Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Ann "Annie" Lennox, OBEis a Scottish singer, songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving moderate success in the late 1970s as part of the new wave band The Tourists, she and fellow musician David A. Stewart went on to achieve major international success in the 1980s as Eurythmics. With a total of eight Brit Awards, including Best British Female Artist six times, Lennox has won more than any other female artist. She has also been named the "Brits Champion of...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionPop Singer
Date of Birth25 December 1954
CityAberdeen, Scotland
I'm appalled the word feminism has been denigrated to a place of almost ridicule and I very passionately believe the word needs to be revalued and reintroduced with power and understanding that this is a global picture.
I regard music as something that transcends the labels of gender, class or creed, which is why I think it's such a powerful medium. And as a fashion plate? I have to tell you that I've been given many opportunities to collude with the fashion industry, but I declined because I don't want to be a clotheshorse for anyone.
Collectively, you are so powerful and strong you can do these things.
When women get together as a group, it is immensely powerful.
I knew that I wanted to be a singer/songwriter when I was much younger and, um, I've been able to, you know, to realize that dream and I'm very pleased with that...I want to branch out. I want to write. I write poetry...Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion-very powerful emotions.
We all fight over what the label 'feminism' means but for me it's about empowerment. It's not about being more powerful than men - it's about having equal rights with protection, support, justice. It's about very basic things. It's not a badge like a fashion item.
I was perceiving myself as good as a man or equal to a man and as powerful and I wanted to look ambiguous because I thought that was a very interesting statement to make through the media. And it certainly did cause quite a few ripples and interest and shock waves.
If someone says something unpleasant, I can't say it doesn't smart a bit. It always does. Someone can take a really nasty swipe if they want because it kind of feels powerful for a person to write in a paper and get that thing out there.
Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion - very powerful emotions. That's what draws millions of people towards it. And, um, I found myself always going for these darker places and - people identify with that.
I'm shy, yeah.There's a huge industry at the moment of celebrity and it's really evolved over the last 10-15 years and, um, although I'm somebody that's in the public eye from time to time, I don't play that game too much. I don't like it because I find it very superficial - I just like to make my music and I like to sing. I don't really hang out.
When I look at the majority of my own songs they really came from my own sense of personal confusion or need to express some pain or beauty - they were coming from a universal and personal place.
Women's issues have always been a part of my life.
Actually, I'm quite a domesticated person. I love the little things of home.
Catch me and let me dive under, for I want to swim in the pools of your eyes.