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.
truth
Gwen Stefani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And no one's gonna believe me, not even myself
And they're all gonna say I'm rebounding, so rebound all over me
'Cause I don't want nobody else
And I know we said we're gonna live in the moment
And that's how good, that's what we agreed, I know it
And every day I believe in you and me more and more
That is crazy, that's for sure, whipped
Thank you for saving me, I can't believe it
Thank you
So this is what the truth feels like
This is more of what I had in mind
Yeah this is what the truth feels like
And I'm feeling it, I'm feeling it
Something about this just feels so right, alright
Something about this just feels so right, alright
So this is what the truth feels like
And I'm feeling it, I'm feeling it
Oh it's unexplainable and it's so weird
Woah it's so strange, confusing and I'm so scared
But maybe I deserve this boy after all that I've been through
How can all of this be true? Swear
Thank you for saving me, I can't believe it
Thank you
So this is what the truth feels like
This is more of what I had in mind
Yeah this is what the truth feels like
And I'm feeling it, I'm feeling it
Something about this just feels so right, alright
Something about this just feels so right, alright
So this is what the truth feels like
And I'm feeling it, I'm feeling it
I'm feeling it
I never knew I'd know someone like you
I never knew I'd know someone like you, I knew
I never knew I'd know someone like you
So this is what the truth feels like
This is more of what I had in mind
Yeah this is what the truth feels like
And I'm feeling it, I'm feeling it
Something about this just feels so right, alright
Something about this just feels so right, alright
So this is what the truth feels like
And I'm feeling it, I'm feeling it
In "Truth," Gwen Stefani sings about being in a relationship where she's unsure if it's too soon for her to move on from a previous relationship. She's afraid of being judged for rebounding, but feels a strong connection with the person she's with. Despite her doubts, she's happy and grateful to be with this person and feels that it's the right choice. The chorus "So this is what the truth feels like" emphasizes the idea that she's finally experiencing a real and genuine connection after a period of feeling confused and unsure.
The verse "Thank you for saving me, I can't believe it" suggests that the subject of the song may have been a source of comfort and healing for Gwen Stefani, but it's also possible that the lyrics are more metaphorical and refer to the feeling of being saved from emotional turmoil. The bridge "Oh it's unexplainable and it's so weird" speaks to the idea that love can be difficult to understand and scary, but that it can be worth it in the end.
Overall, "Truth" is a catchy and upbeat song that celebrates the feeling of finding true love after a period of uncertainty and doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
I really don't wanna embarrass myself
I am afraid of being judged and ridiculed if I reveal my true feelings
And no one's gonna believe me, not even myself
I am doubtful about my own sincerity and fear that others will doubt it too
And they're all gonna say I'm rebounding, so rebound all over me
Others may question my motives for moving on so quickly, but I am willing to take the risk
'Cause I don't want nobody else
I am sure that I want to be with this person and no one else
And I know we said we're gonna live in the moment
We agreed to enjoy the present and not worry about the future
And that's how good, that's what we agreed, I know it
I am confident that we are both on the same page about our relationship
And every day I believe in you and me more and more
My trust in our relationship grows stronger with each passing day
That is crazy, that's for sure, whipped
My love for this person is so intense that it feels insane, but I can't help it
Thank you for saving me, I can't believe it
I am grateful to this person for showing me what true love feels like
So this is what the truth feels like
Being honest about my feelings has led me to experience true love
This is more of what I had in mind
This is what I wanted and hoped for in a relationship
Something about this just feels so right, alright
My intuition tells me that this relationship is right for me, despite any doubts or fears
Oh it's unexplainable and it's so weird
My feelings are hard to put into words and the situation feels strange and unfamiliar
Woah it's so strange, confusing and I'm so scared
I am unsure of how to navigate my emotions and fear getting hurt
But maybe I deserve this boy after all that I've been through
I have been through difficult times and perhaps it's time for me to experience happiness
How can all of this be true? Swear
I can hardly believe that I have found this person and that our love is real
I'm feeling it
I am experiencing true love and it's overwhelming but wonderful
I never knew I'd know someone like you
I never expected to meet someone who makes me feel this way
So this is what the truth feels like
Being honest about my feelings allowed me to experience true love and happiness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JUSTIN TRANTER, JULIA MICHAELS, MATTIAS PER LARSSON, ROBIN LENNART FREDRIKSSON, GWEN STEFANI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind