‘The Voice’: Gwen Stefani Calls Blake Shelton Her ‘Best Friend Blakey’ Ahead of Season Premiere

Gwen Stefani will return for Season 17 of The Voice, marking her fourth turn as a coach on the show, replacing Adam Levine. While Stefani is eager to pour into the lives and talents of the aspiring singers, she is most eager to spend time with her longtime boyfriend, Blake Shelton, along with fellow coaches Kelly Clarkson and John Legend.

“I’m so happy to be back. My life changed so much on this show,” Stefani told PEOPLE. “And then to be with my best friend Blakey, and to be here with Kelly and John, I feel pretty lucky right now.”

Shelton is also eager to spend more time with Stefani, who he says improves every area of his life.

“She literally makes my day 100 percent better,” Shelton boasted.

Shelton might be Stefani’s biggest fan, but Clarkson and Legend aren’t far behind in their adoration of Stefani.

“I literally grew up in my room singing to her, so I’m like a super fan. Like, a real fan. Like crazy,” admitted Clarkson.

“Gwen Stefani is a legend,” added Legend. “She’s been so successful in this business. She is a fantastic addition to The Voice.”

Shelton is grateful that not only he gets to go to work with his girlfriend, but that there is somebody he trusts to replace Levine.

“I have to say that it worries me not having Adam there, because he’s been there from the beginning,” Shelton previously told 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,” he continued. “Not just because 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.”

Shelton had the idea for Stefani to return, but by the time he brought it up, the plans were already in place.

“Literally, I got on the phone with one of the NBC executives, and I was saying, ‘Hey man, if Adam’s gonna do this, we have got to –’” Shelton told Entertainment Tonight. “and before I could even finish my sentence, she said, ‘Blake, it’s done. What are you doing?’ And I went, ‘Oh, OK. Perfect.’”

Stefani has had almost three decades of experience in music, starting with fronting the rock band, No Doubt, as well as her successful solo career, which she is eager to share with the contestants.

“Being able to share and look back on my own journey, there’s something really fulfilling about that,” said Stefani.

Season 17 of The Voice will premiere on Sept. 23 on NBC.

Photo Credit: Getty Images / Emma McIntyre