Gwen Stefani makes bittersweet confession about finding true love ‘later in life’ with Blake Shelton

Gwen Stefani may have wished she had found her love with Blake Shelton earlier in life, but she knows it was meant to be just the way it was.

The No Doubt star and the former The Voice judge met when she started filming her first season of the NBC singing competition in April of 2013, started dating in 2015 and tied the knot in 2021.

When the couple first met, they were both still married, Gwen to Gavin Rossdale, with whom she shares sons Kingston, 18, Zuma, 16, and Apollo, ten, and Blake to Miranda Lambert, both of whom they divorced in 2015.

Since marrying Blake, Gwen has not shied away from gushing over how he is her one true love, and her new song “Late to Bloom” from her latest album Bouquet, her first in almost ten years, since 2016’s This Is What The Truth Feels, is an ode to having found each other later in life.

During a behind-the-scenes clip shared on Instagram giving insight into how the song came to be and what it means for her, Gwen said: “‘Late to Bloom,’ well, I mean, at the end of the day, like I think that for me I am far into my life now and just like all of us I don’t think we can see the future.”

She then explained: “We have no idea what’s going to happen, but when you do have, like, the idea of love, you think of it like, ‘Okay, I’m gonna graduate from high school, I’m going to find the person that I’m going to be with for and we’re going to have a baby, we’re going to grow old together and have grandchildren,’ I mean that is the typical like, ‘I’m going to play house dream,'” before noting: “That just didn’t happen for me really.”

© Getty Images

Gwen, 55, graduated from Loara High School in California in 1987, and though she went to college for some time, No Doubt had already been created by then, and she dropped out to pursue her music career. She met her first husband Gavin in 1995, when she was 26 years old, and the former pair married in 2002.

MORE: The Voice winner reveals incredible support received from Gwen Stefani, Michael Buble

MORE: Gwen Stefani enters bittersweet new era ahead of the holidays with Blake Shelton

The “Spiderwebs” singer further shared: “So I think that this song is talking about using the idea that you know, late in the season of life, that I found love and I got to bloom.”

© Getty Images

She maintained: “It doesn’t matter how late it gets because it’s still okay, it’s still good. I still got to do it.”

MORE: Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton’s colossal lake house with swim-up tiki bar

© Instagram

Fans were then quick to take to the comments section under the Instagram post and gush over the sentiment, with one writing: “Love this song and YOU!!! Thank you for sharing your gift with us,” as others followed suit with: “Love this song so much!” and: “Love the message. Love the lyrics. Love this song,” as well as: “One of my favorites on the album.”

MORE: Gwen Stefani shares unexpected glimpse into life with 3 sons: ‘It’s not what you think’

© Getty

Gwen further gushed about Blake during a recent appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, when she was asked by host Jennifer Hudson what is something that he does that “reminds you of why you fell in love.” It didn’t take long for her to come up with an answer, as she shared: “The thing about Blake is that you will never get through a day without laughing.”

She continued: “It doesn’t even matter what’s going on, the guy has so much patience and so much kindness in his heart,” adding: “He just makes you happier every single day,” and that “laughter” is the only daily reminder she needs.