There Are A Lot Of Red Flags In Blake Shelton And Gwen Stefani's Marriage

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani have lived a super glamorous life together since tying the knot back in 2021. The musical duo first built a friendship in 2014 while judging reality singing competition "The Voice" and those feelings turned romantic in 2015, just as both their marriages fell apart. They leaned on each other during their respective splits with Stefani later telling People, "God putting Blake in my life was just that miracle."

Shelton and Stefani said "I do" in July 2021 on his Oklahoma ranch and appeared to be going strong as of 2024. As Stefani told Nylon, "The truth is I am in love with my best friend." Even so, not everything may be as perfect as it seems. Fans have noticed that Shelton was never the same after marrying Stefani, and while some changes were for the better, others left folks wondering if the couple was headed for divorce. Indeed, just like Stefani simply can't escape plastic surgery rumors, she can't seem to shake the skeptics saying she and Shelton won't make it. Here are all the red flags that have people wondering how long the couple will last.

When Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani first started dating back in November 2015, they were both getting out of long-term marriages. Shelton's divorce from Miranda Lambert (whom he married in 2011) was finalized that July, while Stefani and Gavin Rossdale (who tied the knot in 2002) announced their split in August.

Shelton and Stefani, who first met in April 2014 while judging "The Voice," had been close from the beginning, but their friendship soon blossomed into something more. However, neither could have guessed how serious that more would become. Speaking with "Today" in 2018, Shelton admitted that while Stefani helped him get through one of the darkest times in his life, he didn't initially think much of it. "It's a miracle that I met somebody that was going through the same exact thing that I was at the exact same moment in time," he conceded. Even so, he mused, "I think in the back of our minds we both kind of thought, 'This is a rebound deal.'"

Shelton previously joked about the start of their relationship during a 2017 concert when he told the audience, "[We were] starting to hang out together and mess around." As for Stefani, she too shared a similar sentiment on a 2016 song titled "Truth." As she cheekily sang on the track, "And they're all gonna say I'm rebounding, so rebound all over me."

Although Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton initially approached their relationship as a rebound, even that casual arrangement proved to be too much for Stefani. Speaking with People in 2024, the singer admitted that she nearly shut down her romance with Shelton before it really began. Because her personal life was so chaotic, she didn't want to deal with any additional stress. "Both of our lives were in complete turmoil, all over the ground," she recalled. "There was a point where I was like, 'I can't even talk to you. This is insane; I already have enough problems.'"

Stefani went as far as to tell Shelton he couldn't even text her anymore, but he refused to listen. Instead of backing down, he decided to try a sneakier method to keep in contact with Stefani. Shelton began writing a duet called "Go Ahead and Break My Heart" (they would eventually record it together in 2016) and asked Stefani to jump in. "I think he really wanted to impress me," she shared. "He sent it to me and it was a half-written song. He was like, 'Help me finish this.'" That's exactly what she did, sending him the second verse via text and reopening the door to communication and a future relationship.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton may be on the same team in real life, but while judging "The Voice" together, the duo often butted heads. Whether trying to poach contestants during the auditions or stealing them from each other as soon as the competition got underway, Stefani wasn't above throwing sharp gibes at her man. Just a few examples included Stefani telling a contestant in 2019 that she should choose her rather than Shelton because, "[H]e has the most wins on this show, but I have the longest career" (via People). In another headline-making exchange, this one in 2022, Stefani proclaimed, "My actual husband stabs me in the back."

However, there was one particular quibble that irked fans more than any other. In 2020, Stefani upset a whole legion of viewers when she told her hubby, "Wow, you are so dumb." In tweets saved by The U.S. Sun, viewers ripped into Stefani for being rude to her partner and for doing so repeatedly and unapologetically. "[I]f I get a coin everytime [G]wen say you are so dumb to Blake," went one comment while another slammed, "Gwen saying 'you're so dumb' to Blake, your fiancé is dumb and unattractive and you do it [sic] ally he time."

Following a 23-season run on "The Voice," Blake Shelton decided to walk away from the show he'd been a part of since its 2011 premiere. Shelton made the announcement in 2022, then bowed out from the series in May 2023. Along the way, he was repeatedly asked about his decision and told Access Hollywood it was all about having more time to spend with family. "Being a stepdad has changed my perspective in that I'm not the first person that I think about anymore," he mused, referring to his new role in the lives of Stefani's three children. Similarly, he told Jimmy Kimmel Live he decided to leave "The Voice" "for more family time." However, he was quick to note that his wife didn't feel that same need as she announced she was returning to the show for Season 24 immediately after his departure. "We're completely not involved in each other's decision-making when it comes to our careers," Shelton shared.

In addition to that eyebrow-raising confession about poor communication, an inside source also claimed that Stefani had selfish reasons for wanting her partner to leave the show. According to some insiders, she actually pushed him to quit because she disliked how busy his schedule was between touring and "The Voice." "Gwen wants him to spend more time with her, so they can ensure a happy future together," the source told RadarOnline.

Did Gwen Stefani want to turn her family into reality TV stars? Yes indeed, according to insiders who spoke with RadarOnline in 2023. Sources claimed that the singer had her heart set on cameras following her every move after finding a new zest for fame. Apparently, Stefani was feeling closer to her fans than she had in a long time thanks to the 2022 launch of her own makeup brand, GXVE Beauty, as well as her turn on "The Voice." "Gwen loves being famous more than ever with this whole new connection to her fans," the insider claimed.

Noting that Stefani was truly enjoying interacting with fans online, the source added, "They want to see more of her life, and she thinks a little docuseries could be so cute." Said series would potentially be filmed on Shelton's ranch in Oklahoma, showing not just her daily life but also her hubby's. Unfortunately, the country star was not into the idea, despite reportedly being asked by his wife on numerous occasions. "Blake is digging in his heels because he's sick of being henpecked," the source alleged. "He's already feeling smothered. The last thing he needs is another commitment with her!" That reported stubbornness was said to have left Stefani fuming. "Gwen is furious," the unnamed insider claimed.

Back in 2023, Blake Shelton took Carly Pearce on tour with him as his opening act for the second time. As Pearce later told Country Countdown USA, spending so much time together had helped create a special bond between them. "He views me as a little sister," she shared. While on the road, Pearce also became increasingly close to Gwen Stefani, striking up what she called "an unlikely friendship." Speaking with CMT (via People), Pearce said she and Stefani bonded over songwriting and their connection to Shelton, thus forming their own unique connection. This connection seemed to have grown even stronger following Pearce's June 2023 breakup from real estate agent Riley King. "Gwen's been Carly's biggest supporter, telling her she deserves the best and it's OK to wait for the right guy, like she did," a source told RadarOnline.

Unfortunately, rather than being happy about his wife and little sis getting on so well, Shelton was reportedly bothered by all the time they were spending together. According to the insider, Stefani and Pearce were making a habit of hanging out without Shelton, whether they were writing music, hitting the town, or going away on a camping trip. "There's a tinge of jealousy there because Carly was his friend first," the source alleged. "It's got Blake seething."

Gwen Stefani has been known to write extremely personal songs about her various relationships and her union with Blake Shelton has provided plenty of lyrical inspiration. In 2024, Stefani wrote a duet for her and Shelton titled "Purple Irises" and, as she told Nylon, the track was an intimate look at her own marital insecurities. The singer explained that she had been questioning her beauty, worrying about getting older, and wondering how that would impact her marriage when she penned the song. "Even though I know the truth of what's happening today, you still create drama in your own mind about your insecurities and what might happen," she mused. "I was in that phase of the relationship with Blake and getting paranoid." In the end, though, Stefani was adamant that there was no actual weight to her worries. "All this s*** I'm thinking of in my brain, that's all it is — I'm overthinking," she said.

As it turns out, she wasn't the only one wondering if her union was strong enough to make it in the long run. Shelton told the mag that they often have open conversations about their insecurities, asking each other questions like, "Are you still going to love me when I'm old or if I forget who I am?"

After opening up about her marital insecurities on 2024's "Purple Irises," Gwen Stefani again turned to music to share her most personal emotions with fans in 2025. On a track called "Still Gonna Love You," which was on the deluxe reissue of her 2024 record "Bouquet," Stefani appeared to feed into the breakup rumor mill. In one noteworthy passage, Stefani appeared to hint at trouble in paradise as she sang, "You can push me away, go ahead and make your mistakes, I won't judge you." In another verse, she further fueled speculation of a divorce as she crooned, "And I know you're not trying to break my heart, but it still hurts the same."

While the lyrics were interpreted by many as a red flag, highlighting potential issues in her marriage to Blake Shelton, Stefani was adamant that wasn't so. "This song is about love," she told NME, suggesting the lyrics were meant to evoke a happy union. "A love that can't be broken, a love that no matter what is always going to be there." Indeed, Stefani also sang about their ups on the album, like on "Pretty" when she revealed Shelton's role in her self-esteem journey, noting he made her feel more confident than ever.

Despite Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's lengthy relationship timeline, their marriage has been consistently plagued by divorce rumors since 2023. That February, a source told RadarOnline that the couple was struggling to hold onto their initial spark and connection. "It seems like they argue constantly now," the insider alleged. "[T]hey've even slept in separate bedrooms after particularly bad fights." Meanwhile, that April, another insider told RadarOnline that Stefani was unhappy with Shelton's unhealthy diet, which had reportedly resulted in a 50-pound weight gain since their 2021 wedding. Shelton apparently refused to put down the beer and junk food, despite requests from Stefani and friends to take better care of his health. "Blake doesn't seem worried — and that's the problem," they mused.

A year later, the rumors still hadn't quieted down. With two incredibly busy schedules, the duo was reportedly struggling to spend time together. "Their relationship of late has been a lot of texting and talking on the phone," a source told Life & Style. "Gwen and Blake used to be inseparable, but that's changed."

Despite the mounting headlines, Stefani was adamant that all the breakup stories were false. "You can say whatever you want to say about our relationship ... It's just lies," she seethed in her 2024 Nylon interview. "The truth is the truth, and we know what that is."