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Gwen Stefani is a good girl in Malaysia, just as she promised
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22 August 2007
Gwen Stefani was a good girl, just like she promised.
The American pop singer wowed fans in Muslim-majority Malaysia, dressed demurely to show virtually no skin after Islamic critics claimed that her revealing clothes could corrupt the country's youth.
"I am very inspired tonight... It is great to be here again," Stefani, 37, told some 7,000 cheering, screaming fans at an indoor stadium on the latest leg of her Sweet Escape world tour.
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A Sweet Escape for Gwen Stefani as she wowed fans in Muslim-majority Malaysia
The Sweet Escape was her first song after she burst onto the stage, wearing a black leotard under a white short-sleeved shirt and black-and-white striped hot pants suit, with black gloves up to her elbows.
She changed costumes for every song - putting on a cape once and tying a cloth around her waist like a skirt - but made sure she was fully covered while she belted out Rich Girl, Wind it Up, and Hollaback Girl among others.
International media photographers were not allowed to take pictures at the concert for copyright reasons. Fans had to leave their cameras outside.
Stefani had promised before the concert to dress modestly after the 10,000-member National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students protested against the concert, claiming her fashion sense and cheeky performances clash with Islamic values.
The opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party also accused Stefani of promoting promiscuity and corrupting the country's youth.
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Style icon Gwen changed costumes for every song
But most fans in the stadium thought the protesters had gone overboard with their criticism.
"I think they were making a big ho-ha for no reason. Even the local artists, they dress even much worse, much more indecent," said Denise Chan, a 15-year-old ethnic Chinese.
About 60 percent of Malaysia's 26 million people are Malay Muslims, while ethnic Chinese - who are Christians and Buddhists - make up 25 percent. Ethnic Indians - most of them Hindus - are about 10 percent.
While Islam is the official religion, Malaysia does not consider itself a theocratic Islamic country.
"I've been in the music industry for 20 years and this is the first time that I'm facing opposition from people who have misunderstood me," Stefani was quoted as saying.
"I'm not a bad girl," she said.
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