Introduction: Gwen Stefani is a multi-faceted celebrity, having achieved success in singing, acting, fashion, and beauty. She has gained international fame, but recently faced criticism for claiming to be Japanese. Despite her father’s Italian descent and her mother’s English, Irish, Scottish, German, and Norwegian roots, Stefani has expressed her admiration for Harajuku culture and claims to feel Japanese. While the singer tries to explain her relationship with the culture, many people on the Internet disagree with her. Join the debate and find out what people think about Gwen Stefani’s claims and whether it is right for her to declare herself part of the Harajuku legacy.
Gwen Stefani is one of the most diverse celebrities Hollywood has hosted in the past three decades. The American superstar has left no stone unturned in this glamorous world, be it singing, acting, fashion or beauty. Beginning her career as a solo pop star in the late 1990s, the gorgeous singer earned herself a spot on VH1’s “100 Greatest Women in Music” list in 2012. Unfortunately, this talented singer is currently being criticized, after claiming to be Japanese.
The Grammy winner, born on Dennis Stephanie and Patty Flynn in Fullerton, California, has nothing to do with Japanese culture. Because her father is an American of Italian descent, and her mother has English, Irish, Scottish, German and Norwegian roots. That’s why people on the Internet are annoyed by the way the Aviator star keeps mixing up his ethnicity and nationality. Why is the 53-year-old actress declaring herself part of Harajuku’s legacy?
Gwen Stefani talks about her relationship with Japanese culture
Recently, Gwen Stefani spoke with Allure to promote her cosmetics brand GXVE Beauty. In an interview, the singer was asked about the backlash she faced in the 2000s when she launched her fragrance collection called “Harajuku Lovers.”
In her response, she stated that her admiration for Harajuku culture makes her feel Japanese. “That was my Japanese influence, and it was a culture so rich in tradition but so futuristic, with such attention to art and detail and discipline, and that was fascinating to me,” the Jagged actor explained.
She also revealed that her father’s frequent trips to Japan were the main part that influenced her. However, it seems that however the Rich Girl singer describes her, netizens disagree with her.
The California singer faced a huge backlash on social media.
Netizens were recently outraged after Gwen Stefani defended her relationship with Harajuku heritage. People scold her for not being able to claim culture after a few trips or admire it. One user wrote accusing Allure magazine of ruining the experience of other artists around the world:
“Give me a break @Allure_magazine. You accept this manufactured outrage.
even though i can and will scoff at gwen stefani’s statement that i’m japanese now, i also can’t deny the influence angel music love baby as an album had on me between middle and high school
— morally depraved Juan Barkin (@woahitsjuanito) January 10, 2023
Gwen Stefani can’t say she’s Japanese because that’s cultural appropriation, but she can say she’s a man and no one will mind.
— Cassie ♐️ (@boughtabadbih) January 11, 2023
imagine you’re Gwen Stefani’s PR team and you’ve done years of work to bury her fetishism and cultural appropriation from public consciousness and in 2023 she brings it back to the fore, DOUBLE DOWN and goes around calling herself Japanese. I would just leave lmao pic.twitter.com/ViQ6b6krsH
— Kay Taylor Rea (@kaytaylorrea) January 10, 2023
“Gwen Stefani telling an Asian American interviewer that she identifies as Japanese is the kind of oblivion I try to channel in this dark, violent world,” commented another.
Do you agree with the fans? Or do you have anything else to add? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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