(Interscope)
Gwen Stefani, it turns out, isn't just a girl.
Of course, you'd be forgiven if you initially assumed as much. After all, when the No Doubt singer first stormed MTV looking like a bottle-blond tranny with an unfortunate affinity for bindis, no one would've guessed she'd outlast the ska revival she skanked in on. But after camping, vamping, and Betty Boop-ing her way through a decade of increasingly excellent hits, the glamazon has evolved into something far more abfab than just a pretty, pouting girl with another single to sell: She's become pop's hippest gay icon.
Just listen to Love Angel Music Baby (Interscope), her solo debut featuring collaborations with, among others, Dr. Dre, Linda Perry, and Andre 3000. With such retro, aerobics-ready songs as "Serious," "Crash"--an ode to getting, like, totally cruised!--and especially the you-go-girl anthem "What You Waiting For," Gwen transforms herself into a dancing queen who's finally fully harnessed her exaggeratedly feminine vocals, theatrical performances, and drag-queen couture.
It's the blatantly autobiographical, drama-laden lyrics, however, that ultimately give her an edge over pop's other gay icons. Indeed, aside from Xtina, Mary, and Courtney, there's no diva even remotely as willing to bring so much real-life baggage to her music. Mariah never channeled her TRL meltdown into a song. Don't hold your breath for Whitney's hit single, "Crack Is Wack." Madonna only sings about livin' la vida yoga. Kylie, J. Lo, and Janet reveal even less. For us homos longing to root for damaged divas working through their personal shit under the strobe light, then, Gwen's a godsend.
Wearing her heart on her Vivienne Westwood sleeve, Gwen turns L.A.M.B. into the year's most danceable therapy session. Among her glorious fits of ego-driven melodrama: She freaks about fulfilling her "million-dollar contract." She finally buries the hatchet with ex-boyfriend/No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal. She spazzes out over hubby Gavin Rossdale's secret love child. In doing so, Gwen proves herself pop's premier gay icon while sending a fierce message to each stagnating peer who refuses to dish her own dirt: "Take a chance, you stupid ho."
