Gwen Stefani was the platinum-blonde lead vocalist for the musical group No Doubt before embarking on a solo career. The band, founded by Gwen's older brother Eric Stefani, made its name in 1995 with the hit album Tragic Kingdom, a mix of rock, speedy reggae and playful pop hooks. The album also made a star of Gwen Stefani, who combined a belter's voice with brash good looks and a dependably bare midriff. The band's later albums included Return Of Saturn (2000) and Rock Steady (2001). In 2004 Stefani released her first solo album, Love, Angel, Music, Baby, which included the hit single "Hollaback Girl." That same year she began an acting career, playing actress Jean Harlow opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in the Oscar-nominated film The Aviator.

Stefani married Gavin Rossdale, guitarist for the band Bush, in 2002... Early in her career, she was known for wearing stick-on pottu dots, the jewel-like Hindi forehead decoration. According to People magazine, Stefani began wearing the dots "when she dated fellow band member Tony Kanal, whose parents are Indian."... Stefani launched her own clothing line, L.A.M.B., in 2003. The name is also an acronym for the words love, angel, music, baby. In December 2005, it was announced that Stefani and Rossdale were expecting a child.