For the better part of the past decade, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton have been one of the biggest power couples in the music industry and television, thanks in part to their undeniable charm and love for one another (even when on opposing sides of The Voice). The former singer of punk/pop outfit No Doubt and the multi-platinum country singer became the most unlikely of partners in recent years, but despite their extremely different backgrounds, have also become one of the most beloved tandems in pop culture.
With the couple being in the news pretty much every week (if not every single day) for several years now, sometimes it can be difficult to navigate their story and see how things have played out for Stefani and Shelton, especially with all the news about the latter leaving The Voice following the 2023 TV schedule. Let’s go back to the beginning and see how it all started for the power duo.
Gwen Stefani And Blake Shelton First Met On The Set Of The Voice In 2014
When Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton first met on the set of The Voice in 2014, she was still married to Bush singer Gavin Rossdale, with him being hitched to country music icon Miranda Lambert. And as Stefani revealed in a September 2022 interview with NBC Insider, she didn’t even know anything about Shelton at the time, but quickly began to realize he was not only a great musician, but a great guy:
I’m gonna be brutally honest. When I first came on The Voice [in 2014], I didn’t know that Blake even existed in the world. But then I did my homework and I could see that he was an amazing songwriter and then I could see everybody fall in love with him.
Over time, the two Voice coaches began to form a friendship, which turned into something much deeper. Not long after they met, Stefani and Shelton discovered they were both going through tough divorces. During a 2022 appearance on The Good Dish (via E! Online), Shelton revealed that he and Stefani “found each other at a very low point” in their lives, and began to turn to one another.
The Couple Reportedly Began Dating In November 2015
After months of appearing alongside one another as coaches on The Voice, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton reportedly began dating at some point in the latter part of 2015. In November 2015, multiple sources, including Shelton’s representatives, told People that the pair had entered a romantic relationship, with one insider saying the couple had been “supporting each other through a difficult time” before stating they were “really happy together.”
Gwen Stefani Helped Write Blake Shelton’s 2016 Hit ‘Go Ahead And Break My Heart’
In 2016, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton joined Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Jay Z and Beyonce, and Sonny and Cher on the list of celebrity couples who wrote songs together when the No Doubt singer helped craft her future husband’s hit song, “Go Ahead and Break My Heart.” Prior to the track’s debut, Shelton told People the song was the product of their relationship and the respective histories they brought into it:
We both had trust issues. We were getting over it, but we wrote this song about it, and it’s perfect.
The song would go on to become a moderately successful hit on both the Hot Country and Billboard Hot 100 charts following its release.
They First Performed Together On Stage On The Voice In May 2016
On May 9, 2016, the day “Go Ahead and Break My Heart” was released, Shelton and Stefani performed the song (their first time playing on stage together) on The Voice, taking the hit duet to stage where they first became friends and a couple. Prior to the taping, Shelton told Access Hollywood that he was “giddy” about the performance, describing the song as “brutally honest.”
Gwen Stefani Returned To The Voice Following A Two-Year Hiatus In September 2019
Gwen Stefani appeared on The Voice for four years before stepping down from the show in 2017, but the award-winning singer didn’t stay away from the musical competition series all that long before she returned as Adam Levine’s replacement in September 2019. Ahead of her return for the show’s 14th season, Stefani told People she was “so happy to be back,” adding her life changed a great deal from her initial run as a coach.
Stefani also said she felt “pretty lucky right now” to be back on TV with her then-boyfriend, as well as other coaches, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson. The couple would appear alongside one another for The Voice Season 17 before Stefani departed once again ahead of Season 18, though she would later return once more in 2020, in what would be an incredibly busy year for the pair.
The Couple Got Engaged In October 2020
While some high-profile relationships were brought to an abrupt end due to the COVID-19 pandemic and being stuck in quarantine, the same can’t be said for Shelton and Stefani, whose love affair seemed to blossom while sheltering-in-place. In fact, the couple got engaged in October 2020, when many were still stuck inside.
On October 27, 2020, Stefani took to her Instagram account to share an image of the stunning engagement ring he gave to her when popping the question, along with a caption reading “Yes please!” Following the announcement, US Weekly reported that Shelton didn’t want to waste any time and wanted to get married “very soon” after the engagement.
Gwen Stefani And Blake Shelton Tied The Knot On July 3, 2021
After a half-a-decade of dating, and an eight-month engagement, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton tied the knot on July 3, 2021, in a private ceremony at Shelton’s Oklahoma ranch with friends and family (and only one star of The Voice) in attendance. In the days following the ceremony, Stefani shared images on her Instagram account that displayed her flowing dress, Shelton’s classic tux, and a wedding cake for the ages. One year later, the couple shared even more images and videos from their wedding in the form of an adorable montage of memories.
Blake Shelton Announced In October 2022 He Would Soon Be Departing The Voice
In October 2022, Blake Shelton announced he would be leaving The Voice following the conclusion of the show’s 23rd season. Shelton, who has been a part of the competition series since its first season began back in April 2011, released a statement (via NBC Insider) following the big announcement, saying he had been “wrestling with” the decision for some time, but ultimately decided it was time to step away.
Following the announcement, many of Shelton’s former and current co-stars on The Voice shared their thoughts on the country singer’s upcoming departure, with Stefani saying he “brought so much joy” to the show, and that she felt sorry for everyone who won’t get to see him after Season 23.
Gwen Stefani Called Blake Shelton Her ‘Best Friend’ During A November 2022 Drew Barrymore Show Appearance
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, at least for the past few years, have never shied away from discussing their relationship in public, and that was no different when the singer appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show in November 2022 and described her husband as her “best friend,” stating:
Finding a best friend, someone that is on the same plane when it comes to morals, or just the way you look at life, that's the dream. We think the same about things, yet we're so different. Like, he's watching football and doing his stuff that he does, and I'm putting makeup on. We're so different, yet we're so the same on so many levels.
In the interview, Stefani also described how she thought her “life was over” before meeting Shelton on the set of The Voice.
Knowing Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, their story is far from over, and we can all expect to hear more about their relationship as they prepare to enter its next stage, one where the longtime coaches on The Voice will likely have some more free time on their hands.
