Gwen Stefani is taking her reinvented collection of hip-pop tunes on the road — and she’s bringing some serious opening support, including notable grime brat Lady Sovereign and Grammy-nominated funkster Akon. But perhaps what will make the biggest difference on her second worldwide trek as a solo artist is not who she’s bringing, but who she’s not carrying.
During her first solo tour, the platinum-blond yodeler was pregnant with son Kingston, making her physical agility and well-being not quite in prime.
"I was about four and a half months pregnant, which was totally not a good idea," Stefani tells MTV. "I highly recommend not getting pregnant and going on tour! So if you're thinking about going on tour, do not get pregnant."
Instead of a fetus, Stefani will be keeping company with Sovereign and Akon, who she describes as “two original artists that I have so much respect for.” Stefani previously worked with Akon while recording her latest solo effort, The Sweet Escape, on which the Senegalese hip-hopper contributes guest vocals to the title track.
“He's a very, very cool guy," Stefani says. "He's just so familiar to me. When I first met him, within the first five minutes, I felt like he was somebody I had known a long time. It was very magical."
But don’t let the heavyweight opening acts fool you: Stefani is still the star of her own show. And what better way to prove your tour supremacy than with a sulfurous number of outfits?
"I have, like, nine costume changes," Stefani tells MTV. "It's kind of me indulging my theatrical side a little bit that I don't really get to do with No Doubt, so the show is a lot sweeter. It's basically a big show. It's going to be spectacular."
Gwen Stefani tour dates:
· 4/22 - Chula Vista, CA @ Coors Amphitheatre (Akon only)
· 4/24 - Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center (Akon only)
· 4/25 - Bakersfield, CA @ Rabobank Arena (Akon only)
· 4/27 - Universal City, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre (Lady Sovereign only)
· 4/28 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion
· 4/30 - West Valley City, UT @ The E Center
· 5/2 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
· 5/3 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
· 5/5 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre
· 5/6 - The Woodlands, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
· 5/8 - Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheatre at State Fairgrounds
· 5/9 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Sound Advice Amphitheatre
· 5/11 - Atlanta, GA @ HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
· 5/12 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
· 5/14 - Raleigh, NC @ Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek
· 5/15 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach
· 5/17 - Bristow, VA @ Nissan Pavilion
· 5/18 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
· 5/20 - Wantagh, NY @ Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
· 5/21 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun
· 5/23 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center
· 5/24 - Camden, NJ @ Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
· 5/27 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Hotel Casino (Lady Sovereign only)
· 5/29 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
· 5/30 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
· 6/1 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
· 6/2 - Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Music Center
· 6/4 - Omaha, NE @ Qwest Center Omaha
· 6/5 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
· 6/7 - Milwaukee, WI @ Bradley Center
· 6/8 - Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
· 6/10 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
· 6/12 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
· 6/13 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
· 6/15 - Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place
· 6/16 - Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
· 6/18 - Marysville, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
· 6/19 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
· 6/22-23 - Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
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