Introduction
Although Blake Shelton isn’t Zuma Rossdale’s biological father, the resemblance between the 16-year-old and his country-star stepdad is impossible to ignore.
To celebrate Zuma’s milestone birthday on August 22, Gwen Stefani shared a touching photo montage tracing his growth from a blue-eyed infant to the young man he is today. Early images capture sweet baby Zuma with his mother’s features, but as the years go by—and especially after Stefani and Shelton began their relationship—Zuma’s style takes on a distinct country flair.
In several snapshots, Zuma can be seen sporting a cowboy hat, strumming a guitar, and grinning beside Shelton in a way that mirrors Blake’s trademark charm. One recent photo, in particular, shows father and stepson side by side, making it easy to believe they share more than just family bonds.
“Happy sweet 16, Zuma!! We love u SO much,” Stefani wrote in her Instagram caption, capturing the joy and pride she feels watching her son grow into his own.
Yet Zuma’s musical curiosity predates his stepfather’s influence. In one adorable picture, barely older than four or five, he’s already experimenting with chords on an acoustic guitar—proof that a love of music runs deep in his DNA, whether from his pop icon mother or rock-guitarist father Gavin Rossdale.
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Just last month, Zuma made his live country-music debut at Shelton’s Ole Red venue in Oklahoma. Clad in jeans and his signature cowboy hat, he took the stage to perform Zach Bryan’s “Oklahoma Smokeshow,” showing the audience—and his stepdad—just how natural he feels in a country setting.
Zuma is the middle child of the three Stefani shares with her ex-husband, Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, and it’s clear that both parents have nurtured his passion for music in their own unique ways.
By Carena Liptak, Associate Editor and Staff Writer at Taste of Country – Winter might bring bittersweet ballads, but Zuma’s journey reminds us how family and music blend to create something truly heartfelt.