by Evan Schwartz ’13

If somebody tells you that they don’t like Gwen Stefani, they’re lying. Even if you can’t appreciate the whopping 18 Grammy nominations the 43-year-old’s (yes, you read that right; girl is almost three times your age, had two kids and still has more abs than you may ever have) musical talent has earned her, everything else about the ever-relevant megastar should at least earn your respect.

Coming from a middle-class family in Anaheim, California, Gwen (we’re on a first-name basis) began her music career at the age of 17 when her brother invited her to sing lead in his ska garage band No Doubt. The rest is history.

Gwen went on to produce music from nearly every genre, ranging from ska and grunge with the original No Doubt, to reggae, pop and hip hop as she transitioned from leadwoman extraordinaire to solo career superstar.

Gwen is currently in the works with No Doubt bandmates on an incredible seventh album, adding Gwen’s personal record up to nine acclaimed records (including her two solo career smash hits) and over 40 million albums sold worldwide.

How is it that one woman can remain so important to the popular culture world for this long? Google “Third Wave Ska” and, let’s be honest, No Doubt is the only band on that long list still producing stellar work. The answer lies in Gwen’s adaptability.

Once the 80s (as trippily as wonderful they were—thank you, shoulder pads, parachute pants and “The Breakfast Club”) came to an end, No Doubt evolved their style in order to stay successful, and lucky for them, this new rock-influenced pop sound would skyrocket the band’s fame and lay seeds for Gwen’s ability to later crossover again into the pop-obsessed decade of the 2000s—you still remember all of the words to “Hollaback Girl,” even though your mother didn’t approve.

Along the way Gwen has toured the world, been married to the beautiful and talented rock star Gavin Rossdale since 2002 (basically a lifetime in Hollywood years), popped out two bleach-blond babies—Kingston and Zuma—launched a still-relevant fashion line and is still a sexy, bodacious global icon. Thank you for gracing the world with your power, Gwen. Here’s to you. We all salute.