Gwen Stefani Biography - Profile
Birth name:
Gwendolyn Renee Stefani
Birthday: October 3, 1969
Place of birth:
Anaheim, California, USA
Nationality: USA
Raised in: Anaheim, California, USA
Natural hair color:
Brown
Eye color: Brown
Height: 168 cm (5'6)
Nicknames: Sunshine, G-Loc
Education / Profession: Actress Musician, Singer
Labels: Universal, Interscope
Music styles:
Dance, Pop, Rock, Club, Alternative, Indie
First released record:
No Doubt - 1992
Claim to fame: "Tragic Kingdoom."
1995 (No Doubt)
Awards:
> MTV Video Music Awards
(2004, 2005)
> Teen Choice Awards (2004)
> California Music Awards (2004)
> Grammy Awards (2003, 2004)
> Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards (2003)
> MTV Awards (1997, 2002)
> American Music Awards: 2005
How it all started:
Gwen Renee Stefani was born on October 3, 1969 in
Fullerton, California as the second of four children of Dennis
and Patti (née Flynn) Stefani. She was named after a stewardess
in the 1968 novel Airport. Her parents were Roman Catholics and
fans of folk music. The younger Gwen’s musical tastes included
The Sound of Music and Evita, she even made a demo tape for her
father which earned her singing lessons, but the true musical
epiphany came to Gwen when she was 17 and fell for the ska
records by Madness and The Selecter her older brother Eric
introduced her to.
In 1986 he invited her to sing back vocals for a ska band he was
starting, called No Doubt. The result was good and Gwen became a
stable part of the group as a co-vocalist with her brother Eric
Stefani, his friend John Spence the lead singer and keyboardist
Tony Kanal who joined the band later and with whom she became
romantically involved for many years.
In 1987, John Spence committed suicide and things looked rather
grim. No Doubt however remained together, Gwen Stefani became
lead singer and the group went on appearing at local gigs and
shows.
Finally, in 1991 they were
signed by Interscope and released a self-titled debut in 1992.
Ska was not the main wave though in these days of grunge, and
Interscope were not amused. They refused to finance the
promoting tour for the album and No Doubt were forced to fall on
their finances and self-produce their next album, The Beacon
Street Collection in 1994. Interscope were friends again, but
the ground was shaking somewhat for No Doubt – Eric Stefani left
the group to become an animator for The Simpsons, and Gwen and
Tony Kanal broke up. What might seem a good scenario for No
Doubt to end in semi-obscurity nevertheless proved a source of
inspiration – the tensions and disappointments found their vent
in the group’s third album, Tragic Kingdom, and the world was
listening.
The band continued in their
international popularity and published two more albums, Return
of Saturn in 2000 and Rock Steady in 2001.
The group announced taking a break after the last album and Gwen
considered trying out a solo project, having already enjoyed
success in a couple of outside projects, such as being the voice
in Moby’s Southside or joining with rapper Eve in the acclaimed
Let Me Blow Your Mind song. The first idea was to make it „fast
and easy“, such ideas never sticking though, this became a much
bigger project involving names such as Gwen’s friend Linda Perry
(remember the big voice of 4 Non Blondes?), Dr. Dre, Jimmy Jam,
Nellee Hooper and many others. The result was
Love.Angel.Music.Baby and her success in both music and fashion
continued to bloom.
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