Kate Bush’s Exclusive Interview With BBC Radio Is Really Very Sweet
The pop icon talked 'Stranger Things', WitchTok, and her "ancient phone".
Musical icon Kate Bush rarely does interviews, but because of the resurgence of her 1985 hit ‘Running Up That Hill’, she jumped on a quick radio interview with the BBC’s Woman’s Hour to thank her new fans.
Speaking with presenter Emma Barnett, she’s responded to the song’s new wave of notoriety 37 years after its initial release. “Well, it’s just extraordinary,” said Bush. “I mean, you know, it’s such a great series, so I thought that the track would get some attention. But I just never imagined it would be anything like this.”
“But it’s so exciting,” she said, “and it’s quite shocking really, isn’t it? I mean, the whole world’s gone mad.” That’s what I’ve been saying!
“What’s really wonderful is that this is a whole new audience who — you know, in a lot of cases — they’ve never heard of me. And I love that. And the thought of all these really young people hearing the song for the first time and discovering it … well, I think it’s very special.”
It is special, Kate Bush. Please never stop speaking because your voice is so comforting that every part of me has unclenched.
Exclusive: Kate Bush reacts to her chart-topping success with #RunningUpThatHill.@KateBushMusic joined @emmabarnett to react to getting to Number One, after it was featured in @Netflix’s #StrangerThings. Listen to the full interview here: https://t.co/5Y8OOvJpTY pic.twitter.com/WFLLNNPcoG
— BBC Woman's Hour (@BBCWomansHour) June 22, 2022
Bush added that she’s a big fan of Stranger Things and has been watching the show since day dot. “The Duffer Brothers created the series and actually we watched it from the first series onwards, so I was already familiar with the series. And I thought, what a lovely way for the song to be used in such a positive way.”
“You know, as a kind of talisman almost for Max. And yeah, I think it’s very touching, actually.”
Bush also responded to Barnett’s query about whether she’s heard of WitchTok, to which she responded, “no, it sounds ridiculous,” laughing dismissively, which is also how I respond to TikTok trends.
She also revealed that she has an “ancient phone” that only receives calls and texts, so that she can properly unplug when she’s out and about. Sorry, but why aren’t we all doing this? [Slams large iPhone to the ground]
Anyway, that’s probably the most we’ll hear from Kate Bush for a while, so enjoy the full interview below.
Photo credit: Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images