Music

Gwen Stefani: “I’m Japanese”


master mentalism tricks

Gwen Stefani: “I’m Japanese”

Despite all the bops born out of her Love.Angel.Music.Baby. era, we must acknowledge that Gwen Stefani’s objectification, fetishization, and infantilization of Japanese people was really, really weird. But what’s even weirder is that nearly two decades later, the No Doubt singer still stands by her overwhelming Harajuku obsession — going so far as to declare herself Japanese in a bizarre new interview with Allure

For readers who may have been too young at the time, “Love,” “Angel,” “Music,” and “Baby” weren’t just the words Stefani cobbled together for the title of her solo debut; those were the nicknames she bestowed unto the “Harajuku Girls,” Stefani’s crew of four Japanese-American dancers who appeared alongside her on stage, in music videos, and…nearly everywhere she went, almost as if they were her neon-clad pet puppies.

Stefani told Allure’s Jesa Marie Calaor that she first became enamored with Harajuku subculture after hearing about it from her (Italian-American) father, who’d travel between the States and Japan for his job at Yamaha. It wasn’t until the pop star was an adult that she was able to travel to the namesake Tokyo neighborhood to witness it herself: “I said, ‘My God, I’m Japanese and I didn’t know it,’” Stefani recalled of her first visit.

“If [people are] going to criticize me for being a fan of something beautiful and sharing that, then I just think that doesn’t feel right,” Stefani continued. “I think it was a beautiful time of creativity… [It] should be OK to be inspired by other cultures because if we’re not allowed then that’s dividing people, right?”

Calador wrote in the article that during this interview, “Stefani asserted twice that she was Japanese and once that she was ‘a little bit of an Orange County girl, a little bit of a Japanese girl, a little bit of an English girl.’” What’s more, the singer also claimed the Latinx culture of her Anaheim, California hometown, citing its music and fashion signatures: “Even though I’m an Italian American — Irish or whatever mutt that I am — that’s who I became because those were my people, right?”

Appreciating a culture different from your own is one thing, but throughout her career, Stefani has blatantly commodified Japanese culture with her numerous fashion lines, perfumes, and even a TV show. Sure, some of that cash has gone to good causes, but to be white and call yourself Japanese — especially in the shadows of rampant Asian-American hate — is, to say the very least, B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

Read The Full Article Here


trick photography
Steve From Blue’s Clues Checks In Amid Trump’s Victory
Steve From Blue’s Clues Checks In Amid Trump’s Victory
Kristin Cavallari’s Confessions About Dating After Mark Estes Split
Kristin Cavallari’s Confessions About Dating After Mark Estes Split
Who Will Be the 47th President? Everything About 2024 Election Results – Hollywood Life
Who Will Be the 47th President? Everything About 2024 Election Results – Hollywood Life
21 Celebrities With Massively Inflated Egos
21 Celebrities With Massively Inflated Egos
‘I have my own method; I’m still learning and discovering’
‘I have my own method; I’m still learning and discovering’
Wheel of Fortune Bonus Puzzle Answer Today for November 6, 2024
Wheel of Fortune Bonus Puzzle Answer Today for November 6, 2024
Ryan Reynolds Reveals New Project With Jackman and Levy
Ryan Reynolds Reveals New Project With Jackman and Levy
Top 5 Gus Van Sant Films, Ranked
Top 5 Gus Van Sant Films, Ranked
Frasier Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Murder Most Finch
Frasier Season 2 Episode 9 Review: Murder Most Finch
Ken Jennings Drops Big Streaming News
Ken Jennings Drops Big Streaming News
Brilliant Minds Offers An Understanding of Neurodivergence Far Beyond What The Good Doctor Achieved
Brilliant Minds Offers An Understanding of Neurodivergence Far Beyond What The Good Doctor Achieved
‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Rage as Episode Gets Trumped for TV Election Coverage
‘Jeopardy!’ Fans Rage as Episode Gets Trumped for TV Election Coverage
The 5 Grossest Metal Album Covers of All Time
The 5 Grossest Metal Album Covers of All Time
Election Result Is a “Great Day for Democracy”
Election Result Is a “Great Day for Democracy”
Oasis Extend 2025 Reunion Tour Into South America
Oasis Extend 2025 Reunion Tour Into South America
Kelly Clarkson to Return as Host of ‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’
Kelly Clarkson to Return as Host of ‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’
Interview with Bianca Lee Ward, Author of Axle (WAR BROTHERS MC Book 1)
Interview with Bianca Lee Ward, Author of Axle (WAR BROTHERS MC Book 1)
15 Comforting, Stress-Free Reads
15 Comforting, Stress-Free Reads
Secrets, Sibling Bonds, and the Scars of Loss
Secrets, Sibling Bonds, and the Scars of Loss
New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | November 5
New Mystery and Thriller Books to Read | November 5
Coach Times Square Tabby Shoulder Bag Review
Coach Times Square Tabby Shoulder Bag Review
Emma Stone Wore the Best Type of Jeans to Pair With Boots
Emma Stone Wore the Best Type of Jeans to Pair With Boots
Kylie Jenner’s Khy Smooth Stretch Capri Catsuit Review
Kylie Jenner’s Khy Smooth Stretch Capri Catsuit Review
8 Taupe Bags That Go With Every Outfit
8 Taupe Bags That Go With Every Outfit
SEÑALES (2002) – Pelicula de Terror y Sci-Fi
SEÑALES (2002) – Pelicula de Terror y Sci-Fi
Guillermo del Toro Calls This Horror Film “Superb,” Stream It Now
Guillermo del Toro Calls This Horror Film “Superb,” Stream It Now
‘Jeepers Creepers’ Insta Account Asks Fans a Bizarre Question
‘Jeepers Creepers’ Insta Account Asks Fans a Bizarre Question
What Underrated Zombie Movies Are Worth Watching?
What Underrated Zombie Movies Are Worth Watching?