Sept. 23, 2020
Episode 4
We discuss our love for female singers and discuss toxic masculine culture.
Transcript
Eric:
Hello and welcome to the Q lounge podcast. We are your hosts. I'm Eric
Gil:I'm Gil.
Eric:Join us as we discuss news stories and life situations. As they relate to the LGBTQIA plus experience, please visit us@theqloungepodcast.com and hit that subscribe button or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, and welcome to another episode of The Q Lounge Podcast. I'm Eric
Gil:and I'm Gil.
Eric:And today we're going to discuss divas and our love for our female singers. So Gil, who's your ultimate diva?
Gil:My ultimate diva is a classic. it is the one and only Annie Lennox.
Eric:Amazing voice.
Gil:Yes. I have been a fan since I was 10 years old. Yes. Yes. Then many moons now.
Eric:what draws you to Annie Lennox or what drew you to Annie Lennox
Gil:voice? She has such a commanding voice. we had great artists at the time. And this is the mid nineties you're talking about Mariah Carey. Whitney was at her prime. you had Selena, but, Annie's Voice, Janet, Janet of course, But when I first heard the Sweet Dreams song, I was completely floored
Eric:in Annie voice.
Gil:Yes. It's from an it's an eighties and I just, by chance happened to hear it. And I was just in love, just, I heard that voice was like, Oh my God, gravitated immediately to me, it was so different. and I just, it was just a whirlwind from then.
Eric:And what kept you as a fan?
Gil:just enjoyed her music, her political activism, huge gay icon, obviously. I didn't know at the time. So with myself, I was like, what me? Yeah, Sorry. I started thinking back about all my music, the people I liked, like Cindy Lauper, Madonna, Annie Lennox, Human League, all, and I'm just like, the signs might have been there. Or my love for it's Raining Men from the Weather Girls. Like I said,
Eric:don't, you wish it would just rain man, like all over me,
Gil:it was her music. It was just listening to her activism, especially with AIDS in Africa. she's been a huge supporter of, the cure for AIDS since the eighties. That's, stuff that eventually in time, as I got to know her or get to know her personally, read up on her, listened to her videos as YouTube came out in it's early, infancy that's what I was really like, Oh my God, I did pick the right person. somebody very close to me and to also how fiercely private. She is about her life. It's not out there broadcasting, she just was there for the music and it cut out when necessary. They tried to separate that family from work. and I respected that of her. It was just, that's more on my end, ironically, doing a podcast, telling everyone about my personal life. Now it's so different. So out of the blue. Oh, what about yourself? Eric? Who, is your,
Eric:I think anyone who's ever even come in. Contact with me, even if it was like on the other side of an airplane knows that I'm a huge Janet Jackson fan. Janet Jackson is to me, the ultimate diva, the ultimate celebrity in general. she epitomizes everything that is right in the world and she. Is the epitome of the good side of the human experience. That is just my opinion, but I will fight anyone who disagrees with it
Gil:and rightfully So we went to her concert in Denver, my God floored she's amazing live. And that was her stripped down that wasn't doing the full.
Eric:Yeah. Yeah. Cause you went to the Number Ones Tour, which was a much more intimate, smaller venue tour which was amazing. It's probably one of my favorite tours from her.
Gil:I enjoyed it.
Eric:I've been to most of her tours. I have missed a couple, but for the most part I've seen pretty much. Most of her tours.
Gil:yeah, I only got to see Annie Lennox. It was 2003 for the Bare album was their first solo tour.
Eric:Okay.
Gil:Yes. I got to see her in the Orpheum in San Francisco. I was
Eric:Oh, nice
Gil:girl screaming. But my mom, I think was screaming louder than I was. I try to keep it in.
Eric:Yeah, I think I was like trying to sell this. with myself, like I'm so in love with Janet. Cause she's so hot and Oh my God, like I'm totally a dude crushing on this hot chick and then real life I'm like, Oh my God, I totally identify with her. Everything. She says speaks to my soul. Yeah, I've, honestly, it's weird. So I've been a fan of Janet since she was on Diff'rent Strokes. I was born like towards the end of Good Times, so I wasn't really exposed to that until later in life. But Penny Gordon is amazing. I watched Diff'rent Strokes though. And so Charlene was always my favorite character on Diff'rent Strokes, even though she wasn't a main character, she was. A heavily reoccurring character. So she was always my favorite character. I don't know why she just was. And then I was exposed to Janet in 86 with the Control album. Nasty was the first Janet song I ever heard and absolutely amazing song and iconic lyrics. That was my first Janet song I was ever exposed to and pretty much loved it immediately and liked everything off the control album that I heard as a seven year old. And then Rhythm Nation. Rhythm Nation is a timeless album. Absolutely. it speaks to political activism, social injustice, everything that we're going through now That album is it's classic and it's more than relevant. Yes, and nice little trivia. Janet Jackson also started a Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation Scholarship Fund through the United Negro College Fund and has donated money to students to help them pay for college. yay. and that album was 89, 90. And then the Janet album, which the Janet album in 93 was when I became like hardcore Janet Stan, after That's The Way Love Goes dropped. And. If I've pretty much been on the Janet bandwidth. Not pretty much. I have been on the Janet bandwagon, hardcore ever since
Gil:prior, correct me if I'm wrong. If you were a bangles, right? I love
Eric:you love The Bangles. I loved the Bangles, but I also loved a lot of eighties metal.
Gil:Yes.
Eric:And so Janet. And Paula Abdul too,
Gil:but by first one, as a kid, four year old Gil nine, this is 1989 90 dancing the straight up from Paula Abdul
Eric:great song. and she did the choreography for some of Janet's Control work as well. and she's featured in the Nasty video and the, What Have You Done For Me Lately video and yeah, I was really into eighties metal, but. I always, still really liked Janet and Paula Abdul during my eighties metal craze. Yes. And then I just somehow just shifted over, and I still do like eighties metal, but Janet just took over for me. And I pretty much just went into hip hop and RNB more so and pop and have been pretty much there. Since then.
Gil:So mine was a for Eurythmics, I became into rock indie, alternative more into that. Cause beforehand I grew up more with the RnB, your classic Temptations and the emotions from 1979 and then lead off more for my parents. They enjoyed anything danceable. so I'm used using 80's free style abso freaking lutely Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam.
Eric:That's a good group too, who doesn't enjoy things danceable though.
Gil:Exactly. And so I expanded once I heard Eurythmics and then that, especially the synthesizer, I loved loved the synthesizer. So that eighties new wave, I was like, Oh, especially as a kid, I'm like, what is this? This is a completely foreign. So I was the backward one where everyone was like, Oh my God, listen to No Doubt. And I'm over here. Oh, we're listening to do, Aerosmith or something?
Eric:Now, I have to say, I love No Doubt.
Gil:I do too. And I went back to it in high school.
Eric:I love me some Gwen Stefani and I love Gwen Stefani. And I know she's the singer for No Doubt, but they're still their own entity.
Gil:It's two different.
Eric:Yes. And she's so good in concert.
Gil:Amazing. Remember?
Eric:Oh yeah. I've seen her. I've honestly seen her. Not as many times as I've seen Janet, I've seen more than I've seen anyone else live, but I've seen Gwen. I want to say at least five times between her and No Doubt. I've seen No Doubt three times. And I've seen Gwen twice.
Gil:I've seen her just the one time with you. Yeah,
Eric:No Doubt. As No Doubt. And that was a pretty amazing show. she's just awesome in concert and even now, because I last saw her in her Vegas residency, which was when I last saw Janet too. And, both shows were amazing What I think it's interesting to you as there's a lot of talk about our stereotype of gay guys and their divas and their singers. And while I think we're attracted to the strong woman and we identify with that strong woman in a lot of ways. I know for me, When I find out more about who they are as a person. That's what really keeps me interested.
Gil:Yeah. The relatable newness, the struggle.
Eric:Cause like I know you were stating earlier about Annie Lennox and her charitable work and her activism and Janet Jackson, the same way. Janet Jackson is a huge advocate for the LGBTQIA plus community. She's a huge, she's a huge fighter for women's rights, racial justice. her activism has really just kept me. Really in tuned with who she is as a person and as an artist. And carry on now, like a lot of your starlets yes today's starlets, let's have a lot of that, same mentality, Ariana Grande's who I am listening to a lot of these days. she's really awesome, voice is amazing. But even she's very politically active, which I commend and applaud highly. She has had a lot of voter registration at her concerts to get the youth registered to vote. Yes. when Kentucky had their, primary and they close all kinds of polling places so that, the more marginalized groups and communities couldn't get out and vote or had to wait in super long lines, she paid for food trucks.
Gil:That is amazing.
Eric:I like that. Yeah. Like she's literally putting her money where her mouth is. So I applaud you Ariana
Gil:it's, definitely from trailblazers, like our artists are divas, divas before them. You'll talk about like Leslie Gore, Judy Garland,
Eric:Ethel
Gil:Merman yes, exactly. It's like. Paving the path of the power of the woman voice, she's here, she's going to rock it. especially it was a man's world, the man's industry image that they have to project that's what is lady like? when people are like politics and music, it's not the same. I'm like absolutely wrong. It is it's two in the same thing.
Eric:It really bothers me when people tell artists just stick with music leave politics, say, stick with your music. no art in itself is a depiction of life. Yes. So if I'm passionate about this is what I'm going to speak about or sing about or dance about, or paint about, write about whatever. And yeah, it's really irritating when people say, Oh, stick with music and get out of politics. No, they have every right to be there. They are a person too. They have a platform and they have their beliefs. Taylor Swift has. Faced a lot of backlash lately for being highly politically charged. And I applaud her. He has an amazing platform. Yes she does. And she is definitely using it because she feels very passionately about LGBTQ rights, which is. the main focus of this podcast in general is to share the life experiences through that lens. And we need those allies. We need those people advocating for us because the general population. I shouldn't say the general population, but a lot of society doesn't want us to have that voice,
Gil:but there's strength in numbers. hashtag it's true though. You need the allies. We need to work together. the majority likes to pin minority groups against each other. No. When you unite as a community unity, then. We will win as a group, as a collective group. it's not just gays versus Blacks versus Hispanics versus no. Or one big ass community. We transcend race that's created. And that's what I'm, proud of these new artists that they are using those platforms. They're not shy about what they're believing in, right off the bat. Carly Rae Jepsen we're talking about Adele. It's there, they're the support. Yes. Miley Cyrus
Eric:Happy Hippie Foundation
Gil:and the new kids get to hear that they're like, Oh my God, my artist is like me or she supports me.
Eric:Exactly. And that's important. we talk about identity politics and being represented and being able to identify, if we have someone who. is speaking up for you because they know how you're being treated as wrong.
Gil:That
Eric:let's see, that Hey, I am important. Someone does believe in me. Someone does support me. Yes. And I think that's very much needed. you can take this back to look at, Barbara Streisand. Who's like pretty much like the gold standard of. Gay icon diva. Barbara Streisand is like in her own class. She's highly politically active. And when the whole George Floyd situation. she bought his daughter, Disney stock. yes. that's amazing. And then we also, we talked about it or you touched on it a little bit ago about, living up to the male ideal. Like these female artists have had to live up to the male representation of who they should be. this country is. Based on a very toxic masculine idea. Correct. And I find that gross and offensive and you have to give up props to certain artists like Madonna I read an interview with her one time where she was saying that she knew she didn't have the strongest singing voice. Yes. But she knew she had a lot to say. So she used what means necessary to get people, to pay attention to her, to look at her, then made them, listen to her.
Gil:And what sells in the industry.
Eric:that's what our society wants. That's what the toxic masculine society wants this pretty girl, who they can control. So she basically was like, okay, you want to see this? I'm going to show it to you, but now I'm showing it to you on my terms. Correct. And I'm showing it to you through my lens. And now you're going to listen to what I have to say. Cause I have a lot to say. And I applaud that. I'm not, I will admit I'm not always the biggest Madonna fan. I like some of her music, but you can't take that away from her. She has done a lot for women, a lot for women in music, she has done a lot to change the narrative or shift the narrative so that we can actually talk. Against the toxic masculinity that fuels our society or much of our society,
Gil:bending the gender norms or what was expected. Absolutely. And and I'm thankful for these artists to keep pushing. Even to this day to keep challenging, what more can we do? And, just keep passing on that torch for every generation. Here's the next artist? Here's the next group. You just kept to keep it going until there is equality, true equality
Eric:or the expectation. look at Miley Cyrus. She has the Happy Hippie Foundation, which I know we've already mentioned on here, but it deals with, Homelessness amongst the LGBTQ youth and other marginalized youth. And they have such a high incidents of homelessness that she has a foundation to bring awareness into that and to help combat that, which I highly applaud. And she used a lot of the quote, unquote, same shock tactics that people say Madonna used because she knew she had a platform. And if she got people to pay attention to her, She'd be like, okay, now that you're watching right now, let's speak on something that's really important. And I applaud that. I applaud these women who have used their voices and their platforms to really bring to the point of justice and equality for all people. women have had to fight so hard for their rights. Yeah. And so they understand what it is to be the marginalized group. in all honesty, they're still a highly marginalized group. People are trying to take women's rights away all the time. yeah. Yeah. but no, I think a lot of it, I think the fact that they were able to talk about topics that men don't really think about because men don't go through certain things just biologically. Yes. And they are able to bring awareness to that. Like Madonna's Papa Don't Preach song. A very powerful song.
Gil:One of my absolute favorites, actually,
Eric:it's an amazing song. And the subject matter of abortion is. Highly potent. Yeah. And I applaud her for tackling that issue.
Gil:It's none of our damn business. It's really
Eric:not. honestly, as a man, as a guy, as a male, CIS male, or just identifying as male, even I have no right to tell a woman what she can and can't do with her body. I, as a person have no right to tell my neighbor what they can and can't do with their body, just as a person.
Gil:Correct. And I'm in the same boat with that one. And it's just it's mind boggling because to me it's if you especially. People like to push, Oh, I don't like the big government involved. And I'm like, why do you want them on your social life? I'm just saying, people should not be regulating your personal life, let alone, they don't want them to regulate their taxes, so why? When do they like government to interfere on that? That's just me. That's the conservative irony right there.
Eric:Speak to us. Just say it. I think it's interesting too. Like we put female artists more. So I think more so than we do male artists in this like little bubble or this little box and we want to keep them there. And I'm making a little box with my hands. You guys
Gil:okay. Let me trigger you real quick, huh? A male shows his chest and nothing happens. One artist, a Superbowl shows by a male who ripped it off mind you. And she gets 20 years of backlash pretty much
Eric:so actually fighting that. We can totally talk about that now. I was going to go somewhere else, but we can totally talk about that now,
Gil:but it's the double standard.
Eric:it's the double standard. I do watch football, you guys, but. I love the fact that super bowl Sunday has now turned into Janet Jackson day. Yes, it has. And I hashtag that every super bowl. That was actually when Justin Timberlake ended up coming back to perform at the halftime show. Yes. Was when I fully embraced and digested what. White male privilege was, and I know that sounds hokey, like that was the issue that got me to fully recognize it, but I'm such a huge Janet supporter that I was like, wait, that's just not fair. That's not cool. And then you could have seen my social media then, I flew off the handle about it and yeah. And then what was it like two years ago when maroon five performed and Adam Levine was like, Oh wow. My halftime show was sucking and no, one's really enjoying it. Let me take my shirt off. So I get people screaming, correct? No one can, they're like, Oh my God, a hot guy, blah, blah, blah. I'm like. Yeah. as you said, Janet literally had her bustier ripped off buy a male we saw for not even a full second.
Gil:Correct.
Eric:And she's been blacklisted.
Gil:There was no TVs. People you couldn't have seen it. It was pixelated
Eric:but also. without that incident, you wouldn't have YouTube. True. It was that incident that formed YouTube. And then as we found out last, was it last year that Les Moonves, the former CEO of CBS had her blacklisted and blackballed because he was convinced that she purposefully tried to make him look foolish because of his male ego. Hence going back to our toxic masculine society.
Gil:It's true. For instance, Annnie Lennox got blasted in 1984 for the Grammys for cross dressing. It's okay. For a male to do it. Female does i t dressing as a male as a source, as she was saying, as a Elvis impersonator, she went out there to throw it back at the man kind of thing for the sweet dream single. And she was insulted, she went on to David Letterman right after the Grammys. They're asking her. Prove where's your birth certificate? Prove who you are. Are you really a woman? Are you a man? and shit like this was happening continuously for years afterwards. So I've followed with her, but of course Lady Gaga, years later, does for You and I
Eric:2011 where she played the piano
Gil:she would look to me, look just like Eurythmics again. And everyone was like, Oh, how breathtaking and how groundbreaking progress I would say. But it's taken almost 30 years after the singles been released for another artist to attempt anything of that nature.
Eric:And I think you did hit it on the head though. A lot of it is progress. you have, I hate to say it. You have to look at the times in which things happened. Yeah. And is that legit or excuse? it still is very much an excuse, but you have to accept whether right or wrong and we know it was wrong. Yes, it is. The sign of the times as Harry styles would say a Sign of the Times,
Gil:which is a good song by the way.
Eric:but yeah, you see that imbalance with the way we treat male artists and the way we treat female artists have to strive for that youth. Look, women in general do, but women artists have to, because they're in that spotlight. And
Gil:I think really MTV pushed it even more. Yeah, because I'm thinking about artists from the seventies, some of them were healthier. Some of the women, it wasn't so much about the figure, but it was definitely were they pretty. And that MTV 1980, push forward, I think it's really pushed. The, you have to be thin now you have, because now you had a full image I mean, really get it out there. there was a lot of divas who use their platform.
Eric:They did. using that platform, using MTV I was talking about Madonna earlier, Human Nature, that song, and that video was very much like an F U to people trying to keep. Her trapped, like trying to keep her silenced they didn't want to hear, a woman talk about her body and control of her body and her sexual experiences. And they're very much entitled to that as much as any of us are. Correct. And again, if you watch the Justify, My Love video, which I know was the first, I believe it was the first video ever banned from MTV. That music video is honestly a beautiful video, like just from an artistic standpoint, looking at the cinematography and the photography of that video, it is beautifully shot. And I think people need to give that video more of a chance. And then you came out with her coffee table book and Erotica shortly followed. And all of that still was men being uncomfortable with the strong, powerful and assertive woman. And what I love about female singers. Because they're not afraid to go there. And it helps us like in the LGBTQ community, because we see a group that was so marginalized for such a long time. Now being able to be proud and speak of, speak for themselves and to be in control of who they are and of their bodies and of their minds. And so it gives us hope as well.
Gil:Yeah, I'd be, even if it's for, let's say lesbian artist, female, a Katie Langs, the Melissa Etheridge's Tracy. Chapman's, getting out there and definitely challenging the norm of a female. What are they singing about? having a lesbian country, artists from Canada, amazing broke down. Yeah.
Eric:So look at Linda Perry, she has written some of the most iconic songs. from 4 Non Blondes to Christina Aguilera to Pink, who I adore.
Gil:I love pink.
Eric:Yes. And she's done that shit.
Gil:Yes.
Eric:It wasn't some man who came in to save the day and don't get me wrong. I like male artists too. And I like male songwriters and I'll give them props too, but that's not what we're talking
Gil:about. Enough spotlights.
Eric:Yes. she did that shit. She's the one who penned that. Yes. And put it down and you can't take that away from them. I know one thing, I love about going back to my love for Janet is when she, I remember when the Janet album came out, it was an album about love and her exploring her sexuality. And she tells this story about how a woman came up to her and she's what happened to let's wait a while. And she is I'm 27 years old. Like how long do you want me to wait?
Gil:Listeners have you really waited until 27.
Eric:Exactly. How long should she be waiting for? that album and any other albums that've followed, that have dealt with that subject matter have always been about her finding her gratification, her putting her needs before his needs. Correct. society doesn't like that. They don't like when a woman is no, This is what I want. And I want it this way. Cause this is what brings me pleasure. Or this is what brings me satisfaction or this is what makes me happy men get Scared that they're like, Oh my gosh, we can't like that. That's terrible. Like we got to ban her from this and ban her from that. Like I recently saw an interview and they were talking about WAP Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion and a male celebrity was going off about how gross and vulgar it was. And my response was, you're just mad because these women are in control of their bodies. They are fine talking about wet ass pussy. Good for them.
Gil:to be fair, how many songs of men talking about what they're going to do to those wet ass pussies? How many unholy amount, but if a female talks about her own, body like that, it is suddenly a no-no.
Eric:Yeah, it's considered,
Gil:but the guy could talk about that. He could talk about his 15 inch penis. Like what the hell?
Eric:I want to want meet a guy with the 15 inch penis,
Gil:Oh my God, but there's no one will bat an eye because boys are being boys.
Eric:Yeah. And fuck that the whole locker room speak.
Gil:We ain't doing that. no.
Eric:It's called about being respectful and honoring the fact that people should be in control of their bodies and have every right to talk about their bodies and the way they want to. And to be proud, I remember TLC who I also really love.
Gil:Oh,
Eric:Ain't Too Proud To Beg came out. Yeah. That was such a controversial song because, Oh my gosh, these women are speaking about wanting sex and not being afraid to demand sex when they want it, and? Yeah, who cares? Good for them? Yes.
Gil:We're
Eric:all humans. We all have our needs and wants. It's not dictated by when the man wants it. And let's be honest, like
Gil:Eric two males together. It's good to decide.
Eric:Exactly. And let's be honest. Most men can't hang anyways. So let those women have their yes. Their prowess and their strength? no, but I just find that interesting that society wants to keep these women boxed up and doesn't want them to grow. Doesn't want them to explore. Doesn't want them to mature and there's all this talk. you can still be a lady and dress like a lady and blah, blah, blah. what if I want to, go against the status quo?
Gil:Remember women couldn't wear jeans for a long time. That was scarey.
Eric:I remember the, I've only seen movies. Cause I, as old as I am, I wasn't born in this time period, but like the ankle length, bathing suits.
Gil:Scandalous.
Eric:yeah.
Gil:Eric, what is your five favorite Janet songs of all time.
Eric:Oh God.
Gil:Oh yeah. We went there.
Eric:You went five.
Gil:Okay. Five. Do your best.
Eric:I'm going to do my best. This is a hard one though. Okay.
Gil:You could break it up in eras if you feel, because I got to do an era thing. I might solo it together.
Eric:Okay. I was like, I might have to do an air thing for every album. I actually no on one of the Janet groups I belong to on Facebook, someone had honestly just said, what do you think is like the most timeless or iconic Janet song? or something to that degree or like your top three or something like that. And, my response was, it depends on the situation though, because if I want to talk about my favorite Janet songs that speak on social injustice and racism, then we have New Agenda, Can't Be Stopped and, The Knowledge and Living in a World, they didn't make Rhythm Nation in itself. State of the World. I can name all those songs. If I'm talking about songs that I just find super sexy and everything else. And I know what you're saying, these are just five across all boards, so I will try it and we'll try to narrow it down because. They all mean different things to me, but, okay. So my favorite Janet song is What About off The Velvet Rope?
Gil:I knew you could go that way.
Eric:The Velvet Rope to me, in my opinion, is the greatest album ever released. And that album was very poignant for me because it came out during the height of my depression and that album also spoke about her depression. So it gave me something to relate to. And so that album is just a really personal and powerful album for me in general. Oddly, I listened to that album, probably the least of most of her albums, because I trigger back into where I was at that time or. I guess I'm just too nervous that I'll get triggered. Cause it's happened before and it's happened many times. but let me say, What About is my favorite Janet song Throb. I love that song. That song is a dance classic. Like you not hear that song and have to throw it down to that song. Nasty. Classic is classic.
Gil:You're one of the originals. Yes.
Eric:And That's The Way Love Goes. If I Get Lonely, all amazing songs. And I also need to make a couple of honorable mentions because I think I've already named more than five, Together Again, which was a song that she wrote about her friends that she had lost to AIDS and proceeds to that single sale were given to AMFAR. So props to that Together Again, is an amazing song. And Son of a Gun. Cause I love me some Carly Simon, and I love me. Some of you are So Vain. So the fact that she sampled Carly Simon and that song in itself, Son of a Gun is pure magic. I'm going to just let it go with those, but just keep in mind. I love all Janet songs and I'm super bias and Janet can do no wrong in my eyes. So I'm sorry that I had to narrow it down to five, but he made me okay. Now you go.
Gil:Okay, so let's narrow it. Oh, Jesus Christ. Let me break this down. Okay. Oh, God,
Eric:break it down. And I can totally see the Janet breakdown with that. Let me do solo
Gil:my favorites. Oh Lord. Favorite. Annie Lennox
Eric:talk louder into the mic.
Gil:Sorry. My favorite Annie song top five. Say number one. It's actually it's off of the album Bare and the same thing for you for. Velvet rope. And it's one of my least listen to albums, but it's my absolute favorite album because of how exposed, it came out in '03, I was, young happy, blah, blah, blah. But when I really listened to it in, I really fell in love with the album, during a breakup. And I was really listening to the lyrics and it was just, it hit me like a ton of bricks and I'm like, Oh my God, I cried with every song. Wonderful. The wonderful song. That is my absolute favorite song of hers. It's off of the album Bare. it was pretty much the, when you've given everything you possibly can and the ship is sunk, and it's just that exposure and the irony with the whole title of Wonderful. Yeah. that's my favorite song. Second favorite. Let's see, let's go with Why off of the Diva album. Excellent album. Excellent song. I love my Walking on Broken Glass. I love her remake of I Put A Spell On You. She sang it at the Grammy's Oh my God. I was like, Oh, she back. Yeah. And then obviously her other remake, No More. I Love Yous from Medusa.
Eric:That's a good song.
Gil:That's those to me, this radio hits, everyone knows that, but my favorite album is Bare. That's my absolute favorite album of hers Eurythmics. My favorite song is actually. Don't Ask Me Why off of their last album. We Too Are One in 89. let's see. Second favorite is Here. Comes the Rain Again.
Eric:Great song.
Gil:Absolutely adored a song off the Touch album, 83. I see my third favorite who? Jesus, obviously Sweet Dreams. It technically would be number one, but as I listen to other stuff on her, on their music, I'm like Sweet Dreams is right in that middle, but I do listen and watch that the most.
Eric:Just really quickly. I love Avicii's, cover of Sweet Dreams.
Gil:I haven't listened to it. It's like remakes this hoot.
Eric:It's pretty amazing.
Gil:Okay. let's see
Eric:Rest in peace Avicii.
Gil:Yeah. I know. Died young. Would I Lie To You? Off of their Be Yourself Tonight album. And now it's when they really shifted from that rock synthesizer to an RnB. They had a collaboration with Aretha Franklin? They had Elvis Costello. They, Stevie Wonder was on the album. That was, one of those great albums from the Eurythmics, definitely understated album. and the last one is Thorn In My Side on the Revenge album, which is actually my favorite album from Eurythmics. And that's the rock album.
Eric:Revenge
Gil:is
Eric:always a good topic.
Gil:Yeah. And that album was just fiery, pissed off angry. I loved it. She was going for blood, I
Eric:love, angry woman music like angry, bitter women music. It is probably my favorite subgenre of music. So I think that's part of why, What About it was probably my favorite Janet song, but Alanis Morrissette, You Oughta Know. Yes. And, Carrie Underwood's Before He Cheats.
Gil:Oh my God.
Eric:Yes. even today's Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth. I Hope. That song is amazing in the chorus when she's talking about, I hope all these wonderful things happen. I hope all this great stuff happens. And then I hope she cheats on you. Like you did on me. It makes you feel as shitty as you've made me feel. I'm like, Oh my God. Yes. Like you tell that motherfucker to kiss your ass and you step on him with your 20 inch stiletto, Christian Louboutins, and let him see what those red bottoms are all about. Like you step on that man for what he did to you. I
Gil:Rollin in The Deep for me.
Eric:That's a great, that's a good
Gil:Adele. Oh yes. That the way to go,
Eric:I think Rolling in the Deep is, probably my favorite Adele song.
Gil:That's mine.
Eric:Either that or Fire to the Rain.
Gil:Oh, Set Fire to the Rain, that's a good one.
Eric:Yeah. Love in the dark, just her vocal ability is crazy to me. but yeah, the way she sings those songs and you know what I do love her cover of The Cure's Love Song. I like
Gil:it too.
Eric:I think that's really good,
Gil:which I know The Cure fans probably over what the hell, but,
Eric:some covers are really good. There are, I really like Kelly Clarkson. She does an amazing cover and she did an amazing cover of Janet's If. Who
Gil:did
Eric:Kelly Clarkson?
Gil:I didn't know. She did a remit or a cover.
Eric:Oh, it's fucking amazing. You could look it up on YouTube. You should look it up on YouTube. Everybody. Kelly Clarkson, Janet Jackson, if it's fucking amazing. Oh, okay. And coming from a Janet fan. Yeah, as a hardcore Janet fan. Yeah, it was fucking amazing. Like I was like, Whoa. And I love Kelly Clarkson and her song Sober and Her song. Addicted was super powerful for me. That was actually, my first public performance of a lyrical piece in the world of belly dance was to that song. And probably one of my most highly regarded performances. It was a pretty great, you can also see that on YouTube, right? Addicted elevations. Not that I'm all about the shameless plug over here. yeah. Kelly Clarkson, she does amazing covers. I think Kelly Clarkson she does is I don't want I say underrated artist, but I don't think she gets the props that she deserves. I totally think that's true of Janet too, but. Pink is amazing now with Pink. I think she's finally. Got her accolades,
Gil:19 albums, 80 million albums later. It's finally, she's on the board,
Eric:but Pink has been amazing since Can't Take Me Home.
Gil:Yes. We're talking about 1997 when she came out.
Eric:Yeah. There You Go.
Gil:Yeah.
Eric:And You Make Me Sick and Most Girls, no, Pink is amazing. Now my favorite Pink album is Misunderstood and I love Just Like a Pill.
Gil:I'm Not Dead. It's my favorite album.
Eric:That's a good one too.
Gil:Yeah. you know why
Eric:Who Knew?
Gil:Who Knew?
Eric:Yeah, that actually reminds me every time I hear that song. I think of you and I actually cry every time I hear that song because of the memory associated with you.
Gil:13 years.
Eric:He was in a painful breakup at that point. So I'm just letting people know. yeah, Pink's finally getting her accolades. Yeah.
Gil:so what are some new artists for you that you're like? This is the, this is your music right now,
Eric:new artists for me.
Gil:or it could be reliving old memories or old artists from before.
Eric:No, I'm totally, like I said earlier, I'm totally digging, Ariana Grande right now. Like I'm really loving me some Ariana Grande, I have a secret Stan standom, would be the right word for Zendaya
Gil:And she represents that beautiful Lancome.
Eric:She represents
Gil:she represents Lancome, but that fragrance that she has does smell Good eat all of it.
Eric:Yes. but she's also in Euphoria, which I'm absolutely obsessed with that show and her song, Replay. Which is a great song, but her song All For Us, which is on Euphoria is amazing. I'm also really liking, Kelsey Lu. Who's also on the Euphoria soundtrack. Her cover of. I'm Not In Love is. Hauntingly. Beautiful. of course Janet's always in the mix. I, also really digging Selena Gomez at the moment, but I always root for Selena Gomez. I like Selena Gomez. and I'm listening to BoA a lot more. K-pop. I used to listen to her a lot, who also, I think doesn't get the recognition they deserve is, Kylie Minogue. Like I know she's really big in the gay circle and she's big in Australia, but she deserves.
Gil:She has a new album coming out November.
Eric:I know. I'm super excited about it. Yeah. I already pre ordered it on my iTunes. that woman is amazing. She has some great music and she is a huge advocate and ally and. Yeah, her music's fun.
Gil:No, it is. It is. She keeps going and going in
Eric:Red blooded Woman, Slow, like all those things. I love those songs. and then I'm always rooting for Britney. It's
Gil:Britney Bitch.
Eric:Gimme More, Britney I love Britney and I do want to talk about Britney A. Little bit more, but I want you to answer this question for yourself. Like which, what are you really digging? Oh, and Miley Cyrus. I'm always rooting for Miley Cyrus too. I love me. Some Miley Cyrus.
Gil:She's just being Miley.
Eric:She's just being Miley. I
Gil:wish I could not believe when that song came out. Just technically Hannah Montana, the See You Again. Oh my God.
Eric:You again, it's a great song. That was my first Miley song. odd fact about me. I, for the longest time had a Miley on her wrecking ball, hanging from my rear view mirror. In my car. Yeah. A friend gave me a Miley Cyrus cut out and put it on a Christmas bulb. That's what she was hanging from her wrecking ball. And I had it hanging from my, or sitting on her wrecking ball and I had it on my rear view mirror for years until I think she finally fell off and I was super sad, but yeah,
Gil:that is wonderful.
Eric:I do love me some Miley and I always root for Miley.
Gil:Yes,
Eric:and Oh, really quickly. her cover of Summertime Sadness is amazing. Oh, of Lana. Oh good. And her duet cover with Ariana Grande's of Don't Dream it's Over. Is better than the original. I didn't say that, but I did say that
Gil:I love The Crowded House. Yes,
Eric:no. Her there covers amazing.
Gil:Okay. Okay. I'll take you take a listen. Cause I like original,
Eric:no, the original is great. I'm not taking the originals. Amazing, but their cover. It's
Gil:worth it.
Eric:It's totally worth it. But, listened to the one from the happy hippie foundation or in the backyard sessions, not the one from the Manchester. Both are really good, but you'll get what I'm talking about with that backyard sessions version. Where Miley's dressed as, I don't remember what they're dressing costumes, and I think Ariana, Grande's like a mouse or something and the other one's a bear or something like that. I don't remember what the costumes are, but it's amazing. I just put that out there.
Gil:Amazing.
Eric:Yes. What are your, what are you listening to?
Gil:Oh gosh. let's see. Obviously, I enjoy my Carly Rae Jepsen right now. This has been my thing. maybe. Yeah, cause he got flight more during the love. Victor, if you have not seen that series, watch it. I don't know what you're doing with your life. It's on Hulu. Yeah.
Eric:I
Gil:always borrow someone's account information.
Eric:I've always liked that song. Like when it was like the song of the summer. Oh, we loved that. I loved that song. But love Victor made me really love that they fall in love with it. Go, sorry. I didn't mean to tell you off.
Gil:no, you're fine. You're fine. Yeah. Carly Rae Jepsen. And then, started listening again, back to Gaga because album came back out fabulous album. I was like, finally, cause I am going to, I'm going to go on record. I do not like the Joann album. I just not my cup T
Eric:A Million Reasons. It's a great song though. It
Gil:was
Eric:a good song. That song's really emotional to me.
Gil:Mostly the album could have been just, could have been just released at a single and call it a day. But that was just me. I wasn't digging it. I know for me, I've been digging, running in the night by Ali, A British artist. love. That's like my summer song right now. Absolutely in love with that one right now. I've been listening to a lot of all over the place. Like Willow, wait a minute. been listening to substance Stephens, Dua Lipa.
Eric:I love me some Dua Lipa. Oh you do? I do love some Dua Lipa. New rules.
Gil:Yeah.
Eric:I was first introduced to Dua Lipa watching choreography videos. Was it? Oh,
Gil:I was in London. Okay. Yeah. Chris and I were in London. We're like in this, she kept that New Rules song kept popping up every freaking place we were. And I was like, okay. Oh, thank you. Shazam
Eric:she's great. And she's on the love Victor soundtrack or inspired music for love Victor. I think I know at least two times, I want to say probably three or four times, but at least two times
Gil:Physical is this current song that I'm addicted to from Dua Lipa, it was inspired by Eurythmics. And I'm like, of course I love it. This is why I love it. So yeah, that's where I've been a little bit of some alternative bands here and there. some artists that I used to live listen to it during the college years are coming back like Bright Eyes. The Killers have a new album. So I'm always like, yay. Love me. Some killers been one 16, 17 years now. Yeah. So that's kinda been my summer theme, been a mix of new artist, new songs, flashbacks, rediscovering stuff on my old playlist and just, I don't know. It's been, I've been all over, especially since COVID all over the place emotionally.
Eric:that's honest,
Gil:more than normal.
Eric:I've been listening to a lot of, and this is not a female artist, but I've been listening to a lot of 'em Lincoln Park. wait. Really? Yeah. And Oh, I love Lincoln Park. I was super sad. When Chester passed away. I actually, I think it took me like a week to recover just from the news, just for the day, of it. yeah, I've been listening to a lot of Lincoln Park lately and speaking of tragic and untimely deaths, Aaliyah, I've been listening to Alaiyah. I think of Aaliyah. Was still around. I think she would be where Beyonce is now.
Gil:Yeah.
Eric:And,
Gil:Oh, let's not open that Beyonce,
Eric:we can open it a little bit. Like I fully admit I'm not a huge Beyonce fan. I never really have been other
Gil:than beehive
Eric:and I'm already getting stung. they burned me in effigy. But I do Like some of her earlier solo work. And I do Like her stuff with Destiny's child and I'll admit the visuals for, Black Is King are amazing. her project that she just did with Disney plus. Yes, it's totally worth the watch. Okay. But I actually have a lot of new found respect for Beyonce because the more research I did on her, the more that I've come to realize that she's a huge ally and she does use her platform to fight for social justice and to fight against inequality. So I have to give her some props.
Gil:Yeah, I do.
Eric:Yeah. And she did it. She did an awesome song with Gaga. The telephone song. It's really entertaining.
Gil:It's probably like one of my least favorites from
Eric:Gaga. I think it's fun. I think it's a fun song and let's speak on Gaga. Is a huge advocate.
Gil:Yes. If you guys didn't know that
Eric:Gaga, I'll admit when she first came out, I thought I wasn't. Speaking of what to think of her
Gil:is what I was thinking about gimmicky.
Eric:Gimmicky. Yeah, that's fair. But again, she used her gimmicks to get people to pay attention. Absolutely. And then she's now listen to what I have to say. And the woman has a lot to say and I fully support and applaud her for everything she has said.
Gil:Yes.
Eric:So she is just,
Gil:yeah, it's gone. And I've seen her live in, Oh my Lord.
Eric:I have not seen her live,
Gil:Amazing, I saw her with Tony Bennett.
Eric:Oh, I'm sure that was really amazing.
Gil:I was floored
Eric:the woman can sing. Like she doesn't get to sing. She can SANG
Gil:I was shook. I was shoock.
Eric:I wish I would. That would be an amazing show.
Gil:Oh, it was amazing. It was worth every penny. with my mother, shocker gay male going with this mother.
Eric:Yes. You're not a stereotype at all. Or, you're not cliched in the least.
Gil:I know, and my first concert was with my mother.
Eric:You know what so was mine though. Mine was, Gloria, Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine.
Gil:Oh my God. Where was it at The Pit or Tingley?
Eric:No, it was that the. Kiva auditorium.
Gil:Oh Lord.
Eric:Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And that was, one, two, three, four. Come on baby. Say you love me that whole era. five, six, seven times eight, nine, 10, 11. I'm just going to keep on counting until you are mine.
Gil:Oh, that is. Awesome.
Eric:yeah, but
Gil:I got to see her who was when she went on tour with Tony Bennett. And that was amazing. Cause I really loved, meet some Tony Bennett, let alone you have Gaga and like Jesus worth it.
Eric:That would have been amazing. I think the closest I've seen her in concert is I got to go to her store in Vegas. I know that she was performing when I was out there, but I've heard she puts on an amazing show.
Gil:I may just watch your YouTube and I'm like, wow, it's all. It's good. Yeah.
Eric:She's a visually stunning artist and performer. I have to admit that
Gil:everyone can say it like, Oh, she's ripping off Madonna. I'm like, no difference. She could sing.
Eric:Yeah,
Gil:it's not saying it's her voice is a little louder, but like I said, thank you, Madonna for paving the pathway for
Eric:Madonna paved the pathway. And yes, let's just be fair. Not every singer has to be a vocalist. Oh no. So like you can't have Mariah Carey all the time.
Gil:She can't dance.
Eric:She can't dance.
Gil:It's like having Whitney dance.
Eric:You were all about the shade. Aren't you?
Gil:I'm sorry. The Tisa light came on. I apologize everyone. My artist, my Diva cannot dance and it's okay.
Eric:My diva was not known for being the strongest vocalist. And I will admit that, and I had to defend people, mocking her for whispering a lot, but janet can dance,
Gil:but we'll make her whisper. We'll have kids.
Eric:Well see she's, she's in the Guinness book of records for, most babies being conceived to her music.
Gil:That's
Eric:awesome. Janet has some damn sexy music. Her baby making music is on another level.
Gil:Yes, it is. Let the
Eric:Would You Mind? Yes. The Body That Loves You. Discipline her reading the meaning of the word, discipline, the definition of the word discipline. is like better than watching any porn just saying, coming from a gay man, listening to a woman speak, just saying it's good. It's Nine Inch Nails Closer. And yeah, her reading that definition is pretty amazing. but she actually, if you listened to The Velvet Rope album, she did a lot of vocal experimentation. And people don't give her enough credit for her vocal abilities. But I also know that she's not a power vocalist, right? She's not Whitney. she's not Mariah Carey,
Gil:Celine Dion, not as a
Eric:Celine DIon, Aretha yeah.
Gil:For your power, like GE and to the heavens they go.
Eric:Yeah. Who else? We have neglected to speak on his Cher.
Gil:The queen mother herself.
Eric:Yeah. you can't speak on divas and not speak on Cher, Cher's, amazing in concert. I got
Gil:to love to see what of her farewell tours
Eric:I saw. I think her first or second farewell tour and.
Gil:Sorry. I apologize. I need to be this much shade. I had to apologize because I adore all of them.
Eric:He's like an, I'm like standing underneath an umbrella tree right now and he's in another city. So you can tell the shade that is being passed right now.
Gil:Smoggy out here. I pissed off with us what the wildfires
Eric:and his favorite person was in town. or in state
Gil:number 45. Bless his heart.
Eric:No, don't bless him in any way. yeah, let's talk about Cher her concert was amazing. She puts on an amazing show. All her costume changes well worth it.
Gil:It's it. Cher
Eric:it. Cher. You can turn back all the time you want for Cher.
Gil:it could be, I believe.
Eric:Yeah. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves. I believe in Cher. Yes. There's I don't know if that there's life after Cher though.
Gil:No. The day that woman dies apocalypse will happen.
Eric:Yeah. Don't even, yeah. Don't even put that out there.
Gil:No, but Cher is, yeah, you can not talk about divas without talking about the,
Eric:and who, who doesn't get a lot. Of talk is Tina Turner.
Gil:Wonder why she has
Eric:legs for days. She has nobody.
Gil:I have friends all over the range, age range and stuff like that. Tina never comes up.
Eric:I only heard her come up like once or twice.
Gil:Really? I bet I'm zero on my end. And I adore her.
Eric:Yeah. I'm like, how can people not talk about Tina Turner more? And her voice is so unique and undeniably Tina Turner.
Gil:Correct.
Eric:And I love me some Tina Turner actually one of my favorite movies as the What's Love Got To Do With It, with Angela Bassett, who is amazing and a highly underrated actress and people need to pay more attention to her and she should have won that Oscar. That's an amazing movie and yeah, Tina Turner, I think she needs more props. Yeah, absolutely. She's taught us all to be private dancers. Yes. Or encouraged them. My favorite
Gil:song
Eric:from that's a great song. It's a great song.
Gil:And then if you have seen Schitt's Creek, she it's reference with the best. You must watch it.
Eric:I have not seen that show. I keep trying to get into it and I'm still on the second episode.
Gil:Our viewers or sorry. If viewers, as the people are watching listeners, I'm sure. Watch Schitt's Creek. If you have not, it's on Netflix. Now, season six comes out. I believe soon in the
Eric:upcoming seasons.
Gil:Does what? No. Final season coming up. This is all I got. That's done.
Eric:No, I knew the show was done, but I thought yeah. The last season was already on. Oh, no,
Gil:I waiting. Yeah.
Eric:Okay. So let's see how much I know and how much I follow that show.
Gil:Great show. It's a great show. Once you get into it,
Eric:I hear that it's an amazing show and I've had many people tell me that I need to watch the show. And everyone tells me once you get past the second episode, it's takes off from there. And I'm still in the second episode. Cause I just can't get past this, but I feel like I need to see those first two episodes too. Understand the rest of it.
Gil:You'll get it. Yeah. Okay. Definitely anyways, Tina Turner referenced again.
Eric:She's great. She's great.
Gil:Absolutely.
Eric:You don't get a lot about Christina either. I think Christina is another one of those power vocalists. Yeah. I love me. Some Christina Aguilera music. Beautiful is probably one of my favorite songs and that video. It's so powerful.
Gil:It is. It's
Eric:a good one. I think there was too much controversy over it again, probably because a woman was speaking on issues that male society didn't want to look at. but now it's also written by Linda Perry. Yeah, that's a great song. I think Christina Aguilera is definitely one of those power vocalists and I think she actually has a huge gay following too.
Gil:Yeah. But she's also not the one where I don't hear, at least on my end. A lot of people are like, Oh, Christina, Everyone obviously gravitates to Britney.
Eric:I hear a lot more Britney than I do
Gil:Christina. It's like once in, while here, somebody might throw as the diva for them, but she's not like I know for me. how many Annie Lennox no, I have to talk to somebody who's probably in their sixties. Who might be a fan. There's not a lot of me out there. I know that or small but strong crew,
Eric:but you have to think Britney really laid down the foundation and I'm not, I'm honestly not going to compare Britney and Christina. Cause I think they're two very individual artists and I know Britney came out before Christina did, but they were both coming out at the same time. But Britney really laid the foundation for that era of pop princess of the late nineties, early two thousands, I think very late nineties, early two thousands. It was Brittany image. Like everyone was catching up to Brittany, pretty much catapulted herself out with Baby One More Time. And then everyone was catching up to her. Now what Christina had is Christina has that voice, yes. And you have Mandy Moore and Jessica Simpson also and Pink, also coming out at the same time. Pink also has a voice, but Pink also went her own route and Willa Ford were all in that era. And they were all like the blonde pop princess and they were all unfairly having to play catch up. To probably Britney when they were all their own artists, but because everything is this male society is all about image and making these women, their little play things. they were all caught playing catch up. And and look at what's happened to Britney Spears now. I love Britney Spears. I'm always rooting for Britney Spears. I don't necessarily think she's the strongest singer. And I do think that she's very well produced in her music, but I love me some Brittany Spears music,
Gil:she plays to her strength.
Eric:She does play to her strength, she is an amazing entertainer wonderful person just from interviews I've read and seen, she seems to be a sweetheart of a woman. She's a huge advocate. The last season was on WIll and Grace. And that's where I learned about poodle balling and. And I think Britney, more so than anyone, because she was that face of that pop princess era was more highly scrutinized and put under the microscope than any of those other artists were. Yeah. And then it's just evident with the way she's treated now, especially with the conservatorship that she has now due to her moment of breakdown I don't understand it. Like I understand what the conservatorship is, but I don't understand why she still has it. And I know I'm definitely part of their free Britney hashtag Leave
Gil:Britney alone
Eric:Lee. Yeah. Chris Crocker was right. It was right. And he now has a porn career. he was right. Yeah. It's not too bad either. yeah, he was right. Yes. He was leave Britney alone and now it's free Brittany. and the sad thing is it's family trying to completely live off of her name, her image, her money. Yeah. And they're controlling all these aspects of her life. And I find it very unfortunate. She actually did a thing just recently where she, I don't know if she was wearing no makeup or she was wearing very little makeup and she was talking about how she always had to have all this makeup on because of who she was and being a performer. And now she's stripped down and it was. hard for her and made her very vulnerable. Cause you could see her freckles and her little imperfections. And I thought it was, it's really sad that we put that much stress on female artists. Yeah. But at the same time, like I thought it was really beautiful and the fact that she was taking back her strength and I don't know if that makes any sense, but I feel the fact that she was able to strip down and be like, this is me. Was her being vulnerable, but her being strong in her vulnerability, and I thought that was a really beautiful thing to witness
Gil:because we have to remember that when she came out, she was a teenage, she was a kid. Yeah. I think people forget that. like us as listeners, as just consumers of music in part of the industry, which we're all guilty of these, these kids, we're demanding adult, the perfection out of our. Heroes in quotation. Yeah. and then we're shocked. Oh my God, you have a meltdown. And just like what you were talking about earlier, could you imagine someone recording your life at 22, 22 year old? Eric, give it to me, had a meltdown. Everything's on the paparazzi. Everyone's on you. Oh my God.
Eric:And the thing is this, that the sad thing is like for me and I'm probably different in this way. I find it when they actually have. a breakdown or when they've had a bad day, it makes them almost more relatable.
Gil:Yes.
Eric:So like when Britney Spears went through her period where people want to call her breakdown or whatever, it brought me into her more and I was like, I'm really rooting for this girl.
Gil:Yeah.
Eric:And, but
Gil:there was a lot of people who were mad. Remember they were mad. Yeah. When she was having her breakdown in 2007,
Eric:it was, Oh yeah. Th there were people that were mad. There were people that were clowning her when she did, the Blackout album. I thought that was an amazing album. It's a highly underrated album.
Gil:It's one of our favorites.
Eric:Yeah. Gimme More is probably it's in my top three favorite Britney songs. Are
Gil:clubbing days,
Eric:Breathe On Me is my favorite Britney song. And then
Gil:remember the remix with Madonna.
Eric:I was just gonna bring it up the erotic breath. I listened to that all the time still. it's on my stripper playlist and it's actually just on my regular playlist too. no, Gimme More. It takes me back to clubbing days for sure. I used to toss my imaginary hair around and crawl on the floor.
Gil:Yes.
Eric:And hit the splits.
Gil:I was in school at all time studying 100% of the time.
Eric:Yes. With your rosary and in your habit. I think we unfairly. Put a lot of pressure on women and women entertainers. And when I say we, I just mean society in general and Britney Spears, I think is an excellent illustration of that and what the consequences can be. Yeah. And it's not fair for her by any means. And like you said, can you imagine 22 year old Eric being photographed at every second of his life? No. And I know I love my artists and I like to read up on their gossip, but they still are very much entitled to their private life. Absolutely. And they don't owe us anything. Nope. They're giving us a lot with sharing. Their art, especially if they're singer songwriters, then they're really ripping off those bandaids for us and exposing wounds to us. And we are not entitled to anymore. I recently saw a quote, a friend of mine posted, and I'm going to have to paraphrase cause I'm not going to remember it completely that's artists are not role models and it is unfair for us to put them in their role. And in that role, They are artists first and foremost, and artists are sensitive about their shit,
Gil:but
Eric:As Eryka Badu would
Gil:say
Eric:anybody.
Gil:I don't know why we do it. If I ever would automatically, I think it, I think a part of it has to do with, we look at ourselves, I'm assuming we look at ourselves as we're good people. Therefore the person that I'm rooting for has to be good or, I think that's what a lot of it stems out of. That's where we put them at that high level, especially. As a gay person, especially if you're the first one out in your family, you're the first one running for office and winning or anything of that nature. You're always going to be looking at that extra pedestal and as soon as you fuck up, which you will. It's a matter of when. All hell breaks out. You're the worst person, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. How did I believe in that person? And I think that's also an unfortunate thing because I know I do. I assumed that me picking this, my diva, that she has to be a good person. Cause I like her music and what she's writing about, I could relate to, or I understand the pain. I just, I'm so far in life thankful that, you know, yes, it's all been. True. And I've been enjoying her Instagram live stories and watching her fumble with technology and I'm cracking up because I do I'm terrible. But I enjoy it and I think thank her for it.
Eric:Yeah. I honestly think stuff like that makes them more relatable. Yes. And it makes me like them more. I like to see, I don't want to say I don't want to say that I enjoy people fucking up and messing up and failing. I don't, I want everyone to succeed, but it makes people more relatable when we see that. They're not perfect because no one is perfect. And we demand that certain people meet a perfection stereotype or level, and it's not fair to them. And it's not fair to us because then we're always like, they're there. Why can't we be there? And so when they do have a slip up, I'm like, Oh wow, they're a regular person. And it actually just makes me fall in love with the more, because they're more relatable to me. It used to happen to me when I was a dancer too, people that I idolized in dance like that you would see them mess up or something happened that was against what people wanted. And I would just be like, Oh my gosh, that makes me love them more. And I would gush over it and totally fan girl for whatever moment. I totally fan girl over, like all these artists too.
Gil:Yeah.
Eric:So
Gil:These are our divas in the comments below. Let us know what are you into right now? Who's your favorite diva?
Eric:That's a good one.
Gil:Yeah, I'm curious what people who were do people listen to you just say things like when you're working, when I see people walking around with their headphones and stuff like that, I'm always curious what is on their playlist? What are they jamming out to? Or maybe nothing.
Eric:I have a lot of Charlie Puth on my playlist too. I know we're not talking about male singers right now, but I think Charlie Puth is a highly underrated singer of modern day.
Gil:Charlie, Puth.
Eric:I really liked Charlie Puth.
Gil:I have all my alternative bands like Arcade Fire, as I love me.
Eric:That was the first Ariana Grande's song I ever heard was her duet with Mika.
Gil:Yeah, that was me too.
Eric:Yup. And I was like, Oh, Mika, that was the first thing I thought of when I was like, when I heard that song, I was like, Oh, Gil loves Mika.
Gil:You would heal. I brushed up against him at the concert. I had a fricking heart attack.
Eric:No, I did not know that. Let
Gil:me tell ya. Mika came to the city. And I, of course bought that ticket months in advance, ready to go. We are watching him and I was probably within 15 feet of the stage. We got there early enough and I ran to the front. This is like an open seating wide. This is of course pre COVID. I'm standing up in the front that he jumps into this crowd walks straight to me and I'm sitting in here fan girling. I'm like, Oh my God, this has happened in my dreams. I wake up bye Chris. wedding ring shuts off. yes. And he started just singing his song. Big girls are beautiful It's off of his first album and dancing and jumping in the crowd with us. And I was just completely fan girling near him. I recorded it. He brushed, it gets about Oh God,
Eric:No, I get it. I've never had that per se. Yeah. But I know like recently I saw, Gwen Stefani back in October, I guess it was almost a year ago now. for, I think it was the night before Halloween. Cause I went to Vegas for Halloween last year, which was always on my bucket list to do Halloween in Vegas. And it did not disappoint. Let me tell you that it was everything I wanted it to be and more. But we got pulled up to the pit. We were like actually sitting in the back, but then we got pulled up. Some of the friend I was with, we got pulled up to the pit and I did the whole little heart thing that Janet does with her fans. And she did it. Gwen did it back. And I don't necessarily know that it was towards me, but I know she was looking at my direction and I did that and then she did it back. So I just say it was towards me and I totally had a fan girl moment. And I was like, Oh my God,
Gil:you got to catch my breath, got catch my breath.as
Eric:I'm like fanning myself off with my hands because Oh my God Gwen Stefani acknowledged me. And yeah, I totally just like fan girl out, by the way. Let me say she did a cover of Rihanna Umbrella. And I need that cover to be released as a single, because it was amazing and Rihanna as an artist, we didn't actually talk too much about. And I think Rihanna should get some,
Gil:Oh,
Eric:that's talk a little because Rihanna. A has many number ones I want to say she has like the record for number ones now I believe so. I think she has like the highest level of the highest number of number ones. I could be wrong on that though. I would have to look at statistics. but this is one thing I will say about Rihanna. I guess it's two things I will say about Rihanna. She is a highly versatile singer. She can sing in pretty much any genre of music and the second thing is she does probably more crossovers than any other artists and she does it well.
Gil:Yeah.
Eric:Cause she can do EDM. She can do hip hop. She can do pop, she can do reggae. She can do, Contemporary. she can do like big band. Like I've heard her do a lot of different things with her vocals and Rihanna is pretty awesome. And she's also a huge advocate and she also fights really hard against social injustice and racism. Props to Rihanna. We didn't give her enough credit.
Gil:L L A A
Eric:I
Gil:have no memory of mine. Yeah. We sold like Eric, every time I was like Umbrella
Eric:and Mandy Moore did an amazing
Gil:cover would say yes.
Eric:So I did get that single. I will. I do have it. I still see too. Yeah. That's an amazing, but yeah, Gwen's cover of umbrella was amazing and she actually messed up on the lyrics in that song when she performed for us and she's Oh my God, I never mess up. Then please Rihanna. Forgive me. And I was like, Oh wow. And, But it was still good. I think I might have it on video, like a brief little, like half second on my phone. Oh my gosh. Gwen is singing umbrella and I never record anything at concerts because I'm like, just want to experience it
Gil:the moment.
Eric:Yeah. They want to be in the moment, but I had to whip out my phone a few times for ms. Stefani.
Gil:once this is all done, the COVID and pandemic and whatnot. We'll be able to go back to concerts and maybe a couple of years from now.
Eric:Yeah, I would say from what I hear, it's probably not going to be the soonest will be late 2021
Gil:to do it correctly.
Eric:Do it correctly.
Gil:You're correct. Cause you have a number 45 preaching. It will be done before the election.
Eric:He thinks it's done now. And then you have his little. Asshat Q followers that are like, Oh my God, I don't know. We're not going to get into that tonight
Gil:We know that's it's own podcast.
Eric:Yes, but we want to thank you so much for joining us this podcast. And we hope that you will hear us in the future.
Gil:Let us know who are your current divas, who was possibly a past diva,
Eric:And don't forget to subscribe, listen to wherever you get your podcasts, and don't be afraid to hit that donation button until next time live in your authenticity.
Gil:Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed your time in the Q lounge. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions on topics, or you would like to be a guest or contributor, please email us at info.TheQlounge@gmail.Com or through our contact page at theqloungepodcast.com while you're there hit that subscribe button or listen wherever you get your podcast. If you would like to further support us, hit that donation button
Eric:until next time live in your authenticity.
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