Dame Elaine Paige has revealed that she may never perform live again, as menopause has permanently altered her singing voice. The 78-year-old West End legend and BBC radio host has not sung in public since December 2020, when she appeared in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the London Palladium.
Voice Changes and New Album
In a new interview, Paige explained that her voice is no longer as high as it once was, and she no longer feels able to perform the big musical theatre ballads that made her famous. Instead, she has recorded a new album titled Miscellaneous Paige, which she describes as more reflective and soothing.
“My singing voice is not as high as it was. As you get older, with the menopause and so on, things change and it’s out of your control,” she told Saga Magazine. “I don’t want to do the big, thumping musical theatre ballads any more. Those days are behind me. This album is more reflective and soothing. I wanted to do something within my ability now, at this stage of my life.”
Paige admitted she was nervous about returning to the studio after such a long break. “I was concerned I would not still have a voice. I was terribly nervous, because I was not confident, having not sung since the pandemic. The voice is the same as any muscle, if you don’t use it, then it’s going to disappear. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.”
Damehood and Meeting the King
The legendary performer officially received her Damehood from King Charles III at Windsor Castle in November last year. She recalled the moment with humour, noting that her hearing difficulties added to the awkwardness.
“I was really nervous. This well of emotion came over me just before I had to walk forward. As I looked the King in the eye, I couldn’t speak. He said to me, 'Keeping your hand in, are you?' But he’s got quite a quiet voice and I’m now a little hard of hearing – which is one of the reasons why I don’t perform live any more – so I thought, 'Did he say what I think he said?' There was a beat before I answered him and said, 'Oh yes.' I sort of stumbled though saying, ‘Yes, I’m making a new album at the moment. I’ll send you a signed copy when it’s finished, if you like’. We talked about my charity work then that was it. It all happened so quickly. But it was an extraordinary thing. Overwhelming, to be honest.”
Reflections on Life and Generations
Paige, who has never married, insists she has no regrets and feels her generation was lucky to have enjoyed life to the fullest. “Yes, we did everything, didn’t we? Sex and drugs and rock’n’roll. I do think my generation has really had the best of everything. Everybody seems angry and aggressive today. We were much more laid-back. Maybe it was because we were smoking dope and listening to wonderful music. Today, they don’t even drink, do they? I don’t think they have sex either, as far as I can make out. They don’t eat much of anything, they’re all vegetarian.
“Listen, what do I know about the youth today? Nothing. But it seems to me we embraced everything that being young is about: freedom and experimentation and joy. We were the lucky ones.”
The first single from Miscellaneous Paige, titled 'Only a Lifetime', is released on Friday May 22. The full interview appears in the June issue of Saga magazine.
