July 29, 2025 • 31 mins
In this solo episode, Michelle reflects on her birthday week and the surprise Destiny's Child reunion in Las Vegas that has the internet in a chokehold. She also opens up about battling self-doubt, the power of community, and how to silence critics—especially the ones in your own head. CHECK IN if you need encouragement to push past fear!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Checking In with Michelle Williams, a production of
iHeartRadio and The Black Effect. Hello, everybody, welcome to Checking In.
I'm so excited to have y'all with me today. Hello
(00:23):
to my day ones, and hello to the new people.
You just kind of hear because you want to know
what I have to say about Vegas this past weekend,
and that's okay, because I'm so glad you're here, and
I hope that beyond today, you're encouraged to stay on
(00:48):
and check in and be a part of my amazing
podcast community. I'm here to hopefully make impact my friends
that I interview weekly or sometimes it's just me doing
solo episodes, but I hope that something is said that
encourages you, that maybe helps you with something that you
(01:13):
didn't know, or it gives you language to what you've
been going through, or for what a friend has been
going through, a loved one, or a business a coworker
is dealing with. So thank y'all for staying with me
and checking in in four seasons. We are four seasons
in and initially this was just gonna be a birthday episode,
(01:37):
right and we're going to talk about that. We're going
to talk about what I did for my birthday. I
think every season I've done an episode, a solo episode
for my birthday, maybe speaking about what I've learned or
what I've been going through that year. And so not
only are we going to talk about my birthday, which
(02:01):
also included a weekend in Vegas. All right, So keep
it locked, We're gonna come back. We're gonna talk all
things birthday in all things Vegas, all right, y'all, I'm here.
Oh my god, what a week from July twenty third
(02:27):
to today right now, July twenty ninth, What a week.
What a week. So let's talk about the birthday. I
promise y'all, I'm gonna get to Vegas. But my birthday
and my life. We wouldn't even be talking about Vegas
(02:48):
if I did not exist on this earth, you know
what I'm saying. So like you just gonna have to wait,
y'all knows your selves about Vegas. We're gonna talk about
my birthday, all right. So my birthday, I think sometimes
even Christmas, it's it's weird for me. I am a giver,
(03:12):
just a natural giver, So I love to show up
for folks birthdays or whatever. Events they have going on.
But sometimes I get nervous when it comes to my
birthday because I'm like, man, are people going to show
up for me? And then I'm always blown away year
(03:34):
after year by you guys on social media, by my family.
That is just something that I've got to work on.
It's either something was done or said, something happened to
where sometimes I don't It's not that I don't feel worthy,
but sometimes birthdays, I don't know, they just feel weird
(03:56):
because it's like you're putting the spot like spotlight, this
is your day, and everybody wants to sing the birthday song.
It's like that feels so weird. I think something's about
something about birthdays and being vulnerable feel icky to me.
I've always shared with you guys about how being vulnerable
(04:19):
makes me feel so naked, and I think sometimes that's
that's the same thing about birthdays. The past couple birthdays,
I've been able to spend it with Beyonce and Kelly,
and you know, I shared with Beyonce, like, yo, you
got to stop having tours and stuff around my birthday
(04:41):
because like, i'mighta end up being with y'all on my birthday,
Like what but this year for my birthday, I was
actually on Broadway. I about, you know, putting in for
(05:03):
personal days so that I didn't have to work on
my birthday. You know, you go through the whole. I
deserve to be off. I work hard. I never call out.
If I call out, it's really because I'm really really
sick my body cannot do it, or if I've had
a prior speaking engagement that was like already put in
(05:26):
my contract. As far as me having a day off,
because y'all, I'm just not the person where I'm like,
I just don't call out if I don't like, oh,
I don't feel like going today, that's I'm sure other
people do that. But again, I come from the school
of Matthew and Tina Knowles. I come from the era
of what no understudies than Destiny Child. You worked, if
(05:49):
you were sick, you worked if you were if you
had cramps, take an advil, suck it up and GHO
sing survivor. But thank god, thank god, there were rare
instances of illness during my time in Destiny's Child. I
(06:13):
think the only time there was sickness, I think we
were all sick. We all had food poisoning at the
same time because we all had crab cakes from my undisclosed.
I'm not gonna name the city or what we were doing.
I'll say we were recording, but we all ended up
with food poisoning. So I think we were like down
(06:36):
for a day or two because we were just sick.
But I was wondering what would have happened if we
were like touring, would we have canceled shows? Because it's
something about when you know people are buying tickets to
(06:57):
come and see you, ninety percent of the people are
understanding if they're like, yo, this person is sick. They
cannot perform, they can't sing, And y'all know, food poisoning
that's pretty intense. You're vomiting, you got diarrhea like, and
you don't know when it's gonna hit. So I guess
(07:20):
I'm saying all that to say, like I remember those
it's a rare instance where we were sick, you know,
And to this day, I even in recent days and months,
I know when the girls have been sick, but they
still show up. So yeah, I just I just did
(07:43):
not want to call out for my birthday. Also, let's
go back to the year twenty twenty eighteen, when I
was on Broadway in Once on This Island. I remember
having to call out for the remainder of my contract
because I just was not healthy. My brain health, my
(08:05):
mental health just was not good. And I want to
I've always wanted to steward this opportunity being in death
becomes her. I wanted to do right by this opportunity
which I am helmed as a leader in that theater.
(08:27):
So to go from feeling like I'm a liability to
people looking up to me as a leader, I don't
want to mess that up. So July twenty third, I
was at the theater for two shows Wednesday. We have
(08:48):
two shows. We have a two o'clock and a seven thirty.
And when I tell y'all, they showered me with so
much love. I had birthday cake, and yes I had
but Nana pudding. That was a request. I don't know
if y'all remember. I think on the Tony Awards red
carpet somebody I did an interview with someone and they
(09:08):
were like, what are you going to be doing on
your birthday? So I'm going to be working on my
birthday just as long as I have banana pudding. I
know I'm going to be okay. And then for after
the matinee, I catered tacos. Y'all, why did the building
tear up some tacos? I had no idea folks liked
(09:32):
tacos like that. So people are like, while you're giving
to us on your birthday, Absolutely I'm giving to the
company of Death becomes her for my birthday because of
what they have given to me, another chance, a new family.
I've grown so much. I've grown so much, and Death
(09:59):
becomes her, originating a role that I have dreamed about.
I am grateful for every role on Broadway that I've
done and on London's West End, but to originate a
role that's that's pretty that's pretty awesome. So got tons
(10:27):
of cool gifts, even thoughtful gifts. People know. I don't
know I should say people, I love lace potato chips,
just regular lace potato chips, or even the wavy laths
because of what they do for my throat. The salt
and oil are soothing to vocal cords. Now, if you've
(10:48):
got high blood pressure, high cholesterol, probably shouldn't be eating them.
I think there's a less sodium one. But baby, if
you're feeling a little cracky, like cackling, and like your
voice is dry, you might want to get you some
(11:10):
lazed potato chips. All right, oil and the salt are
for some reason, they're soothing. So what else did I get?
Just tons of amazing gifts, y'all, like gifts way laze
potato chips. Yeah. Meaning I say that because people pay
(11:31):
attention to what I say. They were taking mental notes.
And so there are things that I did that I
was just having random conversations about and people and death
becomes are just started coming to my dressing room dropping
little trinkets off. And so that's what I did for
my birthday. And then I was like, man, Be's last
(11:54):
show is going to be in Vegas. Man, do I
like pop in there? What do I do? Because of
course I know that I have got to be at work.
I said, this is a rare call out, just do
(12:14):
what you gotta do. So y'all, y'all know that I
don't tell everything. All right, I tell a lot, but
I don't tell everything because that's just that's just a
part of our secret sauce. And I think we can
use that in life. You can be transparent. But leave
(12:39):
stuff for yourself or if you're talking about a relationship
or a situation on your job, just so that you
don't uncover the other person or make them look bad. Well,
it depends on the situation. But learn to tell a
lot but not everything. So I'm gonna be honest. There
(13:05):
was a toe inkling that something could go down. I
just wasn't positive yet, but I like, either way, I
should probably just go and support and then get on
a red eye flight so that I can be back
(13:26):
in the building for two shows on Saturday and one
on Sunday. So I had a red Eye book to
get back to New York. And so I was like, yo,
you can be loyal in one place and loyal in
the other. So I'd be wanting my park with family
to know I got you, I love you, I'm here,
I'm praying for you. Yo. Let's And then I was like, well,
(13:50):
but I've got a commitment too, and death becomes her, y'all.
I kid you not. My flight kept getting delayed. It
kept getting delayed like three times most of the time.
I don't know about you, guys, but when a flight
has multiple continual delays, especially late at night, it's a
(14:16):
possibility it's gonna get canceled. So I was like, you
know what. So during the show Friday night, I'm getting
alerts that flights delay, flights to lay, flights delayed, flights delayed.
I was like, I'm going back to my hotel. I'm
just it is what it is. Next thing, you know,
(14:39):
I ain't giving away everything, but I'm gonna just say,
next thing, you know, we are. We are on stage
rehearsing for a few moments, trying to even figure out
(15:02):
what are we gonna wear, what are we gonna do,
but knowing it's gonna be insane, it's gonna be incredible.
And it worked out. It worked out, It worked out.
Can y'all believe it? And I was trying to stay
(15:30):
focused because y'all know I'm still I still have trauma
from falling on one O six in park. I need
y'all to be my therapist about that too, because every
time I perform with the girls, it's in my head,
do not fall, do not fall, do not fall, to
(15:52):
the point shout out to Ty Hunter. He's such a
butthole at times. I said, Ty, we need to cut
these fringe off the bottom of these pants. So I
don't fall, Thy Hunter. If y'all don't know Ty Hunter.
Ty Hunter worked with us in our Destiny's Child days,
styling us and dressing us on tour, and he's talking
(16:18):
to Tim the head wardrobe head of head wardrobe, like
the person who does all the repairs and the restructuring
of costume and stuff. Thy Hunter is like, child, we
got to cut these fringes off because we do not
want Michelle to fall. I was like, bro, that was
(16:39):
between me and you. You didn't have to make no announcement.
But yeah, that's that's still in my head. Steps do
frighten me now and death becomes her? I do have
to come down some steps, but there are two gorgeous
men on the right of me and the left of
(16:59):
me holding my hand. Did I rehearse them steps? Sure did?
And then when it came to I was like, oh
my gosh, you dummy. You let fear or lack of
trust on that first step, because y'all, I was like,
I'm not gonna let social media do me. I'm not
(17:23):
because if that were to happen and I fel I
would not be able to live that down for the
next twenty years. So that's probably The only thing I
didn't like was that I didn't trust the steps. Beyonce,
you go girl. But then Beyonce walk them steps all summer.
(17:44):
She's familiar with those steps. I've been in depth becomes
her for over a year, from Chicago to now on Broadway.
There are certain aspects of that stage that I know.
I'm comfortable. I don't have to look, got certain marks
I don't have to There are certain things that I
(18:04):
know that I can hit because I'm at home on
that stage. I'm not at home on the Cowboy Carter stage. Nope.
And y'all w gonna do me. So that's the only
the only things that I'm like, Oh, you could have
You could have trusted that the steps were not gonna
(18:25):
let you down. And we did everything wardrobe wise to
ensure that what happened on one oh sixth part did
not happen on this Cowboy Carter stage. We turned into
little girls again, them teenage girls, those younger girls who
(18:46):
just wanted to sing, dance and travel the world. And
Beyonce was like, y'all, let's have fun. We just gonna
go out here and have fun. Whatever happens happens. But
we're gonna have fun. I knew we were gonna have fun.
(19:07):
We always have fun. But when you come from Destiny's Child,
and then when you see the level of excellence that
Beyonce performs at, you step it up right me being
on Broadway, that is pretty much the Olympics of theater.
(19:29):
How much higher do you get in theater Broadway? So
there is a level of excellence, There is a certain
work ethic that you have had to add to get
to Broadway. There is a certain level a work ethic
and a certain standard that one must have to operate
(19:56):
at the level in which Beyonce is able to operate.
Everyone has a gift. We all have gifts, we all
have talent, and it's like, man, are we really doing
what we know to do? Are you pushing yourself? Are
(20:19):
you pushing yourself to like, Hey, I'm gonna stay up
an hour later so I can do disregarding my craft,
or I'm gonna wake up an hour earlier. What what
is it? I was also looking at the fact that
(20:39):
Cowboy Carter has become the highest grossing country tour ever,
and one of the points that I wanted to make
on this episode is Beyonce has showed us how to
(21:03):
break records. So in order to break records or make history,
you have to tune out the critics. The critic is
also you. The critic is also you. You have to
(21:28):
in order to break records and make history, focus on
your craft, surrounding yourself with the right people and along
the way have people. Have you get some people who
(21:49):
start on the journey with you, they have their seasons
with you, right, So it's having the team and prayerfully
you can get that one or two people that's been
with you from there your day one right breaking records
(22:11):
and making history. To break records and make history, you
have to ignore the critics. And when I said, one
of the worst critics is yourself, you also have to
decide to do what people think you can't do. You
have to make the decision to do what people think
(22:31):
you shouldn't do. Why do I say people because a
lot of us confide in people about what we want
to do, and sometimes we confide in people because we're
scared to do something that we know we should do.
So it's like nothing is wrong with confiding in someone
(22:52):
and getting like instruction, some wisdom on some or council
or strategy. But a lot of people, we confide we
got to be careful because a lot of people mean well,
but they might project their own fears onto you. And
those fears are fears of why they didn't do something right.
(23:14):
In order to break records or make history, you must
be willing to do what people think you shouldn't be
doing or you cannot do. And you also got to
ignore the outer critics and that inner critic, which is
(23:36):
a lot of the times you you can be your
own worst critic. You can say, man, I'm not qualified
for this, or I don't have the correct credential for this. Now,
if what you want to do requires some credentials, get
(23:57):
your certification, get the credential. So don't let another day, month,
or year past. I want you to be able to
say I did everything I knew to do. I want
you to be able to say I did it afraid
(24:19):
can we hold each other accountable for that? So I
knew that I wanted to talk about my birthday in Vegas,
but then upon learning that Cowboy Carter has become the
highest grossing country tour ever. Also, when you are able
(24:39):
to do what people think you, there's even some people
who will do everything in your power to keep a
door closed. They'll do everything that they can do to
make sure. They could have mentioned your name in that room,
but they didn't ray that you have a Psalm's twenty
(25:02):
three to five moment you prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies. How much backlash did
Beyonce get for choosing to do her album cole Boy Carter.
People that you didn't even think would have something negative
(25:24):
to say had something to say. But let's go back
to the news that we just saw. According to Yahoo Entertainment,
Beyonce silences the critics after her Cowboy Carter show becomes
the highest grossing country tour ever. So, if a table
(25:48):
is going to be prepared before you and the presence
of your enemies, first of all, God, I thank you
for preparing the table. That means you love me so
much that we're cool, that here's your table and it's
not And when I say eat, it's not that you
the person can be like watch me eat, woo woo,
(26:10):
and like brag. But it goes to show you. Literally,
when Jesus says yes, nobody can't say no. When God
opens a door, it's a door that no man can close.
When Jesus lifts you up, nobody can put you down.
(26:34):
To me, that's what prepared a table in the presence
of your enemies means. So of course I didn't mean to,
you know, go into Bible study. But we gotta be
careful what we be saying about people because you just
never know how that table is going to turn. I
(26:56):
am absolutely proud of her. I'm proud of Beyonce, I'm
proud of Kelly, I'm proud of me, and I'm proud
of you all who are out there also grinding, who
are doing your best to focus, who's doing your best
to ignore the critics because you're gonna break records and
(27:19):
break cycles and make history, even if it's just within
yourself and your bloodline. That's enough because what you can
break in your bloodline, that's rewriting history as well. Billboard
may not talk about it, CBS News might not talk
(27:40):
about it, but you have the power to break records,
break cycles, and make history in your own life, in
your own family, and even change the DNA of your
bloodline by the choices you make and the decon to
(28:01):
not be afraid. I am encouraged. I have a swift
kick in my butt because I promised y'all I was
showering today and that's where I got the thought like
man and able to break I'm literally looking at it
on this piece of paper. In order to break records,
(28:22):
break cycles, and make history, you have to be willing
to do what people think you cannot do and what
they think you should not do, even if it means
sometimes you look crazy doing it. You might fill alone people. Unfortunately,
people will jump on the band wagon later. You just
(28:42):
gotta have enough wisdom and desernment to know who do
you let on the wagon with you? Okay, I hope
y'all enjoy enjoyed this episode, and thank you all so
much for the love. I even saw a note. It
(29:02):
was a somebody tagged me in something. I think that
said Destiny's Child taught me how to speak English, Like,
people are listening to your music and it's teaching them
a language. What can we do with our lives and
our careers that will teach somebody something? What can we
(29:27):
do with our lives and career that's going to make impact? Again,
it might not be heard across the world, but if
you're doing something in your family in your community, on
your job, in your church. I'm telling you, it's a
part of history. It's a part of history. I love you, guys,
(29:49):
Thank you so much for checking in. Checking In with
(31:14):
Michelle Williams is a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect.
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to Checking In with Michelle Williams, a production of
iHeartRadio and The Black Effect. Hello, everybody, welcome to Checking In.
I'm so excited to have y'all with me today. Hello
(00:23):
to my day ones, and hello to the new people.
You just kind of hear because you want to know
what I have to say about Vegas this past weekend,
and that's okay, because I'm so glad you're here, and
I hope that beyond today, you're encouraged to stay on
(00:48):
and check in and be a part of my amazing
podcast community. I'm here to hopefully make impact my friends
that I interview weekly or sometimes it's just me doing
solo episodes, but I hope that something is said that
encourages you, that maybe helps you with something that you
(01:13):
didn't know, or it gives you language to what you've
been going through, or for what a friend has been
going through, a loved one, or a business a coworker
is dealing with. So thank y'all for staying with me
and checking in in four seasons. We are four seasons
in and initially this was just gonna be a birthday episode,
(01:37):
right and we're going to talk about that. We're going
to talk about what I did for my birthday. I
think every season I've done an episode, a solo episode
for my birthday, maybe speaking about what I've learned or
what I've been going through that year. And so not
only are we going to talk about my birthday, which
(02:01):
also included a weekend in Vegas. All right, So keep
it locked, We're gonna come back. We're gonna talk all
things birthday in all things Vegas, all right, y'all, I'm here.
Oh my god, what a week from July twenty third
(02:27):
to today right now, July twenty ninth, What a week.
What a week. So let's talk about the birthday. I
promise y'all, I'm gonna get to Vegas. But my birthday
and my life. We wouldn't even be talking about Vegas
(02:48):
if I did not exist on this earth, you know
what I'm saying. So like you just gonna have to wait,
y'all knows your selves about Vegas. We're gonna talk about
my birthday, all right. So my birthday, I think sometimes
even Christmas, it's it's weird for me. I am a giver,
(03:12):
just a natural giver, So I love to show up
for folks birthdays or whatever. Events they have going on.
But sometimes I get nervous when it comes to my
birthday because I'm like, man, are people going to show
up for me? And then I'm always blown away year
(03:34):
after year by you guys on social media, by my family.
That is just something that I've got to work on.
It's either something was done or said, something happened to
where sometimes I don't It's not that I don't feel worthy,
but sometimes birthdays, I don't know, they just feel weird
(03:56):
because it's like you're putting the spot like spotlight, this
is your day, and everybody wants to sing the birthday song.
It's like that feels so weird. I think something's about
something about birthdays and being vulnerable feel icky to me.
I've always shared with you guys about how being vulnerable
(04:19):
makes me feel so naked, and I think sometimes that's
that's the same thing about birthdays. The past couple birthdays,
I've been able to spend it with Beyonce and Kelly,
and you know, I shared with Beyonce, like, yo, you
got to stop having tours and stuff around my birthday
(04:41):
because like, i'mighta end up being with y'all on my birthday,
Like what but this year for my birthday, I was
actually on Broadway. I about, you know, putting in for
(05:03):
personal days so that I didn't have to work on
my birthday. You know, you go through the whole. I
deserve to be off. I work hard. I never call out.
If I call out, it's really because I'm really really
sick my body cannot do it, or if I've had
a prior speaking engagement that was like already put in
(05:26):
my contract. As far as me having a day off,
because y'all, I'm just not the person where I'm like,
I just don't call out if I don't like, oh,
I don't feel like going today, that's I'm sure other
people do that. But again, I come from the school
of Matthew and Tina Knowles. I come from the era
of what no understudies than Destiny Child. You worked, if
(05:49):
you were sick, you worked if you were if you
had cramps, take an advil, suck it up and GHO
sing survivor. But thank god, thank god, there were rare
instances of illness during my time in Destiny's Child. I
(06:13):
think the only time there was sickness, I think we
were all sick. We all had food poisoning at the
same time because we all had crab cakes from my undisclosed.
I'm not gonna name the city or what we were doing.
I'll say we were recording, but we all ended up
with food poisoning. So I think we were like down
(06:36):
for a day or two because we were just sick.
But I was wondering what would have happened if we
were like touring, would we have canceled shows? Because it's
something about when you know people are buying tickets to
(06:57):
come and see you, ninety percent of the people are
understanding if they're like, yo, this person is sick. They
cannot perform, they can't sing, And y'all know, food poisoning
that's pretty intense. You're vomiting, you got diarrhea like, and
you don't know when it's gonna hit. So I guess
(07:20):
I'm saying all that to say, like I remember those
it's a rare instance where we were sick, you know,
And to this day, I even in recent days and months,
I know when the girls have been sick, but they
still show up. So yeah, I just I just did
(07:43):
not want to call out for my birthday. Also, let's
go back to the year twenty twenty eighteen, when I
was on Broadway in Once on This Island. I remember
having to call out for the remainder of my contract
because I just was not healthy. My brain health, my
(08:05):
mental health just was not good. And I want to
I've always wanted to steward this opportunity being in death
becomes her. I wanted to do right by this opportunity
which I am helmed as a leader in that theater.
(08:27):
So to go from feeling like I'm a liability to
people looking up to me as a leader, I don't
want to mess that up. So July twenty third, I
was at the theater for two shows Wednesday. We have
(08:48):
two shows. We have a two o'clock and a seven thirty.
And when I tell y'all, they showered me with so
much love. I had birthday cake, and yes I had
but Nana pudding. That was a request. I don't know
if y'all remember. I think on the Tony Awards red
carpet somebody I did an interview with someone and they
(09:08):
were like, what are you going to be doing on
your birthday? So I'm going to be working on my
birthday just as long as I have banana pudding. I
know I'm going to be okay. And then for after
the matinee, I catered tacos. Y'all, why did the building
tear up some tacos? I had no idea folks liked
(09:32):
tacos like that. So people are like, while you're giving
to us on your birthday, Absolutely I'm giving to the
company of Death becomes her for my birthday because of
what they have given to me, another chance, a new family.
I've grown so much. I've grown so much, and Death
(09:59):
becomes her, originating a role that I have dreamed about.
I am grateful for every role on Broadway that I've
done and on London's West End, but to originate a
role that's that's pretty that's pretty awesome. So got tons
(10:27):
of cool gifts, even thoughtful gifts. People know. I don't
know I should say people, I love lace potato chips,
just regular lace potato chips, or even the wavy laths
because of what they do for my throat. The salt
and oil are soothing to vocal cords. Now, if you've
(10:48):
got high blood pressure, high cholesterol, probably shouldn't be eating them.
I think there's a less sodium one. But baby, if
you're feeling a little cracky, like cackling, and like your
voice is dry, you might want to get you some
(11:10):
lazed potato chips. All right, oil and the salt are
for some reason, they're soothing. So what else did I get?
Just tons of amazing gifts, y'all, like gifts way laze
potato chips. Yeah. Meaning I say that because people pay
(11:31):
attention to what I say. They were taking mental notes.
And so there are things that I did that I
was just having random conversations about and people and death
becomes are just started coming to my dressing room dropping
little trinkets off. And so that's what I did for
my birthday. And then I was like, man, Be's last
(11:54):
show is going to be in Vegas. Man, do I
like pop in there? What do I do? Because of
course I know that I have got to be at work.
I said, this is a rare call out, just do
(12:14):
what you gotta do. So y'all, y'all know that I
don't tell everything. All right, I tell a lot, but
I don't tell everything because that's just that's just a
part of our secret sauce. And I think we can
use that in life. You can be transparent. But leave
(12:39):
stuff for yourself or if you're talking about a relationship
or a situation on your job, just so that you
don't uncover the other person or make them look bad. Well,
it depends on the situation. But learn to tell a
lot but not everything. So I'm gonna be honest. There
(13:05):
was a toe inkling that something could go down. I
just wasn't positive yet, but I like, either way, I
should probably just go and support and then get on
a red eye flight so that I can be back
(13:26):
in the building for two shows on Saturday and one
on Sunday. So I had a red Eye book to
get back to New York. And so I was like, yo,
you can be loyal in one place and loyal in
the other. So I'd be wanting my park with family
to know I got you, I love you, I'm here,
I'm praying for you. Yo. Let's And then I was like, well,
(13:50):
but I've got a commitment too, and death becomes her, y'all.
I kid you not. My flight kept getting delayed. It
kept getting delayed like three times most of the time.
I don't know about you, guys, but when a flight
has multiple continual delays, especially late at night, it's a
(14:16):
possibility it's gonna get canceled. So I was like, you
know what. So during the show Friday night, I'm getting
alerts that flights delay, flights to lay, flights delayed, flights delayed.
I was like, I'm going back to my hotel. I'm
just it is what it is. Next thing, you know,
(14:39):
I ain't giving away everything, but I'm gonna just say,
next thing, you know, we are. We are on stage
rehearsing for a few moments, trying to even figure out
(15:02):
what are we gonna wear, what are we gonna do,
but knowing it's gonna be insane, it's gonna be incredible.
And it worked out. It worked out, It worked out.
Can y'all believe it? And I was trying to stay
(15:30):
focused because y'all know I'm still I still have trauma
from falling on one O six in park. I need
y'all to be my therapist about that too, because every
time I perform with the girls, it's in my head,
do not fall, do not fall, do not fall, to
(15:52):
the point shout out to Ty Hunter. He's such a
butthole at times. I said, Ty, we need to cut
these fringe off the bottom of these pants. So I
don't fall, Thy Hunter. If y'all don't know Ty Hunter.
Ty Hunter worked with us in our Destiny's Child days,
styling us and dressing us on tour, and he's talking
(16:18):
to Tim the head wardrobe head of head wardrobe, like
the person who does all the repairs and the restructuring
of costume and stuff. Thy Hunter is like, child, we
got to cut these fringes off because we do not
want Michelle to fall. I was like, bro, that was
(16:39):
between me and you. You didn't have to make no announcement.
But yeah, that's that's still in my head. Steps do
frighten me now and death becomes her? I do have
to come down some steps, but there are two gorgeous
men on the right of me and the left of
(16:59):
me holding my hand. Did I rehearse them steps? Sure did?
And then when it came to I was like, oh
my gosh, you dummy. You let fear or lack of
trust on that first step, because y'all, I was like,
I'm not gonna let social media do me. I'm not
(17:23):
because if that were to happen and I fel I
would not be able to live that down for the
next twenty years. So that's probably The only thing I
didn't like was that I didn't trust the steps. Beyonce,
you go girl. But then Beyonce walk them steps all summer.
(17:44):
She's familiar with those steps. I've been in depth becomes
her for over a year, from Chicago to now on Broadway.
There are certain aspects of that stage that I know.
I'm comfortable. I don't have to look, got certain marks
I don't have to There are certain things that I
(18:04):
know that I can hit because I'm at home on
that stage. I'm not at home on the Cowboy Carter stage. Nope.
And y'all w gonna do me. So that's the only
the only things that I'm like, Oh, you could have
You could have trusted that the steps were not gonna
(18:25):
let you down. And we did everything wardrobe wise to
ensure that what happened on one oh sixth part did
not happen on this Cowboy Carter stage. We turned into
little girls again, them teenage girls, those younger girls who
(18:46):
just wanted to sing, dance and travel the world. And
Beyonce was like, y'all, let's have fun. We just gonna
go out here and have fun. Whatever happens happens. But
we're gonna have fun. I knew we were gonna have fun.
(19:07):
We always have fun. But when you come from Destiny's Child,
and then when you see the level of excellence that
Beyonce performs at, you step it up right me being
on Broadway, that is pretty much the Olympics of theater.
(19:29):
How much higher do you get in theater Broadway? So
there is a level of excellence, There is a certain
work ethic that you have had to add to get
to Broadway. There is a certain level a work ethic
and a certain standard that one must have to operate
(19:56):
at the level in which Beyonce is able to operate.
Everyone has a gift. We all have gifts, we all
have talent, and it's like, man, are we really doing
what we know to do? Are you pushing yourself? Are
(20:19):
you pushing yourself to like, Hey, I'm gonna stay up
an hour later so I can do disregarding my craft,
or I'm gonna wake up an hour earlier. What what
is it? I was also looking at the fact that
(20:39):
Cowboy Carter has become the highest grossing country tour ever,
and one of the points that I wanted to make
on this episode is Beyonce has showed us how to
(21:03):
break records. So in order to break records or make history,
you have to tune out the critics. The critic is
also you. The critic is also you. You have to
(21:28):
in order to break records and make history, focus on
your craft, surrounding yourself with the right people and along
the way have people. Have you get some people who
(21:49):
start on the journey with you, they have their seasons
with you, right, So it's having the team and prayerfully
you can get that one or two people that's been
with you from there your day one right breaking records
(22:11):
and making history. To break records and make history, you
have to ignore the critics. And when I said, one
of the worst critics is yourself, you also have to
decide to do what people think you can't do. You
have to make the decision to do what people think
(22:31):
you shouldn't do. Why do I say people because a
lot of us confide in people about what we want
to do, and sometimes we confide in people because we're
scared to do something that we know we should do.
So it's like nothing is wrong with confiding in someone
(22:52):
and getting like instruction, some wisdom on some or council
or strategy. But a lot of people, we confide we
got to be careful because a lot of people mean well,
but they might project their own fears onto you. And
those fears are fears of why they didn't do something right.
(23:14):
In order to break records or make history, you must
be willing to do what people think you shouldn't be
doing or you cannot do. And you also got to
ignore the outer critics and that inner critic, which is
(23:36):
a lot of the times you you can be your
own worst critic. You can say, man, I'm not qualified
for this, or I don't have the correct credential for this. Now,
if what you want to do requires some credentials, get
(23:57):
your certification, get the credential. So don't let another day, month,
or year past. I want you to be able to
say I did everything I knew to do. I want
you to be able to say I did it afraid
(24:19):
can we hold each other accountable for that? So I
knew that I wanted to talk about my birthday in Vegas,
but then upon learning that Cowboy Carter has become the
highest grossing country tour ever. Also, when you are able
(24:39):
to do what people think you, there's even some people
who will do everything in your power to keep a
door closed. They'll do everything that they can do to
make sure. They could have mentioned your name in that room,
but they didn't ray that you have a Psalm's twenty
(25:02):
three to five moment you prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies. How much backlash did
Beyonce get for choosing to do her album cole Boy Carter.
People that you didn't even think would have something negative
(25:24):
to say had something to say. But let's go back
to the news that we just saw. According to Yahoo Entertainment,
Beyonce silences the critics after her Cowboy Carter show becomes
the highest grossing country tour ever. So, if a table
(25:48):
is going to be prepared before you and the presence
of your enemies, first of all, God, I thank you
for preparing the table. That means you love me so
much that we're cool, that here's your table and it's
not And when I say eat, it's not that you
the person can be like watch me eat, woo woo,
(26:10):
and like brag. But it goes to show you. Literally,
when Jesus says yes, nobody can't say no. When God
opens a door, it's a door that no man can close.
When Jesus lifts you up, nobody can put you down.
(26:34):
To me, that's what prepared a table in the presence
of your enemies means. So of course I didn't mean to,
you know, go into Bible study. But we gotta be
careful what we be saying about people because you just
never know how that table is going to turn. I
(26:56):
am absolutely proud of her. I'm proud of Beyonce, I'm
proud of Kelly, I'm proud of me, and I'm proud
of you all who are out there also grinding, who
are doing your best to focus, who's doing your best
to ignore the critics because you're gonna break records and
(27:19):
break cycles and make history, even if it's just within
yourself and your bloodline. That's enough because what you can
break in your bloodline, that's rewriting history as well. Billboard
may not talk about it, CBS News might not talk
(27:40):
about it, but you have the power to break records,
break cycles, and make history in your own life, in
your own family, and even change the DNA of your
bloodline by the choices you make and the decon to
(28:01):
not be afraid. I am encouraged. I have a swift
kick in my butt because I promised y'all I was
showering today and that's where I got the thought like
man and able to break I'm literally looking at it
on this piece of paper. In order to break records,
(28:22):
break cycles, and make history, you have to be willing
to do what people think you cannot do and what
they think you should not do, even if it means
sometimes you look crazy doing it. You might fill alone people. Unfortunately,
people will jump on the band wagon later. You just
(28:42):
gotta have enough wisdom and desernment to know who do
you let on the wagon with you? Okay, I hope
y'all enjoy enjoyed this episode, and thank you all so
much for the love. I even saw a note. It
(29:02):
was a somebody tagged me in something. I think that
said Destiny's Child taught me how to speak English, Like,
people are listening to your music and it's teaching them
a language. What can we do with our lives and
our careers that will teach somebody something? What can we
(29:27):
do with our lives and career that's going to make impact? Again,
it might not be heard across the world, but if
you're doing something in your family in your community, on
your job, in your church. I'm telling you, it's a
part of history. It's a part of history. I love you, guys,
(29:49):
Thank you so much for checking in. Checking In with
(31:14):
Michelle Williams is a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect.
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast,
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