Pop icon Grace Jones reveals her joy at being a grandparent
GRANNIES have certainly changed over the past 40 or 50 years. It used to be that a grandmother was the wee old woman you used to visit at the weekend who gave you soup, knitted cardies and big slobbery kisses.
It wasn’t very often they’d appear totally stark naked in a fascinating documentary about their lives.
But Grace Jones isn’t your typical granny. She was one of the biggest models, actors and pop stars of the 1980s.
I think I gave myself a hernia in 1981 dancing to Pull Up To The Bumper, but the whole album Nightclubbing, was one of the best of the decade.
There’s now a documentary, called Bloodlight and Bami, looking back over her wonderful career.
Grace has been a bit intimidating at times over the years – in fact one of her biggest “hits” was TV presenter Russell Harty.
She famously started slapping Russell because he turned his back on her during an interview.
“There have been so many outrageous moments,” she explained to me. “And pretty much what I’m doing now is outrageous.
“I’m still on stage wearing just body paint – it’s not an outfit, I’m nude!
“For me it’s not outrageous. It’s just following my path of doing something that makes me feel free and allows me to artistically express myself.”
As well as her chart hits, Grace was also a successful movie star, appearing in the likes of Conan The Destroyer and A View To A Kill.
When I bumped into Grace for a chat, and she was looking about 30 years younger than her age — 69.
She has a son, Paulo, and one granddaughter these days — who she clearly dotes on.
“I have a granddaughter now and she is so talented,” gushed Grace. “It’s amazing to watch them at eight years old.
“What I say to her is what I say to everyone who has talent oozing out of them.
“It’s to be yourself. Even at eight the children at school say, ‘ Why aren’t you doing things like everybody else?’
“And she talks to me and tells me, ‘ They told me not to dance while I’m doing a fashion show, but I love to dance.
“And I tell her, ‘ There, that’s what to do. Be yourself!
“I’ll always be myself.”
I don’t doubt it for a moment, Grace!