Who said country and pop don’t mix? According to country star Blake Shelton and pop pro Gwen Stefani, they mix just fine.
Now these romantically connected entertainers, who also serve together as judges on NBC’s reality singing competition The Voice, have proclaimed their love to the world on their latest collaboration, “Nobody But You.”
A track from Shelton’s album Fully Loaded: God’s Country, “Nobody But You” is a romantic declaration that finds Shelton and Stefani professing their deep affection for one another while hinting at a future union.
Shelton begins by telling Stefani that his top priority is being where she is: “Don’t have to leave this town to see the world/’Cause it’s something that I gotta do.”). He then confesses that he doesn’t want to risk regret later (“I don’t wanna look back in 30 years/And wonder who you’re married to”) and vows before God to keep her close (“Wanna say it now, wanna make it clear/For only you and God to hear/When you love someone, they say set ‘em free/But that ain’t gonna work for me”).
So close, in fact, that a life without the other just won’t work. Shelton and Stefani are looking for long term intimacy: “I don’t wanna live without you/I don’t wanna even breathe/I don’t wanna dream about you/Wanna wake up with you next to me/I don’t wanna go down any other road now.”
And although they’ve known a life without the other (“All the wasted days, all the wasted nights/I’ll blame it on being young”) their past choices have led them to where they are, and for that they’re thankful (“Got no regrets ‘cause it got me here/but I don’t wanna waste another one”).
It didn’t use to be common to see country and pop artists uniting for the sake of music, but that was then. These days, artists of different genres frequently blend sounds to stand out and top the charts. So, it’s no surprise that this latest track is on the rise.
Both Shelton and Stefani are making waves by confessing their newfound love aloud. The couple isn’t engaged or married (perhaps in part because both have high-profile, music-industry exes). But it’s clear in this latest track, as well as in the video, that they’re intent on committing to one another.
The video features Shelton and Stefani in a myriad of settings, hanging out, cuddling and kissing (sometimes we see Stefani with a cleavage-baring top or short shorts). And the end even suggests that the couple may be building a home together.
The closest we get to problematic content is an illusion to waking up next to the person you love. Mostly, though, “Nobody But You” reminds listeners that a life without the one you love isn’t much of a life at all.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
