‘The Voice’ Coach Gwen Stefani Calls Oklahoma ‘Magic’: ‘It’s Such an Amazing Place’
NBC’s The Voice Season 24 continues without Blake Shelton — and, as fans of the show, we miss him dearly. Gwen Stefani and Shelton connected through the reality series. Now, Stefani, who was born in California, lives in Shelton’s home state of Oklahoma. While it took some adjusting, Stefani now admits that Oklahoma is “an amazing place.”
‘The Voice’ Season 24 coach Gwen Stefani says Oklahoma is ‘magic’
The Voice Season 24 coach Gwen Stefani never imagined that she’d live in Oklahoma. As a West Coast girl, she enjoyed the perfect weather and beaches that California offered. But her whole life changed when she met Blake Shelton. Now, she lives on Shelton’s 1,300-acre ranch. Life could certainly be worse.
Several years ago, Stefani spoke on Jimmy Kimmel Live about what she thinks of Oklahoma. “It’s pretty magic, I have to say. I had no idea myself that it was such an amazing place,” she told Jimmy Kimmel.
Stefani explained that entering Oklahoma feels like entering a portal where, suddenly, nature appears. “And I get to be face to face with Blake Shelton every day,” the No Doubt frontwoman added. “You should see those eyes under the Oklahoma stars.”
Living in Oklahoma with Shelton has also shown Stefani that she can sing and write country music — something she never would’ve fathomed in the past. “It’s hard to even remember my other life back then,” she said. ” … Some of the songwriting in country music is just masterful, it’s storytelling. It’s very familiar in a lot of ways. … I just learned a lot.”
While Stefani opened herself up to Shelton’s music, Shelton’s not a fan of ska just yet. “I think he is very curious about it,” she added.
Blake Shelton called his wife’s childhood California home ‘incredible’
The Voice Season 24 coach Gwen Stefani adapted her California life to the big skies of Oklahoma. It doesn’t seem like a bad trade to us (especially given the size of Shelton’s ranch). But Shelton’s no stranger to California. For the couple’s first anniversary, Stefani brought Shelton to her hometown of Anaheim.
“We’re actually doing a tour of Anaheim right now, and now we’re at my house that I grew up at,” Stefani said on Snapchat in 2016, according to People. After touring the home, Shelton commented on what he thought of the place.
“This is incredible,” he said.
Stefani once admitted in an Instagram clip that she lived with her ultra-strict parents into her 20s. That’s also how she got started songwriting. “My parents were quite strict with me, and I was living at home even into my 20s, and I would have to come home and, like, knock on my parents’ door, and it was frustrating because I was older. You know what I mean?” she said, according to Hello!
This dynamic influenced her lyrics for No Doubt’s song “Just a Girl.” “I can remember thinking, ‘Wow, I’m in a car right now. I’m driving home, it’s like 1 in the morning, and if something did happen to me, I’m quite vulnerable because I’m a girl,'” she added.
So, will Shelton and Stefani ever move to California full-time? We doubt it, as Shelton seems like a diehard Oklahoma man.
The Voice Season 24 airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
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