In the music video for their breakout song, “Just a Girl,” Stefani dons a red and bejeweled bindi just above the middle of her eyebrows. According to the Hindu American Foundation, the bindi is placed on the third eye chakra in order to “[serve] as a constant reminder to keep God at the center of one’s thoughts” in the Hindu religion. A red bindi — like the one Stefani wore — is specifically meant to signify marriage.
When the singer appeared on Vogue’s YouTube series in 2019 to look back on her memorable looks, one photo featured Stefani wearing a bindi. “I was just so unbelievably fascinated by Indian culture in particular because Tony Kanal … is from India,” she referenced her ex-boyfriend and fellow No Doubt member. She went on to say, “His mom would come down the stairs ready to go to these, like, Indian parties all dolled up with a bindi and jewelry … And so she gave me a lot of bindis.”
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Opinions on non-Hindu people wearing bindis vary, but it’s widely accepted that it’s appropriate to wear if you’re aware of its religious significance and wear it in the right religious context. While this may have been more of a gray area in terms of cultural appropriation, this certainly isn’t the first time Stefani has been called out.
