How Gwen Stefani's New Album Helped Her Turn “Tragedy Into a Joyful Time”

If you’ve been scrolling through Gwen Stefani’s Instagram the last few months, you might have noticed that she’s been smiling quite a bit lately. And though we suspect her budding relationship with Blake Shelton might have something to do with it, the star says that getting back in the studio and working on her latest LP has been the best thing for her after a transitional 2015.

“It’s an amazing moment for me,” Stefani told InStyle, when we caught up with her to fête her new eyewear collection for L.A.M.B. and GX by Gwen Stefani. “I’ve written most of the songs for this album during a tragedy that I turned into a joyful time. It will very much be like looking into my journal when you listen to it,” she says.

Thank u God for this new song 🙏🏻 gx @imjmichaels @tranterjustin @gregkurstin #musicisheaven ✨✨✨

A photo posted by Gwen Stefani (@gwenstefani) on Jan 7, 2016 at 12:25pm PST

While there is not a release date set for the entire album yet, Stefani has already seen success with her first single, “Used to Love You” which climbed the pop charts late last year. “I can’t believe I got back on the radio again,” she says. “I love the fact that I’m writing music—and that the response has been unbelievable.”

And as fans patiently wait for more tracks to drop, the singer has been whetting their appetites by giving them a glimpse into her creative process in the studio (above). “I wrote five new songs in my last session, but I don’t know which ones will make it on the album yet,” she says. “Every time we make a new one, it changes everything.”