IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson - Embracing a New Era with H.E.R.

Episode Date: September 16, 2026

Grammy-award H.E.R. joins the show to talk about her new DreamWorks animation film, Forgotten Island, celebrating Filipino culture and what it means to see those stories represented on screen. She reflects on growing up Filipino-American, getting discovered at a young age, and navigating the music industry while learning the business as a young woman. In this episode: Dr. Kathleen Jordan, Chief Medical Officer, of Midi Health. Have a question you want answered? Write to us at imopod.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Suddenly I became a teenager and I had feelings. And, you know, I had things to talk about. And I was feeling the teenage angst. And I was like having crushes and like getting my heartbroken. And it was like, you know. You were allowed to go on a date by then to even get your heart crush? Not really. You weren't supposed to be getting your heart crush.

But you were. But I was. I was. This episode is brought to you by. progressive insurance and midi health. How are you? Hi, Craig. I'm good. Hi, Michelle.

Yeah, yeah. We're here. We're back. We are. We are back. We got more great stuff to do. More great people to talk to. I'm energized. I'm energized. You know, I have to say, though, about L.A. I usually don't have allergic reactions, but when I come to L.A., my nose starts running and I saw her coughing. It's really interesting. See, now you see what I go through, right? I do. It's like everywhere I go. I have a runny nose. I was known.

I was the allergy kid growing up. It was horrible, but it got me out of yard work. So it got my sister out of doing yard work because every time she'd go out there, it would be like, and it's she? And it would be that sneezing attacks. And your eyes would be so red and runny. And mom would just say, go back in the house. And I'm out there pulling weeds.

Yes. And if you saw our backyard, it was like maybe eight weeks. back there. No, but, you know, after the spring, there would be all this growth in the back, right? And it would be cutting that stuff down. I'm making it sound like we had a back 40, but it would no, for sure. It was a city backyard, I mean, but it was still, you know, it was still full of green things that made me sneeze. And you never had to cut the grass, right? Oh my God, that was your job. No. I was thinking after I left, but no. Anywho, we digress. We do. We do. We have a really great conversation as we always do.

One of my favorite little people. No, she's a grown woman, but to me, she's a baby out in these streets living her life, doing some good things. So, you know, you have known her. This is my first time meeting her. I didn't even get a chance to meet her at Barack's birthday party because it was so hectic, but she performed at the birthday party. And my younger boys absolutely love her music, which is interesting, you know, because they're more, they're like 16 and 14. Hers music is universal, all ages, you know, she's just that talented. But why don't we do a proper introduction and get her out here? Get her out here. Her is a five-time Grammy Award winning, Academy Award winning, and Emmy Award winning, Musician, Actor, Director, and Producer. She is best

known for her Grammy Award-winning musical project her. She has starred in movies like The Color Purple, and she will next be heard as the voice of Joe in the DreamWorks animated movie Forgotten Island. Yeah, it's a good one.

So without further ado, her. Ladies and gentlemen, her. It feels like we should have music. I'm sorry. So good to see you. Welcome to IMO. Thank you so much. so happy to be here. You know, I'm loving

the super curls. Thank you. Love them. They look so good. Thank you so much. So good. You've been doing that lately? Yeah, you know, this is me. I'm unmasked. You know, I don't have glasses on. Like, this is me. I'm thinking about wearing my sunglasses today. It's like, that's old. That's old news.

Gab is out here in these streets now. How does it feel sort of unmasking? I know you've you've been out here as you for a while. And I know that transition was a little scary for you, too. Yeah, and still is. And I haven't released a project in a really long time. So I feel like I haven't fully thrusted myself into that era and really got to show people what becoming, no pun intended, has looked like for me. And I'm just

excited. Like, it excites me more than it scares me. But I just feel like a new grounding and like confidence in myself and who I am, aside from what I have to offer to the world. And like that is like a whole different level of me, you know? And the curls are just part of that. I feel like it's a symbol for that. Oh, okay. Okay. Now you guys, I was just saying you guys know each other.

Yeah. How did that come about? Because I'm, why don't I know you? I'm trying to figure that out. I know. I know. I don't be out in these streets enough. Yeah.

Exactly. than you. Where do we first? There have been a bunch of, you know, cross sections. What's your memory of our first meeting? Because it feels like it's been a lot. Yeah, totally. I know.

I was even trying to think the first time. I feel like I've known you for so long now. But there was like a Zoom or something. It was like a video call like over the pandemic about the show that I did the song for the song Change. It was like this beautiful. animated like moment for with the people. Yeah, and that was really cool.

And then we had a great conversation when, was it the light or becoming came out? It was the light. On revolt. And that was a really beautiful conversation. It was Tina Knowles and Kelly Rowland and

Angie Martinez. Who else was there? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that was like the first time I really got to look into your eyes and say, what's going on in there? Yeah, that was really special. You have no idea what that conversation did for me. A lot of the transition I was going through and just like being around so many powerful women, especially in an industry full of like a lot of men, it was so refreshing.

You have no idea. Like it really, it sort of like catapulted me into finding my kitchen table. And, you know, just like doing this like outreach. I think artists, like, we're isolated a lot. Yeah, that's it. We talked about, like, how surprising that is. Yeah, it's crazy. What do you think the reason is you guys don't collaborate, not collaborate, but sort of fellowship.

Socially collaborate. Yeah. Yeah. It's a combination of things, I think, I feel like, you know, it, I don't want to speak negatively because I know there's, there's so many layers to it. But I think for me, at least, I've found that like, when you're just in the studio and you're going, going, going, and the only time you see people is like backstage at the award shows or, you know, you never really get a moment. And those are really artificial, crazy, not, you know, people think those shows are great. Yeah. Oh, everybody's hanging out.

But it's just a zoo. Yeah, it is. It's crazy. Yeah. So, yeah, that's not a place to socialize, you know. Totally. Do you feel like it, and I don't want you to say negative, if it's to go negative if you don't want to, but does it feel like competition a little? I mean, there's always going to be a layer of that, but I don't feel that necessarily for me.

I think that honestly, there's a lot of people who, you know, someone told me the other day, artists and creatives were sometimes a controlled and contained substance, you know, that it benefits. a lot of people who are in the music business to, you know, don't worry, we got it, we got you, don't worry, don't talk. We'll handle, you know, and you become sort of insulated, you know, and isolated into this island of people who are sort of filtering. And that benefits a lot of people in the business, you know, because. it means more control over the thing. And sometimes it's good. Sometimes it's protective. It's a protective layer.

I was just thinking about that because you started so young that that probably was helpful to start with. Totally. I'm so grateful for that. But it definitely became a little bit Princess Locked in a Tower vibes a little bit. And I think, let me out, y'all. Yeah, yeah. I want a friend. Yeah, it definitely gave that.

And, you know, I think the glasses even, you know, taking them off has made me feel even more connected to people. But yeah, anyway, I mean, I do think that now I'm in a place of just like talking to people and realizing how it's crazy how similar our experiences are. Even if we're completely different artists, completely different, you know, journeys. Like, there are so many similarities. Like, I've had the privilege of talking to a lot of different women. artists, even just in the past few months, the past few years, like I said, since our talk. And it was like, oh my gosh, girl, you went through that too? Or you felt this too? Oh, man, I wish we would have, you know, reached out to each other. We would have talked about it. And so

it's been a really great eye-opening experience. And you also, you guys, you know, when you're an artist, you're often and as gifted as you are, it is, you're starting your career at a time when you should, you would normally be flexing and learning that social, those social tools. Totally. We talked about that. It's like, you didn't have a regular high school experience. You didn't have a college experience. And that's, those are the beginnings.

That's the time when you do that. Where you just start learning, oh, I'm in my dorm. How am I going to figure out what to do? I've got to make a new friend. I've got to pick up the phone. I've got to walk across the cafeteria. And those are muscles, you know. It's like, so.

you play every instrument under the sun, your voice is on point, but there's the practice of the comfort level of reaching out to other people. And I'm so glad for you that you're starting to do that, especially when it comes to women, we need those conversations. So. So powerful what you're saying, because, you know, that just makes me think about, especially when you're young and, industry and you're learning and you're like, this is so new. And there are people who have been in the music industry for a long time. And a lot of times what happens is you start to think like, oh, these are the professionals. I don't know anything. And then you start quieting your instincts or your inner voice and distrusting that and leaning on the quote unquote professionals.

But at the end of the day, we're all trying to figure it out. Exactly. Like I think knowing that there's value to your newness and your perspective, no matter how much experience you have. And like learning, you know, how to, like you said, exercise that muscle of speaking up and, you know, asking questions and then discerning like what you're receiving. You know what I mean? And not outsourcing your stuff all the time. You know what I mean? Like really trusting your inner voice.

Like that has been my whole journey, I think, the past. few years. It's like, I am now the professional. You sure are. And I've learned a lot, but I'm also always learning and always a student. But at the same time, like, my perspective is so important and valuable. And there's always going to be someone who has experienced more or knows more, quote unquote, but that's not what it's really about. Not at all. So my favorite word right now is autonomy. Having autonomy over my life and my career and, you know, keeping things for myself, and really keeping my own peace and center and doing the things that give me that

and surrounding myself with people who respect that and honor that, you know, and also learning to set those boundaries and honor my voice. Have you fired anybody yet? Oh, we're trying to not be negative. No, but I'm just saying you don't have the same names, but that's also a part of create, you know, it's like that's a big move, right?

Especially when you're young and you have. when you start doing that and you look and go, you're not working for me. And so I'm just wondering, have you done that yet? Yes, I have. There you go, girl. It wasn't fun. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, to be honest with you. Like, I...

Such a great question. But no, I honestly, I feel like artists, we sometimes, especially in the beginning, people will make you think you work for them. No. That's crazy. Like, it's crazy. And again, when you're young and, you know, you're just trying to figure it out. Like, you want to lean on your counsel.

You want to lean on the people that are there to support you and help you and nurture you. But there comes a point where it's like, wait a second, who's working for who? You know? And so that is a really big step in anyone's career. And that was really, really hard. And you keep talking about how young you are, but you're pretty wise for a young person. So your intuition is going to take you a long way. Like if you feel like you need to fire somebody, that's probably the right decision.

Yeah. Right. And I'm working on my reaction time because I feel like I would sit for too long. And there's also such a thing as moving too quickly. But like when you know, you know. And it's like sometimes it's important to. act on that, on every level, not just when it comes to firing people, but...

So, Mish knows you, okay? I want to get to know you, but before I start at day one as a little kid... I was born. Talk about forgotten island. Yeah. That really looks like... We got to get a little... We got a little taste of it.

So good. So it looks really good. And tell me about how that all came about, what it's like to voice a character that you're not... Was that your first voiceover for a character? In the film, yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Big deal. Honestly, I mean, it's the perfect transition because, again, as I'm becoming and, like, really leaning into who I am in a different way and not compartmentalizing myself, I feel like forgotten island has come at the perfect time because I get to share with the world, like a piece of my culture and my background and who I am and what has really made me me. And yeah, that movie is like, it is so special. I'm not just saying that because I'm in it, but it's like the first major film that is highlighting Filipino culture, which is a huge deal, right? So I remember I'm a huge Dreamworks fan. I'm like a huge animation fan, but DreamWorks specifically,

like Shrek, Madagascar, like Wild Robot, like all the movies at DreamWorks are my favorite. I went to the building and I had a meeting with the directors and they were just so excited to tell me about the project. I think I was in the building for something else, but they wanted to meet me and we talked about it. And I saw their enthusiasm. And the directors are also best friends.

Like they're actually best friends in real life. And one of them has a Filipino wife. I was going to say, where did the Filipino line come in? Yeah, so one of them is Filipino. Okay. And the other has a Filipino wife. And he's like so in the culture. So they were like, we want to highlight our friendship and like some of the women in our lives.

And like the culture. And it's such a big deal because like we never see films with us in it. There's no representation. And they took it a step further and talked about, well, the movie's all about the Filipino folklore. So it's like all these crazy mystical characters that we were taught about when we were kids. Like my mom would say like watch out for this. You know, you'd be good. Otherwise the manunungal is going to get you.

So there's all these like creatures that we grew up on, right? These stories. Okay. And so the movie is about these two best friends that go on this crazy adventure and these really interesting characters. And it's told in such a sweet way. Like when I tell you, it's so endearing. It's so it makes you want to call your best friend.

friend. Oh, yeah. And like that is what I really love about it. Like, it has the heart, but it's also so vibrant and playful and fun. And yeah, you really get to know Filipino culture. Yeah, it's hilarious. It's hilarious. It is funny. And I love the fact that there's, there are two girls as the protagonist. You know, it's a, it's a girl adventure story, you know, and you don't often get the girls as the leads, the ones who are taking the chances. And your character is. And your character is a mess. Yes, she is. She's the messy friend. Yeah, she winds up getting everybody in trouble. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's going to be exciting. Like you said, the studio gave us a little bit of a glimpse of it, and it is really a beautiful, beautiful project. Yeah. It's good. It's happening. It's really exciting. Well, congratulations. Thank you so much. It's really neat. It's so exciting. I'm like, I can't wait for people to just experience the culture the way that, like, you know, what did your mom think? Oh, my God.

She hasn't even seen anything yet. I wanted to see the finished product. But she is so over the moon. Like, Filipinos are so excited. Like, they're really rallying behind this movie because it's like, it's about time we had our moment. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, it's really, really, really special. This episode of IMO is brought to you by our sponsor, Midi Health. We're going to talk about a topic that, fortunately, it's getting a lot more attention. Yeah, and it's getting, it's getting more attention and it's impacting a lot of families. Well, I want to invite someone here to help navigate this conversation. And let's bring out Dr. Kathleen Jordan, Dr. Jordan, so nice to see you. Great to see you. Welcome to IMO.

Thank you. Thanks for being on. Let me scoot your chair in if you need it. Yes. Well, thank you for being here. Well, you know, I think. think in my way of talking about all aspects of my life, it just felt like my menopause journey was a part of that. And in addition to being a founder of Midi Health, you are the chief

medical officer at Midi Health. Can you tell us what exactly is Midi Health? So Midi Health is a telehealth clinic made for women. And we really were founded to really meet the huge care gap for women in perimenopause and menopause, which means we can help guide women through the hormone conversation. Is it right for them? If it is, what formulation to take. But it's actually a lot bigger than that, right? We really built it to meet women's needs in midlife. Yeah. Yeah. It's amazing. I was always surprised at, you know, the notion that as a woman, our health stopped after childbirth. It is. And, you know, I was, I'm an internist by training, and I wasn't trained. and all this. I actually had to train myself afterwards and go through sort of a certification and

really stay up on it. So I had to go out of my way to get the training. We joke at many, you know, there's pediatricians, there's obstetricians, and then there's geriatricians, and then there's whole middle group. This is whole middle ground where we need specialists. I remember, it was first term in the White House, and they just would come on. And I talked to my doctor about it. It's like, oh, you're in. That's what's going on. And I wasn't sure. I didn't feel like I needed to start taking hormones. I wanted to feel it out and see what it felt like. But these hot flashes were happening every 15 minutes, you know, and it's this rush of a feeling. The porn therapy is safe for most women, actually. But I want to be clear that hormone therapy is not for all women.

And it's also not the only answer. Like menopause care is a much bigger thing. It's about supporting women in a multitude of ways. I'm still surprised at the number of women I run into who are talking to me about their symptoms, but they don't even know that hormone replacement therapy or any therapy is an option. I mean, I mentioned it, and they're like, oh, I never, you know, either they're not seeing a doctor, they haven't heard about it. Craig, you would be surprised at how little most women know about the care of our bodies. How does a woman think about using MIDI? We really wanted women to access care.

And to do that, you have to make it easy, right? So we use telehealth. I love telehealth as an access solution. It means you don't have to live near an expert. You don't have to live in a major city even. We can reach you in any zip code. But you're getting expert care delivered to you. And then we thought it was really important also to take insurance.

Because for a lot of decades, this kind of expert care was really only available. to women who could afford cash pay practices, who've provided wonderful care, but really all women deserve this, and we've really worked hard to create a platform that can deliver this care to women. So you can go to our website, which is joinmini.com.

That's join-M-I-D-I-com. And really the website helps you navigate. You can book an appointment right there. We have availability in all 50 states, and you start your journey there. You can come with one question, one issue, or some women come and just say, what should I do? And that's join M-I-D-I-D-com.

That's it. So talk about growing up in a multicultural household. Go back to your first memories. And what was it like growing up, Gabby? Man, what was it like going up Gabby? So my parents, my dad's African-American from Arkansas. He grew up in Arkansas. My mom's from the Philippines.

And she came here when she was like 18. So I had one immigrant parent and one parent from the South, which I'm so grateful for. Like my parents are the best. I love them. I think I wouldn't, obviously, I wouldn't be who I am without them. And yeah, trying to think like, how did I grow up in the house? What kind of parents were they? Who was the strict one?

And, you know, because you were an only child for a while? I was, yeah, until my sister was born when I was like nine. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. So my mom was the sort of strict about school, you know. She's Asian mom who's like, you know, don't focus on your looks, focus on the books. You know, she was very much like a minus unacceptable.

Yeah. But it was a good thing. It was a good thing. And my dad was strict in different ways, you know, no boys, like all of that. But he also was very much like the one who nurtured my love for music and all. my different passions. Like, he would take me out fishing, like, every weekend. You know, that's something we did as a family.

You know, he would cook breakfast and it would be concert DVDs playing in the morning. And my grandparents, my mom's parents from the Philippines, lived with us. So I grew up in, like, a household with... Intergenerational living. Yeah, and I loved that. I'm so grateful for that, honestly. And, you know, they would take turns, like, dropping me off to school. And at one point, my mom's brother lived in the house.

And all of them listened to different types of. of music, all of them were into different things. So I feel like I got to get like exposed to a lot of different tastes. And where did you grow up? I grew up in the Bay Area in a town called Vallejo. How'd your father wind up in Vallejo? So he's a construction worker. And so I think he came down while he was in Arkansas and then he was like in Washington. He was all over the place. But he came down for work. I think he heard like there was like a union there where he could like, because his dad, my grandfather was also an iron worker construction. And so he came to the Bay Area for work. And my parents lived in the same apartment complex.

Okay. Yeah, they were like across from each other. And that's how they met. Yeah. Love story. Yeah. Were you always gifted in music singing? When did your parents find out that you had a voice?

Honestly, I was like three years old, four years old. I was just singing all the time. And like singing, we're always singing karaoke because that's what Filipino families do at the parties. And my dad had a band, a cover band. So that's a big part of my upbringing. Like my dad being like so in love with guitar and music, even though he was a construction worker on the weekdays. On the weekends, he would play in a band in the Bay Area. And they would like do festivals and weddings like in the Bay Area.

And they would just do covers. They would do like James Brown and Gat Band. And, you know, sometimes they would do like Sweet Home Alabama and Isaac Brothers. Like there was a lot of, there was a lot of music happening in the house already. And so they would rehearse in our living room and the instruments were there. So I would just like pick it up. In an apartment building. In our house.

In your house. Yeah, yeah. Eventually, yeah. So was your dad your first piano teacher or guitar teacher? Would you learn first? Literally. So that's where we went wrong. I know, right.

We had an awful piano teacher. Our aunt, Robbie, who was just, like, she ruined it. She ruined it first. Got it, okay. Yeah. But you had your dad. Your dad. That must have been really fun.

Yeah, it was. And he was big on, like, learn your favorite songs. You know. That's how Austin, my son is learning the piano because his teacher's like, what's your favorite song? She finds the music for it. And he's down playing Old Town Road. And I'm like, how come I didn't play that?

Right, right. We were running scales and doing atudes and sonatas. That's boring when you're- It's horrible. Beethoven. It's good to know, but it's like, don't, you know. Let a kid learn to love it. Totally.

Yeah. How old were you when he started teaching you? Like seven, seven, eight. I picked up the piano first. I was like playing a lot of songs and then I picked up the guitar and then I stopped playing guitar for a while. I wanted to focus on piano, and then one time I'm in the store with my mom, and boogie, yugi, yugi by a taste of honey comes on.

And she's like, I want that. Yeah. Boogie, yogi, yogi. Exactly. And she's like, I want you to learn this song. And I was like, Mom, like, that's a bass song. It's not like the turn. She said, okay.

So we went to guitar center that day. And they got me a pink bass. And I started playing bass. I want to see that picture. That thing. Cut to that. Cut to the phone. It was huge to me.

It was huge. Yes. Yeah, I was nine years old, like pink vest. It was like, you had a pink vest? I did, yes. Of course you did. Of course you did. Were you in front of Montana then?

Were you feeling that? I think I was. You have a little sparkle happening in you, in your soul? There was a lot of sparkle happening. It was a lot of spark. So how do you go from, you know, hanging out with that learning C minor plus a chord, whatever that is, to singing on the view? Yeah, it's day show, the view. I mean, what?

What was that? Who discovered you? Yeah. How did that happen? So, YouTube was kind of just starting, and there weren't that many people doing, like, covers on YouTube. It was, like, when Justin Bieber started and, like, some of the other people who would post videos on YouTube. So my dad, I guess someone told him, post videos of your daughter on YouTube, playing and singing, all the instrument she plays, and, you know, just post them. It's like 2008. Yeah, 2008-ish.

And I'm little, and, you know, he posts videos of me on YouTube. And I think the first call my parents got was from the Mori Povich show. And it was like, we saw your daughter's videos. Like, we'd love to have her on the show. And apparently, Mori had to have, like, one positive episode a year. Where you weren't the father. Exactly. I don't even remember him ever doing shows like that.

Yeah, it's like you were on the one show. Right. And it was like a talented kids episode. Okay. And so I was on the talented kids episode. And they, I guess the producers from Mory were, you know, somehow connected to the view or, you know, how the networks. They're all connected. And so they were like, we love to have her on the Today Show.

It was actually the Today Show first. And then it was from there, it was The View. And funny story, actually, even before my Today's show performance, I was playing in a band in the Bay Area with someone I'm working with now, actually, Dylan Wiggins, who's Dwayne Wiggins from Tony, Tony Tone. Wow, yeah. Yeah. Oh, wow. Yeah. And he and I started playing.

And there was eventually, actually, we grew the band, and it was his brother playing with us. And Kaylani was singing with us. Oh, my God. Yeah. So we were all in the band together. At one point, Zendaya was going to be in the band because they went to school together in Oakland. Wow. Yeah, but I lived in Vallejo, so I would just see them on our rehearsal days, on the weekends.

But anyway, before we started doing like the band thing, Dwayne Wiggins was like, we have an opportunity for them to do Showtime at the Apollo. Like, you just have to go. We might be able to cut the line and, like, do this audition and, like, get them on Apollo, right? You know, the kids stars are tomorrow, like thing. And so we get there, and I didn't know at the time, my mom already sent a video to the Apollo because she wanted me to be on there. And, you know. She's smart.

Yeah, she's smart. She was like, you're just going to cut the line. Your mom's like, no. Right, exactly. We're going to do this better. She was like, it's a long shot, but I'm just going to send it a tape. Like, she did the, like, okay, send in your video to Showtime at the Apollo, and she did it. And I think we forgot about it

About the video We didn't really think about it They probably didn't see it Got to the audition And we are about to play And they're like Wait wait wait a second We saw your video already

Like you're going You must have like missed the voicemail Or miss the call Wow wow Like we want you do So you actually cut the line So I actually cut the line Exactly and I am not going

with Dylan But I think it worked out But anyway we I ended up going and like singing Free Way of Love by Ruth Franklin. Wow. And yeah, that was crazy. So that was right before today show.

Were you playing bass or were you playing? I was just singing that time. Oh, just. Yeah. Wow. So I did Apollo and it was a really big deal. And we actually had to like put on like this fundraiser kind of concert in the Bay Area so that my parents could like afford the tickets to go to New York.

Because it was like so many tickets. We had to get the hotel ourselves. Like Apollo, they didn't, they didn't provide all. Oh, right. They didn't have the budget. Exactly. Just like, y'all got to stand in the line. Exactly.

Exactly. So those were those like little moments that kind of one thing led to another. And eventually, you know, we're walking out of the Today Show building and like Tommy Mortola was like, oh, hello, Kenny, my dad, you know, we want to meet your daughter. And he's like, what is happening? Like all these people started calling my parents. And then we ended up in L.A. having all the meetings. I met like Clive Davis and Jimmy Iveeveean and I was 10 years old, 11 years old. Wow, what was that like?

Were you aware of these people? No, no. No, no, what was going on. Yeah, of course not. Okay. You know, probably was like, I'm tired. I want to go back home. I want to go to school.

Can I get some ice cream? Exactly, literally. But what was going on with school and friends in the midst of that? When did you have to kind of transition from regular kid to to business kids? I feel like my parents did a really great job at not making my life fully a professional life. Like they really wanted me to be able to compartmentalize that because I was on today's show and the next day I was back at public school. You know, so it wasn't like, oh, we're going to homeschool her. Like my dad was big on like making sure I still was a regular kid.

And I, yeah. And like I didn't have like, I mean, of course my life was still very different. but they tried to make sure that I was, you know, fully committed. They weren't like, we're all going to move to L.A. That's right. My mom was like anti-that. She's like, no, we're not going to, you know, have these like dreams that are false. We're not going to move to L.A. and just forget everything.

Like, we still have our lives. And she was a lot more practical that way. And my dad was more so the like dream big. Like, this is going to happen. And this is. And I think the balance helped me a lot. Like, I'm really grateful for that balance. and it was hard for them,

but I think it really, it worked in my favor. So when did life change? How did her come to be? Right. It was gradual. I mean, how much time do we have? No, we have.

We have time. As long as you have time. Honestly. So I actually got signed shortly after some of those meetings. I think my dad was sort of advised, like, okay, if you sign one of these deals now, she'll be out of it, you know, earlier in her adulthood. So you don't have to worry about whatever, her being in it until she's 40.

Right, right. You know, that was sort of how he was advised. And I was signed at, where do I begin, actually? There's so much, like, backstory. So many events that happened. But I was on TV and we came to L.A. We met everyone. And I met a lot of different, like, managers.

and my parents were sort of trying to figure out like, oh, who do we want to work with? And of course, like, all the people in L.A. when you come, they're like, come to this set. And I was, like, on set of, like, I think it was Hancock that Will Smith was shooting at the time. Because this guy that we met worked with Overbrook Entertainment. And so they're like, celebrities.

And we're like, oh, my gosh. Like, we're hanging out with Will and Jada. And, like, you know, they're just like doing the show business thing. And so my parents were like, oh my gosh, like this is crazy. We're in Hollywood, right? And then we sort of, I sort of started working with Overbrook at the time with Miguel, who managed like Robin Thick and like Jennifer Hudson at the time. And Will and Jayden's kids, Willow and Jayden.

And so I was sort of one of their artists, but I'm like 11. So I'm still trying to figure out who am I? Musically and all the... Exactly, exactly. but they wanted to be a part of my journey somehow. And then they stopped managing, like, other artists and they focused on like, I mean, I'm not exactly sure what was happening. But that's what I've heard, what I heard was happening. And then Overbrook introduced my parents to MBK Entertainment, which they managed Alicia Keys at the time and were sort of part of her journey.

And they were like, perfect. And there was another woman working with MBK named Susette Williams who worked with Lauren Hill. And so my parents were like, this is a perfect fit. These are all your heroes. Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Like those are the people that you sort of have always been inspired by, whatever, like, this feels like the perfect fit. And so I started working with them.

We were traveling to New York. That's where they were based. And eventually I got signed to MBK Entertainment and the larger companies, RCA, So I got signed to RCA when I was 13 years old. Wow. And it was this big thing. I was in the paper in my hometown. I bet you what.

She got signed. Like this is a big deal. And all the kids are asking me, oh my gosh, you're rich now. I'm like, no, I'm not rich. Yeah, far from me. Oh, you're famous. I'm like, not really, no. You know, so that time I was still in high school and I would travel to New York and work on music.

And I would work with different writers or producers and different people. And I was just figuring it out. And I'm grateful for that time. And the fact that the label was very much like, oh, she's got to develop into the artist that she's meant to be. Because it's one thing to be a good musician. It's another thing to be an artist, right? Or a writer, like to have an authentic and real perspective. And you're still learning what you like, what you can do, because were you even writing then?

A little bit, yeah. I was writing. My mom always encouraged me to write. And on one of those. crazy Hollywood trips. I met Mariah Carey. Uh, and she was like, you need to always make sure you sharp in that pen. Yeah. She told me that when I was a kid. And when you, when you say write, are you mean, write the music or write the words? The lyrics. Yeah. Explain to my brother why that's important. She doesn't know everything either. I know this. I know the money part.

Right. Totally. I mean, you want to make sure that you have ownership. over your words, you know? The words, okay. Exactly. The publishing is what they call it. Yeah, so when I got signed, like, I was writing and trying to figure it out. And suddenly I became a teenager, and I had feelings. And, you know, I had things to talk about.

And I was feeling the teenage angst. And I was, like, having crushes and, like, getting my heartbroken. It was like, you know. You were allowed to go on a date by then? to even get your heart crush? Not really. You weren't supposed to be getting your heart crush, but you were. But I was.

I was. It was, yeah, it was. My parents were like, I called them selectively strict. Yeah, yeah, no, no. But, you know, you got to live. You got to live something to be able to write something to. Totally. Yeah.

Exactly, exactly. So as I was, like, finding my voice or whatever, I started writing these songs. I came to New York with stories. You know, and I would be in the studio like, man, like, this is what I went through and this is about this person. And oh, my God, life is over. Everything's the end of the world, you know. And that's how I started making my first project. Wow.

But even before that, I think when I was figuring it out, there was sometimes pressure. Like, I released a song when I was like 16 under my real name. Like, it was just one song that was like I did like the BET music. Matter stage and it was like, oh, maybe this is the moment and it wasn't the moment. You know, I wasn't ready yet. And I was doing appearances and doing the things, but it just wasn't, it wasn't the time. So I kept performing and doing these little showcases in New York and also just being in the studio, still being a high school kid. Just like, oh, I can't wait to get out of class and get back to New York and, you know, keep working on this album, this project, whatever I'm working.

towards. Well, it's a trip how a lot of people describe you or at one point as an overnight sensation, you know? It's like nothing rarely happens like that in the business, whether you're acting or, you know, it is, and young people need to understand that. It's like, it's a long road. Even when you're young to becoming known and even, you know, you could, you could get the deal, but you haven't figured out the right formula. Exactly. And that takes years and years of development. And it just so happened that you started at three. Exactly. This summer, the family and I took a trip to Brian, Texas for our son's basketball tournament.

We love barbecue and had a chance to sample some of the local spots and realized how we missed finding places the locals frequent. Trips like that always make me think about how much of the world I still want to see. Of course, the only problem with having a lot of the world. long travel wish list is eventually somebody has to pay for it, which got me thinking, if you're heading out on your own adventure or a big concert, game, or festival is bringing travelers to your town, you can list your space on Airbnb while you're away. Instead of letting your place sit empty, you could put it to work, earn some extra income, and give someone a home base to explore your city. They can discover the neighborhoods, local spots, and experiences

that make your community special while you put that extra income toward your next adventure. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, a company committed to helping people move forward and live fully. Hey, Misha, I've got kind of a big question for you. Okay. How much do you think one sense of stability comes from within? versus being shaped by the environment around them. Well, that's a deep question.

Told you. I mean, I think stability starts with self. For me, I feel the best when I feel safe and secure in who I am and how I feel about my life at the moment. You know, as I've gotten older, I think, yes, my life has gotten more stable in a million different ways. But I also think that my internal definition of crisis has changed. Things that used to feel totally destabilizing probably wouldn't phase me as much today. Progressive knows that there's so much more to homeownership than just the initial financial transaction.

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Want to learn more about the up payment program and Progressive's commitment to first-time homebuyers? Visit progressive.com slash open the house where homebuyers can discover more about housing challenges and access resources and support to empower them in their housing journey. For adults with obesity or with excess weight and weight-related medical problems, it's time to find out about Fondaio or for Gliperon. Foundaio is a once-daily prescription GLP-1 medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Foundeo should not be used with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if foundaio is safe and effective for use in children. Don't take foundaio if you're allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary, thyroid cancer, or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. Stop and call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck, or severe stomach pain.

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Now is perfect to talk to your doctor about Foundaio. So was it your idea to become her? Yeah. And to talk a bit about that, how you thought about that and even knew that you wanted that kind of protection at that age. Because a lot of young people, I want to be known. You know, I want to see me, you know. Yeah. And you were the exact opposite.

Yeah, I think it was a combination of like the sort of like I'm being vulnerable and I'm afraid. I was already just like a teenager going through like teenage things and feeling like, oh, I don't want anyone to see me. Like I'm afraid. And also I like, I was scared of what my parents would, you know, think. I mean, not that I was writing anything crazy or doing anything crazy, but I was just like, oh no. Like, I feel like I'm bearing my soul. I'm like showing the world my diary in a way. And I was, I had this whole vision for like, oh my gosh, like I'm going to name it her because I've always been a perfectionist and a rule follower and was always like, I'm not going to fall for the wrong guy.

I'm not going to do the things. I'm going to avoid that. Like, the adults in my life told me all about that. But I knew better. Like, what? I was like a little know-it-all. A little bossy know-it-all. And so when those things did happen, I was like, oh, it's unavoidable.

Like, this is life. Like, I'm in it. I'm deep in it. And yeah, that's, I was like, I'm never going to be that girl. And I became her. And so that was the sort of, that's how that happened. And I was like, at first it was just like, oh, can I just release the music anonymously? And then it was like, well, no, I could be, I could be her.

I could just be her. And it was actually Yeah, there was a moment where I realized like, okay, I could be her and the project can be called her and I can be literally anonymous and I thought, okay, the cover is going to be me as a silhouette in this like blue light.

And I like literally edited the cover like on some cheap app on my phone. Like it was just like a thing. And the label, they believed in the project. But it was kind of like, well, you're just starting. So, like, we're just going to, like, just throw it out there and see what happens. Like, that was kind of the energy. And it's also this concept that you have.

It's just like, oh, you're going to release a project. Nobody knows you. And nobody will know you. You're right. That was new. Exactly. Uh-huh. Yeah.

But Carolyn Williams, who was, like, marketing at RCA, she believed in it, you know, and she really championed the idea and, you know, had great ideas and just helped me bring it. to life and I was super appreciative of that. And so she really like had my back. And everybody had been so excited about my journey in general because of my musicianship. And they're like, okay, like, there's something here. Yeah. And that goes a long way to people supporting you.

Totally, totally. It's just like you're good. Yeah. But they're like, yeah, we know like you play. At that time, you know, they knew that I played in. instruments, but obviously the people who listened to my project didn't know about my musician. They didn't know anything about me. So it was just like, oh, yeah, put out your project and then eventually show people who you, you know.

We really are. Whatever that was at that time, things change. But yeah, I mean, during that time, you know, where I was sort of breaking away from being like teenage Gabby, you know, to then I'm going to commit. And I moved to New York. Okay. On your own? I was 18.

Yeah. And I started, I did homeschooling, well, independent study where they just sent me with my work. Right. My senior year. So I could be in New York all the time. And at that time, my dad was like, okay, like, you can go, you know. And I started going to New York on my own. And I was 18.

And, you know, working with these people and figuring it out. And then I released the project at 19. And then I was touring a year after that. And, you know, things didn't happen quickly necessarily. But when they did. When it popped, it popped. It was like, okay, let's go, you know, which was great. So now looking back at that time, when you went from sort of teenage Gabby to 18-year-old on your own and then you do your project and then start touring, what are some of the lessons as you look back now that you learn that you're like, oh, man, I'm thinking I could have done this differently or I really like doing this.

learn this. I truly have no regrets. Like I've forgiven a lot of people. I've forgiven myself. Yeah. You know, on the journey. I don't mean to speak so critically. But I do think there was, there was, you don't know what you don't know. Right. You know what I mean. You don't know what you don't know until you know it. And it's going to happen at the right time, honestly. And you have to trust the process. So that is exactly what I love to hear trust in the process because so many young. people today. Meish hears me say this all the time. They want to start at the front of the line and they don't want to work their way up. And it really felt like you learned to enjoy, I shouldn't say, I don't want to speak for you, but you seem to handle the process and enjoy the process as much as looking at the results. And I think that's really important for young

people to know that whether you're going to be a professional musician, or an athlete or a carpenter, if you don't like the process, it's hard to be good at it. That's true. Yeah, the pros have to outweigh the gods. But honestly, I'm not going to say I like the process all the time.

Like, I actually hate the process a lot, but I trust the process. Yeah. And I think that's really, for me. But that's an important distinction too. Yeah. Yeah. Because you're not going to love the process.

It's impossible. Not always. Yeah, not always, for sure. But to overall, like, like, the bigger picture of the progress or the process and not just be in it for the result all the time. Like, I love music. I can't not do music. So it doesn't matter what happens.

I'm going to do this regardless. You know, it's kind of a choose-your-hard type of conversation. You know, it's like, well, is this what you want to be doing? Because if I decided to be a surgeon, that would be hard too. You know what I mean, but that's not my thing. So music is my thing. So I think that I'm really grateful for the people that I have learned myself through. You know what I mean?

Like the people that have been a reflection back to me. And I'm really grateful for the times that I didn't know. Because like the dark times, the times that I felt like were terrible, you know, or were not good for me or anyone, I'm so much stronger because of it. Like, my antennas for, like, BS are very strong. My antennas for, you know, when someone wants to manipulate me out of my own instincts, very strong, you know?

And I don't think I would have had that. If I didn't go through a lot of the things that everybody honestly goes through in the music industry, you know, whether it's taken advantage of or, you know, the typical stories that you hear, those things are real. They happen, and I'm not saying that everybody has to suffer. I don't think everybody has to suffer, but there's always... But the industry is designed like that.

Yeah, it is designed to, you know, find young talent and take advantage of them, you know, to support them with the idea that I can skim off this. And you're talented enough that you'll make that up later on. I mean, it's designed like that. And a lot of people don't understand. Just like, you know, it's not. designed for you to solely succeed. There are a whole lot of people trying to feed off of what you bring to the table. Totally. You know, and that is, that is part of the process. Yeah.

And through that process, I feel like the thing that I would tell my younger self, if I could, just a little bit more, it's like continue to trust those instincts. Yeah. You know, you know what's best for you. Yeah. And lean on your counsel, but don't outsource, you know, your, um, your purpose, your journey is yours. Your life is yours. Like, you drive the car. You know what I mean? And that is something I would definitely tell my younger self.

But again, you don't know what you don't know. And I'm really grateful because I feel like I am exercising my free will more than ever in a way. You know, I'm like so much more creative because I know what it's like to not feel creative. I know what it's like to be at that place where everything's great and then you're moving so fast. You miss out. You forget who you are. You forget why. You forget your why.

And I've remembered my why and have been intentional about my why more than ever. So you're working on new music. Yeah. Uh-huh. Yeah. How's it feeling? Oh, my gosh. I mean, again, if you would ask me a year, I'd have been like, uh-huh.

It's like, it'll never, ma' never make it. Literally. But I'm finally like in it. Like I'm on the other side of something. I mean, the music for me, the thing that I forgot and I, we just were talking about it, it's like the time to live. And it's like I can't make music just to make music. Like it needs to be, needs to feel like it's of substance, you know?

And that's the thing that I missed and I forgot about was all those times I was going back home when I was 18, 17, 16, living, and then coming to New York with the stories and with the weight of, like, my life and the things that I felt. And I forgot that, you know. And so this time, I felt 18 again. I've been feeling like I'm 17, 18 again. Like, I have so much to say. Yeah. I have so much to say. I have, I live a full life. I'm a human. And I haven't felt human in a long time. Yeah. You know? And, Yeah, and I feel human again. And that, to me, is the most rewarding thing out of, like, okay, I hope people love it. That's cool and all. I love it. That's great. I'm proud of it.

Like, the progression of this project is like, oh my gosh, like, there's a person who has something to say. You know, it's in there. And so I'm, it's rewarding this process and why I'm so happy and excited about it because I'm pretty much finishing up. And when's it coming out? Can you talk about that? No dates yet. Okay. Working on that.

Working on that part. I'm kind of mixing it right now. But I've done the work internally, not just in the studio, but outside of the studio. And this has been like a release. It's like I've just healed through this. I've been, I've allowed for so many emotions to exist. And I put it into something that I'm proud of. Wow.

And that's a really tough thing to you can't wait for this. I know. Yes. Thank you. I mean, you were good before you knew anything. Right, right. Yeah, that's so beautiful. I'm so happy for you.

Thank you so much. I really, really am. You are just, you know, you're a light, you know. Thank you. This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card. You know, I like keeping things simple, and that's exactly what Apple Card does. When you use Apple Card with Apple Pay, you can earn up to 3% unlimited daily cash back on every purchase you make no matter where you shop. And let's talk about fees because honestly, nobody likes those, which is why Apple Card doesn't have any.

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I think one of the easiest ways to talk yourself out of doing something is to say, I'll do it when things calm down, because when exactly is that supposed to happen? That's right, never. Especially if you've been thinking about starting a business, there's always going to be a reason to wait. but all it takes to start is a little push. I have so many friends who are able to build incredible small businesses on Shopify. It gives them the tools to actually run and grow the business without needing to be experts in every single part of running an online store. And Shopify offers sidekick, which is basically an AI co-founder built right in.

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Are you ready to give some folks your opinion? Oh, my gosh. I've got a lot of them. Which I love. It's like you've got to come back because you, you know, you've fit right in. You fit right in. You fit right in.

You're so young, you're going to have a whole bunch of stuff happening after this. Yeah, no, we've got to get you into co-host every now and then just to be like, from Gabby and her world. Yeah. Well, let's, who's our, who's our listener question from today? This is from Rachel in San Diego. Okay, Rachel. 619. My name is Rachel.

I'm 26 years old and a social media manager. Before I started working, I attended a prestigious university, graduated with honors and interned at a few places related to what I wanted to do. In other words, I did everything right that my parents and professors said would help me get my foot in the door and into the industry. But when I came to the job hunt, I was often told I was overqualified for entry-level positions. And when I got hired at my current company, it feels like everything they liked about my resume was thrown out the window. I am the youngest at the company, and my boss likes to make jokes that I am supposedly too young.

to get. When I ask for more responsibility, I'm given trivial tasks that don't really help me grow, and if I take the initiative to do something more, I'm told it wasn't done perfectly and not to do it again until my boss directs me to do so. I understand I'm supposed to pay my dues, but I don't pretend to know everything. It's frustrating when I ask to have more responsibility doing work that I already know how to do just for my boss to say, I'm not ready for it. So my question is, how do I get my boss to take me more seriously so that I can continue to grow in my position? And how can I stand up for myself and my professional instincts while also respecting the fact that my colleagues have more experience? The first thing I would say is Rachel, you're right where you're supposed to be.

Totally. Sounds like a new job. Totally. Sounds like you're 26. It sounds like, yeah, that's where you are. But go ahead, Gab. Yeah, no, totally. And it's funny because you kind of sound like me a little bit or, you know, how I've sounded in the past. And I think I thought about a few things. And one of the things that I thought about was as a musician, experiencing something similar being like the thing that gets, you in the door and that actually gets you to the next level is often the thing that people

try to change and shift and, you know, tell you, no, you got to change it up to, you know, to be X, Y, and Z. And so that's the part where it's so easy to like forget who you are, getting lost in like pleasing what other people's idea of what your trajectory should look like and who you should be. That's, I feel like, where that can be tricky and change. And I think the first thing I would say is, are you proud of yourself and the work that you're doing and you have done? Because if you can sit in any room and say, I'm proud of me, I know I did the work, instead of, you know, struggling with this, like, I'm not getting the respect. I feel like number one is like respect yourself and honor yourself and

the work that you've done. Like, say, I'm proud of myself and I know I did good work. You know, and walking with that, I think, helps. But you can't please everybody. And especially as a woman, you know, no matter what profession you're in,

like, we're going to be picked apart regardless, you know, whether it's how we're thinking, what we're wearing, what we say, like, we're going to be picked apart. So I do think it's, it's important to maintain that like, I'm proud of myself. You know, and I am doing the work and trusts the process. You know, it's going to be hard.

Everybody's not going to respect you. Everybody's not going to give you, you know, the thing that you want and the respect that you deserve. And the other side to that made me think of the secondary part of the question. I totally lost my train of thought. repeat the last part of the question? How can I stand up for myself and my professional instincts while also respecting the fact that my colleagues do have more experience? That. We talked about that earlier. And I've recently experienced that where I've had to stop, you know, I mean, again, it's important to be a student. It's important to learn and listen

and to, you know, not like get ahead of yourself necessarily. But I think it's all also important to know that your perspective and your instincts are valuable. Like, just because your colleagues or, you know, the other people at the company have more experience, it doesn't make you invaluable. It doesn't make you less valuable. Like, I think it's important to know, okay, they have the experience and the knowledge, but I have a unique perspective. And I think you should empower yourself to speak up. And it's better that you speak than not saying, anything and regret, like, oh, I wish I would have said something. And again, that outsourcing your power or validation, you know, it's better you speak and then make a mistake and learn than not speak

because you think someone is better, you know, equipped. Because I feel like you have the tools, you know, I feel like she has the tools. And, well, she may have some of the tools. Right, right. She has some tools, like, you know. And at 26, you know, again, you are still developing the tools. She's developing the tools. Right. You know, just like you weren't, you had some tools at 19 when you started this. But time, you know, prove that now at 28, you got a whole other set of tools.

Totally. And what I want, what's her name again? Rachel. Rachel to understand is like that period of growth, which is time-based. is real. Totally. It's real. And to don't underestimate that, you know, because, you know, growth in the learning process is how you get more tools.

Right. So, but with that said, I'd want to make sure for Rachel that the environment that she in, I'm assuming it's not abusive, you know, and it's not dangerous. and it's not, you know, debilitating in any way. Because those are very separate issues, right? If you're dealing with some really, you know. And there's even learning in that environment too, you know, but you do have to distinguish, am I at a place that's sapping me or am I in a place where I'm just not happy and I'm uncomfortable?

Right. You know, because there's learning to be had in that, getting through that part, just like you said, Gab, you don't like the process always, right? The process isn't always fun and it doesn't have to be, but you still, you have to get used to getting through parts of the process you don't like. Totally. Because guess what that is most of life. Yeah. You know, really being able to get through the part of the life that isn't fun and isn't fulfilling and isn't, shoot, that's being a mother, right? That's being a parent. That's being a partner. That's paying bills. I mean, so much of life is like being able to withstand and sustain yourself and be

resilient through the stuff that's not fun and you do not like. And she could be learning that and starting to practice and build that muscle in this first job that is frustrating. And, you know, so think about that. I've always found that putting, reminding your boss of what it was like, to be in your position opens up a whole dialogue because bosses love to talk about what they went through. So you mean asking your boss? Tell me what it was like. What it was like for you when you were 26 and trying to break in. A lot of times when we give some advice, we hear it and we give them the sort of 30,000 feet. But that last part where she was asking for practical advice, talk to your boss as if you're interviewing him about his life and talk to him about, hey, how did you get to be

where you want to be? And I've always found that that is really impactful because supervisors love telling the old stories about what it was like in the olden days. And you will garner something from that. If nothing else, then they will understand. when you start doing some of the things that they did to get ahead. So Rachel, take that. All of these.

And hopefully these little nuggets will help you. Yeah. Well, Gab, you are a treasure, and I really appreciate you coming through. I specifically asked for Gabby. So I'm so glad you were able to make the time, and we got you in a space where you had some space. Yeah. So just keep doing.

it, girl. Thank you so much. I'm so proud of you. Really. This was really a joy to be with you here. You've given a lot to our listeners and viewers. So thank you for that. This episode of IMO is brought to you by Colagard, a non-invasive colon cancer screening test. There are certain things in life you keep meaning to get around to. And for me, health screenings always ended up on that list. But I was surprised to learn that coliard. colon cancer is on the rise. It's now the number one cancer killer for people under 50 in the U.S. The good news is it's also one of the most preventable cancers, which is why getting screen matters. I've actually done the Kola guard test myself, and what surprised me most was how straightforward it was.

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