In his latest album “Blue Electric Light,” Lenny Kravitz touches on the challenge of being a recovering “people pleaser,” something he says he was unintentionally raised as.
The Grammy-winning artist discussed the inspiration behind the opening line in his new song, “Human,” during a sitdown interview with “CBS Mornings” co-anchor Gayle King. The lyrics read, “When all of my days are done of pleasin’ everyone I’ll finally have begun.”
Those words have a personal meaning for Kravitz. He told King that his daughter, Zoë Kravitz, has taught him to set boundaries – and sometimes you have to say “no.”
“That’s something that I’ve been exercising and growing in. Where no is necessary – at times. And this is something that I actually learned from my daughter,” Kraviz explained. “She’s so good at creating her boundaries. And boundaries are healthy, you know? But that generation, they don’t have time to play.”
King added, “And they make no apologies.”
The line, “I’ll have finally begun,” in particular, struck a chord with King.
“I think I was raised – not purposely, but to be a people pleaser. Where I put a lot of people’s feelings before mine. Because I want to see folks happy. And that can be detrimental if you go overboard with that,” 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 it is that I’m doing. For some reason, I’m still that 16-year-old kid trying to get the record deal,” Kravitz told King. “I haven’t shed all of that.”
Watch “CBS Mornings” co-anchor Gayle King’s full interview with Lenny Kravitz in the video player above.