Gwen Stefani

Hit in the nail the way I felt

I started listening to her when I was 15 or 16 and what really appealled to me was that her lyrics were so transparent. I remember through my transformation from teenage girl into young woman I could relate to so many of her songs. Listening to her albums felt like reading someone's diary. She opened herself completely in her songs and her vulnerability made her human, not a celebrity. It amazed me how she could hit in the nail the way I felt, in such a simple and real way. As a young girl, delicate but strong and ambitious I remember rocking on to Just a Girl. Ex-Girlfriend and Excuse Me Mr will forever remain the PERFECT breakup songs, they allowed me to unleash my anger in a frenzy of music and lyrics. Simple Kind of Life is pure nostalgia, uncertainty and self discovery. Listening to her lyrics from album to album is like reading chapters of a book. I have been following the story of her life like an avid reader, cheering for the heroine to win in the end. It looks like she has reached a moment of fulfillment and harmony in her life, coincidentally at the same time I have. I really look forward to hearing this chapter unfold.

Gabriela, United States - 12 February 2008