Entertainment
Robin Thicke admits he was ‘sensitive’ about Blurred Lines backlash: ‘That hit really hard’
Robin Thicke has reflected on the controversy that surrounded his monster single Blurred Lines and admits that he was ‘sensitive’ to the backlash after having a previously untarnished image.
Blurred Lines, released in 2013, sees Robin team up with producer Pharrell Williams and rapper T.I. The track enjoyed worldwide success reaching number one in several countries and becoming one of the best-selling songs of the year.
However, criticism gradually began to mount as fans took a closer look at the lyrics and accused the song of being misogynistic while promoting inappropriate behaviour towards women.
This coupled with a lawsuit from Marvin Gaye’s family over copyright infringement led to arguably the darkest moment of Robin’s career – it was particularly bittersweet given the success the song had.
Recalling how he coped with the criticism, Robin told Metro.co.uk to celebrate the release of his stunning new album: ‘I was so sensitive to all of that. I had never had any negative press and here I am having my greatest success as far as the charts and that hit really hard.
‘I had to step away and think about what my message was in my music and in my videos, what did I want to be remembered for and what was important to me.
‘That’s why family, love, spirituality, kindness, celebration; these are the things that are at the core of my heart. Good times and so I want to make music right now that’s warm, good-hearted, loving and promotes good times for people.’
Robin, 44, revealed that the Blurred Lines controversy hasn’t changed the way he feels about the song as it was made with ‘pure and positive’ intentions. However, he does admit that ‘somewhere between the video and my quotes and jokes and just not getting it at the time, we’ve both [he and Pharrell] learned from that’.
The musician went on to explain: ‘That’s what I mean by what do you want to be remembered for? What’s your message? What do you want to show your kids and make them proud of daddy?
‘[Pharrell] and I learned a lot from that experience and matured, we enjoyed the success, we were happy that after him and I knowing each other and working together for so many years got to enjoy that level of success and perform that song all over the world.
‘But then you take a step back and realise that there are other ways to entertain people, there are other phrases to use and a little bit of sensitivity and open-mindness.
‘When you’re an entertainer, I just like thinking of it as there are other ways to entertain people.’
The Lost Without You hitmaker followed-up Blurred Lines with his 2014 album Paula, named after his then-wife Paula Patton. It details their marriage troubles and how Robin hoped to win her back but they announced their separation that year.
Robin has previously been open about his battles with substance abuse which coincided with the Blurred Lines era and end of his marriage.
‘I was kind of stuck back then, I had wanted success for so long. I’d made some great albums, I had travelled the world, done so many great things but I hadn’t had that big number one, worldwide success. Then I got a taste of that and that didn’t really make me happy and I got into some bad habits,’ he admitted.
‘The 2014 album was really me just in a stuck place, just kind of sharing what I was going through but I wasn’t improving. I wasn’t getting better, I was just complaining.’
Robin, who is now in a much happier and settled place with fiancee April Love Geary and a brood of children, said he has some regrets but is glad he made the ‘mistakes’ when he did as they ‘needed to be made sooner or later’ for him to evolve.
His happiness radiates through his new album, On Earth, and In Heaven, which was inspired by life-changing experiences in recent years such as having more children, finding love again and dealing with the death of his father and other loved ones.
The singer explained: ‘Over the last few years with my father passing and having more children and having other things to put my attention into other than myself, it’s been very healthy and I feel like I’ve got my feet on the ground and my head on my shoulders and I’m enjoying the days instead of waiting for something big to happen, I’m really enjoying the process again which is nice.’
It also sees Robin reunite with Pharrell on the track Take Me Higher while the track Beautiful was written after George Floyd’s death sparked the Black Lives Matter movement.
‘I rededicated myself to my music and this is just a testament to all the love and support they gave me and all the love and support that I have in my life right now,’ he said with a sense of complete fulfilment.
Robin Thicke’s new album, On Earth, and In Heaven, is out now.
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