Before Destiny's Child called on men to "say [their] name" or TLC announced their distaste for "scrubs," Labelle exemplified the true meaning of "independent women."
Unquestionably, every contemporary female R&B trio has been influenced by their style — whether they know it or not — and a cursory listen to Labelle's catalog reveals a smorgasbord of musical gems, which have served as inspiration for 702, SWV, Total, and Brownstone. As with all things, history reveals the mark of the present.
By current standards, Sarah Dash, Nona Hendryx, and Patti LaBelle enjoyed a limited amount of commercial success. Nonetheless, Labelle's impact on the music industry is completely immeasurable. Upon review of Back to Now, Labelle managed to squeeze some time out of their busy schedule and settle down for an interview with Clayton Perry—reflecting on Barack Obama, industry politics and "Lady Marmalade."
As trailblazers and living legends, what do you consider to be Labelle's most significant contribution to music history?
Patti LaBelle: When we first started 35 years ago, we sang social songs about the world, about politics, about sex, about prejudice. Now that we're back – not by accident, just because of what we are and who we are – we continue that same journey by singing the same kind of music, not knowing that it will be so well needed right now with the way the world is. I mean, the world is in a really bad place, and our songs talk about the current state of the world. We have songs that talk about every little thing. That's why I think that we're so cool. We're spontaneous women and we end up on the right page sometimes.
Sarah Dash: On top of that, our songs bring healing to people. We say things that most people say in their daily speech, but we sing it. We create a thought process through our music and we lift people up. Over the years, many women have come to me and said, "I would never have thought to say a certain line this way or to be that bold in how I feel about my love life." We truly were innovators. We started appearing in places that most black women – or black artists, period – could not play, one being the Metropolitan opera house.
A great deal of Labelle's early work resonated with female empowerment—cultural, sexual and spiritual. In a time when few female singers were singing about racism, sexism and eroticism, what compelled you to take such risks?
Patti LaBelle: It was going on in our minds. Nona, being the writer that she is, she was writing all of this wonderful, crazy stuff. People wanted to say it. We say what's real and what's honest and what people would like to say but they can't say. It's just like when I sang "On My Own" with Michael McDonald. There were so many women who wanted to leave their partner, or men who wanted to leave their partner, women who wanted to leave their woman and men who wanted to leave their man and they couldn't. They wanted to stay together. But I sang about it and a lot of people got divorced after that song.
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