There is a reason that little girls love Gwen Stefani, the singer who introduced the Western hemisphere to Harajuku Girls and asked, "What You Waiting for?
Stefani is Barbie gone pop star. She’s the girly voiced singer who wears costumes as unlimited and bizarre as her imagination, but she’s platinum blonde and the epitome of femininity while doing it. There’s nothing scary or intimidating by Stefani or her music — and the little girls love her.
They’ve loved her for a long, long time. Back when she was merely the singer of 90s ska-pop band No Doubt the young girls would come out for her shows.
"Oh my girls! My girly girls!" she would coo in appreciation, squeezing their hands at the front of the stage. Stefani wore her hair in braids and colored it pink, but she was in no way the fashionista she’s evolved into today. Not by a long shot. She didn’t yet have the fame and power that she wields as one of today’s most famous celebrities, the type who gets voted Best Dressed Woman by Harpers (2005). As a solo artist, she’s perfected the fashion forward California girl all her own; her uniform of choice is plaid pants, crazy heels, a string bikini top, platinum hair and dramatic make-up.
But back in the 90s, Stefani’s signature look was more often tons of messy braids and the Indian forehead decoration known as the Bindi. Her make-up has usually involved crimson lips, but back then it was a trashy rocker chick style whereas today her red mouth is the symbol of the Hollywood glamour vixen.
Musically, Stefani might not have evolved so much as devolved. No Doubt was the fun ska band with the killer hooks, starting the ride off in 1995 with hits Don’t Speak and Just a Girl from Tragic Kingdom, and managing to break through with a platinum-selling hit even while the world was still in its grunge hangover. Of course, the subject of that album was entirely devoted to Stefani’s break up with fellow bandmate Tony Kanal, and it set the tone for all of Stefani’s material, which to this day remains the state of her heart. That’s another reason the girls love her — she expresses her insecurities about love, jealousy, marriage and having children more than do most.
In 2000 the band got a little more serious with Return of Saturn, which contained strong songs like Ex-Girlfriend and Simple Kind of Life, and proved to be the transition album for Stefani’s wounded heart and her newfound love of Gavin Rossdale, the singer from Brit band Bush. The critics, however, weren’t as enamoured.
A year later, they headed into the Jamaican dance hall with Bounty Killer and Lady Saw for the Grammy winning Rock Steady and hits Hey Baby and Running. That edgier move into dancehall territory seemed to be the comeback that No Doubt needed, and with it Stefani asserted her independence and went out on her own, without the boys backing her. Her Love.Angel.Music.Baby and The Sweet Escape albums have made her a superstar, in conjunction with the launch of her Lamb clothing line. She’s also endeared herself to her female fanbase by admitting that she’s been obsessed with her weight since Grade 6. She may be 38 years old and long from her tween years, but Stefani is still the dream scenario for little girls who dream of growing up and becoming a fashion plate pop star who gets married and raises children without ever breaking a nail.
And No Doubt is working on a new album, so she’s not leaving the public spotlight any time soon.
