The legacy an artist leaves behind is not just the body of their work, the accolades, or their permanent place in the history books, it is also the currency of their passion and dedication to their craft which drives that legacy forward. If Gwen Stefani were to shy from the limelight we would still have access to a backlog of significant work and provocative style on every red carpet and music video, but we’d be denied the next evolution of her art. As Stefani drops her first Christmas Album it must be said – her transition into a seasonal soundtrack is not unique among pop musicians, but her take on it most certainly is. Gwen channels artist Andy Warhol, an FIB Master of Photography Vol. 51 The Muse in his advice to artists and mere mortals alike: “ The idea is not to live forever; it is to create something that will ”.
The songs on Gwen Stefani’s Christmas Album You Make It Feel Like Christmas are mix of classic and new tracks which do not follow the typical sound we have grown up with. The title track You Make It Feel Like Christmas is a sort of seasonal love song and features the artists husband, country musician Blake Shelton. Stefani appeared on the Jimmy Fallon Show recently to promote her new work, sporting black latex thigh-high-boots under a gathered black tulle LBD. When asked why she cut a seasonal album, Stefani expressed her musical aspirations and love for the traditional celebrations:
“Every writer would fantasise about writing a Christmas hit because it’s kinda that thing that comes back”. “When you write songs and you’re a part of people’s journey – like through your music that you write. To write and be part of their holiday and their memories for that part, I mean musically would be part of my dream” Gwen Said. “Forever” Replied Jimmy Fallon. “Even when I die hopefully!” Gwen reiterated.
Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas sets the bar high for a pop-singer turned Christmas Caroller, her original track has officially cemented itself as a hallmark sound for the holidays – not an easy thing to do in a genre strong in tradition. We are yet to see if Stefani’s sound will make a similar impact, ‘no doubt’ its laid back country-pop style will be a hit among American audiences but I predict it will not be held in the same regard as Carey’s timeless track. For my taste, Stefani’s most successful track is the original My Gift Is You. It is a much more subtle approach to the season and Gwen’s signature vocals shine through. In her performance at the Rockefeller centre you can even hear the moment of that nuanced vocal when the crowd responds to her signature head warble.
Gwen Stefani came to fame alongside brother Eric in their garage band No Doubt. By 1990 they had their first representation with Interscope Records. But it was the band’s 1995 album Tragic Kingdom that shot them to critical acclaim, selling over 16 million albums and scoring several Grammy Nominations. Her look was unique amongst the grungy front female leads we had come to know, with Stefani’s signature combination of Marilyn Monroe locks, vibrant red lips, defined brows and dark almond eyes that were in sharp contrast to the fusion of 1950s glamour and punk rock street style.
The music video for ‘Don’t Speak’, one of the breakout hits from that album, shines light on the star’s personal pull of public focus, rising her status beyond her band-origins. After many follow up success stories with No Doubt, Stefani broke away to focus on a successful solo career in 2004 and launched L.A.M.B., the title of her debut album and soon to be clothing line. The No Doubt Ska sound transitioned into pop and hip hop territory under Gwen. Meanwhile, Gwen’s public image transitioned into a more polished high fashion focus, with Avant-Garde and Japanese influences particularly featuring in her music video for ‘What You Waiting For’.
Artists have even honoured the similarities between icon Marilyn Monroe and Gwen Stefani’s own star qualities. Gwen’s Face has even been appropriated into Warhol’s most iconic work of Marilyn Monroe from 1967. Warhol’s print, which duplicated Monroe’s face in pop-colours that degrade in clarity with each reproduction, was a comment on the impact of celebrity and legacy, with Marilyn the star overtaking Norma Gene the person (Marilyn’s real name). These days, Gwen’s Instagram makes for an intertwined version of her celebrity and natural persona. Sporting knitted Christmas jumpers, making handmade decorations, sharing a drink among family and friends in an intimate walk through her country town homestead. It was not until I saw her climb aboard a helicopter to be flown into a centre filled with eager fans, that I even remembered how otherworldly her star power is.
Regardless of whether this album will form a fundamental part of her legacy, her spirit and joy is evident and that is what Christmas is all about! You can listen to the full album, available now on iTunes.
What’s your top Christmas Song of all time? Post Comments Below.