Miranda Lambert’s Ups and Downs Over the Years: Blake Shelton Divorce, Fan Selfie Scandal and More
Miranda Lambert has been through several public highs and lows since rising to fame on the competition series Nashville Star in 2003.
Us Weekly confirmed in July 2015 that Lambert and fellow country star Blake Shelton had split after four years of marriage. “This is not the future we envisioned,” a rep for the couple said in a statement at the time. “And it is with heavy hearts that we move forward separately. We are real people, with real lives, with real families, friends and colleagues. Therefore, we kindly ask for privacy and compassion concerning this very personal matter.”
Lambert later moved on with Anderson East and Evan Felker before tying the knot with Brendan McLoughlin in January 2019 after 3 months of dating.
Scroll down for a recap of Lambert’s ups and downs through the years:
Grammy Winner
Lambert scored three Grammy nominations before earning her first Grammy Award for Female Country Vocal Performance for “The House That Built Me” in February 2011. She earned her first Best Country Album Grammy for Platinum in 2015 and another for Wildcard in 2021.
Eric Church Feud
One year after Lambert and Shelton tied the knot in 2011, the couple got into a public feud with country singer Eric Church after he slammed Shelton’s NBC series The Voice in a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone. “Honestly, if Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green turn around in a red chair, you got a deal? That’s crazy,” Church told the outlet. “I don’t know what would make an art?ist do that. You’re not an artist. Once your career becomes about some?thing other than the music, then that’s what it is. I’ll never make that mistake. I don’t care if I starve.”
Lambert — recalling her Nashville Star roots — fired back at Church via Twitter, writing, “Thanks Eric Church for saying I'm not a real artist. Or @kelly_clarkson, @carrieunderwood & @KeithUrban. Your [sic] welcome for the tour in 2010.”
Church later clarified his comment in a May 2012 statement to Us, explaining that what he said “was part of a larger commentary on these types of reality television shows and the perception they create, not the artists involved with the shows themselves.”
He continued: “The shows make it appear that artists can shortcut their way to success. There are a lot of artists due to their own perseverance that have gone on to be successful after appearing on these shows, but the real obstacles come after the cameras stop rolling. Every artist has to follow up television appearances with dedication towards their craft, but these shows tend to gloss over that part and make it seem like you can be ordained into stardom.”
Lambert forgave Church in an interview with Yahoo! Music that same year. “I think that anybody can get roped into a really bad interview situation, and I've had things printed about me that sounded way worse than they were,” she stated. “I know he said what he said, but it died off just like anything else that happens. … You move on."
Blake Shelton Divorce
Lambert and Shelton’s divorce was finalized hours before the pair announced their split in July 2015. “There are no hard feelings,” a source exclusively told Us that same month. “They want to move on as friends, and they are doing just that.”
Shelton, however, took to Twitter in April 2018 and appeared to shade Lambert over her new relationship with Felker. “Been taking the high road for a long time … I almost gave up. but I can finally see something on the horizon up there!! Wait!! Could it be?! Yep!! It’s karma!!” he tweeted at the time.
In response, Lambert’s ex Jeff Allen — whom she dated prior to her marriage to Shelton — accused the former couple of cheating during his and Lambert’s relationship. “You know, i’ve always given you the benefit of the doubt and chalked it up to just being human, But you must be one arrogant SOB to pop off something like this, when I know damn good and well you were cheating on your wife and Miranda was cheating on me when you two started up,” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet.
He followed up the post with another tweet, writing, “I kept my mouth shut for 13 years. Sorry, his karma tweet rubbed me wrong. All of this is pointless.”
In May 2022, Lambert opened up about the intense public attention her breakup with Shelton received. “I wasn’t prepared for that,” she said in an interview with CBS News. “Well, I don’t think anyone is. It’s not nice sometimes, but I think you’ve gotta take it with a grain of salt.
Anderson East Romance
Lambert and East began dating in November 2015, with a source exclusively telling Us the following month that the two were “really enjoying each other’s company.”
Two years later, a source close to the couple told Us that East was “crazy about Miranda and she’s so smitten with him as well,” adding, “Their friends can definitely see them getting engaged in the near future.”
However, the pair called it quits in April 2018 after two years of dating. “They have spent a lot of time apart, but potentially could end up back together,” another source told Us at the time. “The love is still there.”
Evan Felker Cheating Scandal
Lambert found herself wrapped up in a cheating scandal with Evan and his wife, Staci Felker, as the two began dating while Evan was still married to Staci. The pair sparked a romance while Evan’s band the Turnpike Troubadours performed on Lambert’s Livin’ Like Hippies Tour.
In May 2015, a source revealed to Us that Evan and Staci were “trying to have a baby” before he went on tour with Lambert. “They did not have marital problems, so Staci did not think anything would happen,” the insider shared, adding that Staci found out her husband had filed for divorce in a local newspaper. “He went on tour and he did not come home.”
The duo’s divorce was finalized that August, the same month Evan and Lambert called it quits. Evan and Staci later reconciled and remarried in June 2020. They welcomed their first child together, daughter Evangelina, in March 2021, followed by son Everett in September 2022.
Restaurant Fight
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department reported that Lambert got involved in a restaurant fight while dining with friends in February 2019. “Something happened in the restaurant between these two gentlemen and another gentleman walked up to [Lambert’s] table and started cussing him out,” an employee stated in a 911 call obtained by Us. “This is the third time they’ve gotten into it, and now Miranda’s trying to hit people and she’s flipping plates over on ‘em.”
TMZ reported at the time that Lambert allegedly dumped a salad on a woman’s lap during the encounter and that she and her party had left the restaurant before police arrived at the scene. Neither Lambert nor the men involved filed police reports. She did not publicly comment on the incident.
Brendan McLoughlin Marriage
Lambert met McLoughlin when he was patrolling near her Good Morning America performance in November 2018. Several days later, the retired cop welcomed a son with Kaihla Rettinger.
Things became even more complicated when Carol Bruno, the mother of McLoughlin’s ex Jackie Bruno, exclusively told Us at the time that McLoughlin had cheated on Jackie with Rettinger.
Despite the dramatic start to their relationship, Lambert and McLoughlin's love only grew stronger — and the pair secretly wed in early 2019 after three months of dating.
“In honor of Valentine’s Day I wanted to share some news. I met the love of my life. And we got hitched! My heart is full,” she captioned Instagram pics from their wedding day. “Thank you Brendan Mcloughlin for loving me for.... me ??.”
Baby Plans
“[Lambert] and Brendan decided after their third wedding anniversary, they would start trying [to get pregnant],” a source revealed to Us in February 2022. “Miranda is thrilled and Brendan has always wanted to [have kids with her.]”
One year later, a separate insider shared that the couple were “doing amazing” and “still feel like newlyweds.” The source continued: “Miranda loves having a husband who isn’t in the spotlight and doesn’t even care about things like that. He’s low-key and down-to-earth just like her and they couldn’t be a more perfect match. It’s nice being able to have some privacy and not have every detail about their relationship scrutinized. They complement each other on every level and Miranda feels like she finally found her soulmate.”
Selfie Controversy
Lambert received backlash following a viral TikTok video of her calling out fans for taking a selfie during a July 2023 performance at her Velvet Rodeo Las Vegas residency. After pausing her performance of “Tin Man,” Lambert told the crowd, “These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song. It’s pissing me off a little bit. Sorry, I don’t like it. At all.”
She added, “We’re here to hear some country music tonight. I’m singing some country damn music,” before motioning for the group of friends to sit down.
One of the concertgoers, Adela Calin, told NBC News that she was “appalled” by Lambert’s response, noting, “It felt like I was back at school with the teacher scolding me for doing something wrong and telling me to sit down back in my place. I feel like she was determined to make us look like we were young, immature and vain. But we were just grown women in our 30s to 60s trying to take a picture.”
Following the incident, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Lambert “feels like there is a level of respect that is expected when somebody is on stage.”
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The insider added: “She understands fans are there to have fun, but she hopes people focus more on the show and being in the moment than using the opportunity to promote social media. Miranda is, and always has been, incredibly grateful for her fans and she feels blessed to have such dedicated followers.”
