9 Things We Want From Gwen Stefani's New Album

We called it all the way back in April: Gwen Stefani is releasing another solo album! Well, we're pretty sure that she's releasing another solo album, anyway. In a new interview with Idolator, DJ and producer Diplo sort of confirmed the existence of a new Stefani project, saying that he had "done some stuff" for her "new record"..."possibly." Well, it's not exactly the kind of confirmation I was hoping for, but I'll take it!

Of course, when we suggested that Stefani might be gearing up to release another solo album back in April, we were basing our theory solely on the fact that she posted some new pictures on Facebook. Since then, we've learned that Stefani will be a coach on Season 7 of The Voice , so releasing new music to coincide with her weekly television appearances just makes sense! Though Stefani told Scottish newspaper the Daily Record in 2012 that she didn't think she'd ever go solo again, it seems like the chances of this thing actually happening are pretty good! Imagine that.

So, if we're lucky enough to get it (I don't want to get my hopes up too much), what do we want from Stefani's third solo album? Let me break out my wish list — I've been waiting for this moment for a looong time!

"Hollaback Girl" 2.0

"Hollaback Girl" had its fair share of detractors when it was released in 2005, but I was not one of them. I fell in love with the song's ridiculous lyrics and super-charged swagger almost instantly. I want more!

Pharrell Williams as Executive Producer

As the co-creator of some of my favorite Stefani solo tracks ("Hollaback Girl," "Wind It Up," "Yummy"), it would be absolutely amazing if Pharrell Williams were the executive producer of this new album. I mean, Pharrell and Stefani go together like peas and carrots, and he's also going to be a coach on Season 7 of The Voice. Pharrell has his finger on the pulse of what's hot right now in pop music — he's the right person for the job.

A Daft Punk Track

I just think that Stefani's voice would sound really good on a funky dance track like "Get Lucky," is all.

More Dallas Austin, Please!

Dallas Austin is awesome. He's worked with everyone from TLC to Madonna, and he's responsible for crafting such solo Stefani classics as "Cool" and "Danger Zone." If he did something with Stefani that was just pure pop like Carly Rae Jepsen's "Drive" (a song he co-wrote and co-produced), I would probably lose my mind.

Songs Written With Linda Perry

This former 4 Non Blondes lead singer is a legend within the music industry. What do Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful," Pink's "Get the Party Started," and Stefani's astonishing debut single, "What You Waiting For?" have in common? Oh, Linda Perry co-wrote them all. No big deal.

Unexpected Samples a la "Wind It Up"

Who among us expected Stefani to randomly sample "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music on "Wind It Up"? Certainly not me! It was pretty bizarre, but it worked. (True, Stefani's "Rich Girl" contains elements of "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof, but it's actually sort of a remake of a 1993 track by Louchie Lou & Michie One that sampled the Fiddler song first, so it doesn't really count. Yeah, I had no idea, either.)

"Cool" 2.0

This is my favorite Stefani ballad, hands down. It's gorgeous. Speaking of "Cool"...

Lots of Tony Kanal

Reportedly, Stefani wrote "Cool" about her evolving relationship with ex-boyfriend Tony Kanal (in addition to being a songwriter and producer, he's No Doubt's bassist). Kanal helped Stefani create songs like "Crash," "Serious," and "4 in the Morning." He'd definitely be a good person to have around again.

Another Duet with Andre 3000

Three words: "Bubble Pop Electric." Stefani and Andre 3000 make magic together. Look at the picture above and tell me I'm wrong!

I hope I'm not getting ahead of myself here, but it's really starting to feel like this is for real! If/when Stefani officially announces new solo music, we'll be sure to let you know. Until then, I'll be listening to Love, Angel, Music, Baby and The Sweet Escape on repeat.

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