over the past decade."

His mainstream success is not entirely random, however. After appearing in various televised singing competitions, "Nashville Star" and "Clash of the Choirs," Shelton came on as a coach for NBC's "The Voice" and has subsequently appeared on all 22 seasons. He's known for being a great coach, with various team members of his going on to win eight out of 22 seasons. He also famously met and fell in love with fellow "The Voice" coach Gwen Stefani when they were both on the show, and the pair, who got married in 2021, has become a well-loved celebrity couple in Hollywood.

Bublé and Shelton's duet of "Home" is absolutely wonderful to listen to and watch, as it highlights the power of how seemingly different people can work together to create something truly beautiful. With the support of Foster, who is revered in the music industry for a reason, this powerhouse of men proves that duets can be done any which way, and sometimes they're even more powerful when they break the mold.

How do you feel Bublé and Shelton each performed in their unexpected "Home" duet? Is either one of their solo versions your favorite rendition of the song? Perhaps you have some talented friends or family members who form a great artistic team. Please take a few moments and tell us how they’re working hard to make your world a more beautiful place, then be sure to pass this on to them.