Gwen Stefani is back, and she’s in full bloom. On Nov. 15, eight years after she released her last album, the artist released her country-pop album titled “Bouquet.” Stefani’s album, consisting of 10 songs, focuses on love and struggles from previous relationships that have had an impact on who she is today.
Stefani starts off with a bang. Track one, titled “Somebody Else’s,” is an upbeat song about facing abuse in her previous relationship and now seeing how she deserved better the whole time. The artist talks about how she’s found actual love now, and the title refers to her ex now being “somebody else’s problem.” The upbeat-ness of the song matches her happiness and thriving now that she is out of the relationship.
Moving onto the title track, we transition to a more country-style song about her stable and loving relationship with Blake Shelton. The song seems to be a recreation of Shelton’s “I’ll Name the Dogs.” Given that Stefani has more of a history with pop, I believe she did a great job with the song and the chorus, which is incredibly catchy and flows well.
“Pretty” is the title of Stefani’s third track on the album and it’s about her life before and after Shelton and how happy she is with him. “I never felt pretty till you loved me, I always felt pretty, pretty, pretty unlucky,” sings Stefani, showing the stability and love in her and Shelton’s relationship. It’s the kind of song you’d hear in a 2000s teenage girl movie, but in the way you know that the movie will be good. This song is a fair mix of country and pop.
This next one is one of my favorites on the album. “Empty Vase” is a country-heavy song with very personal lyrics. It talks about how the “empty vase” (her) is now filled with flowers, relating to the whole “Bouquet” theme in a more creative way, which I liked. It has a sadder melody, but when you listen to the lyrics, it’s about her happiness and peace now.
Track five, “Marigolds,” was especially nice to listen to as Stefani sings it in a lower register. Her voice is very powerful. It’s another upbeat country-pop song that again focuses on her relationship with Shelton. However, I found this one a bit harder to connect to, and I believe there are better songs on the album.
“Late To Bloom” emphasizes how in love she is. It’s an upbeat song about her relationship with Shelton and how it was “late to bloom.” She waited a long time for him and wished that they had met earlier, but at the same time, she sings, “They say good things come to those who wait, and I can say they really do,” indicating she has a fresh perspective on meeting Shelton later in life.
After that joyful track, Stefani changes the pace with “Swallow My Tears,” a very personal song that focuses on her struggle with her past and how it still affects her present relationship, still, Shelton is the one thing she doesn’t want to run from. It starts off sad, then becomes upbeat in the chorus. It shows that true love can exist after an abusive relationship, but it can be hard to believe so after being in one.
Moving onto track eight, “Reminders,” this song is similar to “Swallow My Tears” in the way that it reflects on her past and abusive relationship. Although she has genuine love now, she still struggles with what happened to her in the past and “needs reminders” that she is in safe love now. I enjoyed listening to these last two tracks as they show Stefani’s vulnerability through these struggles.
“All Your Fault” is a country song about how her relationship with Shelton drives her crazy, but in a good way. This one was another that I struggled to connect with, and I actually did not like the way that the song was executed. Stefani can sing country, but she does flourish more in pop.
Ending the album off with “Purple Irises,” this song is a collaboration with Shelton. The song begins with both their voices together, blending beautifully. It’s yet another upbeat song as they are singing about their love. Stefani sings, “wonder why you took a risk on a broken heart you cannot fix,” which can most likely be seen as Shelton being with her despite how much she believes her past messed her up in the love department. The song is a perfect mix of both of them.
“Bouquet” is an album that many can relate to and was a successful comeback by Stefani. However, I wish the flower theme was used more creatively. For example, “now we’re picking purple irises,” or “forever layin’ on a bed of marigolds” feels like the idea was rushed and just put in to keep the flower theme. If Stefani had chosen those flowers for their specific representation, she could’ve focused on what they represent instead of directly referencing them. The album still shows her personal growth and strength and is a solid one to listen to, especially if you are a country-pop fan!
Rating: 3/5