The Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame Class of 2022 was introduced this week, and among the many inductees have been Eurythmics, getting in on their third nomination. Shortly after listening to the thrilling and long-overdue information, the at all times expectations-confounding duo’s frontwoman, Annie Lennox, spoke with Yahoo Leisure/SiriusXM Quantity. 4 many years after she appeared on MTV sporting her iconic neon orange buzz-cut and man’s enterprise swimsuit within the “Candy Goals (Are Manufactured from This)” video, after which carried out that music on the Grammy Awards in a pompadour and Elvis sideburns, Lennox, now age 67, regarded again on why her persona so was so “difficult” for U.S. viewers — and the way she’s nonetheless difficult norms and blazing trails as a proud, self-described world feminist.
Yahoo Leisure: Congratulations on Eurythmics entering into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame’s Class of 2022! Clearly this can be a very worthy class – one might make a powerful case for all 17 nominees — however I ponder if there’s anybody in that you simply’re actually excited to be inducted alongside. There’s a few your friends from the early MTV days, as an illustration, like Duran Duran and Pat Benatar…
Annie Lennox: It is a actually combined bag, actually eclectic, completely different teams of individuals coming from completely different genres of music. So, that is actually attention-grabbing. You already know, in case you discuss variety, there’s fairly a various group of music in there, which is fantastic, as a result of I’ve at all times appreciated various kinds of music and completely different sorts of music-makers. I particularly love the truth that Carly Simon is there, as a result of the music and the voice of Carly Simon was actually lovely for me once I was a lot, a lot youthful. I kind of grew up with Carly, and I feel it is actually applicable that she’s there. … And I used to be actually touched by Dolly Parton saying that she did not really feel she must be there. Why should not she be? Clearly she’s so important and she or he’s her music has touched individuals — and never solely individuals who love nation music. In a time when individuals are very centered on the variations, I really like the truth that we will construct bridges via music.
What’s additionally important is that is probably the most ladies inducted in a single class: six! You are being inducted together with Carly, Dolly, Elizabeth Cotten, and Sylvia Robinson. There was a time when the Corridor was considered a boys’ membership, however I imagine that’s altering.
I do see it altering. It is modified enormously. I imply, once I first had the notion that truly at my core I used to be a singer-songwriter, there have been so only a few ladies that I might discuss with. Clearly there was the one-and-only Joni Mitchell, who was an enormous affect on me, simply within the phrases that I assumed, “Oh, she’s singing and she’s writing!” The lyrical poetry of this music and this extremely distinctive tuning of those string devices that she performed so proficiently and so brilliantly… it was phenomenal. It was the inspiration. I carried that inside me. I by no means needed to sound like anybody else — and I actually did not wish to be in comparison with different singers, as a result of I felt you really want to craft your individual sound, your individual voice, your individual model — however each different singer round me undoubtedly knowledgeable me of one thing. And it was simply the truth that they existed, predominantly, that was most influential.
You talked about variety. and never eager to sound like anybody else. While you and Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart carry out on the Corridor of Fame ceremony, I am questioning what songs you may do, as a result of inside your individual physique of labor there’s so a lot variety. Some individuals may name you guys a synthpop duo, however then you definitely did soul, rock, baroque pop. Have you ever began to consider what kind of set will characterize Eurythmics’ completely different eras?
.No, we’ll determine it out – however you are so proper, as a result of the levelfor us was as soon as we would made an album, we felt that was our assertion. We by no means needed to repeat that. For us it was like, “What can we do subsequent?” That was the fun of the liberty that we felt we might have. And naturally we might confound audiences, as a result of they maybe would wish to hear the identical factor that they’d heard already. And that simply wasn’t going occur! I feel that we have been in some methods forward of our time, as a result of I feel now individuals might perceive it higher. However when “Candy Goals” got here out, individuals did not know what to make of it. We needed to break down numerous resistance, actually in the US.
Additionally, individuals felt that I was difficult for them, undoubtedly due to the best way I projected my persona onstage — sporting a person’s swimsuit, reducing my hair. It was undoubtedly fairly threatening at that time limit. And now I really like this new arrival of language. We’ve got “genderfluid”; it is not “gender-bender,” which was so insulting, in a method. It was insulting as a result of it was a bit like, “Oh this can be a little bit of a joke.” And when individuals are feeling threatened, they flip it right into a joke. I imply, actually within the media, with the headlines of “gender-bender,” I felt there was a type of reductive high quality in it.
That is attention-grabbing. The media was at all times lumping you into the “gender-bender” class with Boy George, Marilyn, Pete Burns…
Sure, Boy George and I have been companions in crime, apparently. [laughs] And that was simply purely type of symbiotic, simply one thing that occurred at that second. Typically I’ve noticed in cultural evolution, individuals come out with one thing that’s fairly comparable as a result of it displays that second in time. And George, he was very difficult visually. I imply, his presence — he was a extremely tall man. And to see this actually tall man who was fully confounding with the best way he introduced himself, it was fascinating on the time. So, that was one of many explanation why once we have been nominated for a Grammy again within the day and we gave a stay efficiency. I assumed it could be attention-grabbing to really come onstage as a person. Like, “Hey, you assume I am a person? Then I will be a person. If you wish to really feel ‘snug,’ right here I will be. I will be a person for you.” That was type of my pondering.
Sure, Eurythmics and Tradition Membership have been each up for Greatest New Artist that yr. And also you got here on wanting like Elvis Presley.
Effectively, individuals can say “Elvis,” nevertheless it was no matter it regarded like. It was a dark-haired man that had a sure hardcore, cool stance. I felt like, “I am gonna be a person at present.” And it was nice feeling. It was very empowering to be that man. I would by no means identified what it felt wish to be a person. In fact, I am not a person, nevertheless it’s so attention-grabbing, all of the labels that you simply get. They’re by no means fairly correct, as a result of we’re far larger than labels. Folks robotically assumed that I used to be a lesbian, which was improbable in a method. … I used to be like, “Effectively, if you wish to assume that I am lesbian, that is positive. I do not thoughts.” I actually do not thoughts as a result of for me, truthfully, we’ve got to get past labels on the finish of the day. What we’d like on the planet is equality and alternative for all, proper throughout the board, as a result of these so-called minorities of individuals have been dwelling invisible lives and have been stigmatized in opposition to endlessly. I like to see that now trans men and women have a voice, as a result of they exist. … We’ve got to wish to respect all of humanity, each single one in all us.
Do you’ve gotten any tales about anybody telling you that seeing you on MTV or on the Grammys, dressed as you have been, had a profound impact on them?
Sure, it occurs loads. … Folks have come to me, and other people have even cried with me, as a result of that side of performing in Eurythmics was so important to them. So, that is very significant.
You might be at all times championing humanitarian causes. Whereas we’re chatting, is there something that you simply wish to use this platform to say?
Completely. I acknowledge that I’ve been feminist in my pondering for many years, and at a degree not that way back, we could not even get the phrase “feminist” comfortably utilized by many, many ladies. It was an enormous, massive wrestle even to personal that. I imply, we have been speaking about labels earlier: This label is extremely vital, as a result of we have to exist. Girls have to exist. I outline myself as a “world feminist” as a result of I want to see feminism understood on a worldwide scale. The locations the place feminism is required most are the nations all over the world the place ladies are the least empowered, nations the place the dearth of sources is nearly like dwelling within the medieval instances. If you concentrate on a rustic like Afghanistan, the place ladies and ladies now have been suppressed within the regime to the purpose the place they really should turn into invisible, it’s horrendous. So, I’m a passionate world feminist.
Again in 2008, I based a company known as the Circle, and we work to advocate and make clear tasks all over the world — relating to gender-based violence, equal rights, equal pay. These points are big in nations the place ladies are actually under-valued and de-valued. We’ve got to maintain the sunshine burning. We’ve got to maintain the attention occurring. And that could be a massive, massive problem, as a result of there’s a lot occurring proper now. We’ve got hundreds of thousands of refugees in all places — not solely in Ukraine, clearly, which is a disaster for that nation and primarily ladies and ladies and elder individuals, probably the most susceptible having to flee or having to stay within the nation. It is simply unimaginable, one problem upon the opposite. However you understand, on the finish of the day, I’m a humanitarian-based activist. And that is the little half that I soak up my life. And that is my deep, deep, profound dedication.
You talked about there was a time when “feminism” was a grimy phrase. Even not too long ago, there have been well-known pop stars who shied away from the time period. I really feel that has modified, however why do you are feeling that phrase was such a roadblock for thus lengthy?
I feel that individuals are solely genuinely fascinated by primarily what is going on on in their very own yard. The problem is to see it from a worldwide perspective, in order that we’re not solely simply wanting in the direction of what is going on in Western nations. Now ladies are so empowered and there is a lot that we will do, however we’re nonetheless not doing sufficient. We’ve got big obligations as ladies. We’re those who conceive infants, and now with the Roe v. Wade problem, it is extremely regarding. Even discussions about taking contraception away — our rights to our our bodies, to our sexual wellbeing, to our psychological well being, to our bodily well being, these rights are being eroded on this nation. That might be an enormous combat. Now that must be the primary combat for the US. And on the similar time, that displays for each single girl woman across the globe. So, we should consider feminism as a worldwide want and requirement.
I wish to thanks for the whole lot you do. It is an honor to talk with you, and I am so thrilled that you simply’re entering into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame. Do you’ve gotten any thought what may occur on the ceremony, or in case you and Dave Stewart, who reunite every so often, may work on some new Eurythmics music?
Dave and I, we at all times wish to be ingenious with what we do. We wish to take each alternative, every time we get collectively, to profit from it. So, I am pondering and I’ve just a few concepts up my sleeve, however I by no means like giving something away, as a result of it is like opening up the current earlier than Christmas! … I simply take in the future at a time. I’ve that privilege, as a result of earlier than I used to be at all times on a wheel of making for thus lengthy. I really like to have the ability to step again; to step again is the most important privilege for me as a artistic particular person, to not at all times be working and working and working, simply to have the ability to stay life in the best way I wish to stay it. With the ability to be a artistic artist was at all times my dream, and it occurred. I imply, the music “Candy Goals (Are Manufactured from This)” someway displays that. Sure goals come true, and it is at all times very surreal after they do. To step via that imaginary door and be inducted into this imaginary area of a [Rock & Roll Hall of Fame] museum that displays the ability of music. … Music is a bridge, music is a connector of souls whereas we’re on this planet, and we should have fun. And music has given me this chance.
The above interview is taken from Annie Lennox’s look on the SiriusXM present “Quantity West.” Full audio of that dialog is on the market on the SiriusXM app.
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