Blake Shelton may have attended the 2026 ACM Awards without Gwen Stefani by his side, but he still had support from her family in the audience.
“The Voice” coach performed during the May 17 awards show in Las Vegas, where he honored legendary songwriter Don Schlitz with a performance of “The Gambler.” While Stefani was absent due to her own Las Vegas residency commitments, two of her sons were seen enthusiastically cheering Shelton on from the crowd.
Video footage from the event, shared on social media, showed Zuma Rossdale, 17, singing and dancing along to Shelton’s performance while wearing a black cowboy hat and matching blazer. Another clip circulating online captured Shelton sharing a hug backstage with Stefani’s youngest son, Apollo Rossdale, 12.
The sweet family moments come as Shelton and Stefani continue to shut down ongoing rumors surrounding their marriage.
Blake Shelton Jokes About Competing With Gwen Stefani in Las Vegas
Stefani was unable to attend the ACM Awards because she was performing with No Doubt at the Las Vegas Sphere the same night Shelton kicked off his “Blake Shelton: Live in Las Vegas” residency at Caesars Palace.
Shelton joked about the scheduling conflict during his May 6 concert.
“She’s over there at the other venue,” Shelton told the audience, according to fan footage shared online. “What kind of (expletive) books us on the same night, every single night?”
Earlier this year, Shelton told People that the overlapping residencies would create some friendly competition between the couple.
“That’ll be interesting because I’ll be in direct competition with my wife,” Shelton said in January. “I’m excited about that because I know there’ll be probably a little bit of trash talking.”
He added, “Whether we both sell out, there’s a big difference in selling out the Sphere and selling out Caesars, so she’ll have that over my head.”
Shelton also joked that the rivalry could become intense.
“It’s not very friendly” competition when it’s “absolute ass-kicking,” he said.
‘The Voice’ Fan-Favorite Coach Addressed Divorce Rumors Head-On
The pair’s busy schedules have fueled continued speculation online about their relationship in recent months.
Rumors intensified after Shelton and Stefani released the emotional duet about breaking up, “Hangin’ On” in March 2025. More speculation followed when the couple skipped the CMA Awards later that year despite Shelton earning a nomination for Musical Event of the Year for “Pour Me a Drink.”
Shelton later addressed the rumors directly during a January interview with “Country Countdown USA.”
“I started noticing these articles popping up about ‘Blake and Gwen, they’re split up,’” Shelton said. “‘They’re not even seeing each other anymore, they’re going through a divorce.’”
He continued, “I don’t believe anything anymore that I see on the internet.”
Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani Continue Building Their Life Together
While Shelton and Stefani have spent time apart professionally, Shelton recently shared that they have been enjoying quiet moments together at their Oklahoma property.
In March, Shelton posted an Instagram video showing the couple working together on a vegetable garden.
“This year, we decided we’re gonna do some actual, real professional gardening—farming-type stuff out here,” Shelton said. “Me and my wife, her name’s Gwen.”
Sharing footage from the garden project, he added, “We were out here putting this plastic out yesterday, just she and I, nobody else.”
Shelton also joked about the vegetables they planned to grow.
“My stepdad used to always say cucumbers aren’t good for anything but a d–k on the snowman, but we’re going to plant some anyway,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t eat any vegetables in the first place, but it’s fun.”
Stefani shares sons Kingston, 19, Zuma, 17, and Apollo, 12, with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale. Shelton has often spoken publicly about embracing his role as a stepfather since marrying Stefani in 2021.
