14 DAY TRIAL // Veteran entertainer Bette Midler is currently on a tour in the UK, 35 years after she was last on the British Isles which is, no doubt, a cause for celebrations. Journalists hassled to get an interview with her. The aging star had a lot of things to say, but the most outrageous was her view on the current musical scene.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Midler admits that she's mortified by today's pop music scene and there are some figures that she just can't understand. The first name that pops up is Ariana Grande, who's been rocking the charts with the singles off her latest album.
Bette Midler singles out Ariana Grande as a bad example of today's pop scene
But Midler is not impressed, “It’s terrible! It’s always surprising to see someone like Ariana Grande with that silly high voice, a very wholesome voice, slithering around on a couch.” In her opinion, Grande just looks ridiculous and she keeps wondering who on her team is advising her on her image to make it so alluring.
Offering an alternative, Midler points out that young stars looking to get famous should just focus on their talent. Though she doesn't give out any names, it's clear that Bette is still referring to Grande when she quips that pop stars don't need to pimp themselves out just to get ahead.
Midler's observations could not be any closer to the truth as Ariana has constructed herself as a diva oozing appeal since she debuted her pop singing career. She evolved from the cute girl playing in young adult comedy series to a full-fledged singer but she sacrificed her childhood in the process.
After singing with Iggy Azalea and Nicki Minaj, Ariana has amped up her game in terms of raunchiness and people have noticed, Bette Midler included.
Midler is currently promoting her own cover album of songs by girlbands in the early days
She too has an album out these days, called “It's the Girls,” which has cover songs from girlbands from when she was growing up, such as The Ronettes, The Chiffons, the Marvelettes and The Crystals.
The only modern song on the album is “Waterfalls” by TLC. When asked about other modern bands, Midler responds that she just doesn't find herself in the lyrics of other songs. In her view, the last great female band was Destiny's Child.
Midler's point of view on the industry is very pertinent, especially since she's been at it for decades and she's still going strong, which means that she might have stumbled on the secret of success. However, it should be said that, back in the ‘70s, Bette's performances were also considered raunchy, and she too used to slither on couches.
In the end, it's all a matter of perspective.
