The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Gwen Stefani

For many fans, Gwen Stefani is a supremely talented woman, celebrated for her high-energy performances, enthusiasm, and beauty  — including her standout shade of bold red lipstick. She is undoubtedly someone who commands attention, but although she's enjoyed career success, found love with a country music star, and established herself in the music industry, some parts of her story are far from happy.

"I went in and out of liking myself. I honestly think I was pretty hard on myself. But at the same time, I look back and I think, God, I was just being me and I got here because of that," she told Glamour in a 2023 interview. "So, I had to do a lot of forgiving of different things at certain times and, trying to be kind to myself." From heartbreak to being hard on herself, there have been many times in the "Bubble Pop Electric" singer's career that have stood out because they are tragic. This is Gwen Stefani's story.

Gwen Stefani has three sons, who she shares with her ex-husband, Gavin Rossdale. Motherhood changed her life in many ways, and she spoke about the experience with honesty and love. "It's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me," she said after the birth of her firstborn, Kingston (via People). "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me in my entire life. He is just ... a miracle. The whole thing ... in the stomach, coming out, and then they're... a human. It's just weird. It's incredible." All this to say, her experience as a mother has been a teaching moment in many ways, including allowing her to realize and understand her learning struggles.

"One thing that I've discovered through having kids is that I have dyslexia — everyone has things that happen, and mine was that," she told Zane Lowe on "The Zane Lowe Show" in 2020. "And I feel like a lot of the problems that I have had or even decisions that I've made for myself stem from that because now the children — obviously, it's all genetic — they have some of those issues." She noted differences between her own experience and her sons' because they have the resources available to get help with dyslexia and better understand the learning disorder.

One of the things fans love about Gwen Stefani is how open she is. Sure, there are some topics she prefers not to discuss, like the details of her divorce from Gavin Rossdale, but there are other aspects of her life where she is an open book. This includes addressing her mental health and how she takes care of herself. In a 2023 interview with Glamour, she revealed that songwriting and exercise have been important releases for her.

"Honestly I have been writing a lot of music lately. I feel like that helps me so much with my mental health because a lot of thinking goes into it," she explained. "Songs can cure you." She also spoke about exercise, and while she readily admits she is not one to work out every day, she does see the benefits of regular exercise and how it can improve your mood. "So I think [exercise is] important. I think that just trying to find balance, you know, in everything, from prayer to exercise to making out with my husband, like all of it," she said.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Gwen Stefani knows the ins and outs of the music industry, which she has been a part of for decades. Her tremendous successes and her ability to continue to command the support of her loyal fans are impressive. Still, she didn't get where she is today without putting hard work into it. This includes making a comeback with No Doubt after recently giving birth. In an interview with Fault Magazine in 2023, she spoke about the "Push And Shove" album, released in 2012, and acknowledged how much work had gone into it at the time.

"That whole time period was just a really hard time. Everything was like we were in molasses and nothing was coming easy," Stefani confessed. In the same interview, the "It's My Life" singer also spoke about pushing herself to achieve the intended results. "We just had come back together, and we wanted to do it so badly, but for me, I was completely depleted from my world tour and giving birth," she said. "So many things had happened and then we tried to write that record."

Not everything Gwen Stefani has done in her life has been met with enthusiasm and praise. There was an era in her artistry that many people view as problematic; the Harajuku Girls. Stefani has been accused of cultural appropriation, and her actions have been the result of much criticism. Rather than apologize, she seemingly doubled down in an interview with Allure in 2023. In it, she spoke about her love for Japanese culture, which she had initially been exposed to because of her father's travel stories (he worked with Japanese manufacturer Yamaha).

"That was my Japanese influence and that was a culture that was so rich with tradition, yet so futuristic [with] so much attention to art and detail and discipline and it was fascinating to me," she told the publication. Once she traveled to the country herself, she was inspired. "I said, 'My God, I'm Japanese and I didn't know it.'" Her comments to the publication made it clear she does not regret the Harajuku Girls period, which she profited from, including a brand label called Harajuku Lovers. Instead, Stefani called it a "beautiful time of creativity" ... comments that not everyone will agree with. 

Gwen Stefani and her bandmate Tony Kanal were together for seven years. And she's honest about how in love she was with him. "I forced Tony to go out with me," she told Spin in a 2017 interview. "He wasn't even interested. When we made out that first night, I think he thought it was more of a one-night kiss. But then we started going out and after the first year, I was going, 'When are we getting married?'"

She was heartbroken when he broke up with her and admitted to being unable to accept it initially. "When we broke up, I still forced Tony to kiss me," she told Spin. "I was in denial. I might have lost the title of girlfriend, but in my eyes we were still together ... He didn't have to do anything, but when he felt like it, I was there. It was horrible." However, there was a silver lining around the time of the breakup because it inspired Stefani to start songwriting. This includes one of No Doubt's biggest hits, "Don't Speak." 

Many songs on the 1995 album "Tragic Kingdom" reflect how she felt at the time, and in a 2021 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Stefani addressed the experience. "The whole purpose for the 'Tragic Kingdom' is the breakup, the heartbreak. There's a lot of feelings," she said (via YouTube). "Those songs were about a really sad time for me."

If you listen to "Tragic Kingdom," you will quickly learn how much the songs on the album revolve around heartbreak, which Gwen Stefani has acknowledged. Some of the most painful moments in her life have been channeled into her music, making for emotional and relatable songs. This includes her breakup with former No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal and her public split from her ex-husband, Gavin Rossdale. In an interview with Marie Claire in 2017, Stefani acknowledged how her heartbreak allowed her to write about her experience and share it with others.

These days, the star's life is different, and from an outsider's perspective, she appears to have found love with her current husband, Blake Shelton. "For a long time, I could not understand why I'd had so much heartache in my life," Stefani said. "I have parents who are still married and in love. I had such loving role models. I didn't understand it."