An absolute legend. A star who has never faltered on being himself. Lenny Kravitz certainly fits the ‘icon’ build. People’s Choice Awards 2024 named him as this year’s Music Icon.
His speech brought thunderous statements of authenticity. A campaign to be as different as we were created to be. Sharing his story of how he found comfort in his differences. “When I was thinking about what to say tonight, I kept going back to that word ‘icon,'” Kravitz said. “It means a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, it means you’ve made an indelible mark by being who God created you to be. And, daring to be different.”
“When I was first coming up, a lot of people offered me a lot of deals. But they wanted me to change. My music wasn’t Black enough, it wasn’t white enough. It didn’t fit nicely inside a box or sound like what was on the radio at the time,” he continued. “I turned down the money and the glitzy promises of fame and stardom because I couldn’t live with myself doing something inauthentic.”
Joining Kravitz on His Crusade of Authenticity
It’s tough to navigate life and remain yourself. It must have been difficult for the 59 year old singer, who’s found consistent success in an industry that frowns on being ‘different’. His words point to how people will try to put us in boxes. Pigeon-hole us into their narratives.
His words also spoke to the power of defying those limitations, no matter how scary it may be.