In the eight years since Gwen Stefani’s last studio album, the No Doubt alum has hardly sat still.

A seasonal album (“You Make it Feel Like Christmas”), a festive residency in Las Vegas, a recurring gig as a lively judge on “The Voice” and of course her 2021 wedding to country music veteran Blake Shelton resulted in recurring inspiration.

Stefani, 55, returns Nov. 15 with “Bouquet,” her fourth original album featuring “Purple Irises,” her country-pop duet with Shelton, as well as the singles “Somebody Else’s” and “Swallow My Tears,” which mash up Stefani’s pop smarts with subtle country accents.

It’s not exactly a rebirth, as the stylish Stefani never disappeared. Just look at her triumphant reunion with No Doubt at this year’s Coachella if there’s any skepticism about her captivating live presence.

But Stefani has new valentines for Shelton (“I got the Faith and you got the patience/I drive you Crazy, you drive the truck” she sings on the title track) and memories of their unlikely clash of hearts (“I thought the garden died /but I think the tears we cried brought us back to life,” says “Marigolds”) to express in song.

In a recent conversation, the charmingly chatty Stefani talked about how the roots of “Bouquet” are faith and hope, why she loves the “energy” of “The Voice” and which No Doubt album is giving her PTSD.

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There is a clear floral motif on the record, as in addition to ‘Bouquet’ you also have ‘Empty Vase’ and ‘Marigolds’. What was it about the metaphors of blossoming and growth that spoke to you while writing?

I think as I got older I realized that we all have to suffer and we all have our gifts that we are given. When my life fell apart and the family split… that was the point where spirituality started to become the real center of my life. It was the first time I could admit to myself that God had given me a gift. I’m not really good at a lot of things, but I was able to make these songs and for whatever reason they were able to make an impact. I have to use that gift as much as possible; It’s the only way I feel like I have a purpose.

I think in studying my faith I realized that there is a seed of hope in everything, and in this creative part of my life that hope was creating new music. That was the metaphor, letting this seed blossom.

Have you been writing continuously over the years since the last album?

Before this I was – musically speaking – in a dead end street. I just kept circling. It wasn’t until I wrote ‘Purple Irises’ that I knew I had landed. That’s the song that set me in the right direction.

Did you have any particular musical influences?

The music I listened to while going to church in the station wagon. My mother turned around and said, “How do you know every word?” I was 12 years old and listening to everything from Crosby, Stills & Nash to a million other artists. That soft rock from the 70s was the backdrop to my childhood.

The title track – and many songs on the album – sound like love letters to Blake. Is he your main source of inspiration?

It would be weird if he wasn’t! I got married three years ago and got engaged the year before and have been writing (the album) for four years, so yeah, that’s for sure. Everyone will think it’s been so long since you released new music, but I don’t have much music considering how old I am. It has always taken me so long. It took No Doubt nine years to release “Tragic Kingdom”! And “Return of Saturn” came out of this huge worldly success, returning after 2.5 years on tour. That was a different pressure. I can’t listen to that album. There is so much truth in that account of what I went through. It’s like PTSD when I listen to it and people come up to me and say this is their (favorite) album, which I find strange.

It’s been twenty years since ‘Love Angel Music Baby’. You’ve had quite a musical evolution, from ‘Hollaback Girl’ to ‘Make Me Like You’ until now. Do you think genres matter as much as they did a few decades ago?

I look at my kids and see them discovering music and I think, how did you find 80s music? Of course they would have heard it in the house or in the car, but the ‘you might like it too’ (algorithm) is a lot. When I was in high school we discovered underground ska. There would be scooter rallies and all these like-minded music people would show up and we would all dress the same, but you found your identity through the music. For me, a song is not so much about the genre or the tempo, but about: what is it going to say and what does it make you feel?

Will we see you on tour with this new album next year?

I love playing live and have played a lot of shows this year, both privately and at festivals. The Coachella show (with No Doubt) was breathtaking and I did the Vegas residency (2018-2021) which was amazing. But I have to be honest, because I’m a mom and I have teenagers and my youngest is only 10, there are a lot of questions: How much do I want to be home for dinner? But I don’t see myself either not playing these songs live. That’s part of the fulfillment.

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And let’s talk about ‘The Voice’. You’ve been on and off the show since 2019 and you’ll be leaving again next year. What do you enjoy most and what do you miss most when you’re not there?

It’s not like if I’m not there I’m thinking, “Why am I not on ‘The Voice’ today?” (laughs). Because Blake and I have a life together and he retired from the show to have more (family) time, there was a lot of tension on the Fourth of July because I had to work. But I like to do it. This season I thought: I’m not going to do it. And then it’s (fellow judges) Snoop (Dogg) and Michael Bublé and Reba (McEntire). I said, I have to do it. And I’m so grateful that I did. The energy of the coaches, it’s like a rebirth is happening. Before we continue, we all stand in a prayer circle.

It also probably makes you feel less jaded about the industry.

I’m this season’s veteran. It’s so much fun being a coach and it’s so emotional because we’ve all had incredibly blessed careers and we get to look back and share what we’ve learned along the way. You feel so inspired. You will be shown music interpreted by these dreams. It never gets old.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gwen Stefani Talks Blake Shelton’s ‘Bouquet’ Album