Gwen Stefani’s 17-year-old son, Zuma Rossdale, is increasingly embracing the world of country music, drawing inspiration from Blake Shelton. Zuma recently captured fans’ attention at the Academy of Country Music Awards, where Shelton performed a heartfelt cover of ‘The Gambler’ in honor of songwriter Don Schlitz.
Videos circulating online showed Zuma enthusiastically singing and clapping along in the audience. Meanwhile, his younger brother Apollo, aged 12, was seen warmly greeting Shelton after the performance, highlighting the close relationship Shelton shares with Stefani’s children from her previous marriage to Gavin Rossdale.
Notably, this ACM Awards appearance is part of a broader trend. Over the past year, Zuma has increasingly immersed himself in Shelton’s country music scene, making visits to Shelton’s Ole Red venue in Oklahoma and even joining the singer on stage during performances.
Gavin Rossdale has openly commented on his son’s evolving musical preferences. Reflecting on Zuma’s newfound passion for country music, the Bush frontman humorously remarked that his son had caught “the country bug,” adding with a playful tone, “I have no idea where he gets that from,” a likely nod to Shelton’s influence.
This shift in Zuma’s musical interests may come as a surprise to some, considering Gwen Stefani’s background in pop and ska with No Doubt. However, Zuma appears to be charting his own path, gravitating towards country sounds rather than his mother’s genre.
Stefani herself was not present at the ACM Awards, as she is currently engaged in performing with No Doubt during their Las Vegas residency. For fans, the recent family moments at the awards further underscore the growing impact of Shelton’s country influence on Stefani’s son.
