Gwen Stefani isn’t just about letting things slide – she’s all about payback, as her latest music shows.
On Friday, the pop star dropped a powerful preview of her upcoming album Bouquet. Its second single, “Somebody Else’s,” is a fiery critique of an unnamed ex-lover. In this New Wave and soft rock-inspired track, Stefani, now 54, doesn’t hold back. She calls her ex a “narcissistic, semi-psychotic” figure who played with her emotions. The result? That person is now “dead to me,” she declares.
“You gaslit my world, it was burning,” she sings. “Had to leave before it stopped turning. So happy I could cry, ’cause you’re not mine.” Earlier in the song, Stefani reflects on her past relationship, singing, “I found the real thing, you don’t compare and I don’t care.” This line seems to be a direct reference to her current relationship with her husband, Blake Shelton.
In the chorus, she belts out, “You’re somebody else’s and it doesn’t even break my heart, you’re somebody else’s and I pray for them wherever they are. Look at me blossom, you’re somebody else’s problem.”
While she doesn’t name anyone specifically in the lyrics, fans will naturally speculate that the song refers to one of her previous high-profile relationships. This could be either Tony Kanal, her No Doubt bandmate, or Gavin Rossdale, whom she married in 2002. She and Rossdale share three children, but the couple divorced in 2015. That breakup was also a major inspiration for her 2016 album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like, which became her first solo album to top the U.S. charts, featuring hits like “Used to Love You” and “Misery.”
In a recent interview on the Amy & T.J. podcast, Gavin Rossdale opened up about his split from Stefani and its lasting impact on their children. “I feel bad for my kids, that’s it,” he shared. “I wish I could have found a way to avoid that for them.” Reflecting on his own childhood, Rossdale added, “Growing up in a broken home wasn’t fun, but in a way, it led me to my career. Still, it’s tough on kids, and you just don’t want to let them down.”
Bouquet is set to be released on November 15, almost 20 years after Stefani’s debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. You can listen to “Somebody Else’s” now.