Gwen Stefani recently shared how she feels about contestants covering her songs on NBC’s The Voice.
During a Sept. 9 appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, Stefani revealed that it’s both “flattering” and “exciting” when contestants cover her songs.
“I get really excited, but John Legend is known to not press his button if someone does one of his songs. And we’re just kind of like, ‘John, you have to press your button. They’re doing your song!’” Stefani told Meyers. “I guess he gets very scientific about it, and he just gets overwhelmed.”
“But people have done mine. I can’t say when ’cause this hasn’t come out yet, but I know one season somebody did ‘Cool,’ and I wasn’t on that season, and Blake [Shelton] was like, ‘Oh my God, they did your song!’ It was a totally weird version of it, and it’s awesome. They’re always doing covers on [The Voice].”
“I love to hear them do it, it’s just that sometimes I feel like because they’re so personal, the lyrics, and then if they’re doing all these fancy vocals on it, I’ll be like, ‘Oh… that’s so weird,’” she added, explaining that she finds it “flattering” when contestants sing her songs on the show.
Stefani is returning to The Voice as a coach for season 22 of the show Monday (Sept. 19). Stefani will be joined by veteran coaches Shelton and Legend as well as newcomer and former Fifth Harmony member, Camila Cabello.
Stefani’s return to the show also marks an important milestone: this season will be the first time the “Hollaback Girl” singer will be competing against Shelton since they got married in 2021.
While speaking with The TODAY Show, Stefani admitted she’s a bit nervous about competing against her husband.
“I was a little bit nervous about [doing this season of The Voice], actually, going back, just because I hadn’t been there for a while. We’re married now. It does change, you know what I’m saying?” Stefani said in a conversation with Hoda Kotb.
Despite her nerves, Stefani shared that this season feels very “nostalgic” and is her “most relaxed season” to date.
“I don’t know why I was nervous, but as soon as I walked off set, it felt very nostalgic, like when I met him and then it just was, like, easy,” Stefani said. “[Camila] made it really easy, too. And John I know. We didn’t even talk about it or plan anything. We just showed up and then that was who we were then. It was great. This season, for me, has probably been my most relaxed season.”
Fans can watch Stefani, Shelton, Legend, and Cabello on this season of The Voice beginning Monday at 8pm EST on NBC.