NEWSBlake Shelton Fires Back After Backlash Over Pre-Taped AMAs 2025 Performance: 'We Came!'
Blake Shelton insisted he was not the one who decided to skip singing live.
May 29 2025, Published 11:38 a.m. ET
Fans weren't too pleased with this year's American Music Awards — and neither was Blake Shelton.
The country superstar, 48, threw subtle shade at the awards show after being slammed for pre-taping his performance.
Why Did Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton Miss the AMAs?
Blake Shelton was not asked to perform live at the AMAs.
"Just now seeing these stories about Gwen and I pretaping our performances for the AMA’s. We came and performed when the show asked us to.. Really nothing else to say. 🤷♂️," he wrote in an X post on Tuesday, May 27.
Both Shelton and his wife, Gwen Stefani, were broadcast on a big screen at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas instead of belting out their songs live.
The country singer performed "Stay Country or Die Tryin," while his woman sang a medley of her hits "Swallow My Tears," "The Sweet Escape" and "Hollaback Girl."
Blake Shelton performed virtually.
"The craziest part of the AMAS last night was being told ‘and here’s Blake Shelton live’ only for them to light up the stage like he’s there and never saying to us it was prerecorded. THEN, doing the same thing with Gwen Stefani!" a fan wrote on TikTok. "I felt like I was in a simulation looking around for him!"
"Imagine paying for a ticket to watch a TV," a user commented on a different video, while another quipped, "The whole show could have been an email."
Aside from Shelton and Stefani not being in the room, a slew of other celebrities sat out of this year's awards show, including Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé and Chappell Roan. Billie Eilish, who won all seven categories she was nominated in, accepted her trophy virtually.
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Gwen Stefani Prefers to Stay Home
Gwen Stefani also did not perform in person.
Stefani's decision to miss the event comes as no surprise, as she recently opened up about her preference for staying home on The Drew Barrymore Show.
Host Drew Barrymore asked if she’d rather spend date night out or chill at home, to which she replied, "For sure in. I’m literally like — couch, blanket, cookies, chips."
"I have the dogs right here; we have two couches … Blake’s on that couch and we’re like 'Hi!'" she continued. "I would sit next to him, but he’s gigantic and we don’t fit anywhere."
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's Religious Lifestyle
Blake Shelton skipped this year's AMAs.
The pop star's secret to a happy marriage is having God as a "third party."
An insider noted that the famous couple is "devoted to God."
"Life can get crazy for everyone, but with their careers and fame, it's that much more intense," the source shared with an outlet. "A shared belief in a higher power and purpose is crucial for their marriage."
