Friday, October 24, 2014 12:01pm ET by  
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Annie Lennox clarifies 'feminist lite' Beyoncé remark: 'I adore her - she's powerful and gifted'

Back in September, Annie Lennox revealed that she thought Beyoncé was a second-rate feminist and was using that word to describe herself as a way to get more attention

She initially told PrideSource: "I would call that 'feminist lite.' L-I-T-E. I’m sorry. It’s tokenistic to me. I mean, I think she’s a phenomenal artist — I just love her performances — but I’d like to sit down (with her). I think I’d like to sit down with quite a few artists and talk to them. I’d like to listen to them; I’d like to hear what they truly think."

Speaking on 'The View' earlier today (October 24), the icon clarified her comments and explained that her remarks were taken out of context because the interviewer asked her the question after Beyoncé's performance at the MTV VMAs, which she hadn't watched:

"When you're doing phone interviews, things get lost in translation and it started because I didn’t realise Beyoncé performed at the MTV VMAs with the word ‘feminist’ behind her."

She went onto add that she has a great deal of respect for Beyoncé and never meant any offence, but wishes she had understood the context of the question before answering it in such a public manner:

"The word is very polarising and what I meant to say was that I was thinking about Eve Ensler (author of 'The Vagina Monologues'). Heres a heavyweight feminist. I adore Beyoncé... I think she’s extraordinary and powerful, and so gifted and beautiful. If she uses feminism, that’s fantastic and I welcome it." 

"Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The terminology - it’s splitting us apart when we should be united."

Watch Lennox performing 'Georgia On My Mind' below: