 After the lackluster response to Stefani 's previous singles , " Baby Don 't Lie " and " Spark the Fire " , she scrapped the release of her studio album to begin work on " more authentic " material . When Stefani divorced her then @-@ husband Gavin Rossdale , she began writing intimate songs for a brand @-@ new project . Following the completion and release of " Used to Love You " , Stefani continued writing personal tracks to express her feelings . Several months after writing various songs , Stefani began shifting focus and writing tracks about Blake Shelton instead of Rossdale ; Stefani confirmed that " Misery " was written about " her newfound happiness with Shelton " in an interview with Dana Ross Falcone of Entertainment Weekly . 
