After years of collaborating with music's biggest names, Linda Perry has her sights set on getting into the recording studio with Madonna, even if she has a distaste for the Queen of Pop's latest output. In a video interview with Consequence this week, the 4 Non Blondes musician named Madonna as her 'No. 1 bucket list collaborator' before noting that she believes the seven-time Grammy winner has become too focused on chasing sonic trends that don't suit her.
Perry's Criticism of Madonna's Recent Work
'Of late, I feel she is a follower,' Perry said. 'She's following the trends. She's trying to compete with Charli XCX and this and that. Everything about her seems weak to me, and not powerful.' 'So I would love to get that woman in a studio, slap her in the face a couple of times, and say, 'Wake up, get back to who Madonna is and what you represent. You are a leader,'' she added.
Perry's Career and Past Collaboration Attempts
Perry rose to prominence in 1993, when 4 Non Blondes unveiled their signature hit, 'What's Up?' The five-time Grammy nominee went on to write and produce Pink's 'Get the Party Started' and Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful,' and has also worked on albums by Adele, Celine Dion and Ariana Grande, among other artists. Appearing on 'The Zach Sang Show' earlier this month, Perry revealed she first offered 'Get the Party Started' to Madonna at some point before Pink recorded it for her 2001 album, 'Missundaztood.'
Perry's Vision for a Madonna Album
As to what her fantasy album with Madonna might sound like, Perry told Consequence, 'We've got to get back there and focus on the power of what her voice can do, not the power of what auto-tune and effects can do, and all the electronics that she's into right now to hide all that.' 'I would put her out in the open and make all those flaws, I would just bring them all out and show them, and make this beautiful, more acoustic type record with strings and something she could sit down and just sing to a crowd,' she continued. 'That would be what I want to do.'
Respect for Madonna's Legacy
Despite her less-than-favorable take on Madonna's most recent work, Perry said she has deep respect for the pop icon's record-smashing legacy, which stretches back to the early 1980s. 'She's one of the greatest. She taught women to be strong and be yourself, and I love how she just constantly was changing her sound,' she said. 'Every record sounded different. I mean, she is an explorer. She is a leader ... she is out there in front of everyone, leading the path, telling people what to do and how to just be ballsy and get out there and kick people in the ass.'
Perry's Plea and Current Projects
Though Perry doesn't seem confident her plan to work with Madonna will ever come to fruition, she nonetheless concluded her Consequence chat with a final plea: 'Madonna, call me when you're ready to get back to your f***ing strength, alright?' Madonna has yet to respond publicly to Perry's remarks. In July, she'll release 'Confessions II,' a follow-up to her seminal 2005 album, 'Confessions on a Dance Floor.' Last month, she previewed her new music with a surprise performance during Sabrina Carpenter's headlining set at Coachella. Perry, meanwhile, has been promoting 'Let It Die Here,' her first solo album in 25 years and an accompanying documentary of the same name. Last weekend, she reunited with her 4 Non Blondes bandmates for their first full-fledged concert in 30 years at California's BottleRock Napa Valley music festival.
