Iconic singer and actress Barbra Streisand has revealed that her concerns regarding President Donald Trump may have unconsciously influenced her choice of songs for her upcoming album. This album, titled “The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume 2,” features an array of duets with music legends such as Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney. Streisand expressed her distress over the current state of the world and Trump’s presidency, stating she is “horrified” by what she sees on television.
In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Streisand discussed the album’s themes:
While the concept of duets is not new to Streisand—who has previously topped the charts with hits alongside Neil Diamond (“You Don’t Bring Me Flowers”) and Donna Summer (“No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)”)- “The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume 2” diverges from her usual lighthearted fare. Streisand noted that her anxieties about global issues and Trump’s second term may have subtly shaped her selection of more somber tracks, including Sting’s “Fragile” and a duet with Seal on “Love Will Survive,” adapted from last year’s musical project “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.”
“I’d like to be happier,” Streisand admitted. “But every time I turn on the television — and I’m a glutton for punishment, obviously — I’m both fascinated and horrified, you know?”
During a recent dinner with Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., Streisand recounted his description of the current political climate in Washington as one of “created chaos, corruption, and cruelty.” She added, “I thought, ‘That kind of sums him (Trump) up.’”
Streisand has been vocal about her political views in her 2023 memoir, My Name Is Barbra, as reported by The Hill:
In her memoir, Streisand criticized Trump, stating that he “lies as easily as he breathes.”
“I can’t stand being lied to, and I don’t think the country should be lied to either,” she wrote, quipping about Trump’s lack of guilt in his fabrications, “clearly he’s not Jewish.”
Streisand expressed disbelief at Trump’s election victory in 2016, questioning, “You wouldn’t go to a doctor who has no qualifications or experience in treating your disease. Why on earth would people want to entrust our country to a narcissist whose lack of experience, recklessness, and blatant disregard for the truth made him completely unfit to be president?”
She further lamented, “What worried me was that the younger generation would emulate this man, who showed no kindness or empathy for other human beings.”
Here’s a promotional video featuring the duet between McCartney and Streisand on “My Valentine”:
