Blake Shelton ‘Proud’ Of Gwen Stefani’s Latest Achievement: ‘My Favorite Person’
Shelton was on hand to present Stefani with the distinguished honor at the 2022 Matrix Awards.
Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton; Michael Priest Photography
Gwen Stefani was honored at the 2022 Matrix Awards on Wednesday (Oct. 26), and her husband, country superstar Blake Shelton, was on hand to present her with the distinguished honor.
Hosted by the New York Women in Communications (NYWICI), the reception and awards ceremony took place at the Ziegfield Ballroom in Manhattan, New York.
Ahead of the event, the couple walked hand-in-hand on the red carpet and posed for photos as they made their way into the ceremony.
Stefani donned a pink floral dress with metallic gold booties while Shelton sported a black suit jacket and tie with jeans.
“I’m so happy he’s here. He works so much that having him do this extra is always a lot, but we had a date night last night,” Stefani told Entertainment Tonight before the reception. ”We went out for dinner [and] it was so fun,” she said. “It’s just so fun to be back in New York. It’s just been so long. It’s exciting to have him here as well.”
Stefani said she was “totally honored” to be recognized at the event.
“Honestly I feel a little overwhelmed,” she added. “It was just one of those things that I didn’t even really know existed… I obviously went and did the research after I found out. It’s been going on for so long and it’s just exciting. It’s just one of those things where… you just can’t really absorb it.”
At the black-tie affair, Shelton sweetly presented his bride with the high honor.
“I am here to talk about my fellow coach… turned friend… turned girlfriend… turned wife… Gwen Stefani,” Shelton shared.
He went on to gush over Stefani and the impact that she has on those around her.
“I’ve been in this business for 21 years now, a little bit over 21 years now, and I’ve met some pretty cool people, famous people and then when I started on The Voice I met some really exciting, super famous people, but I got to tell you I’ve never seen people react to another human being the way they do to Gwen Stefani. When Gwen and I met on The Voice, she seemed to be completely shocked that the women who sang for her were completely star-struck when she turned around,” he added, “but for me, it was a no-brainer.”
He continued, “I am humbled and excited to speak about my wonderful wife and duet partner today as she is honored for putting women at the forefront and championing women consisting throughout her prolific career. I am proud to present this Matrix Award to a woman with three GRAMMYs, four VMAs, a Las Vegas Residency, two fashion lines, a beauty line and a strong sense of self, whose helped pave the way for women and rock. My favorite person, Gwen Stefani everybody.”
Stefani then accepted the award and recalled how she discovered her “talent and purpose” after writing her first song.
“Being dyslexic has had challenges for me. But the advantage is it made me who I am,” she said. “When I wrote my first song, I discovered my talent and purpose. I struggled my whole life with spelling, but then I went to teach the whole world how to spell B-A-N-A-N-A-S.”
In addition to Stefani and Shelton, the celebrity guests included Marlee Matlin, Katie Couric, Judy Woodruff, Kelly Ripa, Lesley Stahl, and many more.
“What an incredible night! It was wonderful to come together at the 2022 Matrix Awards to celebrate this group of inspiring women,” said Dustee Jenkins, President of NYWICI and Global Head of Public Affairs at Spotify. “NYWICI is proud to honor the influential voices who represent the very best of our industry, and to support the growth of all of the women following in their footsteps.”
This year’s event marked the 52nd year of the Matrix Awards and the return to a live, large-scale event after the pandemic.
Considered the “’Oscars’ of the communications industry,” the Matrix Awards drew more than 500 people to the awards gala to celebrate trailblazers who are changing the world. Chosen for their impact and influence in the industry and on our culture, the 2022 honorees joined a remarkable group of past Matrix Award winners.
Proceeds from the Matrix Awards go towards a full range of scholarships and educational programs for women at every stage of their career. To date, NYWICI’s Foundation, the largest for communications scholarships for women in the country, has given more than $2 million dollars in scholarships.
NYWICI’s mission is to empower women in the communications field at every career stage to reach their full potential and navigate the ever-changing landscape of communications. NYWICI promotes professional growth and inspires members to achieve and share success by actively encouraging leadership and professional development, as well as networking opportunities that connect women who connect the world.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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