Veteran Scottish singer and Eurythmics vocalist Annie Lennox has described pop superstar Beyonce as using feminism to promote herself, according to Toronto Sun.
Lennox made the remark during an interview with Pride Source, where the singer talked about her new album coming out in October, as well her beliefs and principles which have contributed to her creative process. The singer is also known for her political and social activism.
Among the ideologies she discussed was feminism. In regard to it, Pride Source asked what Lennox thought of Beyonce, who declared during her performance on the last MTV Video Music Awards that she was a feminist.
"I would call that 'feminist lite. L-I-T-E. I'm sorry," the 59-year-old singer said.
"It's tokenistic to me. I mean, I think she's a phenomenal artist - I just love her performances - but I'd like to sit down (with her)," she said.
She included other artists in her criticism but did not name them.
"I think I'd like to sit down with quite a few artists and talk to them. I'd like to listen to them; I'd like to hear what they truly think," she said.
She described how she thought the artists in question are using feminism for their own personal and professional gains.
"I see a lot of it as them taking the world hostage and using it to promote themselves, but I don't think they necessarily represent wholeheartedly the depths of feminism - no, I don't," Lennox said.
She also discussed what she thought was the way said artists are appropriating feminism to enhance their persona and polish their reputation.
"I think for many, it's very convenient and it looks great and it looks radical, but I have some issues with it. I have issues with it," she said. "I think it's a cheap shot. I think what they do with it is cheap."
As a final note on the matter, she talked about the impropriety of artists using sex to sell without discretion.
"What can I tell you? Sex always sells. And there's nothing wrong with sex selling, but it depends on your audience. If they're 7-year-old kids, I have issues with it."
