Thelma Houston (‘The Masked Singer’ Clock) on Her Path to No. 3 at 81 and Launching Lenny Kravitz’s Career (Exclusive Video Interview)

Michael Becker/FOX

“I didn’t think I was going to get this far,” admits Thelma Houston, the legendary Grammy-winning diva who placed third on “The Masked Singer” as Clock. “There have been other divas that we know well who haven’t gone that far, so I said, ‘Well, as long as I can do as well as them, that would be great.’ Getting this far was just a surprise to me. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, to trust and believe.

The 81-year-old revealed in one of her clues that she skipped the 1978 Grammy Awards because she never thought she would win for her classic Motown hit “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” She explains: “Two years before, I had already been nominated for a Grammy. When Aretha (Franklin) is around, you can just forget about winning. So, I didn’t win that year and when I got nominated again, I was like, “Well, are you going to be able to sit there when they call someone else’s name “, because you know how they put that camera directly on you. the winner goes on stage. So I didn’t know if I would be able to do it and I chose to stay at home because I didn’t think I was going to win!

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Even though the costume was difficult to maneuver, Thelma was determined to work her way through to the end. “What can I do?” she laughs. “I bet if I twerk they’ll see that. It was an act of desperation! »

We also take the diva on a trip down memory lane as we discuss the 40th anniversary of her album “Qualifying Heat.” She recalls, “It was one of the most fun recording sessions because I went to Minneapolis where (Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis) live and they made it very comfortable. But at the same time, you get a lot of work done. It was transparent. And Terry’s mother went out to catch fish and invited me to dinner. It was the best and most relaxed time ever.

Additionally, a young, unknown musician named Romeo Blue produced the track “What a Woman Feels Inside.” The unknown then aged 20 would become a rockstar Lenny Kravitz. “I said to him, ‘How can you write such beautiful words?’ He was the nicest guy. He mentions that in his memoirs, he mentions my production.

Houston is also a big supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and continues to perform at PRIDE celebrations across the country. “I believe because my song in the gay clubs, they are the ones who launched this song. They were the ones who forced the radio to go there.” She continues: “For me, it’s my support. Without them, maybe the song wouldn’t have gotten to where it was. Of course, I still support them. I’ve lost a lot of friends to AIDS, which also has a lot to do with my joining this community. I’ve probably been the grand marshal of every parade.