Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton were noticeably absent from the 2025 Country Music Association Awards, better known as the CMAs. The couple has remained publicly quiet. However, their no-show comes at a time when speculation about growing distance in their relationship has been circulating.
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton skip CMA Awards 2025 as they battle divorce rumors
On Wednesday, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton chose to watch the CMA Awards from home rather than attend in person, an insider told E! News. The couple, who married in 2021, opted for a low-key night in, despite Shelton being nominated for Musical Event of the Year for his collaboration with Post Malone on “Pour Me a Drink.”
Their absence isn’t entirely surprising, as the pair has kept a modest public profile as of late. Professionally, however, they’ve remained busy. Stefani recently released new music videos of her two holiday songs, “Hot Cocoa” and “Shake the Snow Globe,” and shared on Instagram that the music was inspired by the idea of perfect pairings. The couple is also set to headline New Orleans’ Endymion Extravaganza in February, signaling their careers remain closely intertwined.
Still, their quiet stretch has fueled conversation. Weeks before the CMAs, Star magazine published claims from unnamed sources suggesting Stefani and Shelton had been spending “an awful lot of time apart lately” and were seen less frequently on outings together. These claims framed their busy schedules and contrasting lifestyles as possible contributors to the distance.
The source cited by Star alleged that friends had begun noticing a shift. Nonetheless, others close to the couple emphasized hope that their recent busyness was simply a temporary phase. Despite the chatter, Stefani has frequently spoken with deep affection about their relationship. In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, she described meeting Shelton as “a second chance at life.” Shelton has echoed similar sentiments on “The Good Dish.” He said Stefani “kept me from going to the absolute bottom” during one of the toughest periods of his life.
