Ariana Grande is a great singer whose star is on the rise. She’s even been compared to Mariah Carey – a great honour which you must never, ever bring up in an interview (or she’ll walk out). However, a rise to the top doesn’t come easy, and for Ariana, it has meant that she’s had to play up the whole sex kitten image that clearly doesn’t suit her and that no one in their right mind believes, especially considering she looks about 12 years old (but that’s one of about 5,000 reasons).
Anyhoo, one star who’s been there and done that and has some words of advice for Ariana is Bette Midler. You see, she wants Ariana know that she doesn’t need to be a whore to be famous.
Via TMZ:
Midler did an interview with The Telegraph, grousing about the state of the music biz. She’s particularly disgusted with Grande, saying, “It’s always surprising to see someone like Ariana Grande with that silly high voice, a very wholesome voice, slithering around on a couch.”
Midler goes on, “… Looking so ridiculous. I mean it’s silly beyond belief and I don’t know who’s telling her to do it.”
And then the punch. In giving advice to aspiring singers, Midler says, “Trust your talent. You don’t have to make a whore out of yourself to get ahead.”
Huh. Well, look – I see where Bette’s coming from. The oversexualization of female popstars is absolutely fucking ridiculous and exhausting and it literally has zero effect anymore because it’s so overdone. However, Bette was into some pretty raunchy shit in the ’70s herself – maybe done a bit more tongue-in-cheek, but still… Also, we don’t need any more slut-shaming, regardless of how much older and wiser Bette might be now. So yeah, I can see both sides of the coin here. I wish women didn’t feel pressured to strip off and be this coquettish, cartoonish version of a seductress all the time. That being said, if that’s what someone legit WANTS to do, more power to ‘em. It’s complicated!
More at E Beet Gossip
