Hello! UK (Sept. 1st 2008)
Gwen Stefani talks babies
As their happy family grows to four with the birth of Zuma Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale share their thoughts on parenthood and marriage.
[via nxdscrapbook]
Gwen Stefani and her rock star husband Gavin Rossdale were the picture of contentment as they brought baby Zuma Nesta Rock back to their Los Angeles home last week after his birth at the Cedar Sinai Medical Center.
The new arrival, whose unusual first name is thought to be inspired by a beach near their home, is a brother for two-year-old Kingston. It means the 38-year-old pop star has to meet the demands of two small children at the same time as recovering from a Cesarean, but Gwen insists she’s happier than ever. Motherhood, she says, is “one of the most incredible events in my life”.
“Being a mom was all I ever dreamed about,” says the singer. “Now that has come true, it makes me feel like my life has come together. Nothing else really matters to me.”
London-born Gavin, 41, is equally committed to his family. Describing parenthood as “terrifying and exciting and brilliant”, the singer-songwriter – who also has daughter Daisy, 19, from a brief relationship with Pearl Lowe – has had a studio built at home so he can spend plenty of time with his sons.
His parents were each married three times and he is determined to provide a more stable upbringing for the boys. “I know there is only one way now – monogamy and that’s it,” he has said.
The couple met in 1995 when his band Bush toured with Gwen’s band No Doubt and they married in 2003 -with one ceremony in London and another in LA.
While Bush were successful in the US – and Gavin’s now concentrating on a solo career – Hollaback Girl singer Gwen has become better known, adding to her own fashion label, L.A.M.B, to her list of accomplishments.
“I enjoy having an independent wife It’s inspiring,” says Gavin. “Once you get home, it’s just normal. She comes from a whole different world. I’m from the belly of Britain and she’s from California. But I think we complement each other really well.”
Here the couple speak about those sons, relationships and success…
Gwen, what has motherhood meant to you?
I feel happier now. I know every mother must feel this way but watching your child grow up and learn new things every day is one of the greatest and purest pleasures you can have.
Did you think that having another baby would put a strain on your marriage?
Gavin loves being a dad and he wants to have a bigger family, too. I feel we’re closer in many ways now that we’re building something together outside our own crazy relationship. We feel so blessed to be able to share this experience together and see how we’ve both become more romantic and caring for each other, simply because we’ve seen how beautiful it is to have come so far together and started a new chapter in our lives.
Gavin, how do you think Kingston will cope with a new sibling?
I feel a bit bad for our son because he really was the centre of attention all the time every day, as he should have been. So he’s going to have to move up a little bit and make the space and, to be honest, he’s not so good at that just yet. So, he’s learning… He’s an amazing kid and we’re really blessed with him because he’s healthy and he’s happy and he’s surrounded by love; and it kind of makes you a bit… To some degree you cease to exist, because you’re just a conduit for them in whatever they need, you know?
What was it like for you when Kingston was born?
I felt guilty the first few weeks – I didn’t feel fireworks. But I felt something more subtle, earthy, which grew and grew. For the first nine months, he didn’t really notice his dad, especially with Gwen breast-feeding all the time. Suddenly at nine months [he snaps his fingers] on the dot, he could be calmed down unless I picked him up. He suddenly wanted me to do everything. It didn’t last long, because he went back to his mum about three weeks later, but it was really funny. Now I like to hang out with him, just have that precious time with him, because it’s really fleeting. He’s like a little guy now, he’s not a baby anymore.
It’s tough at the top, Gwen – how do you deal with the stresses of pop diva-hood?
I’ve had my up and downs but it’s been more to do with things on a personal level. I love the rush that comes with work. Work has always been my way out of despair or anguish because it focuses you and I’ve always drawn a lot of strength from the things I’ve achieved in my life. I never want to stop working, I can’t.
I never think that I’ve got it made. I have a good life, I’m happy, but you always worry about staying relevant and not living up to expectations. You don’t want to disappoint people and that pressure is kind of healthy in a way because your fear keeps you at a high creative pitch. You know you can’t afford to sit back on your laurels. So I know I have to keep finding inspiration and looking to get to the next level.
Do you ever feel that you’re taking on too much?
Sometimes I feel very stressed and think it’s insane to be having so much going on, but I know that I need this kind of creative outlet to be truly happy. The simple reason I started L.A.M.B was to have something creative in my life other than music. You never know what’s going to happen in the music business and I wanted in some sense to be prepared for the downfall. You never know whether you’ll be able to keep delivering music that will resonate with the public. But I’m very passionate and I never get tired of working and pushing myself.
You’ve become something of a fashion icon in the music scene…
I’ve just enjoyed being able to play with different looks. It’s the frustrated actress in me, I guess. I remember as a child dressing up all the time and imagining myself in films or in fashion magazines and posing and letting my head drift off into some fantasy world. So when I get to perform on stage or work on music videos, it’s all about releasing all the energy and spirit that I had when I was young.
What’s the secret to a successful showbusiness marriage?
Our relationship is very real. My marriage is the most important part of my life and I make sure it is a number one priority. Everything else is second. Sometimes I have to say no to things because I have to be home with him on a Sunday and hang out. He’s so talented, he’s good at everything and he’s an amazing cook. We have a great time together.
Relationships are work like everything else. It’s really fun work but you still have to put the effort in. But I don’t really have any advice for anyone on relationships. If you read any of my lyrics you”ll see that. I’m like everyone else – finding my way.