In his latest album 'Blue Electric Light', Lenny Kravitz addresses the challenge of being a recovering 'people pleaser', something he says he was inadvertently raised to do.
The Grammy-winning artist discussed the inspiration behind the opening line of his new song “Human” during a sitdown interview with Gayle King, co-host of “CBS Mornings.” The lyrics read: “When all my days are done pleasing everyone, I've finally begun.”
Those words have personal meaning for Kravitz. He told King that his daughter, Zoë Kravitz, taught him to set boundaries — and that sometimes you have to say “no.”
“That's something that I've practiced and grown in. Where sometimes no is necessary. And this is something that I actually learned from my daughter,” Kraviz explained. “She's so good at setting boundaries. And boundaries are healthy, you know? But that generation doesn't have time to play.”
King added, “And they don't apologize.”
The phrase “I've finally started” in particular struck a chord with King.
“I think I was raised not on purpose, but to please people. Where I put a lot of people's feelings before my own. Because I want to see people happy. And that can be harmful if you go overboard with that,” says Kravitz said.
Kravitz elaborated on some of his insecurities, including the challenges he still faces as an artist.
“Sometimes I'm just not sure… necessarily sure what I'm doing. For some reason, I'm still that 16-year-old kid trying to get a record deal,” Kravitz told King. “I haven't lost any of that.”
Watch CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King's full interview with Lenny Kravitz in the video player above.
