Kate Bush has issued a statement to say that her comments in 2016 regarding UK Prime Minister Theresa May were taken out of context.
In an interview with Canadian website Macleans that year, Bush said in response to a question about Hillary Clinton and the fear of women’s power: “We have a female prime minister here in the UK.
“I actually really like her and think she’s wonderful. I think it’s the best thing that’s happened to us in a long time.
“She’s a very intelligent woman but I don’t see much to fear. I will say it is great to have a woman in charge of the country. She’s very sensible and I think that’s a good thing at this point in time.”
Bush has now clarified those comments on her website, to say that the quotes could make it appear that she is a supporter of the Conservative Party, which she is not.
A statement reads: “It’s been very exciting to hear all the positive feedback around the Remastered project and the lyric book. Thank you so much for embracing both of them. It means a great deal to everyone involved.
“I didn’t do any interviews for either project hoping that the work could speak for itself. I read some articles that included a number of inaccuracies and usually I don’t respond. However I do feel I need to address one story which came from a phone interview I did two years ago.
“I was very disappointed that the use of a quote out of context was timed with the release of the live album and it seemed as if the focus went on to the quote rather than the work. It was deeply frustrating.
“At the time I discussed the idea of responding to it with close friends and we all agreed it was best to let it go. It seems the quote keeps being used and so I’d like to present my side of the story.”
It could make it seem like I am a Tory supporter which I want to make clear I am not
Kate Bush
Bush continues: “Over the years, I have avoided making political comments in interviews. My response to the interviewer was not meant to be political but rather was in the defence of women in power. I felt he was putting a really negative slant on powerful women, referring to a witch hunt involving Hillary Clinton.
“In response I said that we had a woman in charge of our country, and that I felt it was a good thing to have women in power. I should have been clearer when I then said it was the best thing that had happened to us for a long time – because I greatly disliked the behaviour of the previous PM (David Cameron), who at that point I felt had abandoned us and everybody felt angry and let down.
“Again with no response from me to the latest resurfacing of this article, it could make it seem like I am a Tory supporter which I want to make clear I am not.
She concludes: “I won’t be commenting further on this, but feel it’s become so pervasive that I felt I needed to clarify this matter once and for all.”
In November last year, all of Bush’s studio albums were reissued in a series of box sets which also contained rare tracks and cover versions, along with the live album Before The Dawn.
