London paper × February 27, 2007
No doubting Gwen’s return to musical form
Facing the critics, working with Keane, recording with No Doubt again and Britney’s meltdown… We talk exclusively with superhot singer Gwen Stefani.
No Doubt about it
I had lunch with my band yesterday and we were just talking about the weird journey we’ve been on.
I made the last record not to intentionally go solo, it wasn’t like there was any problems in the band, it was just a fun album to make.
Then it got kinda drawn out because it was more successful than I thought. Then I wanted to tour, and I got pregnant, and I couldn’t see me doing a No Doubt record.
It didn’t seem like the right time. Creatively I wasn’t inspired by it, but the moment I finished recording this last record, I was like: “I think I know I want to record with No Doubt now.” It was so obvious that’s what I wanted.
Second album syndrome
I haven’t really read the press too much, having the baby, it’s been really hard. So that’s news to me. I’ll be crying all day about it now – haha!
They’re always ready with the whip to beat you down on your second album. Of course, it bothers me – I’m a human being. I put my whole heart and everything into this record.
I read stuff here and there on websites, this and that, like anyone would. Then I read something bad and I end up not reading anything else.
Your confidence gets taken away, and if you don’t have that, how are you supposed to get up there?
I’m only making music for fun. I’m not like a brain surgeon, I’m a fucking singer from orange County.
Keane for a day
I wanted to do something with Tim (Rice-Oxley from Keane) on the last record – I think he’s on the same label as me. I got the Keane record and I listened to it on the way down to Anaheim, and was like wow, this is so good, it was so beautiful.
I really wanted to write a ballad so I called him up to see if he wanted to do it. He was so nice, with no ego and really talented, and fuck anybody that says anything about that. I get so riled up about it.
I call him the Clark Kent of songwriting, cos he’s all humble and sweet, and wears glasses, but actually he’s quite good-lookingm and when he takes them off he’s this amazing Superman songwriter.
Eternal fame
It’s fun. I’m milking it. Who knows how long it’s gonna last. There’s moments where people are gonna look at you and want your picture or autograph or whatever, but so what. It’s not a big deal.
When I was pregnant it got craxy because I got caught up in the whole celebrity pregnancy thing. These photographers lived outside of my house the entire time, they had lawn chairs and stuff.
That was a little hard because I wasn’t feeling my most glamorous, and pregnancy is such a personal thing. But then you have all the photos too. I tell my friends if you see any pictures of Kingston in magazines, send them to me and I’ll make a scrapbook for him.
Magic of motherhood
I never thought that this would be my life at all. It’s one of the things I find hardest to talk about because it’s hard to describe the feelings, it’s so magical. It’s been a very flawless and natural progression. I wasn’t uptight about it, it wasn’t scary, none of those things. It’s just great.
Plastic surgery, maybe?
I don’t spend a lot of my time thinking about that stuff. I definitely enjoy Surgery: 90210 – I love that TV show. They make it look so easy, don’t they? I dunno, we’ll see, you’ll have to check back, haha!
and… Britney
It’s disturbing. She lived on my block in LA for like a week, then she moved. I don’t know what’s going on with her.
Nobody really knows what’s going on so it’s hard to comment, but it’s a bit disturbing. Obviously you don’t want want someone who’s just had a little baby freaking out.
Would I shave my head? At this stage no, maybe when I was younger. I don’t think it would look very good.
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