Blake Shelton expects Gwen Stefani to tell him when it’s time to retire: ‘Don’t let me twist in the wind’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Country music icon Blake Shelton, 48, wants to stay true to himself in his career, and he’s relying on his wife, Gwen Stefani, to help him realize when it might be time to step back.
During a candid interview on Sirius XM’s 'Highway Mornings with Cody Alan', Shelton opened up about their unique dynamics, both personally and professionally, and the role Stefani plays in keeping him grounded.
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's shared music tastes help them bond
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, who married in 2021, have enjoyed collaborating on music over the years. Despite their seemingly different musical backgrounds—Shelton with his country roots and Stefani with her ska/pop influences—they’ve found harmony both in life and in the studio.
“There’s always going to be something with Gwen if I can talk her into it. We love making records together. I don’t know how many we’ve done now, but it’s quite a few. We love working together. It’s fun, because it’s weird, you know? Because it’s Gwen Stefani and country guy. It works, it seems like. It works for us anyway," said Shelton.
Surprisingly, the two also share similar tastes in music outside their genres. Shelton explained, "As she and I started getting to know each other back in the day, it wasn’t as ‘two different worlds’ as you would think. She’s a California girl, I’m an Oklahoma guy – that’s painfully obvious. The rest of it, musically, we’ve kind of always been on the same page as each other."
"We have our things. I’m pretty… I wouldn’t say traditional country. Whatever umbrella you would put me under in country music. Then she’s the ska/pop thing, you know? But as far as the stuff we drive around and listen to, it’s kind of always been the same stuff.”
Blake Shelton relies on Gwen Stefani’s feedback
Blake Shelton revealed that he often seeks Gwen Stefani’s feedback on his music, including his new song 'Texas', which received her enthusiastic approval. However, he made it clear that he expects Stefani to tell him the hard truth if his music or career takes a questionable turn.
“I think at this point, for the two of us, our conversations about new music we make, we can’t just enjoy it. Because it’s like, we’re both to the age and to the point in our lives where it’s like, ‘Hey listen to me. If I start… when this isn’t cool anymore, you have to be the one to tell me. Don’t let me twist in the wind and (say) people are going to love it'."
Shelton added that he values having someone like Stefani to give him honest input, especially in an industry where artists often lack that reality check, per Whiskey Riff.
“In this business, how many times (have you seen it) where it’s like, ‘Someone needs to tell so-and-so that they look like a dumba** right now?’”
With Stefani’s support and a shared passion for music, Shelton seems poised to continue making music that feels authentic to both himself and his fans.
