‘The Voice’s’ Gwen Stefani Under Fire for New Video

Getty Gwen Stefani at the 2022 Met Gala

“The Voice” coach and pop star Gwen Stefani just released a new video called “Light My Fire” with Sean Paul and Shenseea and fans are not happy about it.

Here’s what they are saying:


Stefani is Being Accused of Appropriating Jamaica Culture

On social media, many fans are taking umbrage with the “Light My Fire” video and accusing Stefani of appropriating Jamaican culture because in the video, she is wearing dreadlocks and Jamaica streetwear and singing in a slight Jamaican accent.

“Gwen Stefani is BACK with a cultural appropriation banger … Gwen Stefani said f*** your discourse, I’m gonna appropriate like it’s 2004,” wrote one fan.

“*heavy sigh* I refuse to believe no one attempted to explain this to her, especially considering there’s been public discourse about her appropriation, so the conclusion is she’s aware and just doesn’t give a s***. I’m sure her ‘[insert other ethnicities] friends said it’s okay’,” replied another fan.

“I knew she’d go back to her ways eventually! The only white woman I know who’s more interesting when she’s cosplaying other ethnicities,” wrote another fan.

One fan called her the “cultural appropriation queen,” and another said that this is not the first time Stefani has done this, writing, “No one can appropriate a culture the way Gwen Stefani does,” and posting photos from various videos where she is dressed in ensembles that reflect different cultures like Black, Japanese and Indian.


Sean Paul Has Been a Big Gwen Stefani Fan ‘Forever’

Sean Paul, who was born in Jamaica, as was Shenseea, said in a statement when the video was released that he has “been a fan of Gwen Stefani forever,” so making this video was an “epic dream come true.”

He then explained the video’s esthetic, saying, “‘Light My Fire’ is a big bad lover’s rock song and we had to represent it with a big bad video. We went retro on the attire in the video and basically getting ready to party and some lovers rocking. It’s a vibe we hope everyone gets when they listen to the track — feel good and party lovers rock style.”

He also told Vibe magazine in an interview in February 2022 that Stefani is “down with the movement” and “represents” for the Jamaican people.

“[Stefani’s] a dope artist. And she loves Reggae from long time,” said Paul, adding, “Her son is named Kingston! She loves the vibes. She wears the colors, has the arm bands. I’m like, ‘Yo, she down with the movement’ She represents for the country. From her No Doubt days, she was coming [to Jamaica] to record. So, it impressed me that she wants to come to Jamaica. A lot of people do Reggae, a lot of people do Dancehall-oriented tracks, but they never come. She comes to Jamaica. She goes to the studio in Portland, and she grinds it out.”

And on Twitter, some fans defended Stefani, with one writing, “I can understand the annoyance but there is only one group of people that are upset about it: Americans. White Americans with a savior complex and POC Americans who have never lived outside the US. Until the people involved in the video and who chose the look for her come out and say they’re upset about it, I don’t think there’s much to worry about.”

On her own Instagram, Stefani posted some behind-the-scenes photos and wrote that she “had so much fun on set with @duttypaul and @shenseea shooting this video.”

“The Voice” returns in the fall of 2022 for its 22nd season on NBC. Stefani is returning as a coach alongside returning coaches John Legend and Blake Shelton, who is also Stefani’s husband; Camila Cabello joins as the fourth coach.

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