FANS have blasted Gwen Stefani for, in their words, forcing husband Blake Shelton into a musical genre he’s not accustomed to.
Their new highly-anticipated duet, Purple Irises, is out now.
Gwen and Blake released their collaboration at midnight. And almost immediately, fans noted the song sounds more alternative, which is Gwen’s specialty.
After Blake shared the single to his Instagram, some of his followers called him out for curtailing to her style.
“I really miss the old Blake Shelton. He used to be bad a**!” one person lamented. “Now he sings about flowers.”
Another agreed, “Outdoors, guns .. trucks!! You got it!! Where did he go??”
As a third noted, “This seems too forced. Just doesn’t seem like him at all.”
And one person felt, “The tempo is more suited for Gwen’s voice.”
BEHIND THE MUSIC
Beyond their tone, fans are dissecting what the lyrics of the new song may mean – especially in light of rumors of the former The Voice co-stars rumored marriage troubles.
A new video clip shared online provides some of the lyrics – and possible hidden context – to the song.
Gwen posted a clip showing her and Blake recording a portion of the song in the studio.
Each took turns singing the lyrics:
Blake Shelton promotes next career move away from wife Gwen Stefani after reports couple are ‘drifting apart’
“But if someone comes along and tries to love you like I love you/Don’t know what I’d do, don’t wanna lose you.
“If someone comes along and tries to take you, tries to make you/Don’t let ’em change your mind.
“Wonder why you took a risk/On a broken heart you cannot fix.
“No, I never knew a love like this./ Now I’m picking purple irises.
Lyrics that specifically reference not wanting to lose someone, and talks of broken hearts, have raised red flags of a deeper meaning.
FLOWER GIRL
Gwen seems to be subtly acknowledging the rumors, posting cryptic photos and messages on her Instagram.
Recently, she showed off a lovely vase of purple irises soaking up the sun next to a window.
There was a simple note written on a card leaning against the glass vase, “To: Pretty Girl. Love, Blake.”
Purple irises just so happens to be the name of their new musical collaboration, set to debut before the Super Bowl.
In the comments section, fans celebrated the coming song, and the love shared between Gwen and Blake.
“Awww, so sweet! You and Blakey are so darn adorbs!” one person exclaimed. “Love you guys.”
Another person added, “The love you guys have for each other is beyond beautiful.”
While a third echoed, “Gives me fuzzy feelings!! So happy for you.”
SOMEWHERE OUT THERE
Others, however, continue to question the fate of Gwen and Blake’s marriage, as they seem to be spending more time apart.
Blake has been gearing up for his Back to the Honky Tonk tour, kicking off later this month, while Gwen’s been focusing on her cosmetics line, GXVE Beauty, and preparing for her reunion performance with her old band, No Doubt, at Coachella.
The Spiderwebs singer will also appear at the 2024 NFL Super Bowl LVIII and perform at the game’s TikTok Tailgate.
An insider recently revealed their jam-packed schedules have made it harder for them to find time to spend together.
“They’ve been spending a lot of time away from each other the past several months,” a source told Life & Style.
“It’s been frustrating. Their relationship of late has been a lot of texting and talking on the phone.”
The source continued: “Gwen and Blake used to be inseparable, but that’s changed. Everyone loves them together, so hopefully this is just a temporary thing.”
After the couple’s separate New Year’s Eve celebrations, a source revealed to the outlet that their marriage was “definitely in trouble.”
“Lately, they’ve been at odds about everything from career decisions and the parenting of her three boys to where they spend most of their time.
“The tension continues to grow, and Blake and Gwen are drifting apart as a result,” the insider added.
