Dionne Warwick comments on the current music industry and reveals her thoughts on the evolution of talent and performance skills since she became famous in the 1960s.
The 83-year-old veteran singer opened up about her views in a recent interview with Us Weekly , saying she believes today’s pop and R&B landscape is driven more by image than talent.
“It’s a youth-oriented industry today, which doesn’t surprise me because when I was going through this, it was a youth-oriented industry,” Warwick said.
She continued, “I think it’s interesting that talent doesn’t come first. It’s how much you can wear, how much you can rock your body, how different you choose to look. That’s another thing entirely. industry.
Her reflections are especially poignant on her storied career, which was filled with such timeless hits as “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
Notably, last year, the music icon spotted rapper Doja Cat sampling her 1963 classic “Walk on By” on her 2023 song “Paint The Town Red.”
Warwick recalled her reaction.
“Some of her music doesn’t suit my ears. But it’s interesting because I didn’t know the idea of using ‘Walk On By’ in one of her songs,” explains Dionne Warwick.
“My grandson called me, ‘Grammy. Grammy, do you know who you recorded with?’ I said, ‘Doja, who? No, I don’t know Doja Cat. She’s not the only one who took it My music. But first of all, it’s amazing that these kids know who I am, so it’s also a big thing to keep up with the times and be someone who obviously inspired some of these kids musically.
Despite Warwick’s criticism, she expressed admiration for some contemporary artists.
“There are some artists that I think are really interesting. Some of the things Justin Bieber does are really inspiring,” she said. “Justin Timberlake, he’s a true artist. He sings little tunes in the background.
Dionne Warwick also praised other famous figures like Beyoncé and Alicia Keys, recognizing their growth and positivity.
“Beyoncé’s growth has been tremendous. I’m so proud of her. Alicia Keys, she’s very, very talented and very positive.
