When accepting the Music Icon Award at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards Sunday night, rocker Lenny Kravitz gave a speech that broke the pattern of the stereotypical politics-ladened message we often hear from Hollywood elites. Lenny Kravitz delivered a heartfelt speech with a sincerity rare for an awards show.
Dressed in black leather with dreads draping his signature sunglasses, Kravitz personified his edgy rock image, but his message was uncharacteristically soft. It is not totally uncommon to hear Hollywood elites praise God even before praising their producers, managers, and fans, but it was the way in which Kravitz thanked God that was special.
Here’s the opening of Lenny Kravitz’s acceptance speech:
“When I was thinking about what to say tonight, I kept going back to that word icon. It means a lot of things to a lot of people, but to me, it means you’ve made an indelible mark by being who God created you to be and daring to be different. When I was first coming up, a lot of people offered me a lot of deals. But they wanted me to change.”
Rather than the gratuitous “I’d like to thank God,” Kravitz implied that he dared to be different by attempting to be the person he believes God wants him to be and he challenged us to do the same.
And Kravitz explained how he lived up to his image of what God wants him to be by saying, “My music wasn’t Black enough. It wasn’t white enough. It didn’t fit nicely inside a box or sound like what was on the radio at the time, and I turned down the money and the glitzy promises of fame, and stardom because I couldn’t live with myself doing something inauthentic.”
Too many stars are the product of a formula. In an episode of “The Brady Bunch,” Greg was offered the opportunity to be a star - not because of any talent - but because he fit into the flashy Johnny Bravo suit.
Lenny Kravitz said “it’s never been about how many records I sell, or how many awards I win. It’s not about trying to write hits or being calculated or formulaic. It’s about enjoying and being grateful for the journey and using the gifts that God gave you. Never follow the trends. Set your own pace and recognize that the best is right here, right now, in front of you.”
That acceptance speech carried a message that every child and adult should hear and live by.
I could relate to what Lenny Kravitz said. Throughout my career I have not been afraid to take a different path, from my style on the air to the clothes I wear. We all hear a voice inside of us telling who we are, but many people don’t have the courage to follow that voice because that voice often leads you down paths that defy conventional wisdom and invite criticism and even condemnation. And it’s never too late to listen to that voice that only you can hear. It’s a special voice guiding you to be the unique individual you are destined to be.
The world is full of people who follow the leaders, often leaders created by false premises. The world is full of people who only have the ability to follow the confirmed styles and trends. But we also see those individuals who have the courage to be different and have the confidence to follow that voice that only they can hear.
The powerful message from Lenny Kravitz was to dare to be that person that only you can be and being that person is your greatest responsibility to the world - and to yourself.
