Tony Kanal, nanny scandal and Blake Shelton—Gwen Stefani's husbands and boyfriends through the years
Gwen Stefani's husbands and boyfriends have often attracted as much public attention as her successful music career. The singer-songwriter is currently married to country star Blake Shelton following her divorce from British rocker Gavin Rossdale. Before her marriages, she was also in a long-term relationship with fellow No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Gwen Stefani has married twice, first to British rocker Gavin Rossdale and later to country music star Blake Shelton.
- Stefani's first major relationship was a seven-year romance with No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal, which inspired some of the band's biggest hits.
- Gwen's 13-year marriage to Gavin Rossdale officially ended in April 2016 following a highly publicised alleged nanny scandal.
- Stefani married Blake Shelton on 3 July 2021, after bonding over their similar divorces while working together on NBC's The Voice.
Profile summary
Full name | Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 3 October 1969 |
Age | 56 years old (as of June 2026) |
Zodiac | Libra |
Place of birth | Fullerton, California, United States |
Current residence | Los Angeles, California and Oklahoma, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 5'6" |
Height in centimetres | 168 |
Weight in pounds | 130 |
Weight in kilograms | 59 |
Hair colour | Platinum blonde |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Mother | Patti Stefani |
Father | Dennis Stefani |
Relationship status | Married |
Husband | Blake Shelton |
Children | Kingston, Zuma, Apollo |
Profession | Singer, songwriter, record producer, TV personality, fashion designer |
Net worth | $160 million |
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Gwen Stefani's husbands: Her marriages and major relationships
The chart-topping singer-songwriter's love life has played out in a heavy media spotlight, shifting from alt-rock royalty to a modern country-pop pairing. Below are the significant relationships in her life:
Tony Kanal (1987 – 1994)
Source: Getty Images
Before she walked down the aisle, Gwen Stefani's first deep love was No Doubt's bass player, Tony Kanal. The young musicians began dating shortly after he joined the band in 1987. Stefani was 17, and Kanal was 16 at the time. Speaking with Howard Stern, Stefani recalled that for her, it was love at first sight:
I was so in love and obsessed with Tony Kanal, and he knows that. As soon as he opened the car door, I was like, 'I love him.'
Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal's low-key romance lasted for seven years before Kanal ultimately ended the relationship in 1994.
The pop singer later described herself as "tragically obsessed" with him. Gwen admitted she practically forced Kanal to date her since he wasn't initially interested.
The breakup left Stefani devastated, but it unlocked her legendary songwriting potential. She channelled her grief directly into the band's breakthrough album, Tragic Kingdom. She wrote the band's massive global hit Don't Speak about the separation. Reflecting on how the split altered her life, Stefani stated:
When we broke up, I still forced Tony to kiss me. I was in denial. I might have lost the title of girlfriend, but in my eyes, we were still together.
Despite the emotional strain of performing heartbreak anthems together on stage, the pair maintained their professional bond. Gwen and Tony successfully anchored No Doubt's fame, and remain close friends today.
Gavin Rossdale (2002 – 2016)
Source: Getty Images
Stefani met Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale in 1995 when No Doubt opened for the British rock band at a holiday concert. After six years of dating, Rossdale proposed in January 2002, and the couple married on 14 September 2002 in London.
In October 2004, the couple faced a massive media storm when a paternity test proved that Rossdale was Daisy Lowe's father. Lowe was a 15-year-old runway model from a previous relationship.
Despite the initial shock, the couple went on to build a family together and welcomed three sons. Kingston James McGregor Rossdale, born in May 2006; Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale, born in August 2008; and Apollo Bowie Flynn Rossdale, born in February 2014.
After 13 years of marriage, Stefani filed for divorce in August 2015, citing irreconcilable differences. The decision followed allegations that Rossdale had allegdly engaged in an extramarital affair with the family's nanny.
Source: Getty Images
The divorce was finalised in April 2016. Stefani later described the sudden collapse of her family to The Guardian as an absolute shock:
When my family fell apart, it was a catastrophe. How do you pick yourself up from that?
Rossdale has also spoken about the deep sorrow surrounding the end of their marriage, telling The Sun:
Apart from death, I think divorce is one of the hardest, and most painful things to go through.
The two continue focusing on their children while navigating their lives apart. In a March 2026 interview with Fox News Digital, Rossdale described their co-parenting dynamics as a "two-lane highway that doesn't ever seem to merge." He noted they both prioritise their sons:
Gwen is probably doing the best she can, while I'm doing the best I can. I'm a proud proponent of the system. It's fine.
Blake Shelton (2015 – present)
Source: Getty Images
Stefani found love again at NBC's The Voice in 2014, where she connected with country music star and TV personality Blake Shelton. At the time, both were privately navigating parallel, high-profile divorces. Shelton was splitting from country singer Miranda Lambert, while Stefani was separating from Rossdale.
After five years of dating, they announced their engagement in October 2020 and were married on 3 July 2021. They wed in a custom-built chapel on Shelton's Oklahoma ranch. Shelton frequently expresses his adoration for his wife, telling People:
An Okie boy and a California girl look, on paper, like an unlikely match, but what matters is that she's a great human being. She is the most understanding, kind-hearted person I've ever met.
While Stefani and Shelton have no children together, Shelton has warmly embraced his role as a stepfather to Kingston, Zuma, and Apollo. The couple continues to blend their personal and professional worlds through hit musical duets, joint TV appearances, and coordinated live performances.
Source: Getty Images
FAQs
- Who is Gwen Stefani? Gwen Stefani is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, television personality, and fashion designer.
- How many marriages has Gwen Stefani had? She has been married twice.
- Who was Gwen's first husband? Gwen's first husband was Gavin Rossdale, the lead singer and guitarist of the British alternative rock band Bush.
- Why did Gavin Rossdale leave Gwen Stefani? Stefani filed for divorce in August 2015 after discovering that Rossdale had allegedly been involved in an extramarital affair with their children's nanny.
- Did Gwen Stefani have a baby at 44? Gwen Stefani gave birth to her youngest son, Apollo Bowie Flynn Rossdale, in February 2014 when she was 44 years old.
- What is the age gap between Blake and Gwen? Stefani is seven years older than her husband, Blake Shelton.
- Who is Gwen Stefani's ex-boyfriend? The singer-songwriter's notable ex-boyfriend is Tony Kanal, whom she dated from 1987 to 1994.
Gwen Stefani's husbands and boyfriends have shaped both her personal world and her musical legacy over the last four decades. From her relationship with Tony Kanal and painful divorce from Gavin Rossdale to her marriage to Blake Shelton, she continues to balance family life while co-parenting her three sons.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
