Melissa Etheridge came to our window back in '93 and told us "Yes I Am," never looking back. This out and proud singer continues to blaze a trail politically, musically and privately.
Windy City Times: So it's an honor to interview you, and like your new song says, you make me "Nervous." I've been listening to your new album, and it's incredible. Did you always want to be a singer?
Melissa Etheridge: Always, everything I wanted to be, the only thing I could ever be. Yeah, ever since I was 3 years old, I had this crazy dream, and just put my mind to it.
WCT: Who were your influences growing up?
Melissa Etheridge: Well, of course there was the Beatles, in the '60s, and it just went from there. I grew up in Canada and it had one radio station. They played the Beatles, Tammy Wynette, Marvin Gaye, and Led Zeppelin. And so that was just music to me. It didn't have all these compartments like now it does. And I went from there into the '70s, listening to Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen, and also you had Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand. I just loved any great performer.
WCT: And now you've influenced a whole new generation.
Melissa Etheridge: I hope so; that would be nice.
WCT: So let's talk about the new album, Fearless Love. When you were putting this album together, did you know it was the end of your relationship?
Melissa Etheridge: Not really. It was over a year ago when I was writing these songs, and even though I knew there were issues and we were dealing with them, you hope you can keep it together.
WCT: Was the song "Miss California" written about a real person?
Melissa Etheridge: It's not about Carrie Prejean. It's about the state of California. I wanted to write a love song, or you-done-me-wrong song, to the state of California, and kind of put it in that perspective.
WCT: And the song "Indiana?"
Melissa Etheridge: That was about Tammy, my former partner. To me, that's her life story. She inspired that.
WCT: Does touring have a big impact on your songwriting?
Melissa Etheridge: Oh, yeah! Touring is a big part of my life, so it definitely does.
WCT: We'll need you to write a song called "Chicago" next…
Melissa Etheridge: Well, you know, "The Wanting of You," I talk about that wild night in Chicago.
WCT: You can write a song about [ rocker/American Idol alum ] Crystal Bowersox now, too.
Melissa Etheridge: Yeah, a Mama Sox song, Mama Sox. You know, I met her in Chicago. She came to the Chicago Theater in 2008.
WCT: She used to play at coffeehouses around the city…
Melissa Etheridge: I looooove that America is loving her. That really makes me happy about music.
WCT: Now how was it appearing on Dancing With the Stars?
Melissa Etheridge: Surreal. Weird. Crazy. Kind of weirdly fun. It just blows my mind that that's America's number one show. Like, what are we doing? It's so campy, it's a little old-fashioned, and so dramatic with all of those men running around with their shirts off, looking so beautiful and oh-so-gay.
WCT: You have been such a champion for gay rights and so involved in many outside projects, I don't know how you do it. How do you feel Obama is doing so far with LGBT issues?
Melissa Etheridge: Oh, we're always at the bottom rung of those things, all those promises. I think when it comes down to actually pushing these things forward, they do little things here and there, and it's all inching forward. I just think he, anyone in high office, are so bottled up and owned by the international, the multinational corporations that run this world, there's just nothing that a person in that position can do now, because it's just been bought and sold.
WCT: I think it's admirable that you make peace with Rick Warren, or you were talking with Elizabeth Hasselback, people who are kind of opponents.
Melissa Etheridge: Because I realized if I get up there and fight them, they're going to fight me back, because they're just afraid of me. And if I sit down with them at the table, and I talk about my kids, and pull out my pictures, they go hey wait a minute, she loves her kids like I love mine, and it's just love, and this has got to be a love that comes from God or whatever, then that's how we're going to do it. We're here, oops, here we are again, we're down your street, we're in your office, here we are, and you know what, we're good people.
WCT: You won an Academy Award. Do you want to do more soundtracks in the future?
Melissa Etheridge: If it comes up, if it's the right thing. That was definitely a unique experience, that I had no idea, I thought it would be shown around in high schools, I had no idea it would be an Academy Award thing. But it does have to be the right project.
WCT: Well all your fans are looking forward to seeing you at the Chicago Theater. Is it going to be a fairly theatrical show or more stripped-down?
Melissa Etheridge: I don't know. I'm just starting to put it together now. The music on this album is much more dramatic, so I think it will be more dynamically dramatic. I'm not really a "show" person, but we'll see.
Want to come over and see how the show turns out? Melissa performs Saturday, Aug. 7, at 8 p.m. at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State. Visit www.thechicagotheatre.com or www.jamusa.com to purchase tickets.
