Joni Mitchell has utilized a color of turbulent as she disapproves with the likes of Bob Dylan, and Madonna, speaking her mind as usual.
Mitchell would give her unpopular impression on the pop star in 1991 during a conversation with Rolling Stone.
“The thing is, I came into the business quite feminine,” Mitchell declared. “But nobody has had so many battles to wage as me. I had to stand up for my own artistic rights. And it’s probably good for my art ultimately. I remember early in my career somebody wrote that my work was ‘effeminate,’ which I thought was pretty odd. So over the years, I think I’ve gotten more androgynous — and maybe become an honorary male, according to Bobby.”
She then elaborated on why she bought the sentiment of Dylan’s comment: “Music has become burlesque over the last few years — video’s done that. Every generation has to be more shocking than the last. But at a certain point, you’ve got to reel it in because decadence ultimately isn’t that hip. Our country is going down the tubes from it. It’s rotten to the core. And I think women can be more than decorative.”
Mitchell then proceeds with Madonna during the conversation, damningly stating: “Yet someone like Madonna can be seen as a feminist hero because she’s exploiting her own sexuality rather than being exploited by some man. That’s an interesting idea, but what’s the difference between her and a hard hooker, you know? Who’s being exploited there? She’s revelling in herself, too. But she can take it. I guess that’s what it is. It’s just being able to take it, you know.
“She’s got that whore-Madonna thing built-in [laughs]. She’s like a living Barbie doll but a little bit on the blue side. There’s always been that type of female. There’s always been a market for it, but the danger is that she thinks she’s a role model. And it’s a terrible role model. It’s death to all things real.”
Madonna never wasted her time responding to Mitchell’s criticisms and, even when the folk singer namedrop the pop star, the initiative is about the cultural transformation that took place during Madonna’s stardom.