Gwen Stefani is a woman of many talents. She rose to fame as the lead singer of No Doubt but her start in the band didn't actually begin that way. Gwen might be one of the most famous people in the world but that doesn't mean there aren't some hidden secrets about the "Rich Girl" chart-topper.

She does it all. She can sing, she has her own clothing line, eyewear range, has her own Las Vegas residency, and even became a judge on The Voice. Whether it's her bold fashion sense, catchy pop songs, or her adorable relationship with Blake Shelton, everyone has one reason to adore Gwen. Over three decades into her career and the Orange County girl is still going strong.

Here are 15 interesting facts about the "Make Me Like You" hitmaker that you need to know.

15 She Was Never No Doubt's Lead Singer Initially

Gwen might be considered the star of the band now but that wasn't always the case. Former member John Spence was originally the lead singer while Gwen was on backing vocals. Sadly, Spence ended his life days before a concert in December 1987 and No Doubt disbanded for a couple of weeks.

When they reformed, Stefani was pushed towards the center and was made lead singer. The band developed a live following in California and would continue to rise.

14 The First Song She Ever Wrote Ended Up On Barack Obama's Playlist

The first song Gwen had any part in writing was No Doubt's song "Different People" taken from Tragic Kingdom. When she participated in WIRED's Autocomplete Interview, she revealed that the track ended up on Barack Obama's playlist which she seemed pretty blown away by.

As the years have gone on, Gwen has continued to write more amazing songs that we all connect to.

13 The Infamous Bindi Was Worn As A Tribute To Her Ex-Boyfriend's Culture

Over the years, Gwen has been accused of cultural appropriation because of the bindi she used to wear during the early days of the band. However, she told Vogue it was inspired by the culture of her boyfriend at the time, Tony Kanal, who was the bassist of No Doubt. Kanal has an Indian background and his mom introduced Gwen to their fashion. It became her signature look throughout the '90s along with her red lipstick.

12 Gwen Didn't Have A Stylist Until The 2000s

Gwen may have already been considered a fashion icon by the time the new Millenium had hit. However, she had never had a stylist until the early 2000s. The "Early Winter" songstress explained that she worked with Andrea Lieberman for the first time when shooting the music video for her collaboration with Eve, "Let Me Blow Ya Mind." Gwen's style had become more glam and she admitted that Andrea was her soulmate when it came to fashion.

RELATED: A Timeline Of Gwen Stefani's Evolution In Fashion, In 15 Photos

11 No Doubt Started Out In The 80s

No Doubt may have become a household name in the mid-'90s. However, the band formed nearly a decade before that. Long before Gwen was rocking bindis on MTV, the group was working hard many years before that to get heard. No Doubt began their music career in 1986 and would play small gigs to gain a fanbase.

10 She Ain't No Natural Platinum Blond Girl

Gwen's platinum blond hair is one of her many signature looks. However, she is not a natural blond. Her colorist, Danilo Dixon, explained to Refinery29 that he dyes her hair every week with a bleach-free formula.

"Gwen's an Italian girl with wavy brown hair — if you look at the video for Cool, we did her in her natural shade, maybe a little darker — so I developed a high lift formula for her," he told them.

Gwen comes from an Italian background. Therefore, it's no surprise that she's a natural brunette.

9 Hollaback Girl Was A Response To A Courtney Love Diss

"Hollaback Girl" is one of Gwen's biggest hits and remains an iconic 2000s bop.

The song came about after Courtney Love dissed her in Seventeen magazine. The former Hole frontwoman claimed that Gwen wasn't a rockstar and that she's "just a cheerleader."

Gwen fired back with the feisty anthem which became her first solo No. 1 single. She dressed up as a cheerleader in the video and proved that she can be a cheerleader with rockstar energy.

8 Gwen Was Up For The Role Of Mrs. Smith

Gwen has starred in a couple of films including The Aviator and Trolls. However, one role she didn't end up getting was Jane Smith for Mr. & Mrs. Smith. According to ET Canada, it was between Angeline Jolie and Gwen for the part and they went with Jolie.

Oh, how different things would have been if Gwen played Mrs. Smith!

RELATED: 15 Interesting Things Gwen Stefani Has Been Up To

7 She Has A Learning Disorder

Gwen is dyslexic. Despite her issues with reading, she has gone on to have great success and pushed through her struggles. According to Learning Success Blog, when she was younger, she looked for other avenues like singing and sewing to help express herself.

“Gwen Stefani encourages children with dyslexia to not let it discourage them from following their dreams.”

6 Her Solo Music Was Never Meant To Be Taken Seriously

When No Doubt took a break in the early 2000s, Gwen went solo and released two studio albums -- Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and The Sweet Escape. However, she never imagined anyone would take them seriously and saw them as art projects. She admitted that Tony introduced her to 80s dance music when they first met and that the era inspired those records.

5 She Had Humble Beginnings

Gwen might be business mogul now but she came from humble beginnings.

Her first job was as a swimming instructor and lifeguard at a pool. Her second job was at the Dairy Queen. She told Wired that when she first started the job, the uniform used to fit perfectly. By the time she left, she was unable to button it up and had to quit.

RELATED: Here Are 20 Photos Of Gwen Stefani Before Fame

Gwen has worked with a number of legends but one of the greatest names she has collaborated with is Prince.

The first time the iconic duo teamed up together was for Prince's 1999 Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic album on the track "So Far, So Pleased." The "Purple Rain" hitmaker would then return the favor and feature on No Doubt's Rock Steady album in 2001 by providing backing vocals on "Waiting Room."

3 No Doubt Nearly Ended After Her Split With Tony

During the very early years of No Doubt, Gwen dated Tony before their breakout moment. Originally, their relationship was kept a secret for a year as there was an unspoken rule that no one in the band was allowed to date her.

They would end up going their separate ways after being together for 7 years. Gwen and Tony both remained friends and stayed in No Doubt. According to Tons Of Facts, the band nearly broke up over their split but luckily they didn't. Instead, they went on to conquer the world.

Imagine a world without Tragic Kingdom?!

2 Gwen Was Named After A Character In A Novel

Gwen was born on October 3, 1969, in Fullerton, California. She has always shown love to her Orange County roots and is very proud.

Her parents named the "Simple Kind of Life" hitmaker after a stewardess in the 1968 novel Airport. Her middle name, Renée, comes from The Left Banke’s 1966 song “Walk Away Renée.”

1 She Donates A Lot Of Money To Charity

Gwen does a lot for charity. In 2007 she created the After-the-Fires Scholarship to help those who were affected by the San Diego wildfires. She has given millions of money to various AIDS foundations and to causes like the Japan Earthquake–Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund.

She is currently headlining in her own residency in Las Vegas, "Just A Girl," and donates $1 of every ticket purchased to Cure 4 The Kids Foundation. The charity helps a Vegas-based nonprofit organization provide medical treatment to children that are facing a number of life-threatening conditions.

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