Dionne Warwick was misrepresented as a white woman on French copies of her album

Dionne Warwick visited “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” Thursday, and the legendary singer discussed a French record label which portrayed her as a white woman on her “This Empty Place” record cover. And obviously, this shocked concert goers when she first appeared on stage in Paris.

“What was the reaction when you showed up?” Colbert asked.

“Quite amazing.” Warwick said. “They were accustomed to seeing this. And there was a collective gasp. I said, ‘Yeah, I ain't no white woman, I'm black.’”

The cringe-worthy story garnered support for the singer on Twitter, which happens to be the platform she has informally been dubbed “The Queen of.” And even though the cover art confused the audience, the beloved singer was able to smooth everything over with her majestic voice.

“Until they opened my mouth, they didn't believe that I was who I am,” Warwick recalled. “Actually, until I started singing, then all of a sudden, everybody kind of relaxed and sat back and enjoyed.”

Video Transcript

[WHOOSH]

STEPHEN COLBERT: They put a white woman--

DIONNE WARWICK: Yes, they did.

STEPHEN COLBERT: --on the record. What was the reaction when you showed up?

DIONNE WARWICK: Oh, quite amazing.

KYLIE MAR: Dionne Warwick appeared on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Thursday where the legendary singer discussed a French record label which portrayed her as a white woman on her "This Empty Place" record cover. And obviously, this shocked concert-goers when she first appeared on stage in Paris.

DIONNE WARWICK: They were accustomed to seeing this--

STEPHEN COLBERT: Yes.

DIONNE WARWICK: --and it was, I mean, a collective gasp. It was like (GASPS) Ah. I said, yeah, I ain't no white woman. I'm Black.

[LAUGHTER]

KYLIE MAR: The cringe-worthy story garnered support for the singer on Twitter, which happens to be the platform she has informally been dubbed the queen of. And even though the cover art confused the audience, the beloved singer was able to smooth everything over with her majestic voice.

DIONNE WARWICK: Until I opened my mouth, they didn't believe that I was who I am.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Wow.

DIONNE WARWICK: Actually until I started singing. Then all of a sudden they said, they everybody kind of relaxed, and sat back, and enjoyed.

[PEW]

[WHOOSH]