spotlight
On February17, The Annie Lennox Collection arrives. This is a pivotal moment in Annie
Lennox’s career as with this release, she is free to become an even more independent
musical artist with the lapse of her time under Arista Records. To think back on how
many of her songs have become standards of a generation is difficult… there are so
many extraordinary moments. She has chosen 12 songs and created two new ones for
this. She has described the process in doing so as akin to creating the perfect menu,
“You take selected cuts and there’s this new menu. It’s like delivering a meal. It’s for
people who love my music and want the choice cuts.” It is obvious though that the
craftsmanship that Lennox utilizes for such a distinction also includes the joy, sorrow
and personal reflection that creates musical perfection. Lennox took a few minutes
with The Rage Monthly to piece together a few points on the songs selected, her formi-
dable work on the impetus behind her SING campaign and the power of words.
by bill biss
Rage: With the release of The Annie Lennox Collection, your contract with Arista will be done. What do you plan to do with
your spare time?
Annie Lennox: Basically, I just live my life as any artist would live their life. For me, life and work are inter-
changeable. I have a lot of interests and I do my best to make a balance. I’m an avid reader. It’s really quite
simple. I’m not the type who is out all the time. My daughters keep me grounded. I also have a horrible
addiction to my laptop and being on the Internet.
I will never stop singing, writing or recording and campaigning as well.
Rage: Please describe your principles behind the SING campaign?
AL: I like the fact that it just being me primarily behind it, I can choose to do whatever I like. I don’t have to
ask other people’s permission to go to another country or give a lecture or perform to make some money for
SING. There is a window of opportunity in South Africa to do so much. Barbara Hogan is the health minister
there and let me tell you, she is serious! Millions of people have been infected. I’m trying to make the SING
campaign work right there in South Africa. I am filled with so many ideas.
Rage: You also created a song called “Sing” to kick off your campaign.
AL: I wanted to create an anthem. I invited 23 artists to sing with me; it was a call of solidarity. HIV/AIDS
has so much stigma and people are terrified to talk about it. Singing is a different way of speaking. We must
speak up about AIDS. Women must express themselves.
Rage: Now that Barack Obama is President, can you describe your feelings about this shift in our country?
AL: I have very little faith in politicians. It too often happens that they are corrupt. But, I feel that Barack
Obama is so intelligent and I am so pleased that a man of color is in the White House. It’s incredible that this
has happened in my lifetime. I just hope that he can meet the many challenges that face him and the United
States. With so many issues such as the economy, global warming…there simply isn’t any magic wand. My
primary hope is that we can see peace, but as so many others, I take each day as it comes.
56 RAGE monthly | FEBRUARY 2009
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