The music icon talks career longevity, current state of R&B and self-love.
Grammy-winning artist Jody Watley has always made a statement with her career and she continues to do so with her latest conquest as a performer in one of America’s favorite Christmas concerts of the last 27 years, The Colors of Christmas.
The Stig Edgren production celebrates the holiday season with the essential, classic songs of Christmas sung by the one and only music icon Jody Watley, and legendary performers Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams, and Ben Vereen. The concert tour kicks off on Dec. 13th, starting in Palm Desert, CA.
Watch Jody Watley & SRL’s “The Passion”
Watley’s presence in the entertainment industry disrupted the norm, commanding respect and recognition. Her music empowered women and encouraged self-love with hit songs such as, “Looking For A New Love”, “Real Love”, and “Friends”, to name a few.
Dawning hoop earrings, dark eyebrows, big hair, and epic dance moves, she easily stood out as a formidable powerhouse talent effortlessly exuding confidence and fearlessness that many have found difficult to emulate. In a fleeting industry favoring trends, the seven-time Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hit-making singer has been able to create a legacy of longevity and reinvention.
The MouthSoap had the opportunity to have a phone conversation with the “Sanctuary” singer to ask her questions about her role in The Colors of Christmas and her career, which spans a successful solo career for more than three decades.
This will be the third time that Watley has performed in the concert tour…
JW: “This is the third time that I have done it. The first time was maybe 10 years ago…I’m looking forward to such a unique show. [Edgren’s] background is producing shows. He’s done things for the Vatican…the Olympics. So, he knows how to put on a great production, as well. This year’s line up is with Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams, and Ben Vereen. I’m really excited to sing with them.”
For Watley, ‘The Colors of Christmas’ is a holiday escape…
JW: “The environment of [The Colors of Christmas] transports you from the day to day. People come and get dressed up, which I think is really nice because of what type of show it is. It’s nice to look out in the audience, and it’s like wow, you know, it feels so special. The holiday season is such a special time and it’s a way for people to maybe forget their worries and the grind, just everything, and escape into a nice traditional holiday show. It’s very classy and elegant. I personally appreciate that very much…We get to come out — I got some fabulous dresses I’m going to be wearing. It also takes me to a different place and gets me in the holiday spirit, too.”
Watley will be singing a vocally challenging Academy-Award winning song in the tour…
JW: “I like the element of surprise, so people don’t know what we’re singing when we come out…I think one of the exciting things for me as an artist and a singer, a vocalist, I get to push myself into some areas that I wouldn’t ordinarily be singing…I was dreading singing this song, but I had to get past it. You can do this, just be Jody…There’s a melancholy resonance in my own vocals. I really can sing anything, but this [song] reminded me that I just have to do it and not think of what can go wrong with it. Just do it…”
The Grammy-Winning Artist will be collaborating with Vereen for a very special surprise song…
JW: “I’m doing a song with Ben Vereen. That song gets me choked up. I have a son that just graduated college…it makes me think of my son. It’s so beautiful. This is the only time you’re going to hear me sing these songs or any of us together. I really hope the people come out and experience this show.”
Watley’s thoughts on longevity and authenticity…
JW: “There’s a higher power in all of us, but ultimately we have to do the work. If there’s something you want to do, push your way — if there’s no door, build one for yourself. I’m very tenacious in that way. I’m an artist. I never got into this wanting to be a pop star, so to speak. That’s a different part of the industry and I think that people make different decisions to be famous all the time. I just want to do quality work, do quality concerts, and enjoy myself. So, that’s what keeps me going…I never wanted to be some type of flavor of the month and just play myself out where I will do anything to stay in the spotlight…I [believe in] being one with the people and inspiring people. The women out there, just live life and forget your age. I don’t look at myself like someone older. I’m older but I still got it…I still have enthusiasm and still have energy. I still love what I do…It is a blessing to have this type of longevity in the music business, especially because women are the first to be marginalized and pushed aside. Like I said, hold on to yourself and keep going. Don’t let anyone diminish the greatness that is within you. That’s how I live my life.”
On the current state of R&B/Pop music…
JW: “Rap really started dominating and really replaced R&B in the commercial genre. There’s still a lot of great R&B out there that doesn’t get the commercial play. The great thing about digital, social media, or Googling things, you can discover things that aren’t rap oriented. In 2018, I had a group project that’s separate from my solo career, SRL. We had two top UK soul singles. They were number two and number three. In the UK, they still play actual soul music. It’s still there. In America, it’s been replaced by rap. Even in the awards shows, they got rid of a lot of the R&B categories. There’s no R&B vocal male, no R&B vocal female…With commercial radio and the deregulation that happened in the 90s, when they stopped being privately owned stations, [now] they’re corporate stations. 50 stations are all going to play the same songs. So, there’s no diversity. [R&B] is out there, it’s just not as commercial.”
Her fashion influence came from her parents…
JW: “[My mother] had the best clothes and was over the top glamorous. My father was always dressed to the nines…My mom always had fashion magazines in the house. I grew up looking at pages of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar….My dad [told me] it’s ok to be different. I’ve always been able to stand out because — I like to try different things.”
The superstar uses her spare time to write and read…
JW: “I love to write. I’m working on my memoir. I’ve loved writing since I was a kid. I wanted to be a novelist, a romance novelist growing up. I used to write poetry and that evolved into song writing. I love to read. I just finished Bruce Springsteen. I just got the Prince book. I got Rakim’s book.”
Watley believes in believing in yourself…
JW: “Something I’ve always said in my career is to believe in yourself and to be your authentic self and sometimes that’s very challenging for most people because we live in a world and society, there’s always forces and things and voices…I really thank my dad, he passed away many years ago. He always encouraged me to be myself and to not be afraid. He always told me only the strong survives and even when we feel weak we have to find a way to be strong to prevail and silence the voices of doubt…In that quest, that’s where we find our true joy and our true happiness…Life is short and I don’t want to spend any time not doing what I enjoy.”
Watley still has that magical ability to leave an uplifting impression of positivity and love. In addition to working on her memoir, she will be developing a self-care wellness box that she plans to release in 2020.
The Colors of Christmas tour will kick off on Dec. 13 at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, California. On Dec. 14, the production will be at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos, CA. Then, The Colors of Christmas will make its grand entrance to the wonderful city of San Diego, CA at Balboa Theatre on Dec. 15.
Ticket prices start at $45 and can be purchased at TicketMaster.com. For more details about The Color of Christmas, click here.
Watch Jody Watley Music Videos Below:
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