English icon Kate Bush turned 60 on July 30th – which gives us a reason to celebrate this splendid singer. She came to fame in 1978 while still a teenager when the song “Wuthering Heights” (inspired by the classic novel), heady with otherworldly vocals, hit number one in the UK and rippled across the charts around the world.
Kate became known as a brilliant eccentric – experimenting with lyrics that derive from authors like Emily Bronte and James Joyce as well as the sounds of birds; instruments like the bouzouki and pipes; and avant-garde dance moves in her videos.
Her ’80s albums “Hounds of Love” and “The Sensual World” brought her a broader audience, earning global gold records, and more recently “50 Words for Snow” (2011)– which includes vocals by her son—won still more awards. Known for living quietly now in the English countryside and performing only occasionally, Kate has forged a path for generations of highly personal singers and performers who do things their way. In fact, the release of her first album was held up when she was unhappy with the cover art and demanded a do-over, setting the tone for her entire career.
“The big thing for me, and it has been from quite early on, is to retain creative control over what I’m doing,” Bush has said. For both her musical genius and her strength in defending her artistic viewpoint, we say Happy Birthday and Brava to Kate Bush.
– Janet Siroto
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