Blake Shelton on Getting Candid with His New Album: 'Everybody Else Is Cashing In on My Life, I Might as Well' Too

Blake Shelton is shooting from the hip on his new album – because if he doesn't share his feelings, somebody else might. 

The singer performed tracks from his new album If I'm Honest live on The Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles on Monday night – including his brand-new duet with girlfriend Gwen Stefani – and opened up to radio D.J. Bobby Bones about his musical inspirations. 

Shelton, 39, told Bones that the album's title was partially drawn from the past 12 months of his life, during which he divorced wife Miranda Lambert and began a public romance with Stefani. 

"I just want to tell the truth about what happened," Shelton explained, adding that Stefani's recent record This Is What The Truth Feels Like also provided inspiration. "I had a similar [thought], 'What if I tell the truth?' So I was like, I can't use the word truth now so..." 

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani

KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES FOR IHEARTMEDIA

While Shelton previously insisted that the album wouldn't include any "juicy details" about his big breakup, he told Bones, "I figure since everybody else is cashing in on my life, I might as well get some of that too." 

Stefani, 46, briefly joined the country crooner onstage to perform duet "Go Ahead and Break My Heart" – which they also premiered on The Voice, Monday – but kept mostly mum while Shelton told the audience he penned the tune to "impress her." 

"It worked," joked Stefani, who received a sweet peck on the forehead from her boyfriend at the song's conclusion. 

Shelton teased that he paid the former No Doubt frontwoman "like a million dollars" to join him for the show, even admitting that he's "out-kicking" his coverage with the "very popular" artist. 

Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani

KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES FOR IHEARTMEDIA

The 15-track If I'm Honest – which is due out May 20 – also includes "Bet You Still Think About Me," which Shelton told Bones is "basically what it sounds like." 

"At some point – whether you go through a divorce or breakup or whatever – once you get past the anger and frustration of it all, you go to the sad part of it, where it's just like 'Gosh why didn't that work out?' " Shelton explained. "It's kinda what that song is about. Like even though stuff didn't work out, I bet you miss me a little bit." 

The event will broadcast on the iHeartMedia Country radio stations as well as iHeartRadio.com. Wednesday, May 18 at 8:00 p.m.