Lucy Liu Reflects on Being Name-Dropped in Destiny’s Child’s ‘Independent Women’
You know a song is iconic when people recognize it from the very first beat. For Lucy Liu, one track does more than just bring back memories. It reminds her…
You know a song is iconic when people recognize it from the very first beat. For Lucy Liu, one track does more than just bring back memories. It reminds her she is part of something bigger.
In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Liu opened up about the moment her name became forever linked to pop culture history, thanks to a hit by Destiny's Child.
A Shoutout That Stuck
Liu was name-dropped in “Independent Women, Part 1,” a chart-topping anthem recorded by Destiny’s Child, featuring Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams.
"I guess it means you're a part of history," Liu said.
The song, created for the 2000 movie Charlie's Angels, kicks off with a lyric that calls out Liu and her co-stars Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz. It quickly became a massive hit, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven straight weeks.
"I think it's incredible to have that value that was connected to Charlie's Angels," Liu told PEOPLE, referring to the song and the action movie.
More Than Just a Movie Role
In Charlie’s Angels, Liu played one of three skilled detectives working together, continuing the legacy of the original TV series that starred Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Jaclyn Smith.
But for Liu, the role meant more than action scenes and cool gadgets. It helped shift how people saw representation in Hollywood.
"For me, my pride is knowing that my character was able to change the visual aspect of what Americana was, and to create that image that led the way for all other people," she said.
That Song Still Follows Her
Even now, more than twenty years later, Liu says she still hears “Independent Women, Part 1” in everyday places.
"I've heard that song so many times in different places," the star — who is working with Pfizer for the company's Every Breakthrough Matters campaign —said.
Sometimes, she even wonders if it is more than a coincidence.
"Was it already in the mix, or did someone just put that on because I happened to show up in the restaurant? I don't know," Liu said.
Still, she has no complaints about hearing it again and again.
"Either way, it's such a wonderful song. And as soon as you hear the beat, you know what's coming," the mother of one continued. "You get into the mode, and it kind of transports you. That's the beauty of music."
