Gwen Stefani, the singer, songwriter, fashion designer and TV personality, received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday morning.She was honored for her achievements in music, which span from her days as the lead vocalist of No Doubt to her successful solo career and collaborations with other artists.
Stefani was joined by her husband and fellow singer Blake Shelton, who praised her songwriting skills and her unique style that has made the world fall in love with her. He also joked that he loved her more than anyone else. Shelton was one of the speakers who introduced Stefani at the ceremony, along with Interscope co-founder Jimmy Iovine, who signed No Doubt to his label in 1991, and manager Irving Azoff.
Stefani thanked her family, friends, fans and mentors for their support and expressed her disbelief at getting a star on the famous sidewalk. She said: "Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that this girl right here from Orange County would have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That just doesn't make sense to me."
She also shared a story about how Iovine predicted her success when he first saw No Doubt perform live. She said: "He literally said to me, 'You are gonna be a star.' And I'm like [speechless]. And then he said, 'In six years you're going to be a star.' And I said, 'That's just weird. In six years I'm going to be pregnant with my fifth child and won't be doing music.' But six years on the dot, 'Don't Speak' was number one around the world and he was right."
Stefani's three children -- Kingston, Zuma and Apollo -- were also present at the event, as well as her friend and co-star on The Voice Reba McEntire. Stefani did not mention her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale or any of her former bandmates from No Doubt, except for her brother Eric, who was also in attendance. Eric was a founding member of No Doubt and co-wrote some of their songs before leaving the band in 1995.
Stefani is the 2764th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the latest addition to a long list of celebrities who have been honored for their contributions to entertainment. She is currently working on her fifth solo album and coaching aspiring singers on The Voice.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]