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, Gwen Stefani’s assertion that she is Japanese, caused quite the stir. The remarks came in an interview with Allure magazine, as the pop star promoted her cosmetics line, Gxve. Stefani, an Italian American, spoke about the Japanese cultural influences on her childhood and how her father, who worked for Yamaha, traveled between Japan and California throughout her childhood.
Stefani said, «That was my Japanese influence and that was a culture that was so rich with tradition, yet so futuristic [with] so much attention to art and detail and discipline and it was fascinating to me.» Stefani shared anecdotes about her father’s encounters with Japanese street performers who dressed like Elvis Presley and women with vibrant hair.
She went on to say that as an adult, she visited the Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo known as Harajuku, which had a lot of unique clothing stores and cosplay shops. This experience inspired her fragrance line, Harajuku Lovers. She further told the outlet, «I said, ‘My God, I’m Japanese and I didn’t know it’. I am, you know.
