gwen II qlife

We're B-A-N-A-N-A-S for Gwen!

There was “no doubt” QLife was excited when we heard the news about Gwen Stefani’s new Las Vegas residency. The multi-platinum artist will take the stage with a spectacular show like no other, celebrating the breadth of her illustrious musical career.

Welcome to Las Vegas! We're so excited you're coming to town. What can fans expect from your Vegas show?

I am having such a fun time putting together the show.  It will have a nostalgic feel because my songs document so many important moments of my life over the years. It’s going to be interesting to walk everybody back through that journey again. Creatively, the show is going to be completely different than anything I’ve ever done.

How has your relationship with your LGBTQ fans been special to you?

Music is such a powerful gift to be able to create, listen to and be inspired by. I think what amazes me with my career is how universal some of the themes I’ve written about in my music have been and how much my music has touched people. I think there is really something to being true to yourself, following your own heart and being honest about your feelings. And I feel like the LGBTQ community and I have related to each other because we are in touch with our individuality and creativity. I get so happy to look out in the audience to see people from all walks of life and people that love in all kinds of ways. 

What inspires your music?

Honestly, its usually my own experiences that inspire me, its very personal. I usually write songs that have to do with whatever is going on with my emotions at the time. In the past, it has been a lot of drama, a lot of love drama.  On my latest record I wrote a lot of happy love songs for the first time, which was really fun for me. I’ve written Christmas music, which was also different and an exciting project. Writing in a theme was new for me and I really enjoyed it. 

How has your experience as a judge on The Voice been for you? 

Being a coach on The Voice has been one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. It has opened me up in so many ways to different kinds of genres of music that I never listened to before. It’s incredibly inspiring to be around so much talent. It was also really nice to have the opportunity to nurture the talent on the show. I loved helping people find their voice and help them navigate through the process. 

Who is your mentor or "go to" person?

My mom and dad have always been mentors for me. My dad has always been involved in any decision-making. I’m not a businessperson, I’m fully creative so I need to lean heavily on people that are a little more business-minded and I’ve learned a lot from him. My mom is my life mentor. She’s really smart about life and she really planted the seed of faith within me, which has helped me so much on my journey.

What's your greatest fear?

I feel like I’ve already lived through some of my greatest fears, but with having children there are new fears that come up. I think that when you are a little girl dreaming about a family there’s no way you can imagine what’s to come as far as the responsibility and the love and hopes that you have for your kids. Again, having my spiritual faith to believe in and trust in, is the one thing that helps me get through those fears and live in the moment. 

What's the biggest challenge between the work/mom balance? You seem to be rocking both!

Work/mom balance is impossible. You just have to take one day at a time. For me, I have a really incredible team of people around me. And honestly, for me,  the scheduling is the biggest thing. If I can have a schedule and also have discipline in following that schedule, that’s key. The days that I’m working I really try to focus and get it done. My kids have saved me from my own procrastination. I’ve had to become organized and focused. When I’m with the kids it’s really hard, and I know a lot of parents feel this way, not to be distracted by everything that’s going on in your work life. So it’s really just trying to focus and live in the moment which is the constant battle.

You have been quoted saying that you would be “blessed” if one of your sons turned out to be gay. You also allow your kids to paint their nails if they want to. How do you think this attitude toward motherhood benefits your children?

I just want to nurture my kids to be who they are and bring out whatever their gifts are and help them to focus on those gifts. I really try to support them in that way and on their own unique path. 

You look fabulous. What's your skincare routine? 

My routine is quite simple. I enjoy being experimental with makeup though. I love beauty and I love makeup.  I love the sun, but I stay away from the sun. I think staying away from the sun is something that has saved my skin. Even through I’m a Southern California girl, I learned very early on to protect myself from the sun. Other than that, I just wash, moisturize and put a lot of makeup on. 

You're performing in the Marriage Capital of the world... any wedding bells in the future for you?

Listen, I can’t predict the future. 

Other than sharing glimpses of life in these interviews, how do you keep your personal life private?

I feel like I’ve always been quite open with my life. I don’t really have a lot of things to hide. I feel like a very ordinary person with a very extraordinary life. I have an extraordinary small group of people & family around me that I love so much. I share when I think it’s appropriate. I think when you have children you want to share less because you need to protect them.

And our most important question... Is this shit still bananas?

The best question of the bunch! This shit is definitely still bananas and I love you guys FYI.