“High emotional content”: Kate Bush names her favourite album by Stevie Wonder
There are so many musicians whose artistry and talent can be single-handedly pinpointed to the impact of Kate Bush. Not only did she alter the landscape by proving that the weirder, the better, she also adapted popular storytelling tropes to suit the evolving nature of the industry better. On top of this, she did so by pushing away convention, in spite the career risks it yielded along the way.
Aside from the obvious hits, Bush consistently revolutionised unexpected realms, addressing the macabre aspects of life or taboo subjects to hold a mirror up to society and discuss matters no one else embraced so fearlessly. She gorgeously coasted the ghostly lines between light and dark, infusing her music with both warmth and coldness to elevate the space where the heart overlaps with curiosity.
Looking at the contemporary landscape, the very meaning of femininity and female-specific experiences has evolved, mainly thanks to Bush’s desire to perpetrate against the norm and set the standard for countless others to follow suit. Bush wasn’t always so readily and openly celebrated, and during her peak, she was labelled by critics as an outsider oddity, but without her charm and dedication, it’s anyone’s guess where the music industry would be where it is today.
Legends like Bush provide interesting case studies usually regarding influences: many name Bush as their sole source of inspiration, but Bush herself also has a series of trailblazers she looked up to, not just in the innovative spaces but in the originators of rock. When she released her exceptional album Never For Ever, she spoke about some of her cherished favourites, like family figures, without whom she would have never been able to execute a fraction of her talent.
One such name was Stevie Wonder, specifically his soundtrack opus The Secret Life of Plants, which he created with visual image in mind alongside producer Michael Braun, providing one of the most complex yet endearing text adaptations of all time. It was an incredibly ambitious affair, but one that’s safe to say would only fall into capable hands if it landed with someone as highly adept as Wonder himself. In Bush’s view, the entire project is a masterpiece.
Labelling it “a modern symphony with a high emotional content”, Bush enjoyed the album for obvious reasons, most likely its innovative use of sound concepts and unusual atmospheres alongside the more traditional fusion of conventional instruments and tropes. By nature, The Secret Life of Plants is immensely cinematic and immersive, unlike anything Wonder had done before or since, and a “symphony” of complete abstraction.
On its own, the soundtrack traces a journey through the human condition and the relationship we share with nature, and its etherealism covers all aspects of emotion and experience. Much like Bush’s music, it’s not the most accessible listening experience, but with the right headspace and attention, it speaks more to the evolution of music and Wonder’s exceptional talent than anything else he ever created. Even ‘Same Old Story’, a song closer in execution to Wonder’s more commercial affairs, is rooted deeply in scientific study, proving his ability to cross various lines without compromising on emotional appeal.
