Known first as the charismatic lead singer of the band No Doubt, then solo for her stylish and slightly extravagant look, Gwen Stefani is our Milf du jour.
Before she became famous
Gwen Stefani was born on October 3, 1969 in Fullerton, California. Her father is Italian-American and her mother of Irish and Scottish descent. Her parents brought her up listening to the folk music that would influence her career (notably Bob Dylan and Emmylou Harris). She was surrounded by 3 siblings, the first of whom, Eric, born in 1967, was a member of the group No Doubt.
Early days with No Doubt
From 1986 to 2004, Gwen Stefani was the lead singer of a ska band formed by her brother: No Doubt. Still in high school at the band’s beginnings, Gwen (who was initially a backing singer) needed her brother’s insistence to overcome her shyness, especially on stage. The band signed their first contract with Interscope Record in 1991. At the time, they were rehearsing in their parents’ garage twice a week after school.
Gwen then entered college and posed for Teen Vogue magazine. At the end of 1987, the suicide of singer John Spencer affected the other members to such an extent that they considered calling it quits. Gwen still didn’t feel ready to take on the role of singer, so the band’s trumpeter took over from John. But not for long, as his girlfriend becomes pregnant and he decides to leave the band. This time, it was his brother Eric who convinced her to become the band’s singer. And the decision proved to be the right one: on stage, Gwen Stefani’s considerable energy helped the band quickly find its audience.
Not immediate success
When their first album came out in 1992, it wasn’t a great success, as the style at the time was more grunge. Forsaken by their record company, the band self-produced their second album, The Bacon Street Collection, in 1995. Disappointed by the band’s lacklustre success, Eric decided to leave to devote himself to his career as a cartoonist for The Simpsons. But success came a few months later with the album Tragic Kingdom, which their record company agreed to produce. A real consecration, the track “Don’t Speak” remained number one on the charts for up to 6 months in some countries. This was followed by 2 albums in 2000 and 2003 (Return of Saturn and Rock Steady). At the same time, Gwen Stefani began working on solo collaborative projects, with Eve on “Let Me Blow Your Mind” in 2001. It was after the final tour in support of their 5th album that Gwen decided to go solo.
Worldwide solo success
Alongside a number of film roles, Gwen released her first solo album: Love. Angel. Music. Baby. In 2004. It was the result of collaborations with a number of artists, including Pharrell and André 3000. RnB and Hip Hop influences can also be found. The 2 nd album, released in 2006 (after Gwen’s first grosssse), was another success. The sounds are a joyful mix of eighties pop, reggae, hip-hop and Japanese-style electro. This risk-taking paid off, as the album was also a worldwide success.
At the end of her world tour, Gwen worked on a new album project with the group No Doubt. But her pregnancy once again slowed down the project, which was not released until 2012. Although critically acclaimed, Push and Shove will not be supported by a tour due to controversy over the image of a Native American used in their video. But instead of concentrating on their next album as announced, the band split up again.
From then on, Gwen took on the role of judge on the American TV show The Voice, and made a few stage appearances alongside other artists with whom she had collaborated. She will follow this up with a residency in Las Vegas and a Christmas album You Make It Feel Like Christmas in 2017.
Privacy policy
Gwen Stefani had a long relationship with Tony Kanal, a member of the band No Doubt, before breaking up, which inspired the song Don’t Speak. She then married Gavin Rossdale, the guitarist and singer of Bush, with whom she had 3 children. But the surprise announcement of Gavin’s paternity, belatedly discovered, turned their lives upside down. They divorced in 2015, and Gwen began dating Blake Sheldon (a country singer), whom she met on The Voice.
Here are her most beautiful photos:
