This is a GOOD LOOK!

Congratulations are in order for powerhouse gospel vocalist/actress Tamela Mann, who has just been added to the cast of Sparkle, the upcoming remake of the 1976 film.

“I’m honored and excited to work with an incredible group of people,” said Mann. “It’s a touching story, and I’m happy to be a part of this film.”

Directed by Salim Akil (Jumping the Broom), Sparkle will feature a stellar cast, including Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Mike Epps and Cee-Lo Green. Original music for the film is provided by R. Kelly.

For more info on Tamela Mann, visit http://www.tillymannmusic.com.

The last time Kim Burrell chatted with GospelPundit.com, she spoke of her No Ways Tired album, her desire to work with Prince and lots more.  If you missed it, click here to read it!

This time, Kim is BACK to talk with Associate Editor Troy Lilly. He sits with her to discuss her new project, The Love Album and the backlash that the mere notion of it received from the church community last year (including the COGIC church’s response).  She also chats about her favorite remake on the album, her friendship with Whitney Houston and much more!

Without any delay, here’s Troy’s chat with Kim Burrell…

*     *     *

Troy: Thank you for joining me this morning to talk about the album and… everything else that’s going on with you. I’m excited.

Kim: I really am too, thank you.

Troy: Great, so let’s get started.

Kim: Ok!

Troy: How did you come up with the concept for The Love Album?

Kim: Well, the concept for the album is strictly trying to get the church folks to have a different language of love outside of John 3:16 because it kind of balances things out.

And I’m hoping and praying that the message of love will be interpreted from my heart to those who will hear it … that it will be nothing opposite of God’s love and our ability to love one another. And that’s just my desire.

Troy: It’s no secret that people adore the unique, jazzy characteristics of your voice. How has the hallmark of jazz translated into the sound of The Love Album?

Kim: You know, I think it’s a misconception that I either trained that way or intentionally sounded like jazz. I think my direction – that is expressing myself through music – has caused me to include a lot of notes I felt were missing in instrumentation or accompaniment, and that caused me to sing in a jazzy way.

I can’t deny that it’s reflecting the jazz influence, and I can’t deny that… but it was so not intentional to be that way.

Troy: Wow.

Kim: Folks say, “You know the notes you’re about to hit, and you know whether they’re jazzy or not.” Well, no, I didn’t know it would classify itself as that. But with that in mind, when I sing I sing to tell the story of whatever the words are, and whatever those notes end up being for me to tell that story is just what it is. It’s never an intentional sound.

People ask me to scat, you know, and I hate that almost because I’m like ‘Geesh… I’m so not the scatter…’

Troy: (Chuckles)

Kim: I mean I probably would do it as a fun thing, but you know… it’s not a part of my art form.

Troy: Well, that’s a revelation even for me! Kim Burrell’s not jazzy. Who knew?!

Kim: Well… (chuckles).

Troy: So since you haven’t included jazz as an influence of your sound – at least not intentionally – what do think about the fact that many people consider you to be the premier song stylist of our time, even outside of gospel?

Kim: It’s extremely flattering, and I’m very, very blessed to have this gift that has drawn so much attention, mainly because I have great interest in letting everybody know that it’s a gift from God.

I didn’t train under anybody, I just developed this gift and I’m very grateful for it because of what it has done for people… it’s brought a lot of joy and fun for a lot of singers and musicians. And I enjoy having it because of the good that it is doing for others.

Troy: I noticed you worked primarily with Asaph Alexander Ward, who produces nearly every song on The Love Album. Why do you work so well together?

Kim: Alex and I have at least a 15-year relationship, and we were going to take cameras in for our studio moments, but we’re so much like family that even some of our outfits we wouldn’t want people to see them (laughs). We’re so laid back and we do a lot of work.

Alex… he holds my voice in the highest regard, as I hold his ability to document it the way that he does with his talent. Working with Alex is always a treat because of our long relationship and what our chemistry brings.

Troy: I was going to say, the chemistry is definitely tangible. Anyone who really listens can hear it.

Kim: Thank you.

Troy: On this album you also covered two songs by R&B royalty, Earth Wind & Fire and DeBarge, as well as a classic by the Clark Sisters. Which was your favorite to record?

Kim: For me, “Jesus is a Love Song” by the Clark Sisters. I’ve spent all my life in gospel and to be able to pay homage to someone as valuable as Twinkie Clark… I think if musicians who have great talent were to take songs that she did over 25 and 30 years ago, they would really see the value in her songs.

And that’s one of the reasons I did it, because Earth Wind & Fire are renown all over this world and I felt they have received their just due, as you can see, because I’m still covering their tunes to this day.

And the DeBarge tune is an endearing song to me, but my favorite was ‘Love Song’ by the Clark Sisters.

Troy: Personally, I have to say, I was raised on the Clark Sisters and I absolutely love them. But what you did with DeBarge’s “Love Me in a Special Way,” was special to me. It’s probably because the song already had a gospel vein starting off with the keyboards.

Kim: Yeah, it did!

Troy: It was kind of Pentecostal already. But I especially love what you did with that one, just to let you know.

Kim: Thank you so much.

Troy: So you mentioned that the concept of the album was to show people about God’s love and loving one another. Is that why some songs specifically mention God while other songs don’t?

Kim: I have a range of lyrics because we need to learn to speak about love without having to preface it with a scripture. I feel like our lives ought to have a sense of love. Church people work hard to prove their love and sometimes they choose to use their gift to say ‘this is my way of loving you.’

But I feel if you have this God in your heart, you can have a conversation without mentioning Jesus and God and the Trinity and all that, and people will know that there’s love in you. I just feel like I don’t have to go and be extreme to get a point across.

Troy: Ok.

Kim: During the campaign for this album, I would like to interview a lot of church officials and church goers and ask them: when they decided to get married and have children and they shared those “magic nights,” was it to ‘The Greatest Hits of Mahalia Jackson?’ (Laughs)

Troy: Oh my goodness! (Laughs)

Kim: I’ll prepare myself for whatever [answer I may get]. But I just feel like at some point in their dating lives theyenjoyed soft music that didn’t have C.L. Franklin doing a prayer, you know?

Troy: Uh huh!

Kim: You know what I mean?!

Troy: Oh, I understand completely.

Kim: Have they ever said to their spouse, “Love me in a special way … or love me like none other?’ Or what did they say in their vows? “I vow to love you as long as the Holy Ghost quickens me?” I think not!

Troy: (Laughs)

Kim: (Laughs)

Troy: Well, the saints enjoy fried chicken too, but we don’t sit down and discuss how it was fried in Virgin Olive Oil, we just eat the chicken. I think it’s good to enjoy music, too, and love between people without being [so] deep.

Kim: Yeah (Laughs).

Troy: Since we’re talking about how rigid folks can be, I want to ask you about the controversy that surrounded the initial announcements about this album. People were all over the Internet saying, “Kim Burrell is doing a secular album, she’s doing a jazz album, and she’s leaving gospel.

Kim: Ok

Troy: Was there ever a time when you considered recording an album that was mainstream or secular music and not necessarily a “gospel” album?

Kim: Everything you hear on this album is what I was trying to tell the world I was going to do. But they took” secular” and made it a vulgar term. They limited it to what they’ve known it to be.

And I felt like I’m not going to spend my life trying to break that down. It’s unfortunate that the people of the church thought I was turning my back on God… just because the word secular was mentioned in my bio, by my team, on the ‘Backstage with Kim Burrell’ website.

Troy: Ok.

Kim: I have a 92-year-old grandmother, a 67-year-old mother, and a 73-year-old father who raised me in the church. As long as they have breath in their bodies, I’m never going to do anything to disrespect the value and deposit they’ve made in my life.

Think about it; even if I tried to sing “Baby, baby, come on meet me in the sex room,” it’s going to sound like I’m having a revival. It’s in my voice. I can’t even convey words that represent that type of thing.

Troy: Yes.

Kim: I’m a pastor of a church. I don’t promote that.

Troy: After the uproar, the Church of God in Christ’s International Music Department released a statement exonerating you and your music. Did you feel it was necessary and appropriate at the time?

Kim: I accommodated what they asked me for and I gave them as much as I could. And it was released based on my agreement to let them release whatever was going to make them feel better.

Troy: So that was something of a concession on both sides?

Kim: Sure.

Troy: Ok, I understand.

Kim: Yes.

Troy: Let’s move past the controversy to the BET performances.

Kim: Indeed!

Troy: Your tribute to Whitney Houston at the BET Honors is probably your most publicized performance ever. What was it like to sing about your love for her?

Kim: It was fulfilling, mainly because I was singing to a person who God has blessed me to spend time with… Godly time, friendship time. I first became acquainted with Whitney when her father died, which was a terrible time, and when she went into rehab for the first time.

We share over a 13-year relationship. And it was my goal to be there to celebrate her new album and return to let her know (publicly) that I’m that ride-or-die friend behind the scenes, but I’ll also come out to let people know I’m not judging her for the rough times.

Troy: Right.

Kim: I was singing to my friend. That’s really what that moment was about. If you notice at the end, I had to remember to blow a kiss to everyone else because that moment was about her.

Troy: Yes, you and her.

Kim: I believe that the world felt that.

Troy: I do too.

Kim: Yeah.

Troy: How has your work life balance shifted now that you’re officially pastoring the Love and Liberty Church down in Texas, in addition to your many other endeavors?

Kim: Pastoring is the greatest agreement with God that I’ve [ever] made, because it is motivating, fulfilling… taxing on areas of my life that needed to be challenged. It has helped me to see people in a whole other light and has given me a lot more patience than I knew I had.

I’ve met a lot of pastors who kind of wipe their forehead and say, “Oh, Lord, what have I done?” But, fortunately, I don’t see myself getting there. I’m proud of the fact it’s one of the greatest that I could have ever agreed with God to do.

Troy: Good.

Kim: It’s not a Kim-Burell-meet-the-stars type of situation. It’s wholesome, it’s balanced with old people and younger people. It’s a glorious thing.

Troy: Awesome. Can I ask you one last question? (Laughs)

Kim: Oh, sure!

Troy: If you weren’t a singer or minister of the gospel, what’s the one thing you’ve always wanted to do?

Kim: I’d be a lawyer.

Troy: A lawyer, really? Wow.

Kim: Yeah, because people are my thing. They are God’s creation. The birds and the lions have the natural instinct and know how to take care of each other. Everything else that God made knows how to replenish and protect itself.

When it comes down to mankind, I have an interest. And if I hadn’t gone this route, Iwas going to be a lawyer.

Troy: Amazing answer! I love to get to the heart of ‘you the person’ because I know you so much more than a performer, and I’m glad I asked. Hope you enjoyed our time…

Kim: I really did, Troy!

Troy: I’m excited about the release of the album. I send my love your way, to the church, and everything else you’re doing.

Kim: I appreciate you. Thank you.

Troy: You’re welcome.

*     *     *

Kim Burrell’s latest project came out THIS week and was already #1 at iTunes on its first day.  You can hear the project’s lead single, “Sweeter,” on the Pundit Player’s playlist.

And, check out our review of the album right here… then, make sure you grab your copy. It’s one of her best works to date!

This is OLD SKOOL from 1989– it’s a great performance from BeBe & CeCe Winans singing “Hold Up The Light” with Whitney Houston at the annual NAACP awards.

My favorite aspect of this video is how great Whitney sounds and how ALL-IN CeCe is going with her performance– I mean she MEAAAANS what she’s singing!

Check it out–

Whatd’ya think?!

Kim Burrell’s tribute to Whitney Houston, which aired last night during the BET Honors program, was simply incredible.

She looked incredible, sounded great and had the entire audience mesmerized.  It was really a great, classic moment. Almost as classic was Whitney’s MAJOR responses to the performance. LOL I love it!

In case you missed it, or even if you immediately played it back on DVR several times, go’n ahead and treat yourself:

Tune in, tune in and I meeeaaaaaaaan TUNE IN to BET tonight for the BET Honors program.  One of the honorees of the night is Whitney Houston and singing in tribute to her is the incomparable Kim Burrell.

It’s been said that Whitney Houston considers Kim Burrell’s voice to be “the greatest on the planet.”  And I hear the singing was SO good that Whitney was on her feet goin’ crazy (insert NO jokes here, please… LOL).

The program airs on BET tonight at 9pm ET/8pm CST.

Who’s tuning in???

“Joy” is one of my favorite songs from the Georgia Mass Choir.  Most people became familiar it after Whitney Houston sang it for The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack, but I can remember when Kirk Franklin (who wrote it) shared lead vocals on it back in the day…

He jokes that he can’t sing, but I’ve never really agreed with that assessment. And I always reference this performance… Male vocalist of the year? Maybe not. But he’s not as bad as he sometimes tries to act.

In the year 2000, Tarralyn Ramsey entered the gospel music industry with the release of her self-titled album on Verity.  We marveled at the beautiful tone and maturity of the teenager’s voice and many predicted that she’d be the next HUGE female voice of the gospel industry.

After being released from her recording contract, she competed in, and WON, the nationally televised Born To Diva singing competition on VH1.  Many accused her of leaving gospel, and even worse, leaving God.

This Tuesday, September 15th, Tarralyn Ramsey will release Beyond The Darkness, her first full gospel album in nearly 10 years, on her own record label.

In my interview with her, we chat about the new album and she responds to the criticism that she alleged strayed away from gospel and Jesus Christ.  Her responses demonstrate determination and sincerity in what she’s doing.  I think you’ll enjoy what she has to say, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy her album.

Folks, I give you Tarralyn Ramsey…

*     *     *

EJ:  Hi!  How are you?

TR:  I’m great, thank you.

EJ:  Thanks for taking a minute to chat.  I really appreciate that.

TR:  Thank you for having me!

EJ:  It’s my pleasure.  I want to tell you, first, that I still listen to your debut album like it came out last week.  From the songwriting and production to the vocal performances, it was great.  And I’m glad to see you back.

TR:  Thank you.

EJ:  Absolutely.  Ok, well let’s get right to it and chat about your new project, Beyond The Darkness, due in stores next Tuesday, September 15th.  How would you characterize this album in comparison to your debut album?

TR:  I think it’s definitely different.  My older gospel record was more of a choir-tinged record.  This record has no choirs.  Every lead and background vocal has been done by me, solely.  It’s traditional, but still pop.  It’s not very urban, though… it’s kind of like a worship/church/pop record.  That’s the best way I can describe it. *laughs*

EJ:  *laughs* Alright.

TR:  I think that, for me, this is my best record yet.  Ever.  Vocally, arrangement-wise, lyrically… to me, it’s definitely my best work yet.

EJ:  Nice.  What would you say is the message of this new album?  What was your goal?

TR:  Well, the title is Beyond The Darkness and, basically, it’s a prophetic declaration over my life, your life, everybody’s life… you may be going through certain things right now, but if you speak out of your mouth that you’re beyond the darkness, you’ll ultimately find yourself in a place that puts you beyond the situations and trauma.

There’s a brighter future that lies ahead.  Things don’t stay dark always and there’s definitely a light at the end of the tunnel.

EJ:  That’s such a necessary word for these times.  I wanna take a minute to address something that I know readers have questions about, and for which I know you’ve got answers.  I’ve had A LOT of people asking me “where has Tarralyn Ramsey been?”  And I’m sure you’ve heard it all before– how do you respond?

TR:  Simply stated, I have a song on my album… it’s actually the intro of the record.  And it says “I am well.”  I’ve been here.  I’ve been working.  I haven’t gone anywhere.

I absolutely took a few years, though, to regroup and seek God’s clarity, to figure out where He wanted me to be.  At the end of the day, that’s most important to me.  And He asked me, specifically, to give Him this album.  And so that’s what I did.

EJ:  Mmm-hmm.

TR:  I didn’t sign with a label.  Not because I couldn’t, but because he asked me to give him this record.  And if I was gonna do another gospel record, it was gonna be done my way.  And that’s what we did.

I’ve been here, though.  I’ve read everything that they write.  I go on YouTube and see all the comments, I read the MySpace page… I’ve been very abreast of what people are saying and what’s been going on.

EJ:  I gotcha.  Lemme ask you– a lot of people don’t understand it, but artists in the gospel industry often have it rough in many ways that don’t often come to light.  Did you become at all bitter or angry with the gospel industry after your experiences in it?  Did anything happen that made you want to take a break from it?

TR:  Oh, no.  I’m a person who, I’ve learned to chalk up things to life experiences.  Even in a bad situation, you have to find something good in it.  I got into this business very young– I got my first record deal when I was 14 years old.  From 14 to 21, I was signed to Verity.

I had kinda grown up and wanted to do something different.  I got released from my agreement and went to [compete in] Divas.  But no, it was what it was– it was a good album.  People enjoyed it, learned who I was… I don’t have any bitterness about it.

EJ:  You mention going to do VH1′s Born To Diva.  I’m gonna ask you to also respond to a criticism that you probably already know is coming.  Someone is going to say “she left gospel for more money and fame… she didn’t do as well in secular music as Beyonce or Rihanna, so now she’s back trying to get rich in gospel.”

TR:  Mmm-hmmm.

EJ:  Now, I can see SO many misconceptions in that statement alone, but I want YOU to respond to it because I’m sure you’ve heard it all before.

TR:  Right.  First of all, I didn’t leave God and I didn’t leave gospel music.  Number two, even though people think I crossed over, I actually just went and won a reality show.  It was on a major network– VH1.

First of all, there was NO record deal in the beginning.  We never knew of a record deal when we started.  It was only to have the opportunity to sing on Divas.  And once we got INTO the competition, that’s when they said “you’ll win a record contract.”

EJ:  Oh wow.

TR:  So, I continued to the next round and, ultimately, won the competition.  But when you win that kind of competition, people fail to realize that you’re already signed to some form of agreement IN THE PROCESS of doing the competition.

EJ:  Right!

TR:  So, once I won, if I said “oh, I don’t want to do it anymore,” I couldn’t have because I had already been signed to something.  So, I continued to do the record.  The record was supposed to be an urban inspirational pop record.  And it started out that way.

For me, I don’t consider it that I left God.  I never left God.  I was still a praise and worship leader in the church, still singing, recording my record… I just expanded my horizons.  And I had the opportunity to do things and to meet people that I never would’ve had the opportunity to meet.

Half of the world didn’t know who Tarralyn Ramsey was, now more people do.  So, it was a great experience for me.

EJ:  Sure.  Would you say it gave you a greater platform to do what you feel called to do?

TR:  Absolutely.  I do music.  I do LIFE music, world music… I do music that touches people in the church and in the world.  Because everybody doesn’t know about Jesus and they NEED to know about Him… some kinda way.  And it may not be through a flat-out churchy song.  But if they can get inspired by finding hope in a “Yes You Can” or in a “Dreamer,” then that’s okay.

So, yeah, I definitely feel like it gave me a greater platform.  I still feel blessed by the opportunity to have been able to sit with music mogul Tommy Mottola, to be able to work with some of the top-rated producers in the world, who’ve worked with everyone from Celine Dion to Whitney Houston.  I feel blessed.

EJ:  Awesome.  Are you touring for this project at all?  Where can people see you soon?

TR:  I am!  I’m gearing up for an in-store at WalMart on September 19th, from 1pm to 3pm, in Orlando, FL.  It’s a live performance and autograph signing. [Editor's Note: Click here to see the flyer for this event!!!]

EJ:  Wow.  That’s hot because WalMart has become a leader in music retail.

TR:  Yeah!  And we’re gearing up for a mini promo tour, which will probably start at the end of September.  And… I’m excited because the single, “Faultless,” is doing pretty well at radio.

EJ:  I’m liking the single!  It kinda reminds me of the vibe of “Peace of God” from your first album, kinda worshipful…

TR:  Yeah!  I never thought of that, but it absolutely does.

EJ:  Are you excited to be on the “artist grind” again?

TR:  Yeah, I am psyched.  It’s definitely from a different perspective because I’m not only the artist now, but I’m the CEO of the record company, so I tend to take a lot of things to heart… What’s that?

*a non-distinct voice speaks in the background*

RIGHT!  My mother says she’s gonna have to take some Xanax because I stress her out!  *laughing*

EJ: *laughing*  I love that!

TR: *laughs* But yeah, I am excited to get on the road and really let people know what Beyond The Darkness is all about.

EJ:  Well, I’m excited for it!  I think people are glad to have another gospel project from you.  I wish you all the best.

TR:  Thank you so much!

EJ:  No problem.  And I’ll talk to you soon.

TR:  Okay, bye-bye.

 *     *     *

So, there you have it folks.  What did you think???

Don’t forget that I posted her single, “Faultless,” on the PunditPlayer today, so make sure you check that out.

Also, visit her website at http://www.tarralynramsey.com and follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/tarralyn.

Guess what I noticed on the Billboard chart for top GOSPEL song?  Whitney Houston’s newest single, “I Look To You,” is #26 this week, up from #30, where it debuted last week.  On the GOSPEL song chart, I say.

Anyone remember a few years back, when Kanye West released a song called “Jesus Walks” and it was nominated for a Stellar Award before being yanked from the nominees?  Oh, the UPROAR that came from the gospel community!!!

Personally, I always say that the gospel music industry doesn’t have a monopoly on Christ or music about Him.  Whitney recorded a song that is at least inspirational (and, actually, may have a lil’ more Jesus Juice on it than most songs from gospel artists lately).

Whitney’s newest project is the highest-selling album in the music industry right now and I have to assume that “I Look To You” is only gonna gain more airplay…

My question– could Whitney Houston top the charts for gospel radio airplay for “I Look To You”?  Could it be nominated for a Stellar Award?  If those things come to pass, how would you feel about it?

The family of Olivia McClurkin has released her album, The Healing Song, posthumously.  Olivia was a renowned background vocalist and worship leader, noted for her work with Andraé Crouch and Ron Kenoly, her long run with Whitney Houston and, perhaps most famously, with her younger brother Donnie McClurkin.

Olivia passed on November 4th, 2008 after a nine-year battle with breast cancer and her testimony is nothing short of miraculous.  This album was recorded over the course of several of those nine years, almost journaling her process and revelations from God during that time (take, for instance, the title track in which she says “they told me my life, it soon would end, but that doesn’t worry me…”).

The album is available on iTunes, at www.PHBalancedMusic.com and at www.TrulyInspiredGifts.com.  I’ve had it for a while now and it remains a blessing to me.  PLEASE check it out and lemme know what you think.

Okay, folks.  Here’s the final interview in the Sunday Best Finalist Edition of interviews.  If you’ve been following, we’ve heard from Jessica Reedy and Y’Anna Crawley (click here if you need a refresher)– now, it’s time to chat with Latice Crawford!

Latice floored us from jump, amazing us with her near-flawless rendition of Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s “Peace Be Still.”  Judges and fans have been a little rough on her lately, leaving some to believe that she may be sent home this week.

She’s got a sweet spirit with an incredible voice and a love for God.  Here’s Latice Crawford…

*     *     *

EJ:  Hey!  How are you?

LC:  I’m doing good, how are you?

EJ:  I’m great thank you.  I wanna first congratulate you on how you’re doing on Sunday Best.  You are a phenomenal vocalist!

LC:  Thank you so much!  Thank you.

EJ:  No doubt.  Tell me about your experience on the show.  What’s it been like?

LC:  Umm… tiring… *laughing* Fun, exciting, a blessing… just a new door that’s opened up for me.  It’s been such an awesome experience.

EJ:  That’s great!  I think you gained a huge fanbase from week one of the performances, when you did “Peace Be Still” by Vanessa Bell-Armstrong.  Folks fell in love with your incredibly unique voice and tone– where did that come from?  Did you work on that?  Were you influenced by certain singers?

LC:  No, actually it came from me losing my voice for four years.  I didn’t really appreciate my gift and God snatched it away.  I used to have a really high voice, like a Karen Clark-Sheard, Mariah Carey kind of voice.

EJ:  Are you serious?!

LC:  Yeah… but I didn’t appreciate it.  I didn’t want to sing.  And God just snatched it away, and gave me some life experiences that made me want to SCREAM and sing.  *laughs*  So that’s the gift I have now– I just belt it out.  It’s definitely God-given.

EJ:  Wow.  You also had a pretty big transformation on the show– you cut off a bunch of your hair!  Now, I know a bunch of black women who don’t just CUT their hair on the fly.  *laughing*  Was that your idea, had you planned to do it and what was your motivation for it?

LC:  Well, I’ve never had a problem cutting my hair.  I’ve had everything down to a Caesar.  The only thing I haven’t had is a baldie, and I’m not trying to go that route any time soon. *laughing*

EJ:  *laughs*  Okay.

LC:  But I never had a problem cutting my hair.  They have so many things out there now, they’ve got weave and wigs, and some of everything that you can get for hair, so… I don’t have a problem.  It’ll grow back.

But yeah, I was definitely in the decision-making process for that.  I wanted to do something really different, something that everyone hadn’t seen me with (as far as “in America”), so I chopped it off and… I like it.

EJ:  Well it worked well.  I think it got a lot of people saying “Whitney Houston!  She looks like Whitney Houston!”  Had you ever heard any of those comparisons?

LC:  I hear that every day of my life. *laughing*

EJ:  Do you?! *laughs*

LC:  Yes, every day.  My cousin, I think, was actually the first to tell me that, but since then, I’ve heard it every single day.

I don’t mind the Whitney comment.  I think she’s great, but I don’t want to be compared to her all the time– I want people to know me as Latice Crawford.

EJ:  Absolutely.

LC:  You know?  Because I’m Latice Crawford, she’s Whitney.  There’s only one Whitney Houston and only one Latice Crawford.  I’m happy with the compliment, but I definitely don’t want the comparison. *laughs*

EJ:  Right.  You don’t wanna get stuck there.  Now, lately, viewers have seen comments from the judges that you’re disconnected from the audience in some way.  A couple of weeks ago, Tina Campbell asked if you were comfortable singing the song you sang and you seemed to give an unequivocal “yes.”

Can you clear it up for people– what are people seeing, or THINKING they’re seeing, that would suggest some nervousness or disconnect from you?

LC:  Well, what people fail to realize is that when the shows are taped, we are being pulled in every direction, you know, behind the stage.  And they don’t understand, really, what a day is for taping– it’s nothing like what they can imagine.  They think we just get on the stage and we sing, but no… they don’t understand the rehearsal process and the learning of the song sometimes 15 or 20 minutes before… things that happened or got changed.  They don’t understand those types of things.

But I will say, with the audience, there wasn’t really a disconnect.  There might have been some exhaustion.  I was tired, my voice was strained… y’know?  We were singing A LOT and it was just getting down to the wire.  Some of my songs weren’t really songs that I might have chosen for myself, so I was trying to do something different, outside of my box.

EJ:  Sure.

LC:  And like you said, from the beginning, I think the expectation for me was set so high… and I’m up against some real strong singers! *laughs*

EJ:  *laughing*

LC:  *laughing*  You know?  Jessica and Yannie… So, maybe I was in my head a little bit.  There were some technical difficulties with my songs a couple of weeks ago and, like I said, those are things that people don’t get to see– there’s a lot of editing and people don’t get to see the behind-the-scenes.  But, all in all, I think I did an okay job.

EJ:  I agree!  You know, one of your fans on a blog someplace else said that it seems like the judges are just making up stuff to try to send someone home.  And when I spoke with Y’Anna, she said that the competition is really strong this season, so the judges are having a hard time deciding among you all.

Do you feel like you’re being picked on at all, or that you’ve been unfairly called out in the past couple of weeks?

LC:  Honestly, no.  I feel like the judges, like Yannie said, are having a very difficult time taking people out.  The competition is really tough.  I’ve always been the type of person to look at things from the opposite side– I feel like whenever someone is giving you a hard critique, it’s because they expect a lot from you.  It means I’m capable of doing whatever it is that they are saying.

EJ:  That’s a good word.

LC:  So to me, I felt like the judges had high expectations for me and wanted the best out of me.  Everyone is pushing for everyone, so I have nothing against the judges.  They’re just doing their job and they have to eliminate somebody! *laughing*  So, it’s cool.

EJ:  That is cool.  Because the reality is that somebody does have to go home.  But, like I keep telling people, at this point, each of you three ladies could do albums and do very well in the industry.  You each have big fan bases, you have proven to the nation that you are great vocalists, you can be great artists, and it’s gonna pan out for each of you.

LC:  Thank you.

EJ:  You’re welcome!  On the show, we’ve heard Jessica’s testimony about getting pregnant at a young age, we’ve heard from Y’Anna about being a single parent.  But BET hasn’t really featured a “story” for Latice Crawford yet.  What is your story?  What pushes you, what motivates you in this competition?  What would you say if you had that camera time to get your background in?

LC:  Well, like I said earlier, I’ve had a lot of different experiences in my life, none that I could pinpoint now.  If I started, I’d never stop! *laughing*

EJ:  *laughing*  Okay.

LC:  You know, we all have our testimonies– no, I’m not a single parent.  No, I’m not raising two kids.  But I’ve had my own share of difficult times.

What pushes me is that I just don’t wanna stay stuck anywhere.  You know, people say “you’re the only one sitting there dwelling on it, the other person has moved on.”  So, there’s no point in me dwelling on anything.  So, I sing through it, I push through it.  I write… I write a lot of songs and different things.  I just try to push through it and encourage someone else.

Every time I encourage someone else, it shows me that what I’m doing is worth something– it’s not just about singing, it’s about ministry.

EJ:  Tell me a bit about losing your voice for 4 years– that’s astounding to me!  I think of Joann Rosario (now Condrey), who lost her voice for a time… it was her livelihood, but it was also the gift that she used to worship God, it was how she spent intimate time with him sometimes.

What is it like for a Christian, who is a singer, to be unable to use that gift for so long?

LC:  Honestly, in the beginning, it didn’t really bother me.  I never really asked to sing– it was something that was given.  But when it started affecting my communicating… I mean God shut me down, literally.  I couldn’t say “hi” too loudly without not being able to speak for days at a time.  I couldn’t sit on the phone.

And this is before texting was really popular– like, when they charged you 10 or 20 cents per text! *laughing*

EJ: *laughs*  Right!

LC:  And I couldn’t express myself.  My grandmother, before she passed away, she would always so “when you think I’m not with you, look to your left.”  And I always thought “what is she talking about?!”  But I’m left-handed.

So, as time went on, and I realized I couldn’t SING it out, I could write it out.  And the more I wrote it out, I was like “I can write all of this stuff, but I can’t SAY it?!”  I mean, God has taken me through some stuff and I couldn’t even tell anybody about it.  And God just gave me a “want” for my gift– that’s what He had to do to make me want it, so that I can be where I am, ministering to people today.

God knew what I had, but I didn’t.  And I didn’t want it.  But, you know, gifts come without repentance.

EJ:  Well, I’m glad He made you TAKE it! *laughing*

Like I said, I think you’re gonna do well.  You have a large fan base already and I know it’s gonna grow.

LC:  Thank you so much.

EJ:  And I appreciate you for taking a minute to talk with me.

LC:  Oh, definitely!

EJ:  And you keep in touch!

LC:  I sure will.  Bye.

*     *     *

So, that’s THAT!

Make sure you check out some of her earlier tracks (GOOD stuff!) at her MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/laticecrawford.

And with THAT interview, I believe we’re now ready for Sunday Best this Sunday!  Make sure you follow me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/gospelpundit) for real-time updates and commentary on Sunday night!

In the meantime, what did you think of the interview???