April 27, 2025 • 23 mins
The Cruz Show welcomed Cynthia Erivo into the studio & she talked in detail about her new album, the Wicked group chats, her family and inspiration. Cynthia also talked about wanting to work with Kendrick Lamar & Doechii & so much more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello there, This is Cynthia Rivo on the Cruise Show.
Tap in to the number one afternoon show in LA
from two to seven pm on real.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Replay replay, replay, replay, and my mind is like, records up.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
That's where the Wano stand up. Take my people, we together, We.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Are going to a brand new.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Your fraid. Don't be scared. Kauza cloud is above warning
shoulder to Karl.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Of me.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
My name is stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I left of me.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Wow. Yeah, rev was on the cruise. That's just a
blip of what you have.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
That's so crazy to hear it like that. You know,
Fly before you All was one of the first songs
I wrote. I were I think it was like two
words yeah, And it was in a film, so right.
It was in why am I thinking of? The film
Prince Bike were directed.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
It Quick Research Department.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
And that was one of the first songs I had
ever written. And I found out that she wanted it
in this film, and I was like, okay, So that
was like right at the very beginning of my like
two thirteen.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Wow. During that during that Beyond the Light there it is, yeah,
did you suffer imposter syndrome?
Speaker 1 (01:58):
I was like, what is happening.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
No, it's all happening, and you're like.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Whoa yeah, And that was just like the beginning. So
that in itself was like a MASSI dream to have
my song in a film was like, but that is
compared to what's happening now. I could not have imagined
that this is where it'd be.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Wow, you're here, welcome, thank you very wow, what a career. Congratulations,
thank you. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I forgive you is on its way, Yes, it is, Yes,
it is.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
June sixth, six June sixth, I forgive you. Are we
forgiving ourselves?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Yes, we're forgiving ourselves.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
We're forgiving other people other people.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
That's hard, it is. I forgive, But I don't forget.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
That, you know what. That's the that's the point of it.
I knew that the I really genuinely think that those
are the Those are actually the three hardest words to say,
I forgive you.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
It is I think that I've had to recently forgive
my parents, and.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
It's it's hard and because it forces us to have
to actually let something go, which is tough, Which is
tough because it then we have to make the choice
about what am I going to grow from this? Can
I hold onto this anymore? Do I actually want the
space that this creates if I let it go? Or
am I comfortable in this space of like hurt and
(03:08):
pain and holding on to what someone else has done
to me?
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And if I let go on my punk?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Right?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
But am I weak for letting go? Am I weak
for saying? Okay it just I'm good, it's all right,
I'm letting.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
It, getting away with it exactly.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
And it's so much more like it just takes so
much more energy to.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Hang onto it. Yeah, yeah, And that's why sometimes we're
comfortable in that energy. We're comfortable just all I'm so
mad at this person. I don't want to let go,
and you hold on to it for long enough and
you almost forget what it was for in the first place,
you know.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Can you remember the first time you forgave or you
let go?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
I think I think it took me some time. Maybe
it was like twenty years old. We had to let
some things go for past relationships, and it took me
ages to let go of parents. It's like my father.
I had to let that go, and it's taken.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Me a lot long time, You see it, there's a
long time to realize that's it's a human being who
is also fallible and who will make mistakes.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, incredibly flawed, yes right, yeah, but maybe not their
fault completely.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Not their fault completely.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, but we thought it was yeah, and now we realize.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
We go, Okay, this is not probably tougher for this
person is, and it doesn't serve me to just hang
on to the thing that I was mad at in
the first place. I'm actually not doing myself a good
service to hang on to it. Actually exactly what the
other person, the person is wherever, living their life, living exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah. Then you're in survival mode your whole life you're
hanging on and.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
That he wants to do that, Do that?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Man, God, A lot of us, a lot of people watching,
a lot of people listening, are in survival mode and
we just don't know how to get out of it.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
This scary. It's a scary when you're out because when
you're in survival, when you know what to do, you're like, Okay,
I'm going to this is how I'm going to survive.
But then when you let go, you have to start living.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
And that's tough.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Living is tough living, the living part, the actually existing
in living is harder than surviving because all it is
is getting from one moment to the next. But living
is actually acknowledging all of the moments that you're going through.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
On the other hand, you had mom who was a nurse, right, yeah,
almost a nurse. By the way, when you're with your mom,
your smile is different.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Yeah, she's because she's funny and she's brilliant and she
I don't know how she did what she did. I
don't know how she got me where I am. I
don't know how she did that on her own, because
she did. She's I was about to swear, I was
gonna say, she's fucking awesome. Shut she like just got
(05:50):
done that. She had her seventieth birthday and she's like rocking,
like beautiful. Wanted to be here is what her dreams.
She she actually did. She got her dream come true.
She left Nigeria, like I think forced her father to
let her come to Nigeria, like I'm going to I'm
coming to London. I'm gonna go to nursing. She put
(06:11):
herself through nursing school whilst going to night school at
the same time, studying mathematics, biology, all of those things,
and then going to King's College to go to nursing
school and then rose up in the ranks and ended
up doing something we call a health visitor. And what
that job is in London in the UK is it's
(06:33):
the bit between like a midwife and the preschool teacher.
But she goes in. She takes care of both mother
and baby after the mother has had their child, before
they go to preschool, So those real formative years where
it's like cognitive health, she's the person that goes in
(06:53):
and takes care of both. That's my mother. She takes
care of mother and baby.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Can she take care of my kids?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
She probably?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
She's really brilliantly. I've seen like I've watched her with
kids and they've been like how that kid was screaming
blue murder three seconds ago and now they're an angel
because because of you how to touch, they just immediately
(07:20):
eyes wide opener. I love her.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
No, that's her soul. Yeah, that's her soul that you
know that just shines through and kids when kids can
see it, that's it's very angelic.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, she's a good she's a good, good person, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I like the album cover right, So it's very very artistic,
very sexy. Those heels are.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
High, they're very I'm always in a high heel, that's
right right now.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
And then the wings, those are wings?
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yeah, right?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Is that a rebirth? Because I saw it and thought, oh,
so she seems or she thinks she's as innocent as
my wife thinks. She's all you know what it is?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
So I did when I found out what I wanted
to call the album, when I decided it, I to
research what symbols of forgiveness are, and the white dove
and olive branch kept coming up. White dove with olive brush,
white dove with olive branch, and the white dove is
also a symbol of peace as well as forgiveness. So
I say, well, how do I humanize that? How do
(08:15):
I take that on? And that's the image that I
came up with. And I knew that it was really
vulnerable to be basically naked.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
But the heels I love because it's very me. Yeah,
it's a representation of me.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
It's a representation of the lyrics and the music, right
and the feeling that we feel in this house right right.
So it's like you're going to get it the minute
you see it. Yeah, So when you see it, you're
going to feel it.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yes, it's not like it's the music in an image.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
And worst of me was that taken from several situations.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
It's taken from one situation. It's taken from one situation
that just really wasn't good for me at all, and
I and I could sense myself getting bitterer and bitter
and bitter as the relationship went on. Sometimes I'd been
he'd make fun of me in front of people and
they wouldn't tell if he was joking or not. And
that's when I was like, Oh, this might not be
(09:08):
very good for us, this might not work. So I
had to make the decision to be like this is
we're out.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I really like the lightning and scars line there. That
is so true.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
It's what anger feels like. The scars of the what
hurt leaves and what that brings out is all the anger.
And that's where that.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Lightning and the depth of a scar yeah, really just
hangs in there, yeah, and can follow you and hurt you.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
And and every time you see it, you're reminded of something,
you know. That's what the scars do. They remind you
of what happened where you came from what happened to you.
So when that's what is left, it's time to move on.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
And you know Grace to wrap up the album, Grace
is about a fan of yours, Yes, so passed away
from cancer.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
That's right. This young girl called Grace who was just
phenomenal and fantastic, a wonderful spirit. Week she'd asked to
see Wicked. We showed it to her, and she sent
a video to share her gratitude and also what she
thought about it, just like so sweet, and so I
sent a video back to say thank you for sending
(10:20):
the video, and then she sent a video back, and
I found out from her family that she loved the
videos that was being sent back and forth. And I
said to her family, well, I can get on a
FaceTime with her if she wants, we can do it
in real time. And then one day I was coming
into the studio to start writing and her auntie called
to say she'd love to get on a FaceTime and
I was like, I'll stop everything, I'll get on a
FaceTime with you. So FaceTime with her about twenty minutes,
(10:42):
and she was just so aware of what was going on,
and she told me about what she wanted her wings
to look like as well, because she knew she was
going to be an angel. And I was like, this
is a this is a special, special kid. When I
went into the studio, I thought to myself, what would
it be to write something about the goodbyes that might
come too soon, but that they that leave you with
(11:04):
something good, they leave you with joy because of the
person and that. I loved that her name was Grace,
because what it means to leave someone with grace, what
it means to start something with grace, what it means
to be graceful to others, grant other people grace, be
granted grace. I just thought, what a wonderful thing to
(11:27):
embody and to inhabit, to live in. And so this
song was written and it's her voice at the end
of the that's special.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
That is so cool, very special, and that's a piece
of art. Thank you, Thanks, Those thoughts and feelings are
now a piece of art that everyone can share right
and and be in touch with.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Yeah, I just love what she says. And I put
it at the end of the album because I wanted
does that hurt at the end, that's at the end.
I put it at the end of the album because
I wanted everyone to be told what I was told.
She said, I feel you you did really good. I
love you, and it's the last thing anyone hears when
(12:13):
they listen to this album. I feel you, you did good.
I love you. That's what you're left with.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
That's right. So Jackie and DJ Leslie, they are screaming
inside they love you, and I mean, how can they not? Right?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Many like me usually I'm about your high. I've just
got heels on.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
I'm like, yeah, we're usually the people when people confused
in the wholeway is mainly because of our height each other.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
But we've got big personality.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
You make up for it.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
I want to talk to you about Sincella yea perforing
with the Philharmonic, Oh my god, what that must feel like,
and also debuting brick vibrants. Was there nerves at all
with that?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Absolutely? There were complete nerves. I was very nervous that day.
It was because it probably to this day, it's probably
the biggest audience I've performed too. It was my first
real festival to go and sing at, my first Coachella,
so it was a lot of a lot of firsts
happening all at once. Singing with the Philharmonic the La
Philarmonic is one of my favorite things to do. I've
(13:30):
done it a couple of times now, and they're some
of the most incredible players. And having Guesta v dudomel
Beat the conductor is just he's a star, so a
lot of things we're writing in it. To sing one
of my songs with them in front of this audience
was a big deal, and to do hopefully Prince Justice
as well, was a big moment for me. Yeah, it
(13:52):
was a bit of a dream.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Come try.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Yeah, that's it's pretty like insane to think that. Like, also,
to you, being as much of a theater person as
you are, I feel like social anxiety is just scared
of theater people. Like it's just like it's one of
those things where it's just like.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
So hearing that you get nervous.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Oh my gosh, Yeah, it's way you get nervous.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Oh absolutely. I think if I lose the nervousness, then
I know something's wrong because my nervousness tells me I care,
you care, but you give a fun yes the second
that disappears that we've got a problem. Yeah, yeah, that
and so I sort of relish the moments that I'm like, well,
the heart's beating fast, I'm nervous.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
You feel like you're almost about it, and you're just like, okay, I.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Always forget the first life. Whenever I'm going on the
first line will go out of my head. Okay, that's nerves,
But it will come when I stand in front of people,
and it always does. It always comes back in. But
it means I actually care. I want to be here,
and I care about it, and I care about the
people who are watching, and I care about what they hear,
and I care about what I'm giving.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
You exude confidence, right, So I think that's great for
people to hear and see and watch. Is that when
you're on an oscar stage or you're on a theater stage,
you're on a set, your heart is literally beating a
hand chest.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Yeah, I can hear it.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Can make a beat out of.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
That, And I'm like, and it don't because it isolates
the sound. So all you can hear is how do
you help calm yourself down? Breathing for me is always
like key and I always say a prayer before I
go on stage. I always sort of because also nervousness
(15:36):
can sometimes be the mirror looking at yourself. So what
I try to do is turn the performance into something
I can give. So I ask to be used like
a vessel, Like, let me let whatever I'm singing be.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
For whoever is out there listening, whoever needs it.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Yeah, let whatever message in the music needs to find,
whoever it needs to find, Let me find that person,
so that the job isn't just let me perform, it's
let me go and help.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
How can we How can I give?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yea?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
How much can I give? What can I give? Yeah?
For sure? Who's in the Wicked group?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Chat me John cho uh Ari, sometimes Jonathan Bailey because
there's like a few different group chats, And then I'll
produce Mark because he's like the granddad of the whole thing.
It's constantly changing. We've got a couple of people. And
then sometimes Jeff is in it and.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Michelle who's the most out of pocket, the most.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Out who's the most out pocket? Sometimes Jonathan really Yeah,
he's just cheeky, like he'll say, chey, I'm very straightforward.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
For sure, you got to be we gotta be.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Yeah, And who uses the most emojis or sounds like.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
She uses the most emojis Homegirl times, and there's still
moments of her and I that are that are still
going viral on TikTok, you know where she's singing live
on the show when she's very young, and you know,
we always had a lot of fun with I was
literally very proud last night, and I was like, why
are you up? Because she's We're like grandmother's the two
of us. We like to sleep early, and so for
(17:08):
some reason I was up at like eleven here, which
meant she was up at two wherever she was. Why
are you up so late? She was like, I know
it's I'm never up this I'm never up this late.
I'm like, no, you're.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Not going on, are you okay?
Speaker 1 (17:25):
I'm taking every second I could get right now because
you're usually asleep by now.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yes, and I forgive you. Is there a song that
there's eleven versions of oh for seven or several versions.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Of song that there?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Maybe it was hard to write or you got stuck
at some oh.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
So replay has three extra verses that I that I
cut because I was like, well, this will be a
very long song if I keep going. There's a version
that doesn't have the whistle on it. There's a version
that just is like the the pads and the melody
on top, and then we came back and went, actually
(18:04):
the whistle works and we'll fill it out with more harmonies.
So that's a version. That's a song that has like
a couple versions, and there is I want to say
Brick by Brick had another version where it sort of
ended in a different place, but I wanted it to
feel almost like a meditation, so I bring back the
(18:26):
bridge and the chorus again. So there's a little bit
new and it's like full. And all of these songs
have a version where there's no orchestra on it because
we have it's all live instrumentation, so there's a live
string orchestra, live drums, live guitar, everything in it.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Music. Yeah, are their producers that I don't know A
part of you wants to work with, like Metro Booming.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Doctor dre Well.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I'd love to work with Doctor Actually, strangely enough, I
bumped into him at the Grammys and he was so lovely.
I was like, well, that could be that could be fun.
I'd love to work with Is it Mustard must Yeah, yeah,
I would love I would have to switch rehab.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
I like that A lot would be crazy, that would
be I think it would be a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Yeah, And I keep putting this out into the universe.
I really And he's not a producer, but I do
think he's kind of produced. I think he's like a
creative director as well. I really want to work with
Kendrick Lamar And I keep saying it over and over again,
but I really mean it, not just as a fan,
but I think he his work, his creativity, his the
(19:52):
way his brain works is I think it's sublime. So
I would love to and doch She and I I
think would realy you love it because the theatrics are
there and the understanding of movement and sound, and I
just think we'd have a good time.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yeah, it'd be an amazing time.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Oh yeah, you's so giddy when you think about it.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Yeah, yeah and extremely.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I think you guys would just make it great.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
We have a good good time. And having met her
several times at this point, she's just a really cool person.
She's just a really cool, intelligent, brilliant, minded, brilliant woman.
I loved her speech at the Grammys over the Moon
when she won it, and I can't wait to see
(20:43):
what else is coming from, because I think she's a supers.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Have you met her yet?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Yes, many times. Yeah, she's so.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Cool, she's so nice and like you, she makes eye contact.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, we have to contact.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Why do people not make eye contact?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
I don't understand that some people have.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I have a feeling that like it had to do
with like COVID and people like not knowing Oh yeah anymore.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah, yeah, we're kind of like we're learning how to
like be with people.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, factory reset, I think so.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I actually think that's what I've.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Been hard reset. Yeah, I forgive you June sixth, and
then we are doing Wicked for Good.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
We are in November, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
And then we're also playing Jesus, Holly, that's right. You
you're extremely talented, you know this, right, But like I
think you could play a Mexican man and.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Like this is crazy, maybe like you're like Dominican, a
boiler or something, you know, chocolate enough, but you know,
do you know what I mean? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Yeah, we're playing Jesus at the Hollywood Ball.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
You know, it's a huge it's a huge moment and
I've loved challenge. Yes, that's I think what I keep
doing trying to find the things that challenge me the most,
that force me to learn more, that keep me honest
in my craft, that don't let me get complacent and lazy.
So I'm always like, oh, I have to level up here.
(22:15):
I've got the what do I need to do? What
more do I need to learn?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
What?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
What do I need to do here to make sure
that I'm still in alignment with the art that I
want to put out into the world.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
You know.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
So I had a conversation with the creative director on
this particular production and it's huge, So I know that
the production is going to be massive, and I have
to match the production. So it's finding the honesty within
the size and making sure that I can sing the
songs the way and it still feels honest and it
comes from the right place. So yeah, I'm looking forward
(22:45):
to it, but I know I'm a little bit scared.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
Good that means which is good?
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Good, that's good, embrace it right, welcome to fear.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
And the Hollywood Ball what a venue too? Right? You
get to solve that in.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
It's beautiful and it's lovely to sing in. It's like
made for performance.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Good acoustics that dome over the top of you.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Oh it makes the sound just vibration.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Did you write a new song for a Wicked for
Good as well?
Speaker 1 (23:10):
I I collaborated, co wrote on a new song that's
in it. Yes, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Was I supposed to know that?
Speaker 3 (23:18):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Yes, someone eaked it out of me and then it
went everywhere and it's like, okay, fine, okay, fine, I
forgive you.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
June sixth, congratulations you sophomore album. Go get them.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
We're proud of you. Thank you. Thanks Win, Yeah for sure,
Cynthia Revo, Crui Show Real ninety two three, thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Oh I love this.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Hey Jack your rich for the Cruise Show. Thanks for
listening to the Cruise Show podcast. Make sure to subscribe
and hey auto download so you don't miss an episode.
Hello there, This is Cynthia Rivo on the Cruise Show.
Tap in to the number one afternoon show in LA
from two to seven pm on real.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Replay replay, replay, replay, and my mind is like, records up.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
That's where the Wano stand up. Take my people, we together, We.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Are going to a brand new.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Your fraid. Don't be scared. Kauza cloud is above warning
shoulder to Karl.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Of me.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
My name is stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I left of me.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Wow. Yeah, rev was on the cruise. That's just a
blip of what you have.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
That's so crazy to hear it like that. You know,
Fly before you All was one of the first songs
I wrote. I were I think it was like two
words yeah, And it was in a film, so right.
It was in why am I thinking of? The film
Prince Bike were directed.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
It Quick Research Department.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
And that was one of the first songs I had
ever written. And I found out that she wanted it
in this film, and I was like, okay, So that
was like right at the very beginning of my like
two thirteen.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Wow. During that during that Beyond the Light there it is, yeah,
did you suffer imposter syndrome?
Speaker 1 (01:58):
I was like, what is happening.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
No, it's all happening, and you're like.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Whoa yeah, And that was just like the beginning. So
that in itself was like a MASSI dream to have
my song in a film was like, but that is
compared to what's happening now. I could not have imagined
that this is where it'd be.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Wow, you're here, welcome, thank you very wow, what a career. Congratulations,
thank you. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
I forgive you is on its way, Yes, it is, Yes,
it is.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
June sixth, six June sixth, I forgive you. Are we
forgiving ourselves?
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Yes, we're forgiving ourselves.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
We're forgiving other people other people.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
That's hard, it is. I forgive, But I don't forget.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
That, you know what. That's the that's the point of it.
I knew that the I really genuinely think that those
are the Those are actually the three hardest words to say,
I forgive you.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
It is I think that I've had to recently forgive
my parents, and.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
It's it's hard and because it forces us to have
to actually let something go, which is tough, Which is
tough because it then we have to make the choice
about what am I going to grow from this? Can
I hold onto this anymore? Do I actually want the
space that this creates if I let it go? Or
am I comfortable in this space of like hurt and
(03:08):
pain and holding on to what someone else has done
to me?
Speaker 2 (03:11):
And if I let go on my punk?
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Right?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
But am I weak for letting go? Am I weak
for saying? Okay it just I'm good, it's all right,
I'm letting.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
It, getting away with it exactly.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
And it's so much more like it just takes so
much more energy to.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Hang onto it. Yeah, yeah, And that's why sometimes we're
comfortable in that energy. We're comfortable just all I'm so
mad at this person. I don't want to let go,
and you hold on to it for long enough and
you almost forget what it was for in the first place,
you know.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Can you remember the first time you forgave or you
let go?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
I think I think it took me some time. Maybe
it was like twenty years old. We had to let
some things go for past relationships, and it took me
ages to let go of parents. It's like my father.
I had to let that go, and it's taken.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Me a lot long time, You see it, there's a
long time to realize that's it's a human being who
is also fallible and who will make mistakes.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, incredibly flawed, yes right, yeah, but maybe not their
fault completely.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Not their fault completely.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, but we thought it was yeah, and now we realize.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
We go, Okay, this is not probably tougher for this
person is, and it doesn't serve me to just hang
on to the thing that I was mad at in
the first place. I'm actually not doing myself a good
service to hang on to it. Actually exactly what the
other person, the person is wherever, living their life, living exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah. Then you're in survival mode your whole life you're
hanging on and.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
That he wants to do that, Do that?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Man, God, A lot of us, a lot of people watching,
a lot of people listening, are in survival mode and
we just don't know how to get out of it.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
This scary. It's a scary when you're out because when
you're in survival, when you know what to do, you're like, Okay,
I'm going to this is how I'm going to survive.
But then when you let go, you have to start living.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
And that's tough.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Living is tough living, the living part, the actually existing
in living is harder than surviving because all it is
is getting from one moment to the next. But living
is actually acknowledging all of the moments that you're going through.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
On the other hand, you had mom who was a nurse, right, yeah,
almost a nurse. By the way, when you're with your mom,
your smile is different.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Yeah, she's because she's funny and she's brilliant and she
I don't know how she did what she did. I
don't know how she got me where I am. I
don't know how she did that on her own, because
she did. She's I was about to swear, I was
gonna say, she's fucking awesome. Shut she like just got
(05:50):
done that. She had her seventieth birthday and she's like rocking,
like beautiful. Wanted to be here is what her dreams.
She she actually did. She got her dream come true.
She left Nigeria, like I think forced her father to
let her come to Nigeria, like I'm going to I'm
coming to London. I'm gonna go to nursing. She put
(06:11):
herself through nursing school whilst going to night school at
the same time, studying mathematics, biology, all of those things,
and then going to King's College to go to nursing
school and then rose up in the ranks and ended
up doing something we call a health visitor. And what
that job is in London in the UK is it's
(06:33):
the bit between like a midwife and the preschool teacher.
But she goes in. She takes care of both mother
and baby after the mother has had their child, before
they go to preschool, So those real formative years where
it's like cognitive health, she's the person that goes in
(06:53):
and takes care of both. That's my mother. She takes
care of mother and baby.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Can she take care of my kids?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
She probably?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
She's really brilliantly. I've seen like I've watched her with
kids and they've been like how that kid was screaming
blue murder three seconds ago and now they're an angel
because because of you how to touch, they just immediately
(07:20):
eyes wide opener. I love her.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
No, that's her soul. Yeah, that's her soul that you
know that just shines through and kids when kids can
see it, that's it's very angelic.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Yeah, she's a good she's a good, good person, you know.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I like the album cover right, So it's very very artistic,
very sexy. Those heels are.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
High, they're very I'm always in a high heel, that's
right right now.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
And then the wings, those are wings?
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Yeah, right?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Is that a rebirth? Because I saw it and thought, oh,
so she seems or she thinks she's as innocent as
my wife thinks. She's all you know what it is?
Speaker 1 (07:53):
So I did when I found out what I wanted
to call the album, when I decided it, I to
research what symbols of forgiveness are, and the white dove
and olive branch kept coming up. White dove with olive brush,
white dove with olive branch, and the white dove is
also a symbol of peace as well as forgiveness. So
I say, well, how do I humanize that? How do
(08:15):
I take that on? And that's the image that I
came up with. And I knew that it was really
vulnerable to be basically naked.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
But the heels I love because it's very me. Yeah,
it's a representation of me.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
It's a representation of the lyrics and the music, right
and the feeling that we feel in this house right right.
So it's like you're going to get it the minute
you see it. Yeah, So when you see it, you're
going to feel it.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yes, it's not like it's the music in an image.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
And worst of me was that taken from several situations.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
It's taken from one situation. It's taken from one situation
that just really wasn't good for me at all, and
I and I could sense myself getting bitterer and bitter
and bitter as the relationship went on. Sometimes I'd been
he'd make fun of me in front of people and
they wouldn't tell if he was joking or not. And
that's when I was like, Oh, this might not be
(09:08):
very good for us, this might not work. So I
had to make the decision to be like this is
we're out.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
I really like the lightning and scars line there. That
is so true.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
It's what anger feels like. The scars of the what
hurt leaves and what that brings out is all the anger.
And that's where that.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Lightning and the depth of a scar yeah, really just
hangs in there, yeah, and can follow you and hurt you.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
And and every time you see it, you're reminded of something,
you know. That's what the scars do. They remind you
of what happened where you came from what happened to you.
So when that's what is left, it's time to move on.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
And you know Grace to wrap up the album, Grace
is about a fan of yours, Yes, so passed away
from cancer.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
That's right. This young girl called Grace who was just
phenomenal and fantastic, a wonderful spirit. Week she'd asked to
see Wicked. We showed it to her, and she sent
a video to share her gratitude and also what she
thought about it, just like so sweet, and so I
sent a video back to say thank you for sending
(10:20):
the video, and then she sent a video back, and
I found out from her family that she loved the
videos that was being sent back and forth. And I
said to her family, well, I can get on a
FaceTime with her if she wants, we can do it
in real time. And then one day I was coming
into the studio to start writing and her auntie called
to say she'd love to get on a FaceTime and
I was like, I'll stop everything, I'll get on a
FaceTime with you. So FaceTime with her about twenty minutes,
(10:42):
and she was just so aware of what was going on,
and she told me about what she wanted her wings
to look like as well, because she knew she was
going to be an angel. And I was like, this
is a this is a special, special kid. When I
went into the studio, I thought to myself, what would
it be to write something about the goodbyes that might
come too soon, but that they that leave you with
(11:04):
something good, they leave you with joy because of the
person and that. I loved that her name was Grace,
because what it means to leave someone with grace, what
it means to start something with grace, what it means
to be graceful to others, grant other people grace, be
granted grace. I just thought, what a wonderful thing to
(11:27):
embody and to inhabit, to live in. And so this
song was written and it's her voice at the end
of the that's special.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
That is so cool, very special, and that's a piece
of art. Thank you, Thanks, Those thoughts and feelings are
now a piece of art that everyone can share right
and and be in touch with.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Yeah, I just love what she says. And I put
it at the end of the album because I wanted
does that hurt at the end, that's at the end.
I put it at the end of the album because
I wanted everyone to be told what I was told.
She said, I feel you you did really good. I
love you, and it's the last thing anyone hears when
(12:13):
they listen to this album. I feel you, you did good.
I love you. That's what you're left with.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
That's right. So Jackie and DJ Leslie, they are screaming
inside they love you, and I mean, how can they not? Right?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Many like me usually I'm about your high. I've just
got heels on.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
I'm like, yeah, we're usually the people when people confused
in the wholeway is mainly because of our height each other.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
But we've got big personality.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
You make up for it.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
I want to talk to you about Sincella yea perforing
with the Philharmonic, Oh my god, what that must feel like,
and also debuting brick vibrants. Was there nerves at all
with that?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Absolutely? There were complete nerves. I was very nervous that day.
It was because it probably to this day, it's probably
the biggest audience I've performed too. It was my first
real festival to go and sing at, my first Coachella,
so it was a lot of a lot of firsts
happening all at once. Singing with the Philharmonic the La
Philarmonic is one of my favorite things to do. I've
(13:30):
done it a couple of times now, and they're some
of the most incredible players. And having Guesta v dudomel
Beat the conductor is just he's a star, so a
lot of things we're writing in it. To sing one
of my songs with them in front of this audience
was a big deal, and to do hopefully Prince Justice
as well, was a big moment for me. Yeah, it
(13:52):
was a bit of a dream.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Come try.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Yeah, that's it's pretty like insane to think that. Like, also,
to you, being as much of a theater person as
you are, I feel like social anxiety is just scared
of theater people. Like it's just like it's one of
those things where it's just like.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
So hearing that you get nervous.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Oh my gosh, Yeah, it's way you get nervous.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Oh absolutely. I think if I lose the nervousness, then
I know something's wrong because my nervousness tells me I care,
you care, but you give a fun yes the second
that disappears that we've got a problem. Yeah, yeah, that
and so I sort of relish the moments that I'm like, well,
the heart's beating fast, I'm nervous.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
You feel like you're almost about it, and you're just like, okay, I.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Always forget the first life. Whenever I'm going on the
first line will go out of my head. Okay, that's nerves,
But it will come when I stand in front of people,
and it always does. It always comes back in. But
it means I actually care. I want to be here,
and I care about it, and I care about the
people who are watching, and I care about what they hear,
and I care about what I'm giving.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
You exude confidence, right, So I think that's great for
people to hear and see and watch. Is that when
you're on an oscar stage or you're on a theater stage,
you're on a set, your heart is literally beating a
hand chest.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Yeah, I can hear it.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Can make a beat out of.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
That, And I'm like, and it don't because it isolates
the sound. So all you can hear is how do
you help calm yourself down? Breathing for me is always
like key and I always say a prayer before I
go on stage. I always sort of because also nervousness
(15:36):
can sometimes be the mirror looking at yourself. So what
I try to do is turn the performance into something
I can give. So I ask to be used like
a vessel, Like, let me let whatever I'm singing be.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
For whoever is out there listening, whoever needs it.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Yeah, let whatever message in the music needs to find,
whoever it needs to find, Let me find that person,
so that the job isn't just let me perform, it's
let me go and help.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
How can we How can I give?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yea?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
How much can I give? What can I give? Yeah?
For sure? Who's in the Wicked group?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Chat me John cho uh Ari, sometimes Jonathan Bailey because
there's like a few different group chats, And then I'll
produce Mark because he's like the granddad of the whole thing.
It's constantly changing. We've got a couple of people. And
then sometimes Jeff is in it and.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Michelle who's the most out of pocket, the most.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Out who's the most out pocket? Sometimes Jonathan really Yeah,
he's just cheeky, like he'll say, chey, I'm very straightforward.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
For sure, you got to be we gotta be.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Yeah, And who uses the most emojis or sounds like.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
She uses the most emojis Homegirl times, and there's still
moments of her and I that are that are still
going viral on TikTok, you know where she's singing live
on the show when she's very young, and you know,
we always had a lot of fun with I was
literally very proud last night, and I was like, why
are you up? Because she's We're like grandmother's the two
of us. We like to sleep early, and so for
(17:08):
some reason I was up at like eleven here, which
meant she was up at two wherever she was. Why
are you up so late? She was like, I know
it's I'm never up this I'm never up this late.
I'm like, no, you're.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Not going on, are you okay?
Speaker 1 (17:25):
I'm taking every second I could get right now because
you're usually asleep by now.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yes, and I forgive you. Is there a song that
there's eleven versions of oh for seven or several versions.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Of song that there?
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Maybe it was hard to write or you got stuck
at some oh.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
So replay has three extra verses that I that I
cut because I was like, well, this will be a
very long song if I keep going. There's a version
that doesn't have the whistle on it. There's a version
that just is like the the pads and the melody
on top, and then we came back and went, actually
(18:04):
the whistle works and we'll fill it out with more harmonies.
So that's a version. That's a song that has like
a couple versions, and there is I want to say
Brick by Brick had another version where it sort of
ended in a different place, but I wanted it to
feel almost like a meditation, so I bring back the
(18:26):
bridge and the chorus again. So there's a little bit
new and it's like full. And all of these songs
have a version where there's no orchestra on it because
we have it's all live instrumentation, so there's a live
string orchestra, live drums, live guitar, everything in it.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Music. Yeah, are their producers that I don't know A
part of you wants to work with, like Metro Booming.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Doctor dre Well.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I'd love to work with Doctor Actually, strangely enough, I
bumped into him at the Grammys and he was so lovely.
I was like, well, that could be that could be fun.
I'd love to work with Is it Mustard must Yeah, yeah,
I would love I would have to switch rehab.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
I like that A lot would be crazy, that would
be I think it would be a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Yeah, And I keep putting this out into the universe.
I really And he's not a producer, but I do
think he's kind of produced. I think he's like a
creative director as well. I really want to work with
Kendrick Lamar And I keep saying it over and over again,
but I really mean it, not just as a fan,
but I think he his work, his creativity, his the
(19:52):
way his brain works is I think it's sublime. So
I would love to and doch She and I I
think would realy you love it because the theatrics are
there and the understanding of movement and sound, and I
just think we'd have a good time.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yeah, it'd be an amazing time.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Oh yeah, you's so giddy when you think about it.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Yeah, yeah and extremely.
Speaker 5 (20:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I think you guys would just make it great.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
We have a good good time. And having met her
several times at this point, she's just a really cool person.
She's just a really cool, intelligent, brilliant, minded, brilliant woman.
I loved her speech at the Grammys over the Moon
when she won it, and I can't wait to see
(20:43):
what else is coming from, because I think she's a supers.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Have you met her yet?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Yes, many times. Yeah, she's so.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Cool, she's so nice and like you, she makes eye contact.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Yeah, we have to contact.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Why do people not make eye contact?
Speaker 3 (20:57):
I don't understand that some people have.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I have a feeling that like it had to do
with like COVID and people like not knowing Oh yeah anymore.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah, yeah, we're kind of like we're learning how to
like be with people.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, factory reset, I think so.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I actually think that's what I've.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Been hard reset. Yeah, I forgive you June sixth, and
then we are doing Wicked for Good.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
We are in November, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
And then we're also playing Jesus, Holly, that's right. You
you're extremely talented, you know this, right, But like I
think you could play a Mexican man and.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Like this is crazy, maybe like you're like Dominican, a
boiler or something, you know, chocolate enough, but you know,
do you know what I mean? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Yeah, we're playing Jesus at the Hollywood Ball.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
You know, it's a huge it's a huge moment and
I've loved challenge. Yes, that's I think what I keep
doing trying to find the things that challenge me the most,
that force me to learn more, that keep me honest
in my craft, that don't let me get complacent and lazy.
So I'm always like, oh, I have to level up here.
(22:15):
I've got the what do I need to do? What
more do I need to learn?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
What?
Speaker 1 (22:18):
What do I need to do here to make sure
that I'm still in alignment with the art that I
want to put out into the world.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
You know.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
So I had a conversation with the creative director on
this particular production and it's huge, So I know that
the production is going to be massive, and I have
to match the production. So it's finding the honesty within
the size and making sure that I can sing the
songs the way and it still feels honest and it
comes from the right place. So yeah, I'm looking forward
(22:45):
to it, but I know I'm a little bit scared.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
Good that means which is good?
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Good, that's good, embrace it right, welcome to fear.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
And the Hollywood Ball what a venue too? Right? You
get to solve that in.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
It's beautiful and it's lovely to sing in. It's like
made for performance.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Good acoustics that dome over the top of you.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
Oh it makes the sound just vibration.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Did you write a new song for a Wicked for
Good as well?
Speaker 1 (23:10):
I I collaborated, co wrote on a new song that's
in it. Yes, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Was I supposed to know that?
Speaker 3 (23:18):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Yes, someone eaked it out of me and then it
went everywhere and it's like, okay, fine, okay, fine, I
forgive you.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
June sixth, congratulations you sophomore album. Go get them.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
We're proud of you. Thank you. Thanks Win, Yeah for sure,
Cynthia Revo, Crui Show Real ninety two three, thank you.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Oh I love this.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Hey Jack your rich for the Cruise Show. Thanks for
listening to the Cruise Show podcast. Make sure to subscribe
and hey auto download so you don't miss an episode.
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