Patti LaBelle on New Cooking Show: ‘I Cook My Face Off, Honey’

And were you down with the Christina Aguilera version in 2001?
Oh, my God, those girls sang. I was honored. And Christina Aguilera is one of the best singers around. And I love Pink and Mya and Lil Kim and Missy Elliott. They were all involved in that recording. Whenever people say, “Well, how do you like the fact that they did really well, and they sold?” I said, “Honey, I did it first.” [Laughs] And I love the fact that they did it, and we did it together at the Grammys years ago. And it was wonderful. So keep on doing those songs, you know? Anyone young who does a song of Patti LaBelle’s, I am blessed. And it’s a compliment. I didn’t write it. I wish I had [laughs].

Do you remember working with Allen Toussaint as the producer on Nightbirds?
Oh, yes. Those times were priceless. Allen Toussaint is one of the nicest, most quiet producers, who never gets upset; he never raises his voice, but he loved the way Labelle recorded. He loved the fact that we could get a song in two takes. And when he recorded “Lady Marmalade” out of the session, that was the first song we recorded, because we all knew it was a hit. And I would love to work with him again.