Barbra Streisand talks to “Parade”

The great Barbra Streisand loves her privacy – except when it’s time to support a political candidate or to promote a new album. Well, she sang to raise money for Barack Obama last year and now – after a four year wait – comes her first studio album in four years!

I can tell you now, I have every Streisand album dating back to the soundtrack to A Star is Born and have every intention of adding Love is the Answer to my collection. The two-time Oscar, five-time Emmy and 11-time Grammy winner talks to Parade about life in the current issue.

Here are some bits and pieces.

On her acclaim: “I never hear the good things about me. My friend Quincy Jones says we won our first Grammys together in 1963. I have no recollection. I don’t even remember the room. When he showed me the picture, I remembered what I wore. But it’s like awards don’t mean anything.”

Work she’s most proud of: “My early television specials were really good. I’m proud of the movies I’ve directed. I like those. And I like this house. But for all the public life—I get kind of embarrassed by it.”

On breaking barriers: “I always had this vision of things. I don’t know if it’s in the DNA or what. I got good grades in school but a D in conduct. I would question everything, very much like Yentl … Being a woman in music was fine, but when I wanted to direct, I was poking my head into a man’s world,” she says. “‘What do you mean you’re going to direct? Women are the actresses, they’re frivolous, not the ones responsible for finances.’ That really got me.”

On her political activism: “I was always political. You’re always a citizen first, an artist second. It’s interesting that a Paul Newman or Robert Redford wouldn’t get attacked for being interested in politics, the environment. It’s a double standard, but women are changing. There are nine women presidents in the world, and Hillary Clinton is Secretary of State. ”

On husband James Brolin: “He has the most beautiful bone structure, jaw, teeth, nose, eyes, forehead. We meet people, and they always say, ‘Jim, you look so great.’ He looks like that sleeping, too. It’s really true. … In a relationship, you have to think what’s great about it, what works, the good qualities. And you try to overlook the things that bug you. He must do that with me all the time. It’s reciprocal. Even though I made Yentl, I see that men are different. The ego is different. You have to understand and appreciate the differences. And they’re kind of fun.”

On aging: “You get older, and it’s a bit of a shock. I still feel so young inside. And that’s me in the mirror? … “It must be harder to age if you were known as a beauty queen. So I’m kind of fortunate. But, in truth, I’m happier than I ever was in my life.”