Gwen Stefani on No Doubt Nostalgia and Creating New Music
With the revival of the '90s, she is one of those girls whose pictures from the decade are constantly reposted on Instagram. Crop tops, platinum hair, baggy pants, barrettes—Gwen Stefani's stylistic adventures are back in full force on social networks and in the streets. She also revisits many of her nostalgic looks in the music video for "Let Me Reintroduce Myself," a single she released last year. However, the 51 year old is not just a punk pin-up. With the group No Doubt, she established herself in the rock landscape of the '90s before becoming a solo pop star collaborating with Dr Dre, Pharrell Williams, and Prince. Her charisma and her music have since influenced Rihanna, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa (who invited Stefani to collaborate on her album), and more. Here, L'OFFICIEL speaks to the artist about her latest music and the legacy of "Just a Girl."
L'OFFICIEL: Where did you get the idea for "Let Me Reintroduce Myself"?
Gwen Stefani: It's a title that talks about my insecurity, as usual (laughs), with self-mockery. It evokes writing new music when I felt defensive, and representing myself to others. I thought to myself, But why be on the defensive? I'm still me, actually. I'm not dead (laughs). So I'm sharing who I am.
L'O: Is coming back to the reggae-ska that you did with No Doubt linked to the difficult period we are going through, which leaves time for reflection, for nostalgia?
GS: The last album I recorded, This Is What The Truth Feels Like, corresponds to a moment when I felt hurt [Editor's note: Stefani had divorced Gavin Rossdale, father of her three boys, singer of the band Bush]. And then I fell in love (with country superstar Blake Shelton), which transformed me. Anyway, it's a combination of things that brought me to the sound of this new single. The 25th anniversary of No Doubt's album Tragic Kingdom has played a part. There's also everything going on in the world, #metoo and racial issues. We were already talking about that with No Doubt, through the ska music of the '70s which highlighted unity and anti-racism. I have a teenager at home who also listens to a lot of music. It reminded me of who I was at 14-15 years old and made me want to deepen my work around the music that defined me: ska and reggae.
L'O: What did you discover during your research on reggae and ska?
GS: It was interesting because I only knew reggae through the prism of ska. When I was 13, I lived in the Californian suburbs, in a simple and Catholic family, I didn't know anything about reggae. During my research, I discovered the existence of Sister Mary Ignatius Davies, a white, Catholic woman born in the 1920s who lived in Kingston. She educated young boys who took music lessons at the orphanage, which has become an institution, the Alpha Boys School. When I found out about this nun who was teaching these young Jamaicans who would then go and play with Bob Marley, I felt a strange connection with her.
L'O: You created the LAMB fashion brand. What role does fashion play in your life?
GS: Fashion has always been there, since I was a little girl. When I went to Disneyland, I was fascinated by the costumes, the colors. My mom was very stylish in the '60s, too. And I would watch old Hollywood movies where everyone is so glamorous.
L'O: When you wrote "Just a Girl" with No Doubt, did you realize it was a feminist anthem?
GS: Not at all, that was just my feeling at the time. At the beginning of life, we are not necessarily aware of the gender to which we belong. It is as we grow up that we realize that it is a strength to be a girl, but that it also makes us vulnerable. Afterwards "Just a Girl" became the name of my show in Las Vegas, and performing the song on stage I realized that it was the most relevant title I have ever written.
