10 Musician Power Couples That Are Still Together (And 4 That Split)
Power couples can be found in all lines of work and some have even changed the course of history. But there's something about a musician power couple that drives a special kind of curiosity. Perhaps it's the way the initial sparks often fly via artistic collaboration or maybe it's expressing intimacy through song that speaks to our own experiences of love and longing. Sometimes, it's just the thrill of watching and listening to two incredibly talented and good-looking people do their thing on stage. Whatever it is, musician power couples continue to intrigue, delight, and enthrall audiences across genres.
Some of music's biggest stars are buoyed by their equally famous partners, and their relationships have withstood the test of time. Others, however, have merged their musical talents and private lives only to have their relationships crumble. Let's face it, breakin' up is hard to do, but it sure has made for some great break-up songs. So let's take a look at 10 musician power couples who are still together and four who have split.
How Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani voice their love
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani already knew what being a music power couple was about when Stefani joined the judging panel of "The Voice" in 2014. He was married to country superstar Miranda Lambert and she was betrothed to Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale. At first, they were professional acquaintances, but Shelton and Stefani really got to know each other when they both went through their divorces at the same time. Shelton remarked to Billboard about their relationship genesis, "Gwen saved my life. Who else on earth could understand going through a high-profile divorce from another musician? You can't even imagine the similarities in our divorces."
Both publicly separated from their spouses, Shelton and Stefani confirmed their couple status in late 2015 and soon the newly minted musical duo started collaborating on music together. In 2016, Shelton and Stefani co-wrote and performed the intimate single "Go Ahead and Break My Heart." The couple continued to support each others' music careers, with Shelton appearing on Stefani's holiday track "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" and both singing on their chart-topping duet "Nobody But You." Married since 2021, Shelton and Stefani continue to flex their power couple status. While Shelton announced his exit from "The Voice" in 2022, he and Stefani clearly still make time for each other. In 2023, Stefani made a surprise appearance during his "Back to the Honky Tonk Tour" and he was photographed wearing a "Mr. Stefani" bedazzled denim jacket.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's love is both high-profile and low-key
Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been surprisingly low-key about their love life, and this private pair lets their music do the talking. "We were friends first, for a year and a half, before we went on any date," Beyoncé once revealed to Oprah. "And that foundation is so important in a relationship." When they were featured together on the cover of the 2001 Vanity Fair music issue, they were just getting to know each other. In 2002, Beyoncé featured on Jay-Z's "03 Bonnie and Clyde" and the following year, he laid down a verse on her Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper "Crazy In Love." By this time, there was no denying their chemistry, however, the powerhouse duo didn't make their red carpet debut until the 2004 MTV VMAs.
In 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married in an ultra-private ceremony, but their intentional privacy hasn't stopped their relationship woes from becoming public. In 2014, Beyonce's sister, Solange Knowles, and Jay-Z had an altercation in an elevator after attending the Met Gala and in 2017, Jay-Z admitted his infidelity to The New York Times. Both have used their music to address their marriage drama, she with her 2016 album "Lemonade" and he with his album "4:44." Through it all, Beyonce and Jay-Z have stuck together and artistically they remain a united front. Their "On The Run" and "On The Run II" tours grossed hundreds of millions of dollars, with "On The Run II" pulling in more than $250 million alone.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's love has gone from Nashville to Hollywood
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are a musician power couple who have made the transition from Nashville to Hollywood. Married since 1996, the two are inspired by each other. Of his wife, McGraw told People, "She's a straight shooter who doesn't take any [crap] and knows what she wants out of life. Our relationship is unbelievable"; Hill noted of her husband, "He makes me feel like I can conquer the world." Indeed, McGraw and Hill triumphed in the world of music with their series of "Soul2Soul" tours. Starting in 2000 with a string of sold-out concerts in 2000, they continued their success in 2007, when the second year of their "Soul2Soul II" tour broke country music concert sales records to become the highest grossing country music tour up until that time.
McGraw and Hill once again tapped into their undeniable musical chemistry in 2017, not only for another go-round of their "Soul2Soul" tour, but to release their first collaborative album "The Rest of Our Life." While they've been married for decades, McGraw and Hill have embraced new and exciting opportunities to work with each other. In 2021, the couple starred in the "Yellowstone" prequel mini-series "1883." Taking on "1883" was something that the couple didn't take for granted. McGraw expressed his gratitude to People for being able to try something new with his wife at this point in their careers.
Camilla Cabello and Shawn Mendes' journey from friends to lovers
Long before they made music power couple headlines for eating each others' faces at restaurants and going on meditative "zombie" walks, Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes were musical collaborators and friends. They met while touring with Austin Mahone in 2014 and they released their first collaboration "I Know What You Did Last Summer" the following year. Mendes shot down romance rumors, telling The New Paper in 2017, "We're just really good friends but I love her. She's one of my best friends." Although publicly friendzoned by Mendes, it didn't stop Cabello from sharing her love for him on Instagram, captioning a photo of herself and Mendes, "i love you forever."
Cabello and Mendes finally started dating in 2019 just in time for their sizzling single "Señorita" to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart that summer. They laid the PDA on thick with their hot MTV VMA performance, holding PDA beach sessions in Miami, and posting a literal tongue-in-cheek video lampooning it all on Instagram. While Mendes wrote his song "Wonder" for Cabello and she hinted at their relationship in her 2020 album "Romance," their music wasn't enough to keep their power couple momentum going. They split in 2021, and although their romance is over, their love story continues. Mendes publicly processed the split with his songs "It'll Be Okay" and "When You're Gone" and Cabello seemingly worked through the breakup on her 2022 album "Familia."
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are true collaborators
While they met in the '90s, it took many years for Alicia Keys to warm up to music producer Swizz Beatz. In an excerpt from her memoir "More Myself," published in People, Keys writes, "He'd usually pull up in some fancy car, rolling deep with his Bronx crew and shining with diamonds. I wanted nothing to do with that scene or with Swizz." Eventually, Keys agreed to a date and he impressed her not with material possessions, but with his personality. A steamy body painting marriage proposal led to their wedding in 2010 and the couple became parents to sons Egypt and Genesis.
Taking a note from former musician power couple Paul and Linda McCartney, Keys and Beatz don't like spending too much time apart. She writes in "More Myself" of staying close, "Swizz and I are striving to keep our promise never to go more than two weeks without seeing each other." The time Keys and Beatz have spent together has certainly paid off creatively. They penned the song "Million Dollar Bill" for Whitney Houston, appeared in Keys' music video for "Best of Me," and collaborated on an Art Basel concert series. And speaking of art, Keys once rented out the Louis Vuitton store and the Guggenheim Museum on the same night for Swizz's birthday. "Swizz is such a wild dreamer, and he loves beautiful art, beautiful clothes, and things that are well made," she told InStyle. Sounds like she nailed it with that birthday plan.
Avril Lavigne and Mod Sun's failed pop-punk romance
Avril Lavigne had already been a part of two music power couples when she met Mod Sun during a songwriting session in 2021. She was married to Sum 41's Deryck Whibley in 2006, then she got married to Nickleback's Chad Kroeger in 2013. Lavigne wasn't looking for love when she collaborated with Mod Sun, but Lavigne felt an instant connection to the rocker. She shared with People, "I knew we had a very strong unstoppable connection from the first week of writing and working together in the studio. Immediately." He co-wrote and co-produced several tracks for her 2021 breakup album "Love Sux" while she was featured on his song "Flames."
Sun proposed to Lavigne on trip to Paris in 2021 and at the time of their engagement, Lavigne was all-in on becoming a part of the first couple of pop-punk, telling People "I look forward to having fun, creating, working together, touring together, growing together," adding, "It feels good to have someone who can help celebrate the good times, hold you through the tough ones, and be there for all the moments in between." But Lavigne's power couple dreams were short-lived and she said "see you later, boy" to Sun in 2023. While TMZ sources said the split was mutual and amicable, Mod Sun's reps told Page Six that the breakup was a surprise to him. He was reportedly left feeling devastated by Lavigne's quick rebound with Tyga.
Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan are musician power couple goals
Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan have been madly in love and rocking around the world with their Miami-based sounds for decades. When they met at a 1975 jam session, Emilio made one heck of an introduction. "He's playing the accordion in very short shorts," Gloria recalled on an episode of "People Icons," "and he looked like he was naked, so that was the first impression that I got." Gloria joined Emilio's band, Miami Latin Boys, and they grew from their humble beginnings gigging weddings, bar mitzvahs, and quinceañeras into the hit-making Miami Sound Machine.
Gloria and Emilio married in 1978 and welcomed son Nayib in 1980 and daughter Emily in 1994. The Estefans have remained a musician power couple to rival them all. They have sold over 100 million records, had dozens of songs on the Billboard charts, have received many prestigious awards — including 26 Grammys between the pair — and were given the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2015. Not to mention their business acumen rivals their musical talents. Gloria and Emilio's reported $700 million net worth not only comes from their music careers, but also endorsements and real estate investments. While they're at the top of the music world, Gloria and Emilio still take time to share love notes on Instagram, including adorable birthday well-wishes and career milestone celebrations.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's cover-worthy love
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky took their time finding romance. At first, the pair kept their relationship professional. When Rocky opened for Rihanna on her 2013 Diamonds World Tour, he had already been featured on her "Cockiness (Love It)" remix which they performed on the MTV VMAs together in 2012. She then returned the favor and starred in his "Fashion Killa" music video in 2013. As the years went on, both Rihanna and A$AP were linked to other people but in 2018, the friends started publicly going to events together. They popped up at Paris Fashion Week, he attended her annual Diamond Ball, and by the end of 2019, they wore Fenty looks on the British Fashion Awards red carpet.
Rihanna, who launched her blockbuster makeup line Fenty Beauty in 2017, co-starred with A$AP Rocky for a 2020 Fenty Skin campaign and clearly the pair had fun working together. A$AP told GQ about working with Rihanna, "I think the hardest part about working with you is not goofin' off and laughing the whole time" adding, "the hardest part is not having too much fun. You just forget that it's still work at the end of the day." Their relationship was confirmed by the end of the year and they welcomed a son in 2022. They are a tight-knit unit, posing for a glamorous pictorial for British Vogue and in 2023 it was announced the couple is expecting another child.
Cardi B and Offset have had ups and downs
Cardi B and Offset's relationship has weathered plenty of music power couple storms and it has seemingly become stronger for it. Their first musical collaboration "Lick" dropped in 2017 and at first, Cardi was hesitant to date Offset. However, a first successful first date at that year's Super Bowl kicked their love into high gear, crescendoing that year with a public engagement. But in true power couple fashion, the engagement was only for show, as Cardi and Offset had secretly gotten married that September.
Despite rumors of infidelity swirling around the pair, Cardi and Offset charged forth on a path of musician power couple dominance, doing such things as Cardi confirming their pregnancy while performing on "Saturday Night Live," Offset tattooing Cardi's name on his neck, and appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone together. In 2018, Cardi announced their split in a since-deleted Instagram post, but by Valentine's Day 2019, the couple had seemingly rekindled their romance. But in 2020, Cardi had enough and filed for divorce, because they had grown apart. Later that year, she called off the divorce, and the pair reconciled, with Cardi revealing on "The Jason Lee Show" that Offset changed for her. Seemingly in a better place, the musical power couple has focused on more positive things like welcoming a second child in 2021. And in 2023, they launched their very own McDonald's meal, complete with Super Bowl commercial.
Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa keep rocking decades into their relationship
There are plenty of things about Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa's marriage that could be considered strange. For example, they grew up in New Jersey just miles away from each other. A teenage Scialfa even called Springsteen to audition for his band. Springsteen thought she was too young at the time, but they eventually connected as adults at a bar in Asbury Park where Scailfa performed on the weekends. The two struck up a friendship and Scialfa was asked to join Bruce's E Street Band just days before their "Born in the USA" tour kicked off in 1984.
Springsteen and Scialfa's romance has not been without drama. Tabloids caught the bandmates kissing on a Roman balcony while Springsteen was still married to Julianne Phillips. Springsteen's marriage to Phillips was done in 1989, and he and Scialfa married in 1991. Parents to three children, Springsteen and Scialfa continue to nurture each other. As Springsteen wrote in "Born to Run," Scialfa has remained a pillar of support through his mental health struggles.
On an episode of "The Howard Stern Show," Springsteen called "Tougher Than The Rest" his best love song and said that he can't perform it appropriately without Scialfa. Speaking to the longevity of their marriage, Springsteen told Stern that as outsiders, they came together and made a promise to make it work. Indeed, Springsteen and Scialfa are still making it work and continue to rock it out with the E Street Band.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Kelsea Ballerini and Morgan Evans' split has inspired some great break-up music
Kelsea Ballerini was already a Top 10 Hot Country Billboard artist when she and Australian country crooner Morgan Evans co-hosted Australia's Country Music Channel Awards in 2016. Things moved quickly for the young stars, as they had both made their red carpet debut and got engaged by the end of that year. Evans posted an engagement pic on Instagram with the caption "When you know, you know...she's perfect." Following that instinct, the budding musician power couple's splashy 2017 wedding was shared exclusively with People and soon after their love was inspiring new music. Ballerini was featured on Evans' ballad "Dance With Me," which is featured on his 2018 album "Things That We Drink To."
Ballerini and Evans were never shy about the complexities of being married, and they even opened up about working on their marriage with couples therapy. However, working on their relationship professionally proved not to be enough to save their marriage and Ballerini filed for divorce in 2022. The pair didn't waste time laying bare their split in their music. Following the announcement, Ballerini changed lyrics in some of her songs during a concert, hinting at her troubled former marriage. Meanwhile, Evans alluded to the breakup in a song of his own, "Over For You." In 2023, Ballerini released an EP and short movie "Rolling Up The Welcome Mat" about her failed relationship.
Michelle Branch and Patrick Carney are making it work
Michelle Branch and Black Keys musician Patrick Carney made sweet music together and fell in love while making Branch's 2017 album "Hopeless Romantic." While the pair weren't looking for a love connection in the studio, she told CBS News, "somewhere during the process of making the record, Patrick and I weren't seeing anyone and started to realize we had feelings for each other. The next thing you know I'm writing love songs." They got married in 2019, postponing their original wedding date to welcome son Rhys in 2018, and the couple had daughter Willie in 2022.
Although Branch and Carney seemed to have an idyllic rock star romance, their relationship took a dramatic turn in 2022. Branch filed for divorce from Carney, accusing him of cheating. In a since-deleted Tweet, she alleged that Carney had an affair with his manager. Their split escalated when Branch was arrested for domestic assault. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Branch admitted to slapping Carney in the face several times. However, later that year, Branch decided to suspend their divorce and try and work things out. Since reconciling, Branch has posted visual evidence of their united front on Instagram, sharing photos of them doing musician power couple activities like kissing backstage, listening to records in Paris, and attending the Grammys.
Big Sean and Jhené Aiko's journey from friends to family
Big Sean and Jhené Aiko's power couple journey started when they met in-studio in 2012 and that same year went on an informal date to a Los Angeles Lakers game, but even though they weren't seeing each other, it didn't stop them from collaborating. In 2013 when Aiko was featured on the Big Sean track "Beware" and in 2015, she featured on and co-starred in the music video for Big Sean's "I Know."
Sean and Aiko tapped into their chemistry with their super sexy 2016 EP "Twenty88." Surprisingly, the duo was not an official couple when "Twenty88" was released. She was still married to her husband, music producer Dot Da Genius, but she filed for divorce in 2016. After her split from Genius, Sean and Aiko attended another Los Angeles Lakers game, but this time, it was as a couple. Even though Aiko referred to Sean as the love of her life to Billboard in 2017, the power couple broke up in 2019, confirming the split in the comments on The Shade Room's Instagram post to shut down any animosity between the pair. They never stopped supporting each other, shouting out their support on social media or making a post-breakup song "None of Your Concern" together. These days, Sean and Aiko are very much a couple and they welcomed a son in 2022 and Sean revealed that he and Aiko are working on a follow-up to "Twenty88."
Saweetie and Quavo were allegedly not a loyal power couple
Saweetie and Quavo started their relationship in a very relatable way. In 2018, Quavo slid into Saweetie's Instagram DMs, and he shared their initial exchange on Twitter. After months of virtual flirting (and an ill-fated party invite), the pair went on their actual first date, ending with a stop at Atlanta's legendary strip club Magic City. Even though they were working together musically, like Quavo featuring on Saweetie's 2019 track "Emotional," the pair kept things surprisingly low-key, like watching "Game of Thrones" together. Saweetie even told Page Six that it wasn't luxury gifts that made her love Quavo, it was that he saved food for her. She said, "Those are the things that really matter: the things that have no price on them. The Bentley is cool but I'm really into intimacy and how you treat me with my emotional feels."
However, by 2021, trouble was brewing in this musician power couple. Saweetie sparked breakup rumors by unfollowing Quavo on Instagram and she declared her single-status on Twitter in an emotional post about betrayal. Shortly after their split, TMZ reported that the two had a physical altercation in an elevator. Both took to their music to explore their breakup. While she didn't call out Quavo by name, the lyrics in Saweetie's featured verse on Kendra Jae song "Seesaw" call out someone for their cheating ways. In 2022, lyrics in Quavo's song "Messy" allegedly point to infidelity on Saweetie's part.