AUSTIN, TEXAS - APRIL 02: Gwen Stefani attends the 2023 CMT Music Awards at Moody Center on April 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for CMT)
Gwen Stefani is a 53-year-old American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer too. She was born on October 3, 1969, in Fullerton, California. Her other names are Gwen Rossdale and Gwen Shelton. She has a lot of hit songs in her list and is one of the top singers in the industry.
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Gwen Renée Stefani |
| Birthdate | October 3, 1969 |
| Birthplace | Fullerton, California, USA |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, actress |
| Genres | Pop, rock, ska, reggae, electronic |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years Active | 1986-present |
| Associated Acts | No Doubt, Pharrell Williams, Blake Shelton |
| Major Achievements | 3 Grammy Awards, 4 MTV Video Music Awards, 1 Billboard Music Award, 1 Brit Award |
| Albums (solo) | Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004), The Sweet Escape (2006), This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016) |
| Albums (with No Doubt) | No Doubt (1992), Tragic Kingdom (1995), Return of Saturn (2000), Rock Steady (2001) |
| Top Songs | “Hollaback Girl”, “Rich Girl”, “Cool”, “The Sweet Escape”, “Let Me Reintroduce Myself” |
| Personal Life | Married to Gavin Rossdale (2002-2015), has 3 children, currently in a relationship with Blake Shelton |
| Other Ventures | Fashion designer (L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers), television personality (The Voice), voice actor (Trolls franchise) |
Gwen co-founded the band No Doubt, known for singles like “Don’t Speak” and “Just a Girl”. Stefani began her solo pop career in 2004 with the album Love. Angel. Music. Baby., which was critically acclaimed and commercially successful, with hit singles such as “Hollaback Girl”. She has released several more solo albums, including her first Christmas album in 2017. Stefani has also collaborated with Blake Shelton on several singles.
Stefani, a Catholic raised in Anaheim, California, was born on October 3, 1969. Her name was inspired by a novel and a song, and her parents introduced her to folk music. Stefani’s father worked for Yamaha, while her mother was an accountant turned homemaker. She has three siblings, one of whom left No Doubt to work on The Simpsons. Stefani attended Loara High School and briefly attended Fullerton College and California State University before dropping out to pursue music.
Gwen’s brother introduced her to 2 Tone music in 1986 and invited her to provide vocals for his ska band, No Doubt. The band’s self-titled debut album was unsuccessful due to the popularity of Grunge. Stefani rejected the aggression of female grunge artists and was influenced by Blondie’s Debbie Harry. No Doubt’s third album, Tragic Kingdom, took more than three years to make and sold over 16 million copies worldwide by 2004. In 2000, Rolling Stone named Stefani “the Queen of Confessional Pop”.
Released in 2004, Stefani’s debut solo album “Love. Angel. Music. Baby.” features collaborations with various producers and artists, including André 3000, the Neptunes and New Order. The album draws influence from the 80s and early 90s music styles and was created to modernize her high school favourites. Despite her pop-focused approach, the album achieved multi-platinum status in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.
Stefani’s debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby., had six singles. “What You Waiting For?” was the first and topped the ARIA Singles Chart, charted at number 47 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top ten in most charts. “Rich Girl,” a duet with rapper Eve, and “Hollaback Girl” both reached the US and Australian number one, with the latter being the first US music download to sell over a million copies. “Cool” and “Luxurious” were also released, and “Crash” was the sixth single instead of the album’s sequel, which Stefani postponed due to her pregnancy.
Gwen Stefani, a singer and TV host of Irish and Italian descent, faced criticism after claiming she was Japanese in an interview with Allure magazine. She said her father’s stories of Japanese street performers and a visit to Tokyo’s Harajuku district inspired her fragrance line, Harajuku Lovers.
She also claimed to be a “super fan” of Japanese culture, though she has been accused of cultural appropriation in the past. Jesa Marie Calaor, the Filipino American editor who interviewed her, wrote that Stefani’s comments generated backlash online from people who accused her of erasing and stealing from Asian culture. Stefani’s team declined to provide a statement.
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