House legend Crystal Waters on her famous aunt Ethel, new music, and her message for the LGBTQ+ community
Retro Record piece on Ethel Waters, her artistic accomplishments, and a sapphic relationship she had during the Harlem Renaissance.
As anyone who’s listened to music in the past 30 years can tell you, she’s not the only shining talent in the Waters family tree.With 12 dance chart-toppers across three decades, “Gypsy Woman” singer Crystal Waters has worked her way to the top of a genre that originated with the LGBTQ+ community — and has had our full support along the way.
Through the celebrations and the losses, she’s been showing queer people her “100% Pure Love” at every step.To this day, you can’t go to the clubs or watch RuPaul’s Drag Race or even shop at Target without her house prowess making you bop down the aisle.We sat down with the star to chat about her journey alongside the LGBTQ+ community, her greatest musical joys, and her most recent gift to the gays.A post shared by Todd Terry (@djtoddterry)You’ve been in the house music scene for so long, which also means you’ve been around LGBTQ+ communities of color for decades.
How have you seen the community grow and change over time?I remember when I first started, it was mainly the Black and Latino crowds that were in clubs, at the shows, wherever I went.
