Martha Wash’s voice is legendary, especially for LGBTQ+ music fans.
As half of the Weather Girls, she belted the song “It’s Raining Men”—and, of course, she’s been the booming voice behind C+C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” and Black Box’s “Everybody Everybody,” to name just a few hits that feature her.
Now, behind the album Love & Conflict, the Grammy-nominated Wash has embarked on a nationwide tour that, again, has her showcasing her remarkable instrument. Recently, she talked with Windy City Times about a variety of subjects, including Pride festivals—but things kicked off with a discussion about a production she was in.
NOTE: This conversation was edited for clarity and length.
Windy City Times: I also interviewed you in 2018. You were actually doing WaistWatchers The Musical. What was that experience like?
Martha Wash: Oh, my gosh! Honey—it was fun and interesting at the same time because that was my first time doing something like that. I was taken outside of my comfort zone and I thought I’d go for it and see what happens. The cast members were great and lovely ladies, and we had absolute fun. Plus, it was the first time I had been in Chicago for a while. It was an experience I enjoyed; the audience was good, although attendance would be low at times.
WCT: So would you do something like that again?
MW: Ahhh… I don’t think so, but never say never.
WCT: Because there could be WaistWatchers The Sequel.
MW: [Laughs] I’m not sure. I would really have to be intrigued to do it again. Oh, my gosh!
WCT: I don’t know if you’re familiar with reaction videos, when people listen to songs for the first time. This one guy listened to you and Whitney Houston, and said, “They don’t have singers like these nowadays.” Do you agree with that?
MW: They’re probably out there but they’re just not well-known. I don’t think people know of them, but they’re out there.
This generation is used to seeing dancing or fireworks, but other generations would say, “That’s not what we’re used to. That’s not what we grew up to.”
WCT: I have to congratulate you on Love & Conflict. I initially thought it was a new album—but imagine my surprise when I saw it was released in 2020. But a little thing called COVID happened.
MW: Hello! We [Wash, Evelyn “Champagne” King and Linda Clifford] had just finished the show “First Ladies of Disco” in Vegas and we were going to preview the album at South by Southwest in the first part of March. But, baby, COVID hit and they shut everything down. So we all went home and dealt with it for the next three years—and I never got a chance to debut or even promote the album until now. After the [restrictions] were lifted, we went back out with “First Ladies of Disco.” So my manager and I decided to devote 2025 to Love & Conflict.
WCT: My two favorite songs on the album are probably “Glamour Flows” and “Rise and Shine.” I don’t know what that says about me.
MW: [Laughs] It says that you are fine.
WCT: Tell me about the album’s title. I get the “love” part—but how did you come up with “conflict?”
MW: Now, you know, with love—we try to encompass all aspects of it but you’re going to deal with some kind of conflict at some point. In some of the songs, the love is there but there’s a little bit of a difference of opinions—and I think that comes with love. That’s why we decided to call it Love & Conflict. Nothing is ever right all the time, and how do you deal with different thoughts or opinions? That could be a love relationship, a friendship—whatever. Sometimes, you may want to pitch someone out of a window. [Interviewer laughs.] And sometimes the cause could be you, and you don’t realize it—until you realize it. And with resolutions, how do you find them? It’s all part of life.
WCT: It’s not all roses, for sure.
MW: Absolutely! And if it were all roses, would we be truly happy? And your rose may not be my rose. If it were all roses, what would you do if something happened that was totally opposite? How would you recognize it? It’s the journey of life that lets us know who we are [as well as] what we can deal with—and what we can’t.
WCT: I’m looking at this album a little differently now.
MW: And it’s interesting that you say that because I’ve been hearing from fans. I heard from someone who said, “I didn’t like the album.” And I replied to him and said, “That’s okay. Can I suggest that you listen to it again?” He replied back and said, “You know what? I like it now.” So sometimes people don’t get it the first go-round, and that’s okay. But sooner or later, if they listen to it again, maybe one of those songs will hit them differently.
And everyone always wants me to do dance music—and I refuse. I’ve never wanted to be tied to one specific genre of music, anyway. I don’t think it’s fair to the artist. If that’s what they want to do, fine; I’m just not one of them because I like too many different genres of music. And it’s about exploration and finding out what styles of music you want to tackle next. Producer Sami Basbous sent me a couple songs; I listened to them and said, “Interesting—I kinda like these songs.” Then I got a couple more and we just started vibing with music that he had. So the different styles of songs and what they say are about conflict, too;; the songs are a little bit more contemporary, bluesy, jazzy.
WCT: You have done a lot of Pride festivals. These days—with everything as divided as they are—is it almost a political statement to perform at a Pride festival now?
MW: Oh—I never thought about that. In my opinion, I don’t necessarily think so. Now if you heard something different, you need to tell me. [Both laugh.] I go to do my show, talk to the fans and hope they enjoy the performance—and that’s it for me. I have no political leanings to present to them. I want to make sure the fans have fun and, hopefully, garner some new fans.
WCT: I miss 10 Minutes With Martha Wash [on YouTube]. I saw you interview Marsha Warfield—and that one was hilarious. Are you doing any more of them?
MW: I am—but when? I don’t know. I honestly can’t tell you. That takes a while to get done, only because of “First Ladies of Disco” and this tour. I’m independent—what can I tell you? When you’re independent, it takes longer to do things.
WCT: Is there anything else you wish to say?
MW: Well, about the show, there will be some songs from Love & Conflict—and maybe a surprise or two. I am looking forward to performing at City Winery. I think it’s going to be fun. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Chicago so I’m definitely looking forward to it.
Martha Wash is set to take the stage at City Winery Chicago on Friday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m., when her “Love and Conflict Tour” comes to town. Find out more details and purchase tickets here.