The Meaning Behind “What You Waiting For?” by Gwen Stefani and Her Answer to the Question

“What You Waiting For?” begins Gwen Stefani’s 2004 solo debut, Love Angel Music Baby.

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It’s a fitting start for an artist who, at the time, had emerged from one of America’s biggest rock bands, No Doubt. She was also up against the forces of expectation and ageism in pop culture, and the intense pressure left the singer with writer’s block.

Stefani had become a rock star with No Doubt, but her 2001 collaboration with Eve seemed to foreshadow a life beyond the band. Eve’s song “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also showed Stefani’s voice was capable of much more than pop-punk and ska.

Love Angel Music Baby was a hit and transformed Stefani into a pop culture icon. But it wasn’t easy to get there. First, she’d have to overcome self-doubt. “What You Waiting For?” and its titular question was one Stefani would have to answer before she moved on from No Doubt’s shadow.

Feeling Stuck

Stefani begins the song with gratitude for her longtime band. She sings, What an amazing time / What a family / How did the years go by? / Now it’s only me. But leaving No Doubt conjured mixed feelings of guilt and excitement.

Still, she felt stuck. And the opening verse describes her need to escape using a cat-in-heat metaphor.

Like a cat in heat stuck in a moving car
A scary conversation
Shut my eyes, can’t find the brake
What if they say that you’re a climber?

When she joined No Doubt as a backing vocalist, it was her brother’s band. Eric Stefani and the band’s original singer, John Spence, formed the group in 1986. But the following year, Spence killed himself. With Stefani’s sister now fronting the band, they toughed it out, touring in a van while also surviving a commercially disappointing major label debut.

Then Tragic Kingdom (1995) catapulted No Doubt into the mainstream. Two successful albums followed: Return of Saturn (2000) and Rock Steady (2001). Stefani absorbed most of the spotlight and her confessional songwriting influenced a future generation of pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo.

But after three hit albums with No Doubt, she felt doomed to repeat herself. Then in her 30s, Stefani felt like time was against her. Especially with society’s views on women and age.

Like an echo pedal, you’re repeating yourself
You know it all by heart
Why are you standing in one place?
Born to blossom, bloom to perish

In Bloom

Co-written with Linda Perry, “What You Waiting For?” was the first song Stefani completed for Love Angel Music Baby. Perry was the lead singer of 4 Non Blondes but is better known as a hitmaker for Christina Aguilera, Pink, Alicia Keys, and others.

Perry helped Stefani through writer’s block. She challenged the singer by asking, “What are you waiting for?” It was the spark Stefani needed.

You know you’re only known
’Cause of your sex chromosome
I know it’s so messed up how our society all thinks
Life is short, you’re capable

Time

Time remains at the heart of “What You Waiting For?” and how Stefani viewed herself personally and professionally. Then there were the internal voices—both cruel and reassuring—that drove Stefani to confront Perry’s question.

But Stefani’s song title implies another profound question. If not now, when?

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