Dionne Warwick Doesn't Believe Beyonce Is An Icon Just Yet

Icon (i·con/ˈīˌkän/), noun: "a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration."

While Beyoncé definitely embodies the definition of an icon, legendary singer Dionne Warwick doesn't believe that Queen Bey has reached icon status just yet.

During an interview with Essence ahead of the release of her new album, She’s Back —Dionne gave her unfiltered opinion on the music of today. When asked if she believed today's music has classics, the 78-year-old "Say A Little Prayer" singer said with a laugh, but firmly, "Not yet." She added: "I don’t know if 10 years from now, anybody can actually sing the songs of our babies today. That’s not, as you guys say, 'throwing shade,' it’s looking at it with reality."

And while Warwick said she is a fan of Beyoncé, she admitted that she's not yet convinced that Bey’s reached icon status just yet. "Watching her grow has been quite refreshing. It’s wonderful to see how she’s been able to create what and who she wanted to be and who she is…very proud of that, I really am," she said. "Now, sustaining and becoming a big icon that Gladys Knight, or Patti LaBelle, or Johnny Mathis, or Frank Sinatra, or Sammy Davis Jr. is? I doubt that."

She continued, "And I love her to death and can appreciate her talent. But that iconic status? It’s a long road [ahead]."

To note: Beyoncé is one of the most awarded artists in history. She's won the most MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards, and Soul Train Awards. With a total of 23 awards and 66 nominations from the Grammy Awards as both a solo artist and member of Destiny's Child, she is the most nominated woman and the second-most-awarded woman in Grammy history. She's been nominated for multiple Emmys and Golden Globes.

And if you're someone who isn't impressed by awards, what about history-making? Beyonce became the first Black woman to perform at Coachella in 2018. She was at one time the highest-paid black artist. She's the first artist to have her first 6 albums debut at No. 1. Beyoncé became the first black female recording artist to cover Vogue's prestigious September issue. She's the first black entertainer to cover Sports Illustrated and the second black woman to grace the cover behind Tyra Banks. Beyoncé became the first person to receive over $1 million per social media post. She's sold over 118 million solo albums, and 60 million with Destiny's Child, making her one of the highest-selling artists ever. Truly the list of history-making accolades Bey's received could on and on, but I'll stop right there.

Photo: Getty Images


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