Inside Gwen Stefani’s youngest son Apollo’s close bond with stepdad Blake Shelton

Gwen Stefani’s youngest son Apollo turns 11 on February 28, 2025 and the tween will surely be spending the day with his mom and brothers, Kingston and Zuma.

But Apollo is also particularly close to his stepdad Blake Shelton, who has been in his life since he was only one. 

Gwen and Blake met in 2014, the year Apollo was born, when they were both mentors on NBC series The Voice; Gwen was going through a split from husband Gavin Rossdale and Blake from his wife Miranda Lambert.

They fell in love and began dating the following year, and during their early days had to ensure that her three boys were also happy and comfortable with the changing family dynamic.

Blake’s bond with Apollo

In the years since, Blake and Apollo’s bond has been on show through rare pictures into their private lives shared on social media, with the country singer even revealing that he quit The Voice after 23 seasons in order to be a more dedicated stepfather.

In 2024, when Apollo turned 10, mom Gwen shared a beautiful reel of his first decade, and the video was full of moments with Blake, including a sweet snap of Apollo sitting in Blake’s lap on the red chair while on set of The Voice.

Blake’s job as stepdad is ‘important’

Blake is clearly in love with his stepsons, and revealed that they had changed his perspective on life.

“I think being a stepdad has changed my perspective in that I’m not the first person that I think about anymore,” he told Access.

“Even to the small little things when you go, ‘I think I’ll do this,’ the very next thought is always, ‘Well, wait a minute. How’s that going to work?’ Or, ‘What will they think?’ Or, ‘How will that affect a schedule?'”

He continued: “I think the only way for me to really do that right is to step away from being committed to something like The Voice that demands a lot of your time. There’s no way around it. If you’re going to do it and do it right, you have to be 150 percent in. And I just feel like those days are behind me for now. I got a more important job.”

Soccer dad

Gwen’s boys split their time between Los Angeles where their dad Gavin lives, and where Blake and Gwen have a home, and Oklahoma, where Blake owns a ranch.

The boys are clearly at home in Oklahoma, where Apollo helps Blake on the farm planting bulbs and driving a cart around the property; budding singer Kingston has also performed at Blake’s bar Ole Red.

Meanwhile, in LA, Blake has been spotted cheering on Apollo during soccer matches, and cuddling up to the youngster as they watch his brothers play sports.

For Apollo’s 10th birthday the family threw him a 70s-themed birthday, with Blake happily getting dolled up for the evening, rocking an afro-style curly wig with bell bottoms, a brightly colored top, and tinted sunglasses.

At Gwen’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, that support was on show as Blake sat with the boys while Gwen spoke to the crowds about the moment, and he was then seen enthusiastically high-fiving Apollo while saying “we did it!” as the ceremony ended.

Milestone moments

Blake has been there for many of Gwen’s older sons’ milestone moments, from 13th birthdays, to graduations and first romances.

For Apollo, he has seen even more, from first steps to first words and now his teenage years, but he is also aware of his own position as stepdad, sharing in a past interview that he is always mindful about when to step in and when to step away from conversations.

“If I could have a repeat of these past 10 years, [that] would be perfect,” Blake said earlier in 2024, discussing his first decade with Gwen and her boys.

Although Kingston is now 18 and soon to be graduating, and Zuma in high school, Blake isn’t just ready for the house to be empty.

“It’s going to be, I guess, a lot more alone time,which I’m not mad about,” he said. “But we still have Apollo, so we have another almost 10 years before we can kick him out, so it should be a lot of fun.”