Gwen Stefani Says Blake Shelton Is a ‘Freak’ When it Comes to Playing This Game

Gwen Stefani didn’t grow up listening to country music, but her taste has certainly changed thanks to her marriage to Blake Shelton. Shelton is the king of country, and his Oklahoma lifestyle was a shock to Stefani when they stayed quarantined on his ranch. The No Doubt singer explained how she and her family would play a game with Shelton that he was freakishly good at — and it had to do with his knowledge of country music.

Gwen Stefani called Blake Shelton a ‘freak’ due to his extensive music knowledge

Gwen Stefani is leaning into country music, thanks to Blake Shelton. The couple’s new song, “Purple Irises,” demonstrates their incredible sound together — and it adds a bit of country twang. However, Stefani didn’t become famous for country music, as she’s known for the ska-punk rock band No Doubt. While speaking to ALT 98.7 FM, she explained that she and Shelton find common ground with another type of music.

“Meeting Blake, I learned a lot about country music in the last nine years,” Stefani admitted. “I think that we really landed in a place where we both love ’80s. And he’s a jukebox. He knows every song, every single title, who sang it, the year that it happened. He’s a genius. He knows everything.”

Knowing Shelton’s extensive knowledge, Stefani explained that she and her brother loved to play a game to test him. The game involved playing short clips of obscure country songs and having him guess the artist. “We’re gonna play you five seconds — not even five seconds,” Stefani said. “We would just put it on, and within a second, he’d know the name, who wrote it, what year it came out. You’re just like, OK, you’re the freak of life.”

The No Doubt singer says she ‘loves being in a band’ with her husband

Gwen Stefani never imagined in her younger years that she’d be singing duets with Blake Shelton. During her interview with ALT 98.7 FM, she explained how she “loves being in a band” with her husband.

“I love being in a band with Blake,” she said. “It feels like we’re in a band. When we first got together, I really didn’t know much about country music. The first show I’d ever been to in my life was when my parents picked me up from Girl Scouts. … We saw Emmylou Harris. And so, that was the closest to country.”

She added that she and Shelton love to listen to “yacht rock,” also known as soft rock, and she would fantasize about writing yacht rock songs together. However, Shelton had other plans.

“He’s like, ‘I’m done with life. I just want to watch football. Let’s cook some sausage balls,’ or whatever he makes,” Stefani said with a laugh.

Blake Shelton said Gwen Stefani has ‘fallen in love with country music’ since he’s known her

Gwen Stefani has certainly taken to country music, and Blake Shelton knows it. During an interview at the iHeart Radio Theater, he said that Stefani has “fallen in love with country music” to the point that she listens to nothing else.

“I’ll tell you what, since we’ve been together, I mean, this girl has literally fallen in love with country music,” Shelton said, according to Entertainment Tonight. “It’s all that she listens to; it’s all that’s on in her car. And it’s not to do with me or anything. It’s just she grew up in Anaheim and then moved to Los Angeles. She didn’t hear a lot of country music is all I’m saying. Her parents abused her with this other music they played. Music abuse, I’m telling you, music abuse. She just wasn’t exposed to a lot of country music. But now, it’s all she listens to.”

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