While her Grammy-winning band, No Doubt, was taking a break in '04, Gwen Stefani was breaking out on her own, releasing her first solo album, Love, Angel, Music, Baby, that indulged her musical fantasies
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With a wardrobe to rival Madonna's, No Doubt's Gwen Stefani is one of the most stylish pop stars on the planet. But you could also say the same thing about her music. From No Doubt's early pop/punk ska hit "I'm Just a Girl" to later power ballads such as "Don't Speak," Stefani has effortlessly slid into a variety of musical roles. It's no wonder then that for her first outing as a solo artist, she would continue to indulge her taste for mixing it up. On 12 tracks, she creates music that is rhythmic, rebellious, confessional, sexy, fierce, playful, funky, emotional and all very, very cool. As one of the most talented, successful and visible singer/songwriters, Stefani was able to collaborate with a wish list of producers and songwriters, including Nellee Hooper, Linda Perry, Dr. Dre, the Neptunes, Dallas Austin, Johnny Vulture (aka Outkast's Andre 3000), Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and her bandmate, No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal. Drawing from such a diverse and amazing group of artists, Stefani was able to draw a commonality as well � all great, innovative and exciting music that blends a modern hip hop attitude with the Eighties dance club vibe that inspired her as a kid.
If creating one of the best and most-anticipated albums of the year wasn't enough, Stefani even found the time to launch her own clothing line, L.A.M.B., and star as Jean Harlow in Martin Scorsese's ambitious Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator. At press time, Stefani was up for a Grammy for "What You Waiting For?" and No Doubt was up for a Grammy for "It's My Life." �EP
