Barbra Streisand on New Music, Pay Equity & Future Plans
At 83, legendary EGOT winner Barbra Streisand shows no signs of slowing down, despite professing to be “very lazy” and disliking commitments. The icon, whose career spans 65 years across music, theater, film, and television, recently sat down to discuss her prolific output, including a new album, past frustrations over pay, and potential future endeavors.
A New Chapter: “The Secret O’ Life: Partners, Volume Two”
Streisand is set to release “The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two,” a star-studded collection of duets. The album features an eclectic mix of collaborators, ranging from legends like Bob Dylan (whom she admits being “a bit scared” to record with) and Paul McCartney to contemporary stars like Laufey, Hozier, Sam Smith, James Taylor, Sting, Tim McGraw, and Josh Groban. Notably, Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey join forces with Streisand on the track “One Heart, One Voice.”
The album’s title comes from the James Taylor song featured on the record, reflecting on the appreciation of the passage of time, a theme that resonates deeply with Streisand as she gets older.
Streisand credits her longtime producing partner, Jay Landers, with convincing her to continue recording new music. Working alongside producers Peter Asher and Walter Afanasieff, she maintains her signature level of creative control, stating, “I have to approve everything,” a standard she’s upheld since the beginning of her career.
Discussing her creative process for duets, Streisand explains that the song comes first, followed by finding the right partner. She praised her collaborators as “superb,” “different,” and “marvelous.” Streisand finds particular emotional depth in melancholic songs, especially those about lost relationships or “what-could-have-been,” noting, “They make the best songs.” Despite the emotional weight of her recordings, she rarely listens to them immediately after finishing, preferring to revisit them years later for a different perspective, often evaluating technical aspects like the sound mix.
This new album arrives less than two years after the release of her extensive 970-page memoir, “My Name Is Barbra” (which included a 48-hour audiobook she narrated). Additionally, a multi-part documentary about her life, directed by Frank Marshall, is currently in production, marking a period of significant activity for the acclaimed artist.
“Pissed Off” Over ‘Meet the Fockers’ Pay
While discussing her career spanning multiple mediums, Streisand didn’t shy away from expressing lingering frustration over past pay disparities in Hollywood, specifically regarding her role as Roz Focker in the 2004 hit sequel, “Meet the Fockers.”
Streisand revealed she was “pissed off” that she “didn’t get paid what the other people got paid” on the film. She attributed this directly to the prevailing industry standard at the time, noting it was “in the time when women were getting paid less than the men.”
Although she mentioned that the head of Universal at the time, Ron Meyer, did send her a bonus check which was “very sweet,” this gesture did not entirely erase her dissatisfaction with the initial pay gap.
The topic arose in the context of news about a planned fourth installment in the “Meet the Parents” franchise. With original cast members like Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, and Teri Polo reportedly returning, and Ariana Grande joining the cast, Streisand was asked about reprising her role (she did not appear in the third film, “Little Fockers”). Her response was direct: “They’d have to pay me a lot of money because I didn’t get paid what the other people got paid and so I’m pissed off.” This establishes a clear condition for her potential return to the role.
Directing, Live Shows, and the Comfort of Recording
Despite her busy schedule, Streisand seems hesitant about returning to certain aspects of her career. She receives various acting offers, some she describes as “funny,” though she mentioned one “good” offer on a subject she loves, potentially linked to projects involving Peter Bogdanovich and Guillermo del Toro.
However, she expressed no current interest in directing films again. Having directed successful movies like “Yentl,” she feels she has “probably had it” with directing and is “not ready to direct again.”
Similarly, a return to live performance seems unlikely. While a “little part” of her might consider it, the larger part questions “why?”. She strongly prefers recording, describing it as being “at home” in the studio. The appeal lies in the ability to be alone, relaxed, and simply sing without the demands of makeup, costumes, or performing for an audience.
In a personal anecdote highlighting her preference for recording over performing, Streisand shared a story about her son, Jason Gould, who is also a talented singer. She was amazed to hear his voice on her phone one day, hitting incredible notes on a song by Quincy Jones. She noted that Jason, like her, is shy and doesn’t particularly enjoy performing in front of people, reinforcing her own comfort with the solitary process of recording.
Reflecting on the current state of the world, Streisand finds it complicated and expresses sadness over what she perceives as chaos, particularly in the United States. When asked about the possibility of a woman president, she is unsure if it will happen in her lifetime but is confident it will occur in her son’s.
This glimpse into Barbra Streisand’s world reveals an artist still creatively engaged and reflective, comfortable in her preferred artistic space (the recording studio), and unafraid to speak her mind on matters of fairness, even decades later.
References
- variety.com
- <a href="https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65347489/?ref=nwcart_perm”>www.imdb.com
- toofab.com
- <a href="https://m.imdb.com/fr/news/ni65347570/?ref=nwcart_perm”>m.imdb.com
- uk.news.yahoo.com
