Throughout her storied career, veteran songbird Gladys Knight has witnessed artists break into the music business, for better or for worse. In an interview, the 72-year-old singer expressed some disappointment with how female artists are presenting themselves in show business.
“I don’t envy them, coming through the industry at this time, because it’s a totally different industry,” she explains. “It is money-driven. It is power-driven. They would do anything to get famous.
“We came through with a moral value, an integrity value and a great, great love for what is was that we were doing,” she continued. “So it helped us to do the things that we needed to do to be better. We didn’t have to be on the front of every magazine. We didn’t have to be doing something dramatic just to get some attention. We let our talents speak for that.”
Knight, who has opened doors for Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson and even the late Aaliyah, feels that women don’t have to use sex to sell music.
“That’s what saddens my heart,” she said. “We were taught to dress respectfully for our audiences. Did you hear me say dress? Not take it off, put it on.
“I’m just disappointed with all of that. But there’s a way to present your gift. If you’re a singer, make sure you do that,” Knight added. “I want my women to stand up.”
‘Where My Heart Belongs,’ her 11th album, is out now and entered the Billboard album chart at number 20.
