In 2004, Stefani released her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The album featured several collaborations with producers and other artists, including No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal, Linda Perry, André 3000, Nellee Hooper, and The Neptunes. It was primarily inspired by pop and new wave music of the 1980s, and emerged an international success with sales of over seven million copies. The third single Hollaback Girl became the first U.S. digital download to sell one million copies.
The debut album also drew attention to the Harajuku Girls, Stefani's entourage of four Japanese backup dancers named for the fashionable suburb in Tokyo. Originally hired in 2004 for the album, the Girls continued to appear alongside Stefani, and are featured in these music videos: "What You Waiting For?", "Rich Girl", "Hollaback Girl", "Luxurious", "Crash", "Wind It Up", "The Sweet Escape", and "Now That You Got It".
Stefani's second solo album The Sweet Escape was released December 5, 2006. Collaborating again with her on the project were Perry, The Neptunes, along with Akon and Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane, and producers Pharrell and Kanal. Despite mixed reviews of the album as a whole, the title track The Sweet Escape became an international success and earned Stefani a Grammy nomination, and remains the most successful song of her solo career.
Although it had been speculated that the album would contain only material originally written for L.A.M.B. that did not make the final cut, only two songs left over from L.A.M.B. were included in the record: 80's-influenced U Started It; and Wonderful Life, which features Depeche Mode's Martin L. Gore on guitar.
Stefani is equally known as a fashion trendsetter. In 2003, she created a clothing fashion line named L.A.M.B. which shares the initials of her debut solo album. This collection was later expanded with the introduction of a newer line in 2005 called Harajuku Lovers, which draws its inspiration from Japanese culture and fashion.
On May 26, 2006, Stefani gave birth to her first child, a baby boy named Kingston James McGregor Rossdale. The father is British grunge musician Gavin Rossdale, former frontman of the now-defunct bands Bush and Institute, who she married in 2002.
In January 2008, Stefani's now ex-father-in-law confirmed that she would be expecting her second child in the summer. On August 21, 2008, second son Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale was born.
Gwen Stefani said in 2011 that she was no longer planning to release another solo album.
On April 12, 2014, Stefani made a surprise appearance at the Coachella festival, where she joined Pharrell Williams onstage during his set to perform "Hollaback Girl". She and Williams were coaches for season 7 of The Voice. After nine years since her last appearance, she attended the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, and during an interview on the red carpet she said, "I didn't know I was gonna have a baby, I didn't know I was gonna be on The Voice, I didn't know I was gonna be writing new music, so I'm just like, what's gonna be next?".
On September 8, 2014, Stefani told MTV News during New York Fashion Week that she is working on both a No Doubt album and a solo album. She also revealed that she is working with Williams. Stefani released her comeback single "Baby Don't Lie" on October 20, 2014, co-written with producers Ryan Tedder, Benny Blanco, and Noel Zancanella. Billboard magazine revealed that her third studio album is set to be released in December and Benny Blanco is set to executive produce it. In late October, a sneak peek of a new track from Stefani's third album, named "Spark the Fire", was premiered. The song was produced by Pharrell Williams.
On October 17, 2015, Stefani performed a one-night concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, where she performed a new song, reportedly about her breakup with ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, titled "Used to Love You". It was released as a digital download on October 20, 2015. The video was released later that same day. The song was released to Mainstream radio in the U.S. on October 27, 2015. The track is the first official single off her third solo album, This Is What the Truth Feels Like, which she has been working on since June of that year. Neither "Baby Don't Lie" or "Spark the Fire" were included on the album. Stefani said much of the previous material felt forced and inauthentic, while the songs written since she returned to the studio are more natural and better describe where she is in her life. The album's second single, "Make Me Like You", was released on February 12, 2016.
In November 2015, she announced that she began dating fellow “The Voice” judge Blake Shelton. The couple got engaged in October 27, 2020. The couple got married in July 3, 2021.
Last Christmas
Gwen Stefani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
Once bitten and twice shy
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
Merry Christmas
I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying "I love you", I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice
My god, I thought you were someone to rely on
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover, but you tore me apart
Ooh ooh, now I've found a real love
You'll never fool me again
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart (gave you my heart)
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
A face of a lover with a fire in her heart
A girl under cover, but you tore me apart
Maybe next year
I'll give it to someone (special)
I'll give it to someone special
The song "Last Christmas" by Gwen Stefani is a cover of the iconic Christmas song originally released by Wham! in 1984. The lyrics of the song tell the story of a failed relationship where the singer gave her heart to someone last Christmas, only to have it given away shortly after. This year, she resolves to give it to someone special who will not break her heart again. The chorus repeats the phrase "this year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special" emphasizing the desire to move on and find a new love.
The lyrics speak to the vulnerability and hopelessness that can come with heartbreak, but also highlight the resilience and strength it takes to try again. The line "once bitten and twice shy" captures the fear that comes with being hurt in the past, but the singer chooses to take a chance again anyway. The mention of a crowded room with friends and a lover's face under cover further emphasizes the feeling of being betrayed and deceived by someone they trusted.
Overall, Gwen Stefani's cover of "Last Christmas" is a powerful rendition of a classic holiday song that is relatable to anyone who has experienced heartbreak during the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
On the previous Christmas, I gave my heart to you, expressing my love for you
But the very next day, you gave it away
However, you rejected my love and left me heartbroken on the very next day
This year, to save me from tears
So, to protect myself from getting hurt again and avoid crying over you, I have a new plan
I'll give it to someone special (special)
I'll give my heart to someone who truly deserves and reciprocates my love, someone special
Once bitten and twice shy
After getting hurt once, I have become very cautious and hesitant about getting close to someone again
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
Even though I try to stay away from you, you still manage to grab my attention
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
I wonder if you even remember who I am and the love I had for you
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
It has been a year since my heartbreak, and I am not surprised that you have moved on
Merry Christmas
Wishing you a happy and joyous Christmas
I wrapped it up and sent it
I prepared a gift for you and sent it your way
With a note saying "I love you", I meant it
Along with the gift, I wrote a message expressing my love for you, and I was genuine about it
Now I know what a fool I've been
I realize now that I was foolish to think that our love could work out
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again
Even though I know better now, I fear that if you were to show me affection again, I would fall for you once more
A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
In a room full of people, everyone seems to be tired and worn out
I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice
I am trying to avoid you and your heartless and unfeeling nature
My god, I thought you were someone to rely on
I had faith in you and thought you were trustworthy
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
I suppose I was just a support system for you to lean on during your tough times
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
I have found a new lover who is passionate and intense in his love for me
A man under cover, but you tore me apart
He may have initially hidden his true nature from me, but he never hurt me like you did
Ooh ooh, now I've found a real love
I have finally found true, genuine love with someone else
You'll never fool me again
I have learned from my past experience, and you will never be able to deceive me again
A face of a lover with a fire in her heart
Now, I am the passionate lover with intense feelings and a strong heart
A girl under cover, but you tore me apart
I may have hidden my true feelings from you, but you still managed to cause me immense pain
Maybe next year
Perhaps in the future
I'll give it to someone (special)
I will give my love to someone truly deserving and special in the future
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: George Michael
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@qweasdqwe2409
I was literally just searched up her up because I was wondering what she was doing nowadays. She’s still got it
@elinaldopontes7662
Same
@michael_xcx
If you haven't heard it, check out her last (non-Christmas) album too! There's some really great stuff on it.
@alexcharles9692
@@michael_xcx Yes, totally agree, "This is What the Truth Feels Like" (2016, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 100 albums chart), written in the aftermath of the dissolution of her marriage of 14 years to Gavin Rossdale, and the second half of which finds her rediscovering new love -- what a magnificent album!
@PeyloBeauty
same, i knew she was still up to things as i saw her vogue video when it was released, she looked stunning. then listened to let me blow ya mind again and just felt like searching her name
@danielbuleandra3981
same
@thomassanfilippo5393
Gwen is a great person with great talent!
@kristinajazab1198
Yes she has good talent
@gwenstefani493
Thanks for being a good fans of mine may God bless you
@gwenstefani493
@@kristinajazab1198 thanks for being a good fans of mine may God bless you