Gwen Stefani Debuts Emotional New Breakup Song

She doesn't say "Used to Love You" is about Gavin Rossdale, but…

By Megan Friedman

Oct 19, 2015

Entertainment, Artist, Performing arts, Stage, Purple, Performance, Music artist, Music venue, Performance art, Dancer,

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Gwen Stefani has been the queen of the breakup anthem ever since "Don't Speak." And now, years later, she has a new tear-jerking song about lost love.

Just a few months after she and husband Gavin Rossdale announced they were divorcing, Stefani premiered her new single, "Used to Love You," at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom over the weekend. According to Paper, she gave a speech before the song, saying that it was personal and that she felt she needed to share it with the crowd. She sang the ballad in front of a video of herself on the verge of tears.

The lyrics are raw and emotional, and it's not hard to make the connection to Rossdale. "I don't know why I cry / But I think it's 'cause I remember for the first time since I hated you / That I used to love you" is a doozy, and so is "You know I was the best thing that ever happened to you / Now look at what you lost." Rolling Stone notes that the lyric "Nobody taught you how to love" is similar to a 2012 No Doubt Song, in which she sings, "Who taught you how to love?" Oof.

The single will reportedly be released later this week, but until then, grab some Ben & Jerry's and watch Stefani's performance below.