With three Grammy awards and three young children, global pop icon Gwen Stefani shows no signs of slowing down. Her latest stop brought her to Hong Kong for a one-off show presented by Marriott Bonvoy to headline the 2019 Rugby Sevens weekend. Vogue Hong Kong caught up with the eternal star for an exclusive interview on her time in Hong Kong, her “Just a Girl” Las Vegas residency, parenting, what she looks for in a perfect outfit and her favourite designers.
What made you fall in love with performing?
I always love performing. There’s just something that’s really natural and instinctual about it for me. It’s amazing to me how a moment in my life that I write and sing about can also mean something significant to someone else. Music truly is a universal language. Even though we might not actually speak the same language, the fact that we can relate on a human level through music is pretty extraordinary. Travelling has been the biggest reward of it all because I’ve always been fascinated and inspired by other cultures. And wherever I am in the world, performing live is so exciting because you get to see how the music affects people.
How has Hong Kong treated you so far?
So far, Hong Kong has been one of the warmest welcomes I have ever received. The vibe, the energy, and the culture in Hong Kong are incredible. The people have been so kind. The city skyline is stunning. The local cuisine is delicious. I’ve enjoyed visiting the markets, experiencing the history and wonder of some of the temples, walking along the harbour front and the Symphony Of Light show was spectacular.
How has your Las Vegas Residency gone?
The Las Vegas residency has been beyond a dream. It’s the kind of show I could only do at this point in my life because I’m in a place where I’ve written enough music that I can do a theatrical stage show that takes the audience on a journey of my life. It has also challenged me in a new creative way that lets me be more theatrical than I’ve ever been on tour before. And to be able to partner with Cure 4 The Kids Foundation is very special to me. One dollar of every ticket sold from my Vegas residency shows goes to Cure 4 The Kids Foundation – a local Las Vegas non-profit project that medically helps children who are facing life-threatening diseases, ensuring that no child is ever turned away from life-saving treatment due to financial reasons. It will also allow Cure 4 The Kids Foundation to move into a state-of-the-art building, increasing the number of exam rooms and improving the treatment experience for these kids. To be able to make a difference in children’s and family’s lives, and to be able to give back to the incredible community that has welcomed me to Vegas has been extremely rewarding and very important to me.
What is it like travelling with your children while working?
Travelling with the kids can be challenging and I’m sure any parent would say juggling their work and home life is a balance. But the great thing about Vegas is that I get the opportunity to work and be able to include the kids at the same time. Zuma, my middle son, really enjoys being part of the production team. He takes me on- and off-stage with his flashlight like a crew member. He loves to come out at the end and do the bow with the cast. With three children, a residency made a lot of sense for me at this point in my career. Being in the same room every night creates a completely different kind of energy for me. It’s hard to explain, but it’s just so different from moving from city to city each night. I love both experiences, but this is something new and different for me.
What do you look for in a great performance outfit?
Being on-stage and performing demands a very specific look. I have lots of requirements because every song has a different energy and vibe. The outfits need to actually work with whatever songs I’m doing for that show. For example, in a song like “Cool” you might want to be in a cute dress, but that same dress might not work for “Hella Good” or another song. So, it’s really just trying to find an outfit that is feminine and masculine, that I can move around in, that I feel stylish in, and that echoes my style through the years. It has been really fun to evolve over the years and do costume changes; that’s something I didn’t ever do earlier in my career. I had the opportunity to work with some amazing designers for my Vegas show. I got to be a bit more creative and theatrical, but the style is still very much reflective of who I am.
Who are some of your favourite designers?
One of my favorite designers at the moment is DSquared. They are Canadian twins who, in my mind, seem to design for me specifically. Whenever I see their stuff, I’m like “oh, they must have been thinking of me when they designed this.” I just think they have a really cool blend of styles that fuse together all kinds of things I love. They’re pieces you want to wear every day, over and over again.
Editor
Joanna Fu
