Joni Mitchell once called Madonna a 'terrible role model': 'It's death to all things real'

Joni Mitchell didn't hold back while revealing her thoughts on fellow female singer Madonna. That's the only area the "Both Sides Now" singer would say they have in common. They're both females and singers. When it comes to music, though, Mitchell would likely say she was the music maker, not the "Vogue" singer.

Joni Mitchell said music became "burlesque"

Madonna isn't everyone's favorite. You either love her or hate her. Mitchell is in the group of people who hate her.

According to Far Out Magazine, Mitchell once spoke about her distaste for the pop star in an interview. She said music had become "burlesque" mostly because of video. Every generation has to be more shocking than the previous one.

However, Mitchell said at a certain point, everyone's got to "reel it in" because "decadence ultimately isn't that hip." She thought the country was "going down the tubes" from it.

"It’s rotten to the core," she said. "And I think women can be more than decorative."

Madonna was the embodiment of all of that and everything Mitchell hated. She was and still is burlesque and used video, unlike anyone else before her. She was the Queen of MTV and certainly packed on the decadence.

Mitchell didn't like that fans viewed Madonna as a role model

To Mitchell, Madonna was everything wrong in show business. She felt heartbroken that some people viewed the pop icon as a role model.

"Yet someone like Madonna can be seen as a feminist hero because she’s exploiting her own sexuality rather than being exploited by some man," Mitchell said.

"That’s an interesting idea, but what’s the difference between her and a hard hooker, you know? Who’s being exploited there? She’s reveling in herself, too,” she added.

Mitchell explained that Madonna's "got that whore-Madonna thing built-in [laughs]." The "A Case of You" singer, who enchanted fans with her beautiful singing and great lyrics, couldn't understand what Madonna offered listeners.

Mitchell described her as "a living Barbie doll but a little bit on the blue side." She explained there’s "always been that type of female" and "always been a market for it."

However, Mitchell warned that "the danger is that she thinks she’s a role model. And it’s a terrible role model. It’s death to all things real.”

Music is music, though. It's up to fans to decide whether an artist is worth listening to and if their message is good.

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