Why Barbra Streisand Was “a Bit” Scared to Hit Studio With Bob Dylan to Record New Duet

Barbra Streisand is having breakfast.

It’s Wednesday afternoon, just after 1 p.m., and the legendary artist is sharing blueberries with her three beloved Coton de Tulears. She’s happy to multitask, however, as there’s work to do in promoting The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two, a new album of duets that drops Friday, June 27. The sequel to 2014’s Grammy-nominated Partners finds Streisand sharing lyrics with Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Sting, James Taylor, Hozier, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande and more.

The roster reads like a who’s who of the music business, a list that it seems only Streisand could land for one record. “Isn’t it great? I’m very lucky,” Streisand tells The Hollywood Reporter over the phone from her home in Malibu, California. She’s also counting her blessings that her voice rose to the challenge of recording 11 new songs, a feat accomplished after a grueling schedule of completing the narration for her New York Times best-selling memoir My Name Is Barbra.

“My voice was very hoarse,” recalled the EGOT winner of the moment she entered the studio to record the first song. “I remember it was such a powerful moment. I prayed to God literally to have my voice there for me. I opened up my mouth to sing the song, and my voice was there, which was a shock to me. I can’t explain that moment, really. I hope I can make you understand what that feels like. It was just an album that was meant to be.”

Below is what an interview with Streisand is meant to be. It’s full of asides, loving commentary to one of those dogs, Miss Violet, and even one “like butta” moment with Streisand spelling it out for specificity, “b-u-t-t-a.” Streisand also offers an update on her forthcoming documentary project with Frank Marshall and Alex Gibney and whether or not she’ll perform live again.

How are you?

I’m just splitting blueberries with my doggies, we’re eating.

That sounds like a great afternoon.

It’s my morning.

Well, good morning to you. First of all, what an honor, I’m so grateful for the time.

You’re so sweet. Thank you.

With all the heaviness in the world, it was such a joy to put the new album on repeat yesterday and disappear into these duets and listen to your beautiful voice all day. How do you feel about putting out an album right now?

I feel great about it. What are you thinking?

Just in terms of what’s happening in the world. An album of love songs and duets is a nice respite from the news.

Music does that. It brings out the warmth and the spirit and the love in the world rather than the hate. It’s good timing.

Definitely good timing. It feels like you are the only living artist that could put out an album of duets and get this incredible mix of legends like Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and James Taylor with pop superstars like Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey.

Isn’t it great? I’m very lucky.

Can you talk about your creative process. How do you decide who to duet with and on which song?

My producers, Peter Asher and Walter Afanasieff, and my longtime A&R man, Jay Landers, brought me a lot of choices. At the time, I had just finished reading my audio book [for the recording] for six weeks, five days a week, six hours a day. My voice was very hoarse, and I thought when I came to the studio to record my first song, I remember it was such a powerful moment. I prayed to God literally to have my voice there for me. I opened up my mouth to sing the song, and my voice was there, which was shock to me. I can’t explain that moment, really. I hope I can make you understand what that feels like. It was just an album that was meant to be.

Wow. Your prayers were answered because your voice sounds so silky and stunning.

Like butta. B-u-t-t-a.

Yes, exactly.

It surprised me. I was never one to really warm up my voice. I just never had the energy or the theory about it. I was also too lazy and always busy. Prayer overtook that, I don’t know. I can’t even tell you what that felt like. I can’t really explain it but when I walked into the room with my producers and engineer, who’s fantastic, it was like…they were applauding. I thought, oh, I must have done good here. I did hear it in my earphones. I wondered, where did that come from?

You’ve never done any warmups or even tricks of the trade to keep your voice in shape?

No, I’m just too lazy. I can’t explain that. I try to, and then after five minutes I’m bored and really I have to go back to the news or something that interests me. It’s a gift that I’m very pleased to have.

You’re obviously doing something right. This album is the second volume to Partners, which was released in 2014 and went on to earn a Grammy nomination for best traditional pop vocal album. It featured duets with only male singers. What sparked the invitation to duet with female singers on this one with Ariana, Mariah and Laufey?

Why wouldn’t I? I’m an advocate of women, and I really wanted to sing with some women on this album.

What were the conversations to get Mariah and Ariana together, and what was the recording process?

You know what, I can’t remember now. Did I do it alone? Some of the songs, I do my vocal first and then people work around me. In this case, the women wanted to do theirs, I think. Jesus, I forget things like that. Ariana is so young and powerful, she can do it fast. Mariah wanted to take her time and do it. Her process was trying it one day, and then trying it another, I think. But I was in the middle. I’m the oldest of these beautiful powerful voices.

I met Mariah several times over the years, and I worked with Ariana before. She came in and joined me in Chicago the last time I sang live [at the United Center in August 2019]. We rehearsed the day before in my hotel room, and the next day we performed [the song “Enough Is Enough”]. Well, it was 70,000 people in the audience, just like the 70,000 when I sang in A Star Is Born at Sun Devil Stadium in Arizona. Can you imagine? I went on stage that first time and said, “I know this is a rock and roll concert but I’m going to sing you a song that I just wrote for the movie called ‘Evergreen’ and I hope you like it.” That was the first time I ever sang my own song.

Wow.

It was exciting. That number, 70,000 — whoa.

Hearing you mention that performance, I can only imagine that when people read this or hear the song you recorded with Ariana and Mariah — or any of them for that matter — people will want to know if there’s a chance you will perform any of the tracks live?

I never say never. Who knows what’s in store?

I read the great interview you did with David Remnick in The New Yorker so I know that you didn’t forget the recording process with Bob Dylan. You said that Bob stood on his feet for three hours with you to record “The Very Thought of You.”

That’s right.

And that it was “three extraordinary hours.” Can you tell me more about your time with Dylan?

We were all kind of scared a bit because I was told I can’t bring anybody to the recording studio, not even my producers. So I was kind of scared, but thrilled to be meeting him in person for the first time. My husband wasn’t allowed to come. He usually comes to my sessions. He likes to do that. Bob came with his wife. I actually gave him a copy of my book and inscribed it with something like, “You and I were 19 years old at the same time, strolling around Greenwich Village looking for work.” He was performing at the same time I was performing at the Bon Soir, my first real professional job as a singer. I wanted to be an actress, I just took those jobs and entered a talent contest before that so I could afford my apartment.

It was just interesting that we have been around each other then and then years later, I think it was the ‘70s or was it the ‘80s? I forget. That’s why it took me so long to write my book. I worked on it for over 10 years and had to have a researcher. When did I do that? When did I do this? What year was that? I have no idea. It’s on the tip of my brain. [Streisand, speaking directly to her dog] What’s the matter, honey? You want another blueberry, sweetheart? What was I saying?

You were talking about the book.

Thank you. And by the way, tell the truth here. Everybody is saying the book was 992 pages but it’s not, so correct it. I just looked it up the other day and it’s 966 pages. I was wondering why they were saying 992? If you want to count the acknowledgements or the back of the book where they list everything? I don’t know. What’s that called?

The index?

It’s one of those words, but my editor was interesting. She said, “Don’t put everybody’s name in so they could just go to the back of the book to see if they’re in it.” So whatever, the point is that it’s 966 pages of story.

Well, people devoured all those pages. Hearing you talk about the book made me think of this other project you are working on about your life. I read last September that you’re doing a documentary on your life with Frank Marshall and Alex Gibney. How’s it coming along?

I guess slowly because there’s a lot of work to do, and they’re both very busy men. I’ve only seen a little short reel that they showed me and my record company. But it’s good. It was a good piece. I only had one interview with them, but they’ve been interviewing people in my life, so that’s been good. I guess I haven’t seen it. I only did one interview so far.

Back to the album. I love the video clip you posted of Paul McCartney for your duet “My Valentine.” Paul says there were “moments of terror” recording with you, I assume because of the nerves. How would you describe your time recording?

Oh, easy. My dog is crying. Oh, no. What is it, honey? What is it? What is it? I know you want more to eat, but we finished all the blueberries. Look, there’s nothing left. That’s Violet. Miss Violet.

Hi, Violet.

How would I describe it? Well, he hadn’t sung his song in a long time. That was funny because he had to get used to it again. I mean, he wrote it a long time ago. For me, I just learned it. I saw it and sang it a few times. But it was so sweet to see him. He’s written so many great songs and some popular, famous songs. He has a huge catalog. He’s so sweet. He is a doll. Very, very sweet. I remember meeting him. Can you imagine? In England. I must’ve been there doing Funny Girl. Somehow he invited me to his house with his first wife, Linda. Just a lovely thing to do. See, I don’t remember things. I never play my own records. I also sang one of his songs, “With a Little Help From My Friends” on one of my albums. I don’t remember the name of the album but anyway, he wanted to meet me and he was very sweet to invite me over then.

You don’t listen to the albums? How has your process changed now, when you put a new album like this one out in the world, do you engage with reviews, comments or any of the reception?

Oh, I mean, I love good reviews. I love when people get the story right. Here comes my husband taking my empty cereal. Yeah, I’m going to finish my coffee, honey. What’s the question, how do I engage with the reception?

Yes.

Somebody from my record company or Jay Landers or Ken Sunshine, people who have been in my life many, many years will send me something.

My last question: How is life in Malibu now after the fires?

We had to leave our house. I needed to take a shower. We went a hotel. But the [fire] five years ago was the horror story. This was horrible, I mean, it shook me up between what’s going on in the world now and in our country. It is very disturbing. It makes me want to get on a boat and sail away.