Harajuku Lovers Live
Encyclopedia
Harajuku Lovers Live is a video album
by American recording artist Gwen Stefani
, released on DVD
on December 5, 2006, under the Interscope record label. The DVD was directed by Sophie Muller and produced by Oil Factory Productions. It is a recording of one of Stefani's concerts during her Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
in late 2005 to promote her first album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
, released in November 2004. The performance was recorded in November 2005, in Anaheim, California
. The concert features performances of all twelve songs from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and two new songs from her second studio album, The Sweet Escape
, as well as interviews with the musicians and dancers and a documentary of tour preparation.
Harajuku Lovers Live was released in conjunction with the promotion for The Sweet Escape, which was also released on December 5, 2006. The DVD received mixed reviews, with reviewers praising Stefani's musical performances and stage presence, but criticizing the lack of material and the long costume changes. The DVD was certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association
and platinum in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
.
, Gwen Stefani recorded and released her first solo studio album
, Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
on November 23, 2004. Between September 2004 and January 2006, Stefani released six of the album's twelve tracks as singles: "What You Waiting For?
", "Rich Girl
", "Hollaback Girl
", "Cool", "Luxurious" and "Crash". The album was a commercial success, selling seven million copies worldwide; it was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
, triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
, five times platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
and four times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry certified Love. Angel. Music. Baby. platinum at the May 2005 Platinum Europe Awards.
Between October and December 2005, Stefani toured North America in her Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
to promote Love. Angel. Music. Baby., performing 37 shows in the United States
and five in Canada
. Her opening acts included Ciara
, M.I.A.
and The Black Eyed Peas
. Her performances received mixed reviews from critics, with criticism about her lack of musical material, frequent costume changes and perceived inability to dance, but praise for her stage presence and elaborate costumes. Stefani finished recorded her second album, The Sweet Escape
, in late 2006, having recorded some of the material in 2005, suspended the project due to pregnancy, and resumed recording in summer 2006.
Harajuku Lovers Live was released on December 5, 2006, the same day as the release of Stefani's second album, The Sweet Escape
. Both Harajuku Lovers Live and The Sweet Escape were released a day early in the UK
, on December 4, 2009. The DVD carries a Parental Advisory
sticker for profanity, although a clean version of the DVD is also available. The cover image of Stefani sitting in a throne imitates the cover image of Love. Angel. Music. Baby.; both images were photographed by Nick Knight
. It was directed by Sophie Muller, who has also produced music videos for Stefani's singles "Cool", "Luxurious" and "Crash" from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and would later produce music videos for "Wind It Up", "4 in the Morning
" and "Early Winter
" from The Sweet Escape. The DVD was produced by Oil Factory Productions.
The DVD contains a recording of one of the concerts in Stefani's "Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005". The concert was performed in late November 2005 in the Honda Centre in Anaheim, California
, where Gwen Stefani was raised. The concert's set list
includes all twelve of the songs from Love. Angel. Music. Baby., plus two new tracks, "Wind It Up
" and "Orange County Girl", from The Sweet Escape. "Wind It Up" and "Orange County Girl" were two of the four songs written and recorded in summer 2005 by Stefani during her sessions with Pharrell Williams
and had been previewed at the finale of New York's Olympus Fashion Week for the 2006 collection of Stefani's line of clothing, L.A.M.B, in September 2005. "Wind It Up" was later released as the lead single from The Sweet Escape.
The DVD includes extra features: a "Countdown to Tour" documentary of behind-the-scenes preparation footage with Stefani, a series of interviews with Stefani's five band members and eight dancers (including the four Harajuku Girls) called "Meet the Band and Dancers", a photo gallery of images from the concert and a video of an alternative performance of the song "The Real Thing", called "The Real Thing Camera Remix". "Countdown to Tour" was described by one reviewer as "boring", but by another as "fascinating for anyone interested in how massive stadium tours develop", praising how Stefani "shares how she works her strengths".
by the Australian Recording Industry Association, indicating sales of at least 7,500 copies; and platinum in Canada
by the Canadian Recording Industry Association, indicating sales of over 10,000 copies. It was not certified by the British Phonographic Industry in the UK or the Recording Industry Association of America in the U.S..
Manchester Evening News
reviewer Glenn Meads gave the DVD three out of five stars and compared Stefani to Madonna
. Meads described the show as "stunning" and "polished to perfection", praising Stefani for "[involving] the audience on every level" and "[bringing] an assertiveness back to pop music". He compliments the performances of the songs "What You Waiting For?
", "Crash", "Hollaback Girl
" and "The Real Thing", calling the former the "strongest" of all the songs and its performance "infectious". However, he criticised Stefani's wide variety of musical styles and the long gaps between songs needed for costume changes. DJ Pusspuss of the San Francisco Bay Times
reviewed the DVD, calling it a "wet-dream to any Gwen fan" and describing Stefani as "a fashion icon, a blond threat and visionary artist" and her music as "delicious dance" and full of "pop insta-classics".
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
by American recording artist Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
, released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on December 5, 2006, under the Interscope record label. The DVD was directed by Sophie Muller and produced by Oil Factory Productions. It is a recording of one of Stefani's concerts during her Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
The Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005 was the debut concert tour by American recording artist Gwen Stefani . The tour began in October 2005 in support of her debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The tour coincided with the launch of her Harajuku Lovers line of accessories.-Background:Stefani...
in late 2005 to promote her first album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
Love. Angel. Music. Baby. is the debut solo studio album by American recording artist Gwen Stefani, released in the United States on November 23, 2004 by Interscope Records...
, released in November 2004. The performance was recorded in November 2005, in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. The concert features performances of all twelve songs from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and two new songs from her second studio album, The Sweet Escape
The Sweet Escape
The Sweet Escape is the second and final solo studio album by American recording artist Gwen Stefani, released in the United States on December 5, 2006 by Interscope Records. Having originally intended to return to No Doubt after her 2004 solo album Love. Angel. Music...
, as well as interviews with the musicians and dancers and a documentary of tour preparation.
Harajuku Lovers Live was released in conjunction with the promotion for The Sweet Escape, which was also released on December 5, 2006. The DVD received mixed reviews, with reviewers praising Stefani's musical performances and stage presence, but criticizing the lack of material and the long costume changes. The DVD was certified gold in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
and platinum in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
.
Background
During her hiatus from the band No DoubtNo Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
, Gwen Stefani recorded and released her first solo studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
Love. Angel. Music. Baby. is the debut solo studio album by American recording artist Gwen Stefani, released in the United States on November 23, 2004 by Interscope Records...
on November 23, 2004. Between September 2004 and January 2006, Stefani released six of the album's twelve tracks as singles: "What You Waiting For?
What You Waiting For?
"What You Waiting For?" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. . Written by Stefani and Linda Perry, the song is the album's opening track, and was released as its lead single...
", "Rich Girl
Rich Girl (Gwen Stefani song)
"Rich Girl" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. . Produced by Dr. Dre, the track features rapper Eve, and is a remake of Louchie Lou & Michie One's 1993 song of the same name, which was in turn an adaptation of the Fiddler on the...
", "Hollaback Girl
Hollaback Girl
"Hollaback Girl" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. . As part of Stefani's vision of creating "a silly dance record", the song is influenced by 1980s dance and pop music...
", "Cool", "Luxurious" and "Crash". The album was a commercial success, selling seven million copies worldwide; it was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
, five times platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
and four times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry certified Love. Angel. Music. Baby. platinum at the May 2005 Platinum Europe Awards.
Between October and December 2005, Stefani toured North America in her Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005
The Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005 was the debut concert tour by American recording artist Gwen Stefani . The tour began in October 2005 in support of her debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The tour coincided with the launch of her Harajuku Lovers line of accessories.-Background:Stefani...
to promote Love. Angel. Music. Baby., performing 37 shows in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and five in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Her opening acts included Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
, M.I.A.
M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
and The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
. Her performances received mixed reviews from critics, with criticism about her lack of musical material, frequent costume changes and perceived inability to dance, but praise for her stage presence and elaborate costumes. Stefani finished recorded her second album, The Sweet Escape
The Sweet Escape
The Sweet Escape is the second and final solo studio album by American recording artist Gwen Stefani, released in the United States on December 5, 2006 by Interscope Records. Having originally intended to return to No Doubt after her 2004 solo album Love. Angel. Music...
, in late 2006, having recorded some of the material in 2005, suspended the project due to pregnancy, and resumed recording in summer 2006.
Content and release
The Sweet Escape
The Sweet Escape is the second and final solo studio album by American recording artist Gwen Stefani, released in the United States on December 5, 2006 by Interscope Records. Having originally intended to return to No Doubt after her 2004 solo album Love. Angel. Music...
. Both Harajuku Lovers Live and The Sweet Escape were released a day early in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, on December 4, 2009. The DVD carries a Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
sticker for profanity, although a clean version of the DVD is also available. The cover image of Stefani sitting in a throne imitates the cover image of Love. Angel. Music. Baby.; both images were photographed by Nick Knight
Nick Knight (photographer)
Nick Knight OBE is a British fashion photographer, documentary photographer, and web publisher—as director of SHOWstudio.com.-Life and career:Knight studied at Bournemouth and Poole College of Art and Design....
. It was directed by Sophie Muller, who has also produced music videos for Stefani's singles "Cool", "Luxurious" and "Crash" from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and would later produce music videos for "Wind It Up", "4 in the Morning
4 in the Morning
"4 in the Morning" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her second solo album, The Sweet Escape . Written by Stefani and Tony Kanal, the song is a 1980s-inspired ballad that Stefani began writing while pregnant and finished with No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal...
" and "Early Winter
Early Winter
"Early Winter" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her second studio album, The Sweet Escape . Written by Stefani and Tim Rice-Oxley , the track is a 1980s-inspired pop rock ballad...
" from The Sweet Escape. The DVD was produced by Oil Factory Productions.
The DVD contains a recording of one of the concerts in Stefani's "Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005". The concert was performed in late November 2005 in the Honda Centre in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, where Gwen Stefani was raised. The concert's set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
includes all twelve of the songs from Love. Angel. Music. Baby., plus two new tracks, "Wind It Up
Wind It Up (Gwen Stefani song)
"Wind It Up" is a song written by Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams originally for inclusion on Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005. Because of favorable reception, the song was later recorded for her second solo album, The Sweet Escape...
" and "Orange County Girl", from The Sweet Escape. "Wind It Up" and "Orange County Girl" were two of the four songs written and recorded in summer 2005 by Stefani during her sessions with Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
and had been previewed at the finale of New York's Olympus Fashion Week for the 2006 collection of Stefani's line of clothing, L.A.M.B, in September 2005. "Wind It Up" was later released as the lead single from The Sweet Escape.
The DVD includes extra features: a "Countdown to Tour" documentary of behind-the-scenes preparation footage with Stefani, a series of interviews with Stefani's five band members and eight dancers (including the four Harajuku Girls) called "Meet the Band and Dancers", a photo gallery of images from the concert and a video of an alternative performance of the song "The Real Thing", called "The Real Thing Camera Remix". "Countdown to Tour" was described by one reviewer as "boring", but by another as "fascinating for anyone interested in how massive stadium tours develop", praising how Stefani "shares how she works her strengths".
Reception
Sales and accreditations
The DVD was certified gold in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by the Australian Recording Industry Association, indicating sales of at least 7,500 copies; and platinum in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by the Canadian Recording Industry Association, indicating sales of over 10,000 copies. It was not certified by the British Phonographic Industry in the UK or the Recording Industry Association of America in the U.S..
Critical reception
Chart Attack reviewer Jodi Goulart gave Harajuku Lovers Live two out of five stars, criticising the DVD for being "no frills" and an "essentially word-for-word, dance-move-for-dance-move" copy of a performance fans saw a year earlier. Goulart comments that "concert experience doesn't translate well", notes the long gaps for costume changes and calls the extra featues "boring". Shawn Revelle, in the Mid-Atlantic Edition of EXP magazine, gave Harajuku Lovers Live four stars, describing the DVD as "spectacular" and Stefani's performance as "energetic". He complimented the performances of "Rich Girl", "Long Way To Go" and "Hollaback Girl", calling them "steller" and the "highlights" of the DVD.Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
reviewer Glenn Meads gave the DVD three out of five stars and compared Stefani to Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Meads described the show as "stunning" and "polished to perfection", praising Stefani for "[involving] the audience on every level" and "[bringing] an assertiveness back to pop music". He compliments the performances of the songs "What You Waiting For?
What You Waiting For?
"What You Waiting For?" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. . Written by Stefani and Linda Perry, the song is the album's opening track, and was released as its lead single...
", "Crash", "Hollaback Girl
Hollaback Girl
"Hollaback Girl" is a song by American recording artist Gwen Stefani from her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. . As part of Stefani's vision of creating "a silly dance record", the song is influenced by 1980s dance and pop music...
" and "The Real Thing", calling the former the "strongest" of all the songs and its performance "infectious". However, he criticised Stefani's wide variety of musical styles and the long gaps between songs needed for costume changes. DJ Pusspuss of the San Francisco Bay Times
San Francisco Bay Times
The San Francisco Bay Times is a free weekly LGBT newspaper in San Francisco, California that started as COMING Up! in October 1979 as "the gay lesbian newspaper and calendar of events for the Bay Area."...
reviewed the DVD, calling it a "wet-dream to any Gwen fan" and describing Stefani as "a fashion icon, a blond threat and visionary artist" and her music as "delicious dance" and full of "pop insta-classics".
Track listing
Bonus content
- "Meet the Band and Dancers"
- "Photo Gallery"
- "Countdown to Tour Documentary"
- "The Real Thing Camera Remix"
Personnel
- Gwen Stefani – vocals
- Gail Ann Dorsey, Warren Fitzgerald, Gabrial McNair, Kristopher Pooley – backing vocals
- Zachary Alford – drums
- Gail Ann Dorsey, Warren Fitzgerald – guitar
- Gabrial McNair, Kristopher Pooley – keyboard
- Director - Sophie Muller
- Producer - Oil Factory Productions
- Programming – Kristopher Pooley
- Cover image – Nick Knight
- Back cover – Pete Black