Ahead of the upcoming 30th season of “The Voice,” NBC hosted an anniversary special looking back at the hit singing competition, featuring appearances by many of the musicians who’d served as coaches over the years.
During the September 17 airing of “The Voice 30th Season Celebration,” host Carson Daly offered his unique perspective on what is arguably the most enduring relationship to result from the show: the marriage of Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani.
Carson Daly Couldn’t Believe It
Joining Daly for the special were OG first-season coaches Blake, Adam Levine and CeeLo Green, as well as Stefani, who joined the show in Season 7.
According to Daly, via Us Weekly, he was initially taken aback when he heard reports of a burgeoning romance between Shelton and Stefani.
“There were rumors that you two were getting together,” Daly said, recalling once “coming out of Adam’s dressing room” and thinking “there’s something happening with Blake and Gwen” — but was convinced it couldn’t possibly be happening.
“We were both like, ‘There’s no way. There’s no way this is possible,’” Daly admitted.
Adam Levine Was Psyched
NBCAs Levine remembered it, he had a completely different reaction to what Daly experienced.
“I was so pumped on it. I was like, ‘This is going down, dude. This is going down,’” he recalled while smiling.
Daly, on the other hand, admitted he thought Shelton and Stefani hooking up was such a bad idea that he actively tried to sabotage the relationship.
“I tried everything in my power to not let this thing happen,” he confessed.
Shelton confirmed that Daly “did try to get us to pump the brakes” when he learned of the romance.
Daly, however, insisted his only intention was to protect two people he cared about, who had both gone through respective public breakups — Stefani with Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, Shelton with country star Miranda Lambert.
“You both went through a crazy divorce publicly. Then we went to Gwen’s house once,” Daly said of why he was initially so against it.
He recalled turning to Shelton, telling him, “I’ve known you for a long time and I love you. I was like, ‘You guys gotta stop this. This will never work.’ Then cut to years later, you called me in New York and said, ‘Would you marry me?’”
Carson Daly Officiated the Wedding
Of course, Daly eventually came around when, as he said, Shelton and Stefani asked him to officiate their wedding.
During an episode of NBC’s “Today,” Daly reflected on the honor of bringing together his two friends in marriage.
“I went to them months ago and said, ‘I think you guys should write your own vows. We shouldn’t just do the repeat after me.’ They were really reluctant to do that, but … it’s two of the best songwriters in the world, we want to hear your words,” Daly said, recalling the big day.
“At the wedding, Gwen starts, and she wrote this, ‘Since I was a little girl …’ And she crushes, not a dry eye in the church. … It was so perfect. I said to Blake when she was done, ‘Top that, buddy.’ And Blake starts by saying, ‘Gwen’s always giving me a hard time about not writing enough songs, so I wrote a song.’ Guitar comes in frame, stool, next thing you know, he wrote her a song, he sings her a song while he’s crying that he wrote specifically for her. … Not a dry eye in the house,” Daly continued.
“It was as elegant and refined and cool as Gwen is, and it was country and down-home and fun as Blake is,” Daly said of the nuptials. “They just work. They’re an unlikely pair. They’re like if you paired delicious fried chicken with a glass of champagne. On paper, on the menu, it doesn’t seem to work, but it works. They’re comfort food with class, and everybody roots for that.”
Still not crazy about them together, but it’s not my problem 😊