Stefani had enjoyed huge successes for several years, but she was in for another happy surprise during the first week of October 2005. That week she learned that she had made music history. The song "Hollaback Girl" became the first downloaded song ever to sell 1 million downloads. Shortly thereafter, the song also crossed the 1 million mark in mobile telephone downloads. Stefani was humbled by the milestone. She said: "It's always an honor to be recognized for your music, and this is really the coolest. It's exciting to see people embrace the song and really make it part of their lives. Whether it's CDs, computers, or cell phones . . . it really is bananas."³⁶

Days after the news of her record-breaking downloads, Stefani began her concert tour in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the next twenty-six days, she performed in nineteen cities from coast to coast. The event was known as the Harajuku Lovers tour, taking its identity from Stefani's dancers. The band Black Eyed Peas traveled with her as the opening act of the concerts. Another ten concerts in nine cities followed, featuring M.I.A. as the opening band.

In December 2005 Stefani's tour visited an additional twelve cities throughout the United States and Canada. Artist Ciara joined the tour as the opening act.

A New Member of the Family

Concert tours are known to be strenuous and exhausting, but Stefani was faced with a special challenge. Shortly before beginning her 2005 tour, she learned that she was pregnant. Stefani was thrilled, but the demands of being pregnant while on tour almost got the best of her. She explains:

I'd be crying before I was going on. I couldn't breathe, because when you're pregnant, you get short of breath. So I'm trying to breathe with the corset and the high heels and the nine costume changes. I was in pain. I had really bad stomach aches. What saved me was God put these young girls in the front row. You could tell it was their first concert and they were looking at me as if I was Cinderella. They just thought I was great.³⁷

Stefani was glad to see the tour end and get some much-needed rest. The following spring, on May 26, 2006, her son was born in Los Angeles, weighing 7.5 pounds (3.4kg). Stefani and her husband named him Kingston James McGregor Rossdale. Over the next several months, the proud parents spent as much time with their son as they could. Baby Kingston learned to travel at a very young age.

Stefani had known that she wanted to be a mom ever since she was a little girl. Before the band came along, she used to fantasize about getting married and having children. With Kingston's arrival, motherhood felt completely normal and natural. Observers noted that Stefani handled a diaper bag and stroller as easily as a microphone.

The Sweet Escape

Even Kingston's arrival did not stop Stefani from getting back to work. She had started writing songs for another CD the previous fall, before the Harajuku Lovers tour began. Stefani explains:

In September 2005, [record producer] Pharrell Williams called me and said, "Come down to Miami and make some records." I was not really pursuing making a record, but how do you turn him down? In ten days, we came up with "Breakin' Up," "Orange County Girl," and "Wind It Up." Then after [the Harajuku Girls tour], I went in with Tony, and we got "Don't Get It Twisted" and "4 in the Morning" going. So at that point, I realized I could get a record out by Christmas, but then I found out I was going to have Kingston. After Kingston, I went back into the studio again. "Early Winter" I did with Tim [Rice-Oxley], and I also went in with Akon and Sean Garrett.³⁸

For her CD in progress, Stefani also rescued two songs that never made it onto Love. Angel. Music. Baby. She remembered: "They were burning up my iTunes, so I thought, 'Are these really just going to sit on my computer?' 'Wonderful Life' I wrote for a friend who passed away, and it didn't really fit on the first record. 'U Started It' was a song I wrote the day before I wrote 'Hollaback Girl,' so I didn't put that one on either, even though it broke my heart."³⁹

Her second CD, titled The Sweet Escape, arrived in stores on December 5, 2006. The night before its release, Stefani appeared on the 2006 Billboard Music Awards and performed the song "Wind It Up."

"Wind It Up" caused a huge buzz among fans and critics. The song borrowed music and lyrics from a tune called "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music. Stefani even yodeled a few lines, as was done in the movie. Stefani's dancers onstage and in the video appeared in costumes that mimicked the children's play clothes from the movie. The fabric for those costumes featured a geometric "GS" pattern (Stefani's initials) that imitated the cream and olive green drapery fabric that was used to make the outfits in the movie.

Reviews of The Sweet Escape were mixed. Some critics hated the yodeling and found many of the songs to be uninteresting. Others loved certain sounds or styles. Many critics disagreed as to which were the best songs on the album.

Nonetheless, Stefani was pleased with the CD and made no apologies for its unusual elements. She said: "It's definitely left of center. Yodeling is not very fashionable. I agree that you take a bite [of 'Wind It Up'] and it's like, 'What? This tastes weird.' But after a few bites, you're addicted. I understand [the mixed reactions]. I picked it on purpose. That's why it's called The Sweet Escape-it is supposed to be fun, easy-to-go-down music."⁴⁰Stefani's fans embraced her album, eager once again to find out what she had dished up, and the CD sold well. Her next new venture would also turn out to be an instant hit.

Never Too Old for Dolls

Having been compared to a Barbie doll at least once, the idea of turning Stefani into a line of fashion dolls probably came naturally. In December 2006 Stefani worked with Huckleberry Toys to release a series of eight dolls resembling herself and her Harajuku Girl dancers. The 10-inch (25cm) dolls resembled fashion dolls, and their costumes were replicated from her Harajuku Lovers tour. Stefani explained on her Web site: "I thought the dolls would be a good opportunity to capture some of the key looks from the album and the tour. The Harajuku Girls and I wore such wicked costumes we had to share them with the world again."⁴¹

The dolls retailed for about twenty-five dollars each and included Cool Gwen in a glamorous gown, Tick Tock Gwen sporting an Alice in Wonderland dress, Bananas Gwen wearing a marching band uniform, and Hollaback Gwen in Stefani's signature baggy pants and white tank top. Her Harajuku Girls were transformed into dolls as well: Love, Angel, Music, and Baby were created wearing typical Harajuku outfits such as miniskirts with petticoats.

A second series of dolls was launched in conjunction with The Sweet Escape tour. The set contained five dolls: Harajuku Gwen wearing a dance outfit from the video for "Wind It Up"; Orange County Girl Gwen in black pants and a black-and-white striped top; Wind It Up Gwen wearing a drapery-fabric mini trench coat; Wonderful Life Gwen sporting a plaid miniskirt and vest; and Yummy Gwen in a black sweater and animal-print shorts. The dolls quickly became scarce and sold out in stores but remained available through online sources such as Amazon.com.

The final Gwen Stefani doll was produced as a limited edition collectible for the San Diego ComicCon in 2007. The doll was dressed in a black blouse and pants and featured an additional black-and-white dress. The dolls sold out at the convention and quickly became a high-priced collectible. They left fans wanting more, yet Stefani did not release information about any more upcoming dolls.

On the Road with Kingston

In April 2007 Stefani kicked off The Sweet Escape tour in Las Vegas, visiting more than eighty cities in about six months. The tour wrapped around the world, with Stefani performing in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, Thailand, and many countries in Europe. Artists Akon and Lady Sovereign traveled along on the tour as guest performers.

Kingston, his crib, and his stuffed animals toured along with Stefani. Having him along made the tour more fun for her. He celebrated his first birthday in New York with his parents and grandparents while the tour was in full swing, and he was at the age when he was beginning to sing a little. "He's just getting into music," his mother said at the time. "He does the whole head-bouncing thing."⁴²

The tour was made possible for Kingston with the aid of the family's nanny and frequent visits from Stefani's husband, Gavin Rossdale. With his own obligations to his band, Rossdale joined Stefani and Kingston on tour anytime he could break away.

Two months into her tour, Stefani received exciting news: The Sweet Escape had sold enough copies to qualify for gold and platinum awards. Stefani and her son traveled for five more months, with Rossdale joining them as schedules permitted. The family returned home to Los Angeles in November 2007.

A Scent of Her Own

In October 2007 Stefani achieved another milestone in her fashion-driven life. Her signature fragrance, called simply L, was released to stores. Packaged in shiny gold boxes, the bottles featured an iridescent rainbow flowing from red to orange to yellow to green. The fragrance itself was a blend of rose, sweet pea, lily of the valley, fresh pear, orange blossom, and musk.

"I just wanted something timeless. It just felt really right . . . it felt really me,"⁴³Stefani said. Her goal was to create a scent that reminded her of her mother's garden, and Stefani noted that it was one of the most fun things she had ever done.

Gold and Platinum Records

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is an organization that represents U.S. artists and record companies. In 1958 it set the standard for the gold award, which was designed as a tool to measure the sales and success of a record. A gold award was presented after an album sold more than five hundred thousand copies. In 1976 the platinum award was instituted to recognize sales of 1 million copies. As the recording industry grew after the introduction of CDs, the multiplatinum award was established in 1984 to reward sales of 2 million or more copies.

In 1999 the RIAA again expanded its criteria to recognize sales of 10 million or more albums. Known as the diamond award, approximately 103 albums have been granted this recognition. No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom album achieved diamond award status in 1999, less than four years after its release.

If I Were a Rich Girl— I Would Give Some Away

Like many celebrities, Stefani has looked for ways to help others with her earnings from CDs and concerts. She has been a supporter of 21st Century Leaders, Children's Hospital of Orange County, EB Medical Research Foundation, Orangewood Children's Foundation, Save the Children, UNICEF, and Whatever It Takes.

In 2007, while on The Sweet Escape tour, she considered canceling her show in San Diego. At that time, wildfires were consuming thousands of acres of California and had destroyed around two thousand homes. Stefani felt that canceling the concert would show respect for the many people whose lives were turned up- side down by the fires. Instead, she performed as scheduled and donated the proceeds, approximately $160,000, to help victims of the fires. In December 2007 she established the Gwen Stefani After-the-Fires Scholarship for students who lost their homes or sources of income due to fire.

Stefani discovered that works for charity could be fun as well as artistic. In 2008 she became one of dozens of celebrities to contribute a design for a plate and mug sold by the nonprofit group Whatever It Takes. Stefani's design was produced on a limited number of plates and mugs and sold by the organization. The proceeds from sales were contributed to the charity 21st Century Leaders.

Stefani also held two charity auctions on eBay, one in 2007 and another in 2008. Many items from her tours, including sets and costumes, plus some of her red-carpet gowns, were offered for auction. The proceeds were donated to Children's Hospital of Orange County and Orangewood Children's Foundation.

The singer has attended numerous benefits and charity balls and has performed at a number of such events. In 2005 No Doubt played at a concert to raise money for victims of the tsunami in South Asia. In 2007 she sang for American Idol fans on Idol Gives Back, which raised $75 million for humanitarian causes in the United States and Africa.

A New Addition

Even though Stefani was taking some time off in 2007, her life would not lie idle for very long. In January 2008 she announced that she was again expecting a baby. She continued to make public appearances but stayed away from touring. Being pregnant on her first solo tour had been so difficult that she vowed never to do it again.

Stefani and Rossdale's second son was born on August 21, 2008, in Los Angeles. The baby weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces (3.77kg) and was named Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale. Various media sources speculated about his unusual name, but Stefani gave no official explanation for the choice. The media also began speculating about when Stefani might be ready to rejoin No Doubt for a CD or concert tour.

No Doubt Reunion

No Doubt never announced a breakup or the end of the band. When they took a vacation, they intended to get back to recording and touring someday. In 2007 and 2008 Dumont, Kanal, and Young again began writing songs for a potential CD. Late in 2007 the group began spending a little time in a recording studio to work on new material.

After learning of Stefani's pregnancy, the band decided to move slowly. Recording was postponed to take place after the arrival of her baby. A release date and title were not announced for the CD, but the band was looking forward to reuniting as a group. In the No Doubt Web site journals, Adrian Young wrote a blog about the band joining Stefani's concert encores in California in June 2007. He wrote that the band had a blast and the fans went crazy. For No Doubt, the question of reuniting was never a matter of if, but a matter of when.

What Could Be Missing?

With all of her success, it is difficult to imagine that Stefani might see anything missing in her life. Yet one thing in particular has eluded her.

Stefani says: "I would love to learn to play something so I don't have to rely on someone to collaborate with. I've written songs on guitar, but I don't play guitar good enough to be free. If I could play every chord? I could write a million songs if I had that."⁴⁴

Stefani's Fashion-Forward Philosophy

Marching bands, dancing Harajuku Girls, and yodeling have given Stefani a place for herself as a trendsetter and a unique presence in the music world. But her flair and style have not been confined to CD covers or music videos, or even to her clothing lines. Stefani's fashion choices have been watched closely and imitated by magazines, style experts, and fans.

For more than ten years, Stefani's signature look centered on her platinum blond hair and the bright red lipstick she wears anytime she is out in public. She first wanted to go blond when she was a teenager. She said, "I'd always wanted to go blond at school, but I never had the money, because you have to keep getting it done."⁴⁵In recent years she considered changing her hair to brown, but decided that she loved her blond hair and planned to keep it that way for as long as it works for her look. As for her makeup, Stefani makes sure she looks good any time she leaves the house. "There's always paparazzi outside my house," she explains. "If you had paparazzi outside your house, you'd make sure you looked good, too."⁴⁶

A Best-Dressed Regular

Stefani's attention to style has repeatedly earned her the respect of the fashion community. Whereas some celebrities have been criticized for being sloppy, having no sense of style, or suffering from "wardrobe malfunctions," Stefani has been recognized many times as a fashion leader. She has been named to the best-dressed lists of People, Vanity Fair, Harpers & Queen, UK Glamour, and others. Those magazines have recognized her as someone worth watching and have described her as original, innovative, creative, and elegant.

Fans and critics alike can see that Stefani's looks are always polished and put together. Even while watching a tennis match in the hot sun at Wimbledon in 2008, Stefani, who was eight months pregnant, looked like a rock star in a long red, black, and white dress and black leather jacket.

A Real-Life Moment

Alife like Gwen Stefani's might seem picture perfect, but even rock stars have messy moments. The No Doubt Web site relates one of Stefani's most unglamorous encounters. During a recording session, her fourteen-year-old dog, Maggen, pooped on the floor of the studio. Stefani cleaned it up with paper towels and took the mess outside to the trash bins. Not paying attention to doors and gates, she locked herself into the trash enclosure. With everyone else inside a soundproof studio, Stefani was trapped on top of smelly garbage cans. The evening was a giant leap from the more familiar scenes of Stefani onstage or on the red carpet at award shows.

Although she makes it look easy, Stefani has readily admitted that looking good takes a lot of work. She has a stylist, makeup artist, hair stylist, and personal trainer. Keeping her figure requires constant attention. "I have to work out really, really hard to be as hot as I am. It's difficult for me," she admits. "I think I went on my first diet in sixth grade. It's in my genes to be a little bigger and I don't like that, admittedly. I want girls to know that I work at it-it's not easy, and it doesn't come naturally, unfortunately."⁴⁷

She also admits that she is far from perfect when it comes to healthy eating: "Whenever I go on a diet and get myself incredibly healthy and hot looking, I start to go, 'Oh, I look cute, let's have some pizza.' And then the whole cycle begins again."⁴⁸

Having Fun with Fame

Some celebrities seem to lose their sense of humor after becoming rich or famous. Others seem to forget what life was like before their success. Stefani somehow remains grounded—a real person amidst the plastic and empty-headed figures sometimes found in Hollywood. For Stefani, a fancy house, expensive car, or incredible wardrobe are not the first things she appreciates. She says: "I always thought that I was going to be this perfect wife and mom. I fantasized about it for so long, and I'm not very good at cleaning up and doing the homemaker thing. The one thing that makes me feel super lucky about my financial success is that I have a housekeeper. And if that ever got taken away, I would be really, really, really bummed."⁴⁹

Stefani's sense of fun shines through in a tale she related to Cosmopolitan: "I was driving down Hollywood Boulevard one day and I saw this guy wearing an old No Doubt shirt, so I knew he was a die-hard fan. I rolled down the window, and I yelled to him, 'Hey, cool shirt.' He was probably nineteen. The guy seriously nearly fell over. He totally tripped. It was so cute."⁵⁰

How Do You Solve a Problem Like—Gwen?

In the movie The Sound of Music, the nuns sang a lighthearted song about Maria, the young nun they all loved but who was not very good at being a nun. The song described her energy, her spirit, and her sweetness, and the sentiment could certainly be applied to Gwen Stefani. She stated on many occasions that she found parallels between herself and Maria.

On the opposite end of the music spectrum is an equally appropriate song to describe Stefani's personality The lyrics from the song "Baggy Trousers" by the band Madness, the very song that hooked her on ska music, also describe Stefani's attitudes throughout her life. Stefani managed to follow her heart, even though it meant going against current trends, and to turn her life in the direction she wanted it to go.

Stefani may seem to have landed in a perfect life, but none of it fell into her lap. She worked hard with No Doubt and struggled though many rough times. Beneath all the glitz and glamour is an energetic, tough-spirited wife, mom, and rock star who is really an Orange County girl at heart.

Gwen Stefani