Gwen Stefani Shares Throwback Photo of Blake Shelton Ahead of ‘The Voice’ Premiere

Ahead of the Season 17 premiere of The Voice, Gwen Stefani is sharing a throwback photo of her longtime boyfriend, Blake Shelton, back in his mullet days, along with a sweet sentiment. The couple, who started dating in 2015, after meeting on The Voice, will return to the famous red swivel chairs for Shelton’s 17th season and Stefani’s fourth.

“[Blake Shelton] wish I would’ve met u sooner Gx,” Stefani wrote.

Stefani is taking Adam Levine‘s place, after the Maroon 5 frontman abruptly quit the show at the end of Season 16. While the reality TV talent show pits Shelton and Stefani against each other, the “Hell Right” singer isn’t worried about their relationship.

“You know, she wants to win and I want to win and that’s what they pay us to do on this show is to try to win the show,” Shelton told Entertainment Tonight. “It’s harder for [Gwen]. She’s not competitive. She’ll be the first to tell you right up until it gets competitive and then all of a sudden she is.”

Shelton admitted he was initially taken aback by Levine’s exit, since the two had been with the show since its beginning.

“Literally, you know, with Adam being gone, I’m not gonna lie, that was scary. It’s weird,” Shelton admitted “Without him here, it’s literally shocking to not have him here.”

It was Stefani who helped soften the blow of Levine’s absence, even though Shelton had nothing to do with her return.

“I have to say that it worries me not having Adam there, because he’s been there from the beginning,” Shelton shared with PopCulture.com and other media. “It would freak me out if Carson [Daly] left; we were the three that have been there all along, and it’s just odd to be honest with you. The one thing that makes it better and okay is that they brought Gwen in. Not just because of Gwen’s and my relationship – it’s because she’s a veteran of that show. Also, she’s familiar with it, gets it, and that made me feel better.”

Kelly Clarkson will return for her fourth year as a coach, and John Legend will return for his second year. Taylor Swift will also appear as a Mega Mentor. Season 17 of The Voice will premiere on Monday night, Sept. 23, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Photo Credit: Getty / Kevin Mazur