DETROIT, MI  [Friday Mar.12.2004]  /Mix103FM.com/ -- Gwen Stefani's been putting her nose to the grindstone with her solo album, tentatively titled "What You Waiting For?" The No Doubt singer's freshman effort has been something of a trial, but she's already got more 16 songs laid down and hopes to release a single by this summer. Referring to the record as a "dance record," she talks about her struggles with taking on complete responsibility for each song.

"It has been really challenging, but over the last few weeks I have been able to turn a corner," she writes in her online journal. "It is starting to feel like a record and I can see it coming together. I have loads of ideas and tricks up my sleeve so watch out. I'm scared for you."

No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal is working with Gwen on a track she says hearkens back to their teen years in Southern California, a song that she describes as a "mixture of everything we loved growing up: Prince, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam and Club Nouveau."

Collaborators on Gwen's album include Outkast, Missy Elliott, the Neptunes, Rancid's Tim Armstrong, Linda Perry and production team the Matrix. Outkast's Andre 3000 says the tracks he and Big Boi submitted to her were "some of the strangest stuff" they could come up with, simply to encourage Gwen along the road less travelled, and noted that their contributions might not make the final cut.

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