Fresh off of a #1 hit on country radio with his single, “Texas” and the release of his twelfth studio album, For Recreational Use Only, Blake Shelton has proven that he can sustain his success in the genre 24 years into his career.
In tandem with the release of the new record, Shelton recently sat down with Kelleigh Bannen on Apple Music’s Today’s Country Radio to discuss its creation, his time on The Voice, his relationship with Gwen Stefani and the evolution of his faith.
It’s no secret that Shelton has had a long-history of faith-influenced tracks. From his Grammy-nominated cover of Dave Barnes’ “God Gave Me You” to his 2016 single, “Savior’s Shadow,” the Oklahoma native hasn’t been shy about letting his Christian beliefs bleed into his music career.
When asked about the changing relationship with his faith now that he’s in his 40’s, the 48-year-old singer/songwriter credited Stefani, “I would say that [it] comes from Gwen’s influence. I’ve learned so much from her, and she’s really the person who’s helped me get in touch with my faith and get serious about it.”
Stefani, who long been public about her Catholic upbringing and faith, has recently drawn criticism from many after promoting the prayer and meditation app, Hallow. The pop star also famously waited to marry Shelton due to waiting for the Catholic Church to annul her former marriage with Gavin Rossdale.
The “Austin” singer would also add that he feels like his faith has grown more than simply being a checklist in life when things are going well, “[It’s] not just something that you say at an award show in those moments, like get real about it.”
Shelton would finish by pointing to Stefani’s influence on his faith once again, “She reminds me to think about it all day long when you’re around her. Everything she sees, she sees God in it. And it’s really special to be around her because her faith is alive. It’s incredible to be around her, and she’s so happy about it. She loves to share it to anybody who will listen, and it’s inspiring to be around her.”
Watch here: