Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitzis an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop, folk, and ballads. In addition to singing lead and backing vocals, Kravitz often plays all of the instruments himself when recording...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFunk Singer
Date of Birth26 May 1964
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
My mother always told me to embrace both sides of my background. And she also taught me one very useful thing when I was going to first grade. She said, "You're Bahamian and African-American on one side, and Russian-Jewish on the other. You're no more one than the other, and it's beautiful that you have all this. It makes your life all the more rich. But society will see you only as black."
I am not trying to change the world. I am just offering my gift that God gave me, and if somebody is moved by it, that's beautiful.
I'm in this for the long haul. I've been making music my whole life.
I identify with women more than men. I guess I have a strong feminine side.
In my environments, lighting is always very important.
There's nothing more that we love than having a close, personal, open relationship, and I believe that's what God wants.
I've always had to deal with being biracial, even in music. When I came on the scene, I'd go to these record labels, and they'd say things like, "Lenny Kravitz. That's a weird name." I'm brown-skinned and I've got these dreadlocks and I've got this Jewish last name.
I really didn't know a lot of rock 'n' roll until I moved to L.A. Before that, when I was in New York, I grew up listening mostly to R&B and soul and jazz.
I was always talking about peace and love, even when I was a kid. That's how I grew up in my family.
I come in with this rock 'n' roll-oriented music, and it's not black enough . . . I've always had to deal with this black-white thing.
At 10 o'clock in the morning I'd go right in the studio. It feels good to be there in the morning before the day starts to mess with you - I don't mean in a negative way, but before I'd speak to a lot of people or get into anything, I'd go in there and just see what I felt. A lot happens in the morning for me in the studio.
It doesn't take a lot to get me motivated. I'm a studio rat. When I was in high school and I would walk into a recording studio, it felt like this magical place, this temple, this womb that I could escape into.
I fell in love with Paris the first time I went.
I just feel so good; it feels like a very creative time for me. As far as my mind, spirit, and body, I've never felt better.