May 5, 2026 • 34 mins
On this uplifting episode of Checking In with Michelle Williams, Michelle sits down with Grammy-winning gospel powerhouse Erica Campbell for a deeply honest and inspiring conversation about faith, self-love, and growth.
Erica opens up about her new album I Love You, the journey to embracing her authentic voice, and the balance between passion and perfection in her music. From navigating pressure in the industry to setting boundaries and protecting her peace, she shares powerful gems on confidence, healing, and staying grounded in purpose.
The conversation also dives into friendship, grace, and why showing up for people—especially in their lowest moments—matters. Plus, Erica speaks on freedom, faith, and how love—starting with God and self—can transform your life.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Checking In with Michelle Williams, a production of
iHeartRadio and The Black Effect. There are some people that
(00:20):
I admire from Afar, and I'm so glad that you know,
when I get a chance to spend time with them,
that they are that same person that I admire from Afar.
That's who they are up close. This woman has a
lot of balance. She does so much, but yet maintains
(00:42):
an amazing light about her and she does not compromise
the light within her at all. She's warm hearted, she's
so positive, and she gonna make you feel all right.
I'm so excited for y'all to tap in, lock in
to see who I get to talk to next on
(01:04):
this episode of Checking In. Hey, everybody, good morning, good afternoon,
good evening, wherever you are. I'm so excited about this episode.
I say it every episode because every episode that I
have a guest, it's always somebody that I look forward
to talking to. So I'm always excited about talking to
(01:25):
my guest. This next guest is one of the most
respected artists I feel like in gospel, I feel like
in every genre, I feel like people love them some
Erica Campbell, the Grammy Award winning Stellar Award winning Double
Award winning artists Erica Campbell, one half of the duo
(01:50):
Mary Mary. Listen, y'all, wait a minute past his wife.
Are you called pastor yet? How'd that go? Just past
his Why wasn't okay? Listen, first lady of California Worship
Center and guess what. Yes, national syndicated radio host of
Get Up in the Morning, Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell,
(02:13):
and I am excited I have done. I could go
on and on and on about Erica Campbell, but y'all,
she is here. She has an amazing new album that
is out right now. Give it up everybody, and welcome
Erica Campbell to checking in.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Thank you. I'm glad to be here. I was so
excited when I saw this on my turnerary.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yes, well, I love your album. It was so soothing.
I listened to it on the plane I think I
was traveling back from Dallas to Atlanta, and I love it.
The title of it is I Love You, Yes. And
I loved the integration of the music that we loved
the Hawkins, which I know. If y'all know Erica Campbell,
(02:56):
y'all know she loved Hawkins. She loves the Hawkins and
so for you to integrate that and then your guest
p J Mooreton, Stevie Wonder, your sister Tina Campbell, your
chair and producing go on. Warren like, now, I don't
know what y'all thinking, but it can't be no Erica
Campbell album without.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Absolutely not absolutely, So I.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Just wanted to tell you that, like I loved how
you integrated the old. I wouldn't say, well.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
The.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
It is old, it is, it is old the Foundation Foundation.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I like that. That's good. That's good.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
The Foundation's that planned.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
This record literally kind of evolved. So when we did
the I Love You song, I remember singing dear Jesus,
I Love You in tribute to Walter Hawkins when he passed,
and I fell in love with the rendition that we had.
And so when we did that song, Warren said, let's
put that with that because we were going to do
it the whole song. But it was a perfect marriage
(04:01):
of that song with with the I Love You song
that I did was so it just is that the
one He's smoke is on, thank You Yes, and the
did Jesus I Love You is what Stevie Wonder the
record is still new. The record is still new. It's
still new, yes, But having Stevie Wonder and you know
on a Hawking song was I thought, really really cool.
(04:23):
I just I like this record. I do. I know
sometimes you do. I have done records and been so critical.
I really didn't listen to them very much because I
wish that would have done something different. I wrote a
different lyric. But this, I love this record. I am
proud of this record. It is my I Love You
record because I love me, I love God, I love people,
and being able to share this with people. Far too
(04:45):
many people have put love within the confines of their
breakup or family issue, or even their lack of self love,
so they don't even believe in it. And I'm praying
that this record gives me the opportunity to articulate God's
love and self love with him at the center, because
our world is very mean. Center Jesus is my center.
(05:07):
I'm all right, Okayic's okay, Well, put Jesus at the center,
then I become something special. So that's the whole purpose
of this I Love You movement, the songs, all of it.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Well, I first of all, I'm so shocked to hear
you say that on previous records when you listen to him, like, man,
I wish I would have done this. I wish I
would have Maybe I'm like, what, like, y'all have won
awards because of your writing. Yeah, shocked that you were like, Yeah,
I wish I would have. I don't want to I
don't want to put you on the spot, but I'm like,
(05:39):
is there something.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
That it's a part of a verse and can't give
up now that I always wanted to sing over Oly.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Look at me now I want to go and look
it up.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
How I'm gonna have people looking for stuff?
Speaker 1 (05:52):
But I got to be present for the interview. But
I'm a Google queen Sideline. Wait a minutelet me.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Go what Yeah, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
And we were recording that song, me and Tina were
both in the booth at the same time, and apparently
we weren't giving Warren what he was looking for, and
so he's very He's a lot of things in the studio.
But I understand in order to get to a level
of things that are special, because I don't want to
say perfection, it's not that it's perfect what it's supposed
to be. You can't be obsessed with perfection. You have
(06:22):
to allow heart and feeling, which means maybe a note
or a run may not be perfectly executed, but it
may be passionate. Okay, you know what I mean. And
he would always say, well, sure, if you want to
sacrifice passion for perfection, go ahead. People like passion. Perfection
doesn't always get attention. And so even some of the
(06:42):
best records that we love by some of our greatest artists,
maybe the drums weren't what they needed to be, or
sonically it was different, but there was something that had
heart in it. And that's always what I'm after. So
it's okay that my my obsession with making sure it's
all as supposed to be, I can, I can let
it ride. Okay, that's passion. Eric, We're just gonna call
that bed no passion passion.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Oh so, I guess when we have to, maybe when
we're in the audience and maybe someone is up singing
or performing, you could be like, that was passion, that's perfection. Crazy, Yes,
that was passion. That's the new Let the Lord use
your baby. That's all right, Amen, take your time. We're
(07:26):
gonna say that that was passion. Amen.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Amen, I've had those moments.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
If I had twenty fingers, I probably could be like, yeah, yeah,
I totally understand. I've had passionate moments.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
But you know what, learning to overcome them, learning that
they are part of your story, the moments when you
weren't one hundred percent. Learning to accept that, I think
has been so liberating for me. I was talking to
someone about my mom earlier and saying how she's always
said you can live anything. Now, live anything down. Knowing
that I can anything down keeps me from running from
(08:02):
what has been you know what I mean, keeps you
from living in shame. Knowing that everybody has made a mistake.
The Scripture says it like this, for all have sinned
and follows short of the glory of God. When I
allow myself that, then I don't have to make excuses
or apologize overly apologize for something that kind of comes
(08:24):
with life. Some people are so held hostage to their mistakes,
which I get it. Depending on how you were raised.
That could mean like my success or my failure because
I made a mistake. But I think it's people in
the world have made mistakes and they got up and
kept going.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
And I think, like you said, we can't make our
identity based on our failures or mistakes, you know, because
that's that's when it's like, Okay, you are just a
walking advertisement of shame or regret or hurt or pain.
And so I totally get that. And I will say
(08:59):
that there are some artists who openly show compassion and
love and grace for some of everybody. You are one
of them. Why do you do that? And I don't
mean that, like why, I like, there's no shame if
somebody's in the news for something crazy, I like you,
(09:20):
Tasha Cobbs. Are so many people that are like, no,
I'm standing with my brother, I'm standing with my sister.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Yeah, because I'm not a real friend. If I'm only
a friend when you're doing good, that's not a real friend.
I'm not a real friend or a supporter. I'm not
even in my opinion, that's not You're not a good person.
If you throw people away because they made a mistake,
you know what I'm saying. That's very self centered. And
a lot of people's friendship is I'm friends with you
because I look good being friends with you. Let me
(09:45):
stand in close proximity to you because you're something and
now they're going to think I'm something. Well, if you fail,
if you have an issue, let me get away from you,
because I don't want to look bad. I'm not that
kind of friend I've had, you know, for when I
have my sisters right, and so we're all different, have
gone through, gone through different things, and I'm always gonna
rock with my sisters. But I also have a core
(10:05):
group of friends that I call the G's that I've
known since childhood and we've been through everything together, divorces, breakups, successes, failures,
misunderstandings and allowing us to grow. So one of my friends,
as I was becoming myself, being okay with being myself,
I begin to speak up more. Well. They were used
(10:26):
to the Araka that didn't speak up very much. They
were used to me being the quiet eerica. They were
used to me saying, oh, whatever y'all want to do,
wherever y'all go. Well I learned to say, well, no,
I don't like that, well let's go here. And at
first they were like, uh uh, she changing because she's this,
And I said, this don't have nothing to do with lights,
camera action and everything. With me owning my voice and
(10:48):
liking it and knowing that it's okay and not having
this private self conversation or what if they don't agree,
what if they don't think it's funny. Well, I won't
say that and I won't do that, just tear myself down.
Once I got comfortable with me, I love, love, love
that my friends allowed me to grow. I said, y'all,
I'm growing up and I don't want to lose my
(11:09):
friends because I'm growing up. Y'all grow with me, allow
me to grow, allow me to speak my piece, allow
me to throw my opinion and it be okay, because
sometimes you have your opinionated friends, the quiet friends, this, that,
and then we started and when I said that, then
all of us started speaking up. Don't call me late, friend.
I know I'm late, but I don't want to be
and y'all laugh at it. And it's something that I'm
(11:29):
trying to change, you know what I mean? Or don't
call me the friend. Don't say I'm dumb all the time,
because I actually kind of low key struggle with that.
And so when people are surrounded by people they love,
you can be the best honest version of yourself. I'm
so blessed that I have friends where I can go
and take the wig off, I can cry, I can
talk about the industry and what I don't and what's confusing,
(11:52):
and what's hurt and what's hard. The fact that I mean,
you know, you can get on a red carpet and
be having a good moment, They're going to remind you
of the worst moment in your career.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
If you're not strong enough, if you don't have a
good center and good people around you, it could make
some people crumble by some people who don't like interviews.
But because I have people who love me, and I
know I can live anything down and I know I
can still be kind. I don't have to be mean
and nasty.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
So good.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Something you said about owning your voice and being okay
with Instead of being the passive Erica, you are now
the bold, confident Erica who is obviously maybe has set
some boundaries and you stand on those boundaries. It made
me think of something doctor Henry Cloud said, when you
are quiet about your boundaries in an effort to seem
(12:48):
more likable or to avoid conflict, you will become more resentful.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yes, yes, though, that's what made me think of that.
You get angry, really really do. And I remember being that.
I remember being nice because it's not nice to say,
well I don't I don't really rock with them very well,
Oh that's not nice. And so then I allow people
in my space that don't mean me, well, that don't
mean my family well, because I don't want to be mean.
(13:16):
But I know what I felt in my spirit when
they walked in the room.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
And so I've learned that it's okay to say, oh,
I'm sorry, would you give us a moment?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
I don't have to say your spirit off, I don't
like your energy. I don't have to say that. I
just like, hey, can you give us a moment? Or
if I'm having a certain conversation and you see people,
it's just you have to be aware of you and
okay with being you. Yes, you're coming from a good place.
If it's coming from a good place, I should be
able to say it. If I'm speaking it in love,
(13:45):
I believe people will receive it. Sometimes they won't, and
I have to be okay with that too, because I
don't believe going I should have said, I should have
I shouldn't have went along with that, I shouldn't have
agreed to it. It's not what I wanted to do,
it's not how I felt.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
True, And I think that's the key to even reducing
the anxiety. And some of our anxiety is self induced
because we won't say it even afraid, you know. So
I totally, I totally totally get that. Thank you for
sharing that while I was trying to stay focused on
I love you your album, but I love all the
(14:20):
life moments and the gems that you give. Is congratulations
for your single Positive that was Grammy nominated and you
actually want to NAACP Image Award for that song Positive,
and y'all, the song Positive is the truth and you
can see it in Erica's face and her countenance, in
(14:40):
her the fruit of her life actually speaks to that.
So congratulations to that. How you have fun, you have
your choices. I love it. Just there you got some freedom,
and I think I'm just I think I keep maybe
in this interview, keeps going back to the freedom and
(15:03):
being bold and courageous for a reason. Can you share
with us on that even like I said, the big hair,
the colorful hair, the makeup, everybody in the video, what's
having fun.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Yes, I think freedom is infectious, you know what I mean?
When I am free, then I give other people license
to be free. You know, growing up churchy and growing
up Church of God in Christ, you can live your
life with this tagline of I don't want them to
be mad. I don't want them to understand, not understand,
you know what I mean. Every creative, God given, beautiful,
(15:38):
amazing idea is followed up by who, But are they
going to get mad? And I just think that you
do the creativity a disservice by putting it in a
box of people's misunderstanding. So I choose not to do it,
you know, I just choose to be free. And in
that song I say it all again, I choose to
(16:01):
be I know who I am, and I know I
know the difference between the two. I know who's on
the throne, on the throne of my life. He tells
me all the wrong left and when to go right.
He's the King, he's the God, he's the biggest, he's
the truth, he's the life, he's the realest. When he
tells me he loves.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Me, I feel it.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
You know, those lyrics have become true for me, And
I lived them before I sang them, so now that
I'm singing them, I can share them with such passion.
And that's why I knew this record had to be
called I Love You. And it's not just an album,
It is a movement. People are afraid of love. They're
scared of love. They don't understand it. But I say,
(16:43):
go back to the source. Go back to the fact
that God is love. You know what I mean. Go
back to the fact that we say love is patient,
Love is kind, for God so loved the world that
he gaves gives you know what I mean. Love takes
its time, Love keeps no record of wrong right. Love
doesn't want around with his fists up. Don't you hurt me?
I love, you can't hurt me.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
That's so good with this album. Did you feel pressure?
You've been in the game a long time. Are you
still feeling pressure?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
What did I feel? I feel like I always have
to pay attention to what has been done, but also
prepare for what is next. One of my prayers that
will pray pretty regularly, especially at my church, is Lord,
prepare me for what you have prepared for.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
No, I just you said, Lord, prepare me.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
So I was ready when no, prepare me for what
you have prepared for me.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Got it?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
You know what I mean? Finished, I can walk into
this next season freely. I did. If I can be honest,
I will say I spent a lot of time with
my vocal coach and some time in therapy because when
I first started doing the solo career, I was still
doing Mary Mary, I was doing the reality show. I
(18:08):
had just had a baby, I had just started the
church and just started the radio show. So I was
overwhelmed and my body was stretched. I was like a
rubber band about to pop. And most of the times
when I got up to sing, I was just hoping
my voice showed up, and a lot of times it
did not, partially because I was way too nervous, partially
because I wasn't resting enough. I knew I was supposed
(18:31):
to keep going, but I probably should have taken some
time to just rest and settle myself. But you know,
when you're doing a reality show, they push you. So
that was bad, which I'm not mad at because I
said yes, so I can't be mad at them if
I said yes to But during this process of getting
ready for this record, and you know, the pandemic which
gave me time and space. Yes, I was able to
(18:54):
really grow. I feel so much more comfortable with my voice.
I feel like I've been in the best voice that
I've been in my life. I'm like I said, this
is the first time I've listened and not cringed a
little bit or not, you know, like a lot. Wow.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
That okay. So I am excited to go back and
continue to listen and listen with this information, with this
knowledge that you're giving us from the standpoint, you feel
more confident and like you said, just assured, and this
is my voice and this is this is what it is.
People don't you were trained in classical music? Did you trained?
(19:35):
I did?
Speaker 2 (19:35):
I did so. I went to college for about three
four years before I left to do music and study classical.
But when I first you know, when you're singing in church,
you don't use that part of your voice. We started
to marry Mary, I didn't use that part of my voice,
and so I felt a little intimidated because everybody else was.
And I was like, really my strong suit. You know,
I do it, but there's another side of me that
(19:56):
I would love to share. But you know, gospel art
are if you come out soft and beautiful. They waiting
for the holler. They don't stand up until you holler.
They don't stand up until you do. Seventy five million runs.
So you feel this bit of and yes, even where
I am learning to be comfortable, that's what I was
(20:17):
dealing with. That's where my mind was, not where I
am now. But I'm aware that the enemy is always
trying to tear you down. He's always trying to get
you off course. And part of getting back on course
is feeling comfortable in my own skin, embracing who I
am and when I started when I didn't start there
during the pandemic, but I went during the pandemic because
I was like, nothing is wrong, but some ain't right.
(20:39):
And I believe that God was preparing me to pay
attention to me differently, so I can guess I love
you record.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
You know. That's so good.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I feel really good.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
We know of Erica Campbell as I stayed at one
half of the duo Mary Mary and Mary Mary was
able to cross over into what people will call secular right.
And then you, as a solo artist, you have been
able to do the same thing to someone out here
(21:10):
who feels like by the way, y'all. They didn't purposely
do it. I don't think y'all purposely was like, Okay,
we're gonna put it, make a track beat so we
can make sure we're on R and B. The reason
why I say that feel all right? You know you
spit number one, you know, on the Billboard Gospel charts,
But then there's possibilities with other songs on the record.
(21:30):
It can be an R and B and let's keep
it real. There's been some criticism of folks that live
on the R and B charts and the gospel charts.
I get to say, I think it's hater talk to
me me.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I just think they don't understand a lot of wrong teaching.
A little bit of jealousy mixed in there as well,
but mostly wrong teaching on where our light below? You
know what I mean? If we turn all the lights
out in this room, it just takes one light to
dispel the darkness. We belong in those spaces we are
supposed to go there. I wasn't mad when they told
(22:11):
me they were playing blaming on an alcohol and play
God in me. That didn't bother me because somebody heard
God and me. It didn't minimize the God in me,
because what if somebody said before or after? And we've
got to remember if we're trying to share this light
with people that don't know, we've got to go in
spacess and be aware that there may be somebody that
(22:32):
won't understand it. They didn't all love Jesus. It was
the Christians that said crucifying. So it's okay, listen.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
What's great too? I can imagine if you're walking in
the airport. You know, y'all, we also get the chance
to hear Erica every morning on Get Up Erica a
listenership of seven million viewers. So what I'm getting to is,
when you're walking in the airport, because of who we
know you to be as the artist, and now who
people will get to hear you also be. Every day,
(23:01):
you're gonna have people from all walks of life walking
up to you. Right, And I'm like, and then people,
oh my gosh, your music touched me in such an
amazing way. But you have a way. I think that's amazing.
It speaks to who you are. Because she got that side.
She's from Inglewood, so she's got what you might think,
(23:24):
but don't stereotype Inglewood it's not all that. It's not
all the it's not none of this. It's not that either.
But I just want to speak to Remember I said,
your music lives on so many genres. You know, how
is that when the people walk up to you and
you're like, Okay, you definitely on the R and B side.
(23:47):
You're in the gospel.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
You know, it feels like love to me. You write
songs and you create songs, and you hope and prade
that it touches and reaches people. You know what I mean.
I'm talking to them early in the morning, hoping that
I'm saying something that they believe. Leave. I always ask
is this music usable? Can they use it in their life?
What I'm saying, can they use it? Can they apply
it to a situation or a circumstance or even a problem.
(24:10):
And so when they come up and say that, then
I feel like, yeah, Erica, you did your job. So
I give them a hug or talk to them or
take a picture because I appreciate the fact that I
have the opportunity to share with the world, you know
what I mean. There was a time when I wanted
to when I was, you know, sitting on a bunk
bed holding a faultless spray starch can, hoping for the
(24:31):
opportunity to sing for the world. And so now that
I actually get to do it, I never forget that time.
I never forget the apartment. I never forget that time
when you know raggedy Toyota Turseell, waiting for opportunity. I
never forget when my lunch was a boiled egg. You
know what I'm saying, Well, I'm doing here hoping for
my chance. I never forget listening to stand in my
(24:52):
car going gosh, I thought I was doing everything right.
Why is it taking so long? I started singing at five,
my first out to come out till I was twenty eight.
So there's a lot of time, you know. But if
you are patient with God's time, and you remember that
when I see people, I go, you waited for this,
You pray for this. So I'm tired sometimes I'm overwhelmed sometimes,
(25:13):
and you know it's not always easy, but I'm going
you pray, yes, pray for this opportunity. Okay, Then my
prayer becomes God give me strength to do this, to
know when to set boundaries. And my team knows if
they hear me, go all right? That means I know
I'm empty. I don't stay beyond my capacity. I understand
my capacity. So sometimes I can say yes, sometimes I cannot.
(25:36):
You know, have my church at CALLI worship. At the
end of service, I go to the back and I
shake hands. Well, some days I go I don't have
enough today. I don't want to respond wrong. I don't
want them to see I don't have enough of that today.
So husby or worship leader, you handle it because we
got to, you know, say goodbye and thank you for coming.
But I'm very aware of like I said, I know
(25:58):
who I am, and i know I'm not.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Wearing many hats, wife, mother, sister, friend, cousin. Okay, artist,
radio host and first lady of Cali Worship. And you
just named something. I wondered, could you just be there
and just be first lady or do people be like, Okay,
(26:26):
that's the artist. You know you be in that assignment,
in that role of first.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
I need less to have conversations with CC Winings, who
does it well, and with Karen Clark Shared, who does
it well. It is not easy, but I've got a great,
great staff at the church.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
She won't be singing every Sunday because you got a record.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But you know, I do altar call, which means you're
gonna exort and sing or you know, or if I
do our faith declaration before offering time and sometimes the
power and presence moves or is that a tear land
of what the worship team was singing. So they started
singing this song called you did more than I ever expected.
(27:09):
That song took me down. Yeah, it took me down.
So yes, sometimes not the artist, but just Erica, who
loves to sing for Jesus, just comes out. But it's
never planned. It's never like, oh, lady Erka Campbell is
doing dot dot dot. I think the first time we're
doing that is for this album. We were trying to
decide where the release was going to be and what
(27:31):
are we going to do with at a venue and
my husband was like, do it at the church.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
I was like, okay, on, I love that, and y'all
she is on tour as we speak.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Yes, So I've done New York at Sony Hall, which
was phenomenal, and then we did DC Atlanta Chicago or
do La Sacramento. You know the whole thing. You know
how it goes. Just follow me on social media, you'll see,
well a.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Lot do you feel like it's the last album? Do
you ever see feel that way? Like, Okay, I just
want to be home, y'all, y'all, this is this is it? Okay.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
I love that, I love what I do. I absolutely
love it.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Well.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
As we say in church, I won't belabor the time,
but I'm morning because it's helping me just for balance.
With everything that you do, it has to take an
understanding spouse to cover you, push you, and be like
I got you, because he like, I know she's coming
back home anyway, you know, and as a pastor's wife,
(28:32):
how has that been?
Speaker 2 (28:35):
So he is very, very understanding, so supportive of all
that I do. And if ever I'm going too long,
he just hops on a plane. When we were in Atlanta,
christ To just turned nineteen, so he came and you know,
we had brunch with her and hung out and went
to an event together smack dab in the middle of
this promo schedule. So we make our moments. He was like,
(28:55):
I'm the boss, and you're the boss. When we need
to stop and see each other, that's what we'll do.
And so using wisdom of when we need to take
that time, you know, to reconnect, to make sure that
that we strengthen each other, because that's how I see it.
I see us as strengthening each other and then you know,
we go out and conquer the world. He always says,
make it count. He was like, just don't leave for nothing.
(29:18):
And sometimes when it's hard, you know, and we don't
want to leave each other, or there's something going on
because now Zaiyah's performing, she's dancing, my son is producing,
he's in the YOLA, which is Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. Uh,
you know, he says, when you leave, just make it count.
So sometimes even if there's a little sadness in my heart,
I'll just go all right, baby, Yes, I'll make it
(29:40):
count because you have to. You know, when you commit
to something, sometimes you say yes when you don't realize
I'm gonna be tired by the time this gig comes.
And I honor my commitments and uh, yeah, we just
make it.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Erica, thank you so much for checking in.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
The foundation of checking in is about mental health. And
so if you feel like someone could be tuning in
today who's just been maybe having or feeling like they've
been have some debilitating anxiety or just depression that is
making them stuck, feeling stuck. Can you speak into them?
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Yes, I would say that life and death lie in
the power of the tongue, but I'll take it even further.
It can lie in your thoughts life and death. And
you can decide to keep your mind stayed on him
and he'll keep you in perfect peace, and you can
renew your mind and also go to therapy. But you
can make some different choices of what you're watching, what
(30:43):
you're seeing, and what you are saying about yourself. What
you say to yourself about yourself is so important. I
speak life, health and healing. I speak the love of
God over your life, whatever it is that's plaguing you,
the thoughts that won't go away, that keep you up
in I pray the peace of God so that you rest.
His word says he wants his beloved to have rest.
(31:07):
We are beloved of God. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Rest in that trust that say that to yourself, shut
out the voices you know. Whatever you need to do, therapy,
your prayer circle, your village, just don't try to do
it by yourself. You don't have to do this by yourself.
You know, know that there are people praying for you
(31:28):
and wishing you well. And I hope you shine. I
hope you thrive. I hope you overcome. I hope you
walk in your wealthy place and your divine purpose and
look cute doing it.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Come on, y'all, listen. I feel like I'm going to
sleep good tonight. I don't think I snore, but I
think I might even get a little snoring. I mean,
happen best. I'm alone. I don't know if I snore
or not. Whoever is listening to and if that prayer
was for you and her speaking life into you and
over you. I pray that you're tonight is some of
(32:00):
the best sleep you have ever had. Y'all. Please make
sure you check out her new album, I Love You,
her Fall Tour. Feel alright, y'all, make sure if you can.
If you can check her out, go ahead and hang out. Okay,
you could be ratchet.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
It's fine, it's fine. You're good.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You God, you good. Thank you for.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Checking in a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
I love you, I love you. I'll see you soon.
See there, I told y'all, listen. Erica Campbell just that's
just what she is. She's such a gift, and she
just has a way about herself that just makes you
feel better better, and she lives what she sings about.
(32:47):
And that's why when you're around her, if you're sad,
you'll become happy, You'll be strengthened, you'll be inspired. And
so I am just so praying that this episode does
for you what the conversation with her has done for me. Yeah,
(33:07):
there are moments where I have guests where I get
a lot out of the conversation too, all right, So
just know that I love y'all so much, and thank
y'all so much for supporting checking in and downloading the episodes.
I cannot wait for twenty twenty four. I'm already anticipating
in twenty twenty four and the good things that we've
got in store. So be patient with me as I
(33:30):
make some pivots and all that stuff. We're working, We're working,
We're working, all right.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
I love you.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Checking In with 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. There are some people that
(00:20):
I admire from Afar, and I'm so glad that you know,
when I get a chance to spend time with them,
that they are that same person that I admire from Afar.
That's who they are up close. This woman has a
lot of balance. She does so much, but yet maintains
(00:42):
an amazing light about her and she does not compromise
the light within her at all. She's warm hearted, she's
so positive, and she gonna make you feel all right.
I'm so excited for y'all to tap in, lock in
to see who I get to talk to next on
(01:04):
this episode of Checking In. Hey, everybody, good morning, good afternoon,
good evening, wherever you are. I'm so excited about this episode.
I say it every episode because every episode that I
have a guest, it's always somebody that I look forward
to talking to. So I'm always excited about talking to
(01:25):
my guest. This next guest is one of the most
respected artists I feel like in gospel, I feel like
in every genre, I feel like people love them some
Erica Campbell, the Grammy Award winning Stellar Award winning Double
Award winning artists Erica Campbell, one half of the duo
(01:50):
Mary Mary. Listen, y'all, wait a minute past his wife.
Are you called pastor yet? How'd that go? Just past
his Why wasn't okay? Listen, first lady of California Worship
Center and guess what. Yes, national syndicated radio host of
Get Up in the Morning, Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell,
(02:13):
and I am excited I have done. I could go
on and on and on about Erica Campbell, but y'all,
she is here. She has an amazing new album that
is out right now. Give it up everybody, and welcome
Erica Campbell to checking in.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Thank you. I'm glad to be here. I was so
excited when I saw this on my turnerary.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yes, well, I love your album. It was so soothing.
I listened to it on the plane I think I
was traveling back from Dallas to Atlanta, and I love it.
The title of it is I Love You, Yes. And
I loved the integration of the music that we loved
the Hawkins, which I know. If y'all know Erica Campbell,
(02:56):
y'all know she loved Hawkins. She loves the Hawkins and
so for you to integrate that and then your guest
p J Mooreton, Stevie Wonder, your sister Tina Campbell, your
chair and producing go on. Warren like, now, I don't
know what y'all thinking, but it can't be no Erica
Campbell album without.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Absolutely not absolutely, So I.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Just wanted to tell you that, like I loved how
you integrated the old. I wouldn't say, well.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
The.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
It is old, it is, it is old the Foundation Foundation.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I like that. That's good. That's good.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
The Foundation's that planned.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
This record literally kind of evolved. So when we did
the I Love You song, I remember singing dear Jesus,
I Love You in tribute to Walter Hawkins when he passed,
and I fell in love with the rendition that we had.
And so when we did that song, Warren said, let's
put that with that because we were going to do
it the whole song. But it was a perfect marriage
(04:01):
of that song with with the I Love You song
that I did was so it just is that the
one He's smoke is on, thank You Yes, and the
did Jesus I Love You is what Stevie Wonder the
record is still new. The record is still new. It's
still new, yes, But having Stevie Wonder and you know
on a Hawking song was I thought, really really cool.
(04:23):
I just I like this record. I do. I know
sometimes you do. I have done records and been so critical.
I really didn't listen to them very much because I
wish that would have done something different. I wrote a
different lyric. But this, I love this record. I am
proud of this record. It is my I Love You
record because I love me, I love God, I love people,
and being able to share this with people. Far too
(04:45):
many people have put love within the confines of their
breakup or family issue, or even their lack of self love,
so they don't even believe in it. And I'm praying
that this record gives me the opportunity to articulate God's
love and self love with him at the center, because
our world is very mean. Center Jesus is my center.
(05:07):
I'm all right, Okayic's okay, Well, put Jesus at the center,
then I become something special. So that's the whole purpose
of this I Love You movement, the songs, all of it.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Well, I first of all, I'm so shocked to hear
you say that on previous records when you listen to him, like, man,
I wish I would have done this. I wish I
would have Maybe I'm like, what, like, y'all have won
awards because of your writing. Yeah, shocked that you were like, Yeah,
I wish I would have. I don't want to I
don't want to put you on the spot, but I'm like,
(05:39):
is there something.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
That it's a part of a verse and can't give
up now that I always wanted to sing over Oly.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Look at me now I want to go and look
it up.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
How I'm gonna have people looking for stuff?
Speaker 1 (05:52):
But I got to be present for the interview. But
I'm a Google queen Sideline. Wait a minutelet me.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Go what Yeah, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
And we were recording that song, me and Tina were
both in the booth at the same time, and apparently
we weren't giving Warren what he was looking for, and
so he's very He's a lot of things in the studio.
But I understand in order to get to a level
of things that are special, because I don't want to
say perfection, it's not that it's perfect what it's supposed
to be. You can't be obsessed with perfection. You have
(06:22):
to allow heart and feeling, which means maybe a note
or a run may not be perfectly executed, but it
may be passionate. Okay, you know what I mean. And
he would always say, well, sure, if you want to
sacrifice passion for perfection, go ahead. People like passion. Perfection
doesn't always get attention. And so even some of the
(06:42):
best records that we love by some of our greatest artists,
maybe the drums weren't what they needed to be, or
sonically it was different, but there was something that had
heart in it. And that's always what I'm after. So
it's okay that my my obsession with making sure it's
all as supposed to be, I can, I can let
it ride. Okay, that's passion. Eric, We're just gonna call
that bed no passion passion.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Oh so, I guess when we have to, maybe when
we're in the audience and maybe someone is up singing
or performing, you could be like, that was passion, that's perfection. Crazy, Yes,
that was passion. That's the new Let the Lord use
your baby. That's all right, Amen, take your time. We're
(07:26):
gonna say that that was passion. Amen.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Amen, I've had those moments.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
If I had twenty fingers, I probably could be like, yeah, yeah,
I totally understand. I've had passionate moments.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
But you know what, learning to overcome them, learning that
they are part of your story, the moments when you
weren't one hundred percent. Learning to accept that, I think
has been so liberating for me. I was talking to
someone about my mom earlier and saying how she's always
said you can live anything. Now, live anything down. Knowing
that I can anything down keeps me from running from
(08:02):
what has been you know what I mean, keeps you
from living in shame. Knowing that everybody has made a mistake.
The Scripture says it like this, for all have sinned
and follows short of the glory of God. When I
allow myself that, then I don't have to make excuses
or apologize overly apologize for something that kind of comes
(08:24):
with life. Some people are so held hostage to their mistakes,
which I get it. Depending on how you were raised.
That could mean like my success or my failure because
I made a mistake. But I think it's people in
the world have made mistakes and they got up and
kept going.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
And I think, like you said, we can't make our
identity based on our failures or mistakes, you know, because
that's that's when it's like, Okay, you are just a
walking advertisement of shame or regret or hurt or pain.
And so I totally get that. And I will say
(08:59):
that there are some artists who openly show compassion and
love and grace for some of everybody. You are one
of them. Why do you do that? And I don't
mean that, like why, I like, there's no shame if
somebody's in the news for something crazy, I like you,
(09:20):
Tasha Cobbs. Are so many people that are like, no,
I'm standing with my brother, I'm standing with my sister.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Yeah, because I'm not a real friend. If I'm only
a friend when you're doing good, that's not a real friend.
I'm not a real friend or a supporter. I'm not
even in my opinion, that's not You're not a good person.
If you throw people away because they made a mistake,
you know what I'm saying. That's very self centered. And
a lot of people's friendship is I'm friends with you
because I look good being friends with you. Let me
(09:45):
stand in close proximity to you because you're something and
now they're going to think I'm something. Well, if you fail,
if you have an issue, let me get away from you,
because I don't want to look bad. I'm not that
kind of friend I've had, you know, for when I
have my sisters right, and so we're all different, have
gone through, gone through different things, and I'm always gonna
rock with my sisters. But I also have a core
(10:05):
group of friends that I call the G's that I've
known since childhood and we've been through everything together, divorces, breakups, successes, failures,
misunderstandings and allowing us to grow. So one of my friends,
as I was becoming myself, being okay with being myself,
I begin to speak up more. Well. They were used
(10:26):
to the Araka that didn't speak up very much. They
were used to me being the quiet eerica. They were
used to me saying, oh, whatever y'all want to do,
wherever y'all go. Well I learned to say, well, no,
I don't like that, well let's go here. And at
first they were like, uh uh, she changing because she's this,
And I said, this don't have nothing to do with lights,
camera action and everything. With me owning my voice and
(10:48):
liking it and knowing that it's okay and not having
this private self conversation or what if they don't agree,
what if they don't think it's funny. Well, I won't
say that and I won't do that, just tear myself down.
Once I got comfortable with me, I love, love, love
that my friends allowed me to grow. I said, y'all,
I'm growing up and I don't want to lose my
(11:09):
friends because I'm growing up. Y'all grow with me, allow
me to grow, allow me to speak my piece, allow
me to throw my opinion and it be okay, because
sometimes you have your opinionated friends, the quiet friends, this, that,
and then we started and when I said that, then
all of us started speaking up. Don't call me late, friend.
I know I'm late, but I don't want to be
and y'all laugh at it. And it's something that I'm
(11:29):
trying to change, you know what I mean? Or don't
call me the friend. Don't say I'm dumb all the time,
because I actually kind of low key struggle with that.
And so when people are surrounded by people they love,
you can be the best honest version of yourself. I'm
so blessed that I have friends where I can go
and take the wig off, I can cry, I can
talk about the industry and what I don't and what's confusing,
(11:52):
and what's hurt and what's hard. The fact that I mean,
you know, you can get on a red carpet and
be having a good moment, They're going to remind you
of the worst moment in your career.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
If you're not strong enough, if you don't have a
good center and good people around you, it could make
some people crumble by some people who don't like interviews.
But because I have people who love me, and I
know I can live anything down and I know I
can still be kind. I don't have to be mean
and nasty.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
So good.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Something you said about owning your voice and being okay
with Instead of being the passive Erica, you are now
the bold, confident Erica who is obviously maybe has set
some boundaries and you stand on those boundaries. It made
me think of something doctor Henry Cloud said, when you
are quiet about your boundaries in an effort to seem
(12:48):
more likable or to avoid conflict, you will become more resentful.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yes, yes, though, that's what made me think of that.
You get angry, really really do. And I remember being that.
I remember being nice because it's not nice to say,
well I don't I don't really rock with them very well,
Oh that's not nice. And so then I allow people
in my space that don't mean me, well, that don't
mean my family well, because I don't want to be mean.
(13:16):
But I know what I felt in my spirit when
they walked in the room.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
And so I've learned that it's okay to say, oh,
I'm sorry, would you give us a moment?
Speaker 3 (13:24):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
I don't have to say your spirit off, I don't
like your energy. I don't have to say that. I
just like, hey, can you give us a moment? Or
if I'm having a certain conversation and you see people,
it's just you have to be aware of you and
okay with being you. Yes, you're coming from a good place.
If it's coming from a good place, I should be
able to say it. If I'm speaking it in love,
(13:45):
I believe people will receive it. Sometimes they won't, and
I have to be okay with that too, because I
don't believe going I should have said, I should have
I shouldn't have went along with that, I shouldn't have
agreed to it. It's not what I wanted to do,
it's not how I felt.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
True, And I think that's the key to even reducing
the anxiety. And some of our anxiety is self induced
because we won't say it even afraid, you know. So
I totally, I totally totally get that. Thank you for
sharing that while I was trying to stay focused on
I love you your album, but I love all the
(14:20):
life moments and the gems that you give. Is congratulations
for your single Positive that was Grammy nominated and you
actually want to NAACP Image Award for that song Positive,
and y'all, the song Positive is the truth and you
can see it in Erica's face and her countenance, in
(14:40):
her the fruit of her life actually speaks to that.
So congratulations to that. How you have fun, you have
your choices. I love it. Just there you got some freedom,
and I think I'm just I think I keep maybe
in this interview, keeps going back to the freedom and
(15:03):
being bold and courageous for a reason. Can you share
with us on that even like I said, the big hair,
the colorful hair, the makeup, everybody in the video, what's
having fun.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Yes, I think freedom is infectious, you know what I mean?
When I am free, then I give other people license
to be free. You know, growing up churchy and growing
up Church of God in Christ, you can live your
life with this tagline of I don't want them to
be mad. I don't want them to understand, not understand,
you know what I mean. Every creative, God given, beautiful,
(15:38):
amazing idea is followed up by who, But are they
going to get mad? And I just think that you
do the creativity a disservice by putting it in a
box of people's misunderstanding. So I choose not to do it,
you know, I just choose to be free. And in
that song I say it all again, I choose to
(16:01):
be I know who I am, and I know I
know the difference between the two. I know who's on
the throne, on the throne of my life. He tells
me all the wrong left and when to go right.
He's the King, he's the God, he's the biggest, he's
the truth, he's the life, he's the realest. When he
tells me he loves.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Me, I feel it.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
You know, those lyrics have become true for me, And
I lived them before I sang them, so now that
I'm singing them, I can share them with such passion.
And that's why I knew this record had to be
called I Love You. And it's not just an album,
It is a movement. People are afraid of love. They're
scared of love. They don't understand it. But I say,
(16:43):
go back to the source. Go back to the fact
that God is love. You know what I mean. Go
back to the fact that we say love is patient,
Love is kind, for God so loved the world that
he gaves gives you know what I mean. Love takes
its time, Love keeps no record of wrong right. Love
doesn't want around with his fists up. Don't you hurt me?
I love, you can't hurt me.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
That's so good with this album. Did you feel pressure?
You've been in the game a long time. Are you
still feeling pressure?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
What did I feel? I feel like I always have
to pay attention to what has been done, but also
prepare for what is next. One of my prayers that
will pray pretty regularly, especially at my church, is Lord,
prepare me for what you have prepared for.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
No, I just you said, Lord, prepare me.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
So I was ready when no, prepare me for what
you have prepared for me.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Got it?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
You know what I mean? Finished, I can walk into
this next season freely. I did. If I can be honest,
I will say I spent a lot of time with
my vocal coach and some time in therapy because when
I first started doing the solo career, I was still
doing Mary Mary, I was doing the reality show. I
(18:08):
had just had a baby, I had just started the
church and just started the radio show. So I was
overwhelmed and my body was stretched. I was like a
rubber band about to pop. And most of the times
when I got up to sing, I was just hoping
my voice showed up, and a lot of times it
did not, partially because I was way too nervous, partially
because I wasn't resting enough. I knew I was supposed
(18:31):
to keep going, but I probably should have taken some
time to just rest and settle myself. But you know,
when you're doing a reality show, they push you. So
that was bad, which I'm not mad at because I
said yes, so I can't be mad at them if
I said yes to But during this process of getting
ready for this record, and you know, the pandemic which
gave me time and space. Yes, I was able to
(18:54):
really grow. I feel so much more comfortable with my voice.
I feel like I've been in the best voice that
I've been in my life. I'm like I said, this
is the first time I've listened and not cringed a
little bit or not, you know, like a lot. Wow.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
That okay. So I am excited to go back and
continue to listen and listen with this information, with this
knowledge that you're giving us from the standpoint, you feel
more confident and like you said, just assured, and this
is my voice and this is this is what it is.
People don't you were trained in classical music? Did you trained?
(19:35):
I did?
Speaker 2 (19:35):
I did so. I went to college for about three
four years before I left to do music and study classical.
But when I first you know, when you're singing in church,
you don't use that part of your voice. We started
to marry Mary, I didn't use that part of my voice,
and so I felt a little intimidated because everybody else was.
And I was like, really my strong suit. You know,
I do it, but there's another side of me that
(19:56):
I would love to share. But you know, gospel art
are if you come out soft and beautiful. They waiting
for the holler. They don't stand up until you holler.
They don't stand up until you do. Seventy five million runs.
So you feel this bit of and yes, even where
I am learning to be comfortable, that's what I was
(20:17):
dealing with. That's where my mind was, not where I
am now. But I'm aware that the enemy is always
trying to tear you down. He's always trying to get
you off course. And part of getting back on course
is feeling comfortable in my own skin, embracing who I
am and when I started when I didn't start there
during the pandemic, but I went during the pandemic because
I was like, nothing is wrong, but some ain't right.
(20:39):
And I believe that God was preparing me to pay
attention to me differently, so I can guess I love
you record.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
You know. That's so good.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
I feel really good.
Speaker 1 (20:49):
We know of Erica Campbell as I stayed at one
half of the duo Mary Mary and Mary Mary was
able to cross over into what people will call secular right.
And then you, as a solo artist, you have been
able to do the same thing to someone out here
(21:10):
who feels like by the way, y'all. They didn't purposely
do it. I don't think y'all purposely was like, Okay,
we're gonna put it, make a track beat so we
can make sure we're on R and B. The reason
why I say that feel all right? You know you
spit number one, you know, on the Billboard Gospel charts,
But then there's possibilities with other songs on the record.
(21:30):
It can be an R and B and let's keep
it real. There's been some criticism of folks that live
on the R and B charts and the gospel charts.
I get to say, I think it's hater talk to
me me.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I just think they don't understand a lot of wrong teaching.
A little bit of jealousy mixed in there as well,
but mostly wrong teaching on where our light below? You
know what I mean? If we turn all the lights
out in this room, it just takes one light to
dispel the darkness. We belong in those spaces we are
supposed to go there. I wasn't mad when they told
(22:11):
me they were playing blaming on an alcohol and play
God in me. That didn't bother me because somebody heard
God and me. It didn't minimize the God in me,
because what if somebody said before or after? And we've
got to remember if we're trying to share this light
with people that don't know, we've got to go in
spacess and be aware that there may be somebody that
(22:32):
won't understand it. They didn't all love Jesus. It was
the Christians that said crucifying. So it's okay, listen.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
What's great too? I can imagine if you're walking in
the airport. You know, y'all, we also get the chance
to hear Erica every morning on Get Up Erica a
listenership of seven million viewers. So what I'm getting to is,
when you're walking in the airport, because of who we
know you to be as the artist, and now who
people will get to hear you also be. Every day,
(23:01):
you're gonna have people from all walks of life walking
up to you. Right, And I'm like, and then people,
oh my gosh, your music touched me in such an
amazing way. But you have a way. I think that's amazing.
It speaks to who you are. Because she got that side.
She's from Inglewood, so she's got what you might think,
(23:24):
but don't stereotype Inglewood it's not all that. It's not
all the it's not none of this. It's not that either.
But I just want to speak to Remember I said,
your music lives on so many genres. You know, how
is that when the people walk up to you and
you're like, Okay, you definitely on the R and B side.
(23:47):
You're in the gospel.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
You know, it feels like love to me. You write
songs and you create songs, and you hope and prade
that it touches and reaches people. You know what I mean.
I'm talking to them early in the morning, hoping that
I'm saying something that they believe. Leave. I always ask
is this music usable? Can they use it in their life?
What I'm saying, can they use it? Can they apply
it to a situation or a circumstance or even a problem.
(24:10):
And so when they come up and say that, then
I feel like, yeah, Erica, you did your job. So
I give them a hug or talk to them or
take a picture because I appreciate the fact that I
have the opportunity to share with the world, you know
what I mean. There was a time when I wanted
to when I was, you know, sitting on a bunk
bed holding a faultless spray starch can, hoping for the
(24:31):
opportunity to sing for the world. And so now that
I actually get to do it, I never forget that time.
I never forget the apartment. I never forget that time
when you know raggedy Toyota Turseell, waiting for opportunity. I
never forget when my lunch was a boiled egg. You
know what I'm saying, Well, I'm doing here hoping for
my chance. I never forget listening to stand in my
(24:52):
car going gosh, I thought I was doing everything right.
Why is it taking so long? I started singing at five,
my first out to come out till I was twenty eight.
So there's a lot of time, you know. But if
you are patient with God's time, and you remember that
when I see people, I go, you waited for this,
You pray for this. So I'm tired sometimes I'm overwhelmed sometimes,
(25:13):
and you know it's not always easy, but I'm going
you pray, yes, pray for this opportunity. Okay, Then my
prayer becomes God give me strength to do this, to
know when to set boundaries. And my team knows if
they hear me, go all right? That means I know
I'm empty. I don't stay beyond my capacity. I understand
my capacity. So sometimes I can say yes, sometimes I cannot.
(25:36):
You know, have my church at CALLI worship. At the
end of service, I go to the back and I
shake hands. Well, some days I go I don't have
enough today. I don't want to respond wrong. I don't
want them to see I don't have enough of that today.
So husby or worship leader, you handle it because we
got to, you know, say goodbye and thank you for coming.
But I'm very aware of like I said, I know
(25:58):
who I am, and i know I'm not.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Wearing many hats, wife, mother, sister, friend, cousin. Okay, artist,
radio host and first lady of Cali Worship. And you
just named something. I wondered, could you just be there
and just be first lady or do people be like, Okay,
(26:26):
that's the artist. You know you be in that assignment,
in that role of first.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
I need less to have conversations with CC Winings, who
does it well, and with Karen Clark Shared, who does
it well. It is not easy, but I've got a great,
great staff at the church.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
She won't be singing every Sunday because you got a record.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But you know, I do altar call, which means you're
gonna exort and sing or you know, or if I
do our faith declaration before offering time and sometimes the
power and presence moves or is that a tear land
of what the worship team was singing. So they started
singing this song called you did more than I ever expected.
(27:09):
That song took me down. Yeah, it took me down.
So yes, sometimes not the artist, but just Erica, who
loves to sing for Jesus, just comes out. But it's
never planned. It's never like, oh, lady Erka Campbell is
doing dot dot dot. I think the first time we're
doing that is for this album. We were trying to
decide where the release was going to be and what
(27:31):
are we going to do with at a venue and
my husband was like, do it at the church.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
I was like, okay, on, I love that, and y'all
she is on tour as we speak.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
Yes, So I've done New York at Sony Hall, which
was phenomenal, and then we did DC Atlanta Chicago or
do La Sacramento. You know the whole thing. You know
how it goes. Just follow me on social media, you'll see,
well a.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Lot do you feel like it's the last album? Do
you ever see feel that way? Like, Okay, I just
want to be home, y'all, y'all, this is this is it? Okay.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
I love that, I love what I do. I absolutely
love it.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Well.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
As we say in church, I won't belabor the time,
but I'm morning because it's helping me just for balance.
With everything that you do, it has to take an
understanding spouse to cover you, push you, and be like
I got you, because he like, I know she's coming
back home anyway, you know, and as a pastor's wife,
(28:32):
how has that been?
Speaker 2 (28:35):
So he is very, very understanding, so supportive of all
that I do. And if ever I'm going too long,
he just hops on a plane. When we were in Atlanta,
christ To just turned nineteen, so he came and you know,
we had brunch with her and hung out and went
to an event together smack dab in the middle of
this promo schedule. So we make our moments. He was like,
(28:55):
I'm the boss, and you're the boss. When we need
to stop and see each other, that's what we'll do.
And so using wisdom of when we need to take
that time, you know, to reconnect, to make sure that
that we strengthen each other, because that's how I see it.
I see us as strengthening each other and then you know,
we go out and conquer the world. He always says,
make it count. He was like, just don't leave for nothing.
(29:18):
And sometimes when it's hard, you know, and we don't
want to leave each other, or there's something going on
because now Zaiyah's performing, she's dancing, my son is producing,
he's in the YOLA, which is Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. Uh,
you know, he says, when you leave, just make it count.
So sometimes even if there's a little sadness in my heart,
I'll just go all right, baby, Yes, I'll make it
(29:40):
count because you have to. You know, when you commit
to something, sometimes you say yes when you don't realize
I'm gonna be tired by the time this gig comes.
And I honor my commitments and uh, yeah, we just
make it.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Erica, thank you so much for checking in.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
The foundation of checking in is about mental health. And
so if you feel like someone could be tuning in
today who's just been maybe having or feeling like they've
been have some debilitating anxiety or just depression that is
making them stuck, feeling stuck. Can you speak into them?
Speaker 2 (30:21):
Yes, I would say that life and death lie in
the power of the tongue, but I'll take it even further.
It can lie in your thoughts life and death. And
you can decide to keep your mind stayed on him
and he'll keep you in perfect peace, and you can
renew your mind and also go to therapy. But you
can make some different choices of what you're watching, what
(30:43):
you're seeing, and what you are saying about yourself. What
you say to yourself about yourself is so important. I
speak life, health and healing. I speak the love of
God over your life, whatever it is that's plaguing you,
the thoughts that won't go away, that keep you up
in I pray the peace of God so that you rest.
His word says he wants his beloved to have rest.
(31:07):
We are beloved of God. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Rest in that trust that say that to yourself, shut
out the voices you know. Whatever you need to do, therapy,
your prayer circle, your village, just don't try to do
it by yourself. You don't have to do this by yourself.
You know, know that there are people praying for you
(31:28):
and wishing you well. And I hope you shine. I
hope you thrive. I hope you overcome. I hope you
walk in your wealthy place and your divine purpose and
look cute doing it.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Come on, y'all, listen. I feel like I'm going to
sleep good tonight. I don't think I snore, but I
think I might even get a little snoring. I mean,
happen best. I'm alone. I don't know if I snore
or not. Whoever is listening to and if that prayer
was for you and her speaking life into you and
over you. I pray that you're tonight is some of
(32:00):
the best sleep you have ever had. Y'all. Please make
sure you check out her new album, I Love You,
her Fall Tour. Feel alright, y'all, make sure if you can.
If you can check her out, go ahead and hang out. Okay,
you could be ratchet.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
It's fine, it's fine. You're good.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You God, you good. Thank you for.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Checking in a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
I love you, I love you. I'll see you soon.
See there, I told y'all, listen. Erica Campbell just that's
just what she is. She's such a gift, and she
just has a way about herself that just makes you
feel better better, and she lives what she sings about.
(32:47):
And that's why when you're around her, if you're sad,
you'll become happy, You'll be strengthened, you'll be inspired. And
so I am just so praying that this episode does
for you what the conversation with her has done for me. Yeah,
(33:07):
there are moments where I have guests where I get
a lot out of the conversation too, all right, So
just know that I love y'all so much, and thank
y'all so much for supporting checking in and downloading the episodes.
I cannot wait for twenty twenty four. I'm already anticipating
in twenty twenty four and the good things that we've
got in store. So be patient with me as I
(33:30):
make some pivots and all that stuff. We're working, We're working,
We're working, all right.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
I love you.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Checking In with 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
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