Gwen's Sex Appeal  

overall rating
 81 
 
 

Gwen Stefani has experienced, over the last 10 years, the kind of phenomenal rise to fame that would give most of us motion sickness. From complete unknown and semi-known on the West Coast, to symbol of women's contribution to ska/rock/pop, Gwen has surfaced as one of the best-known pop icons of today's music scene as the lead singer of No Doubt and as a solo artist. 

Gwen and No Doubt (whose members include Tony Kanal on bass, Tom Dumont on guitar, and Adrian Young on drums) struggled while playing in small clubs for nearly a decade, but the astronomical success of such songs as "Just A Girl," "Don't Speak" and "A Simple Kind of Life" has brought No Doubt international fame. A romance with Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale only added fuel to the fire, making her a favorite of music publications' gossip columns.

But Gwen doesn't always strive for attention, especially when it's at the expense of her band members. There were always rumors circulating that Gwen is a diva who wants to be in the forefront, but it seems that the members of No Doubt have always been close friends. But like it or not, she will always be the symbol of No Doubt, and a good one at that.  

 
personality & talent
 86 
 
 

Gwen's truest test of character probably came when No Doubt were struggling financially and their record company did not believe in them. After Gwen's brother Eric left No Doubt, they almost quit, even going as far as selling their records on the black market, from their houses. But when the going got tough, Gwen stuck to her guns and persevered and that, perhaps better than anything, illustrates her resilience. 

Meanwhile, she has become an icon to teenage girls, thanks to the song "Just A Girl," which became a "Girl Power" anthem. This always amazed Gwen because the motivation behind No Doubt's music has always been about making people move, not furthering a political agenda or pushing feminist ideals.

Gwen's commanding stage presence makes it impossible to look away from her. With the seemingly endless amount of adrenaline she displays during her concerts, there is no doubt touring is exhausting for Gwen (yes, that was a corny play on words).

She also writes No Doubt's songs, and we've always respected singers who do that. Especially when they become chart toppers. 

sexiness
 77 
 
 

Gwen Stefani's persona is quite a paradox: she is part sex symbol, part "baby girl." This dichotomy drives adults and teenage boys mad, but unfortunately, for our voting panel, the excess amount of makeup she puts on is just too much. Gwen's sex appeal suffers when she tries to look like a Barbie doll, but when she's more natural, like in the video for "Underneath It All" and the beginning of the "What You Waiting For?" video, she is super sexy. 

accomplishments & fame
 85 
 
 

No Doubt's first wide release album, 1995's Tragic Kingdom, sold approximately 15 million copies, an incredible accomplishment that included a stint at No. 1 on the Billboard charts in late 1996. "Don't Speak" was a massive worldwide smash, which garnered No Doubt, and Gwen Stefani in particular, a lot of press. 

After riding the wave of Tragic Kingdom's incredible success, No Doubt released Return of Saturn in 2000, which spawned hits like "Ex-Girlfriend" and "Simple Kind Of Life." But they exploded in 2001 once Rock Steady hit store shelves. Between "Hey Baby," "Hella Good" and "Underneath It All," No Doubt was the hottest band on the scene. In addition to millions of album sales, they were rewarded with two "Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal" Grammys, for "Hey Baby" and "Underneath It All." 

Before Gwen headed out to try a solo career, No Doubt released a greatest hits compilation in 2003, called The Singles 1992-2003. The remake of Talk Talk's 1986 hit "It's My Life" spawned a great video and enjoyed tremendous radio play. 

In the meantime, Gwen made time to exchange wedding vows with her long-time boyfriend, Bush frontmant Gavin Rossdale, on September 14, 2002, in London. Always a fashion icon, she also launched her own fashion and accessory label, L.A.M.B. 

After a lot of talk of Gwen going solo, she finally released her solo debut in 2004, called Love. Angel. Music. Baby., which is what "L.A.M.B." stands for. With hits like "What You Waiting For?" and "Rich Girl" (featuring Eve), Gwen has proven that anything she touches turns to gold. 



natural beauty
 79 
 
 

In the late '90s, Gwen really went nuts on the makeup front, to the point where we didn't know for sure what she looked like "underneath it all." 

She has since toned it down and we have been lucky enough to catch some glimpses of her natural beauty -- she is a pretty girl, so maybe someone should tell her that men like women "au naturel." But we must admit that she pulls off the "platinum blonde hair and red lips" look -- we just don't like all that white powder. To her credit, she has one sick body and she loves to show it off. 

personal style
 78 
 
 

Her platinum hair (depending on which week it is) and funky wardrobe have landed her on many best- and worst-dressed celebrity lists, and she has become a fashion icon. She tends to favor John Galliano, and sometimes she really looks sophisticated on the red carpet. Then, there are other times when we wonder whether she looks in the mirror before stepping out. 

No matter how outlandish her style, she proves she can pull off anything, which is probably why her own clothing line, L.A.M.B., is so successful. 



That Gwen would show our women how to really wear a midriff-baring top.