Celebrating Pop Moms: Gwen Stefani
As a countdown to Mother's Day May 14th, I have been celebrating a pop mom, a pop music artist who also happens to be a mom, each day this week. Today's pop mom is pregnant mom-to-be Gwen Stefani.
On her official web site, Gwen Stefani recalls a moment as a high school senior when she sensed that her entire world was about to change. "I remember being this 17 year-old girl, in love and really excited about my future with the boy that I thought was going to be my husband and we'd have babies and that, "she pauses, "was my passion. Then I learned that I could write songs and that is when my life changed. I went from being this really passive girl to 'Oh my God. This makes me feel so powerful when I write these words.' It was such a turning point to find that I had a talent and I had something to contribute, somewhere." Gwen Stefani would ultimately return to the idea of having babies, but it would be almost 20 years later.
When she was 17, Gwen Stefani was asked by her brother Eric to join a band he was putting together. The band became No Doubt. Gwen originally shared vocals with John Spence, but, after he committed suicide, she ultimately became the sole lead vocalist. For the next 7 years Gwen Stefani carried on a romance with band-mate Tony Kanal while the band worked to gain notice. Their first two albums met with minor success, but it was their 3rd album, recorded after the romance with Tony Kanal was over and Gwen's brother Eric had left the group, that finally broke the band in a big way. Tragic Kingdom, released in 1995, reached #1 on the pop album chart, generated the hit singles "Don't Speak," "Just a Girl," and "Spiderwebs," and sold over 10 million copies.
1995 was also a memorable year in Gwen Stefani's personal life. During the year she met Gavin Rossdale, lead vocalist for the group Bush, at a concert. Eventually the pair began a romance and in 2002 they were married. In 2004, Gwen Stefani put together her first solo album. Love, Angel, Music, Baby was released in late 2004, and it made her a solo star. The album peaked at #5 on the chart, sold over 7 million copies worldwide, and generated 6 chart singles in the U.S. Gwen Stefani received 6 Grammy Award nominations for her work on the album.
In late 2005, while touring in support of Love, Angel, Music, Baby, Gwen Stefani became pregnant for the first time. She confirmed that she was going to have a baby from the stage in December. Gwen Stefani has remained in the public spotlight since the announcement gaining press accolades for her willingness to publicly display pride in her pregnancy. The baby is due in late May or early June, 2006.
Please join me in celebrating pop mom Gwen Stefani.
More pop moms:
Photo © Interscope Records.
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