The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Yolanda Adams Talks New Album, Confidence, 'Perfectionism' In The Church + More

Episode Date: October 3, 2024

The Breakfast Club Sits Down With Yolanda Adams To Discuss New Album, Confidence, 'Perfectionism' In The Church. Listen For More!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best. And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing.

Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, y'all. Niminy here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Executive produced by Questlove, The Story Pirates, and John Glickman,

Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop. Flash, slam, another one gone. Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. The tip of the cap, there's another one gone. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history, like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama

who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, guys. I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs,

the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, my undeadly darlings. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for you.

Haunting is crawling out from the shadows, and it's going to be devilishly good. We've got chills, thrills, and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on. So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to Gracias Come Again, a podcast by Honey German, where we get real and dive straight into todo lo actual y viral. We're talking música, los premios, el chisme, and all things trending in my cultura. I'm bringing you all the latest happening in our entertainment world and some fun and impactful interviews with your favorite Latin artists, comedians, actors, and influencers.

Each week, we get deep and raw life stories, combos on the issues that matter to us, and it's all packed with gems, fun, straight up comedia, and that's a song that only nuestra gente can sprinkle. Listen to Gracias Come Again on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha Guy. We are The Breakfast Club. Jess is still on maternity leave, so Lawn LaRosa's filling in.

And we got a special guest in the building. Her album, Sunny Days. The legendary. It's out right now. Ladies and gentlemen, Yolanda Adams. Welcome. Thank y'all for having me. How you feeling this morning? Absolutely fantastic.

Okay, okay, okay. This is your 14th album? Yeah, this is my 14th studio album. 14th studio album. What goes through your head when you hear that? Wow. Gratefulness, appreciation that i'm still doing what i do and loving the fact that folks still want to hear what i'm doing and that

it still inspires them and gets them going and keeps them lifted up you know so yeah that's how i feel do you remember putting out your first album and how that felt and the fact i don't know if the industry was ready for gospel music the way it was well the industry wasn't ready for me because because I wasn't you know I wasn't like your typical gospel artist I didn't look like everybody else and you know folks kind of give me flack about that because I didn't grow up in a place where we couldn't wear makeup or we couldn't wear pants. You know, in my house, it was cool to go to the skating rink with Jesus. So we went everywhere with God.

And so there were some people who were like, well, you shouldn't wear that lipstick and you shouldn't do this and you shouldn't do that. And I was like, hmm, OK, now I'm good. Yeah. I've never understood why religious people, Christians, are so judgmental. When the Bible says, thou shalt not judge. Well, I think it's human nature. When people don't understand, you know, other folks, whatever. Again, it's all in the way you were raised because my parents were real cool. So I wasn't raised with limitation as a matter of fact

my mom and dad told us that everything is possible for us and so when I went into the um actual solo part of gospel music I was it was it took me aback for a little while because I'm like, oh, oh, so y'all can't do, oh. So in order to be a gospel artist, you can't do this, this, this, and that, and the other. And I'm like, nah, I'm not going to be that kind of gospel artist. No, go ahead. No, no, no. I was going to say, but your mom was a ministry of music in the church. So her church, cause I know when I go to church with my grandmother, you can't wear pants. You can't do certain things to this day. And I have to just go with that. Your mom's church didn't have those rubes,

even though she didn't have them? Not at all. We were Baptist. Okay. Gotcha. You know, the deacons would smoke outside. Smoke what?

Watch out. Cigarettes. Watch out. Because they burning bush? It was still called an adult back then. Damn. So, no.

No, so that's why. No, it was cigarettes. Your faith is a core part of your music, though. Absolutely. How has your faith journey shaped not just your music, but just your life in general? Oh, my gosh. It's everything. It's the basis of everything.

It's the basis of my businesses. It's the basis of my parenthood. It's the basis of all I do. You know, I wake up joyful every morning because again, I'm here. And we know a lot of people within the last couple of weeks that are dear to us that are gone, you know, and it's like, man, to be able to wake up, do what you love to do every single day. I know y'all know about that is a blessing. And so faith has everything to do with everything I do. When you were doing morning radio, did you used to wake up? Absolutely. Oh, so it was live? It was live, live, live. Oh, okay. Okay. Did you like it

getting up that early? Absolutely. You know, there's something that happens when the mic comes on and the light comes on, you realize, okay, you have a few seconds to inspire somebody's day. You have a few seconds to describe this song or describe this issue, you know. And so we were like, y'all, we had a full show. We talked about sports. We talked about relationships and all of that good stuff. So, yeah, it was 3.30 in the morning, wake up, you know, got to be at the station at 4.15. How much did you play your own music?

Very little. I wasn't like, you know. The programming side? Not even that. It was like I want to hear somebody else. Got you. Because I hear me all the time. I've been with me the longest.

And I love hearing new artists. I love me all the time. I've been with me the longest. And I love hearing new artists. I love breaking in new artists. I love hearing different types of gospel music. And so we did a lot of that too. Do you miss it? I do miss it at times.

But as you all know, when one door is finished or when one season is finished, the other season began. And if I was still doing radio, I couldn't do television and movies and soundtracks and things like that. So I was going to ask, you know, well, growing up in a church, how much pressure was that? You know, because being a kid growing up in the church, everything seemed perfect, right? They wanted everything to be perfect. And if it wasn't perfect, it seems like they shamed you

back then. Well, here's the thing, and I'm going to go back to my upbringing. I don't know what churches y'all went to, but we knew at our church we weren't perfect. So it was not this thing that you have to have it this way. You've got to get it right all the time because you're not going to get it right all the time. You know, as grown as I am now, I don't get it right all the time. And I think that's one of the misconceptions about faith and religion. It's not that we are perfect people. It's not that we're even trying to be perfect people but what we are trying to do is be loving people yes we're trying to be caring people we're trying to show people a different way of existing because i mean and we we all know we we live in this

space now where everything is cancel culture i hate this because you hate this or I hate this person because you hate this person. It's like, uh, can we all just get back to the basis of everything? Because the basis for me is for God. So loved. So that means I'm supposed to love as well.

And what kept you grounded? Cause even going to college, usually the church girls were the wildest. They were the ones that they're no longer on the leash. Bombing dad is no longer around. That laugh sound like you know a thing or two. That came from deep within. Stop telling my business, boy.

But again, here we go. I didn't, I wasn't restricted in anything in my life. So I went to the dances. You know, I hung out at the house parties and stuff like that when I was younger. So I didn't have that restriction. And so when I got to college, I didn't have to wild out because it's like, oh, y'all doing that? Oh, child, please, you know. So I don't know. I don't know why that happens. I think it's in a person to try to test the waters. And then when they find out, oh, it ain't that wonderful.

Then they go back into their little shell and it's all, you know, how you feel about the church nowadays, because you can't if you test the waters, certain churches and certain congregations like they almost like condemn people for certain things. Well, and you did say certain churches, which is I'm glad you said that because certain churches have this and certain religions have a an idea that you're supposed to be so high up here that and I've never gotten that whole concept of the super religious kind of thing because I didn't have to be that all I had to do was be myself and God loved me for being myself not a pretend Yolanda because I've never been good at pretending so you know except when I'm acting. Thank you, Jesus. But I think nowadays the view of that comes from people who are outside looking in, not people inside certain churches. Because you have to be inside to experience that.

And I know that there are some people who can make you feel like you're not, you know, at your best. You're not as good as them and stuff like I get that now. I'm like big old 63 year old. I get that now. You know, people take me. Why are you wearing that? Why are you doing this? And why are you showing up here?

And why are you because I'm grown. How does that make you feel, though? Because it's been going on for so long with you. But again, I mean, I will never see those people. I will never experience them. They will never come to my house. They will never come to the barbecue. So you can't get so emotionally attached to negativity that you stop being you

and you stop living and you stop living your life the way you live your life, you know? So it's like, they going to be fine because I'm fine. Why do people give you so much smoke for your outfits? Like, what is Ms. Adams wearing that looks so crazy? Well, I don't get it get i've never seen you the late great daryl coley said something from the stage one time he said y'all mad because y'all can't wear it that's real so i don't you know and i think because they talk like you sexy right and salute to salute to sexy, right? Well, you know, she listens to the music, so I have nothing against her.

But it's like when people, some people are uncomfortable with you being comfortable in your skin. And I'm extremely comfortable in my skin. And I have been for a long, long time, which is why I said don't fall for the negativity. Because there will be so many people who applaud you and are in your corner and want you to make it and want you to succeed that the two three or 40 opposed to two million it's like i'm gonna hang out with the two million that's right rather than the 40 you know you said something that's not as very important you said you've always been comfortable in your own skin when did you get to that point because you know just the way you present aesthetically you're tall you're beautiful when you walk in the room everybody like oh who that

so i know that makes people uncomfortable so when did you get comfortable being making people uncomfortable i think i think because i've always been a tall kid and my parents always talked about how amazing stature and grace and elegance is. I think I really got a hold to it probably in my 20s. You know, after I graduated college and I had some stuff under my belt and it's like, OK, yeah, I'm going to take on the world. And when you're taking on the world, you can't have that insecurity of, well, how will it feel? And how will they accept me? And how will they do this? How will they do that?

It's like, nah, you got to get out there. That's right. So it was, yeah, in my 20s. Absolutely. Do the pressures of the music industry exist in gospel music? Like when you hear these stories of all these debaucherous things that happen in the music industry, does that exist in the gospel world? The debauchery part of gospel music is not something that I know of

because I didn't participate in anything if there was anything going on. But the pressure to outdo your last project is always there. And you know how it is. Come on, you guys are in media. So you know that every quarter, okay, your numbers were so-and-so. Now you got to beat this or you got to beat that person in Houston or you got to beat this person in San Antonio. I think it's always that.

And you have to surround yourself with management and people who are on your side that help you have to surround yourself with management and people who are on your side that help you buffer that because um somebody's urgency can be placed on you so it's that so it's your urgency but if you're if their urgency is isn't not emergency, why are we doing this? You know, because everybody wants something different from you. You know, people pull at you for different reasons. And some of them are not authentic. And some of those reasons are very nefarious.

You know, well, I just want to get, know 20 million done this you know y'all we're business people in the room and no matter what even if it you know let's talk about branding if it goes against your brand but it's a whole lot of money you know you have to be strong enough to say nah I can't do that you know and then you have to tell them no we're not doing that. Were you talking about that or were you talking about like people trying to take advantage of her coming up in the industry stealing publishing and royalties that we hear from all the drugs the sex all that. Well first of all I don't do drugs so I I don't I don't get invited to the drug parties if there are drug parties. And I've never been an exhibitionist, so I don't get invited to the freak-offs and stuff like that if there are some.

They crossed over into gospel. That is crazy. No, no, no, no, no. And so I will say from my purview, I don't know about any of that. Now, as far as publishing and royalties and all of that, oh, you always have somebody posing as a manager or a business manager trying to, you know, because they see, OK, you're effective. You get the numbers, you know, you you know, you could be out every single day doing something. So that's a cash cow right there. You're still from a gospel artist.

You've got to be going to heaven. I would think the same thing. A lot of them going. People still in the church, too. A lot of them going. You know, so. The new album is called Sunny Days. Yes.

What is Yolanda Adams' definition of a sunny day? Oh, my gosh. My definition of a sunny day is a day where I feel so good about myself, about what I'm doing, about my purpose, and also about the climate of the world. You know, you have to be optimistic to really look at where we are right now and say, but there's something good that's going to come out of this. And so that's what I wanted to do with this project, because it took us four years to actually finish the project. We started it in 2018. And then all of a sudden, Jim Jam and Terry Lewis gotry lewis got busy donald lawrence got busy all of the producers got busy i got busy and then there was the pandemic and so that stopped a lot of

things and then kingdom business we started filming that you know we had seasons one and two we had to film then all of a sudden i'm like okay all right all right we got to get this album done so it finally got done this year and i'm just so really excited about that so it's just scheduled the reason why it took like it was like a 13 year break in between um becoming in 2011 and then now uh it was a 13 year break between the solo project. Yes. Yeah. So why, though?

Like, why that? Because there was so much other stuff going on in between, or is it just a priority? Oh, child, I was so busy. I was so busy. I was going overseas, doing a lot of things. And then I also did several soundtracks to movies and television shows. We did the soundtrack and the music for SpongeBob on Broadway. We did a song there, me and my music director, Rodney East.

And so things just got busy like that. Got you. And, you know, with my projects, I have to, like, tailor time for them. Because if I don't, it's going to be, like, it's going to be like it's going to be real crazy you know with non gospel artists they go into the studio maybe it's a heartbreak or like you know they do indulge in smoking drinking

whatever to get them or for gospel artists is it that you're like you're praying you deep in the spirit like where does that come from for you guys oh it comes from the same experiences of course we not you know getting high trying to figure out what God's doing. We did from the earth. Nobody found that funny but me.

We did from the earth. It is from the earth. Oh, I get what you did there. We're not getting drunk trying to figure out what God is doing because they be trying to figure out what their man got going on. Okay. Heard you. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you so much. No, it comes from the experiences that we're having in our lives, because you figure we got eight plus billion people in the world. So at least a million got to be going through what you're going through. And so if you're making a business decision, if you're making a relationship decision, if you're making a moving, you know, geographical moving decision, all decisions for us, you know, we have to ask God, okay, is this me or is this you? Or do I just want this for me? And, you know, a lot of times God says, okay,

if you want it for you, let's do it. You know, God is not. That is interesting. I've been writing down the answers. Yeah, because God is not. That is interesting. I've been writing down the answers. Yeah. Because God is not trying to keep you stuck. As a matter of fact, he wants the best for you always. And I think people have fashioned God in so many ways that it's confusing to people when they see someone, you know, like me, who has this relationship with God, where it's like real cool. Hey, God, we're doing we're doing the breakfast club this morning. Yeah,

I know. I'll be there with you. You know, that kind of thing. And I believe if we would give people room to grow with God, that they'll find God on their own and they'll find God is so loving and so kind on their own that they don't have to be pushed into, yeah, go on and do this. Go do that. You won't have to be pushed to do anything. You'll want to from the bottom of your heart. You want to love people. You want to share his goodness. You want to share a smile you know that kind of thing that's interesting because when i pray to god i pray to god to give me direction right absolutely and guide my steps absolutely and i guess i always say i want to do what god wants me to do but what you said is interesting it's not because what if i want to do something yeah

this is like god you're gonna come with me god might just be like yeah go go do that yeah and let me let me figure it out on my own. Whatever happens, I'm going to be with you regardless. Absolutely. Because you can, just like you cannot separate your breathing from you, unless you're, you know, on a ventilator or something like that. You can't separate God from you. Because God lives inside.

We always try to make him upstairs, you know, and we say the man upstairs, we know that's, you know, proverbial kind of talk, but God is inside. And if God is inside, he's walking with me. If he's inside, he's talking with me. If he's inside, he really is concerned about whether I, you know, I make it or not, you know, whether I reach my goals or not. And so the one thing that I have found in my life that has served me so well is when there's a piece that I have with any decision, then that's a stamp. All right. I agree. You know, when there's turmoil, I have to go back and be silent. Because I got to listen to make sure, okay, now you're either protecting me from something or someone.

And sometimes it's myself because I want to rush things. I'm a fixer. I'm the oldest of six kids. I'm a fixer. And God's like, slow down, land. Slow down. I'm going to give you that, but I'm going to give it to you when you're ready. You're here preaching.

You were trending about a week ago, two weeks ago. Woody McLean. Yes. She's like, what happened? So when you were trending, when people were calling you, did you know what it was right away? I did not. You did not.

So what was your mind thoughts when you seen Woody McLean doing the video? Well, here's the thing about the video. We actually did the video together. We were there on set together. And, you know, Woody is Woody. I mean, that's Bobby Brown. Right, right, right, right. So, you know, we know he's a great artist and just all around great guy.

But people were talking as though it was the power, Woody. Why is it that Yolanda is, you know, because people are mad at him. Right. And, you know, that character, they're mad at him. They forget he's acting. Yeah, and that's the thing. How do you forget that this man is acting? He's not the same character in that video that he is on power.

So what is that? I didn't get that. And so this generation of God's children are a little slow. And my daughter had to explain to me, well, you know, he's kind of a bad character on power. I'm like, yeah, but that's just his job. You know, he as a person, he's a man of faith. And when they told, when the record company said, we have Woody for the video, I was like, yes! Because I remember the Bobby Brown Woody.

Right. I haven't watched Power enough to know that character. I'm like, season one, Power character. I'm like season one Power. Bobby Brown could have been on Power. Bobby was a wild boy. Y'all leave Bobby alone. Did he freestyle that or was that choreographed into it? No, he kind of freestyled that. And I guess they all said, okay like that do that you know so the

video captures a lot of dancing i love to dance so it captures a lot of different types of dancing because i personally believe that god loves variety because if he did not love variety, all of us would look the same. That's right. And so we all have our different things and we all have those, you know, those little quirks that make us amazing. Did you speak to him after? Did you speak to him after? Yes, absolutely. What did he say?

He was like, oh, just thank you so much, Ms. Adams, for allowing me to. I'm like, what? You are making me cool. You are making me a cool woman right now. So I appreciate it. Why are there three different versions of church doors? What does that symbolize? There are three different churches, three different churches, three different versions because we had the version for the gospel gospel audience, then the audience who's like me, who loves, you know, to hear different versions and dance and stuff like that. And I, I just thought, man, what a great song to kind of hype up

and give the message to people that may not. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia Keys opens up about conquering doubt, learning to trust herself and leaning into her dreams. I think a lot of times we are built to doubt the possibilities for ourselves. For self-preservation and protection, it was literally that step by step. And so I discovered that that is how we get where we're going. This increment of small, determined moments. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself.

It's okay. Like grace. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best. And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up, y'all? This is Questlove, and I'm here to tell you about a new podcast I've been working on with the Story Pirates and John Glickman called Historical Records. It's a family-friendly podcast. Yeah, you heard that right.

A podcast for all ages. One you can listen to and enjoy with your kids starting on September 27th. I'm going to toss it over to the host of Historical Records, Nemany, to tell you all about it. Make sure you check it out. Hey, y'all.

Nimany here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop. Flash, slam, another one gone. Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. through hip-hop.

Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. And it began with me.

Did you know, did you know? I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was called a moment. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to historical records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. in time for spooky season. Now I know you've probably been wandering the mortal plane wondering when I'd be back to fill your ears with deliciously unsettling stories. Well, wonder no more, because we've

got a ghoulishly good lineup ready for you. Let's just say things get a bit extra. We're talking spirits, demons, and the kind of supernatural chaos that'll make your spooky season complete. You know how much I love this time of year. It's the one time I'm actually on trend.

So grab your pumpkin spice, dust off that Ouija board, just don't call me unless it's urgent, and tune in for new episodes every week. Remember, the veils are thin, the stories are spooky, and your favorite ghost host is back and badder than ever. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast Post Run High is all about. It's a

chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all.

It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hola, mi gente. It's Honey German, and I'm bringing you Gracias, Come Again, the podcast where we dive deep into the world of Latin culture, musica, peliculas, and entertainment with some of the biggest names in the game.

If you love hearing real conversations with your favorite Latin celebrities, artists, and culture shifters, this is the podcast for you. We're talking real conversations with our Latin stars, from actors and artists to musicians and creators sharing their stories, struggles, and successes. You know it's going to be filled with chisme laughs

and all the vibes that you love. Each week, we'll explore everything from music and pop culture to deeper topics like identity, community, and breaking down barriers in all sorts of industries. Don't miss out on the fun, el té caliente, and life stories. Join me for Gracias Come Again, a podcast by Honey German, where we get into todo lo actual y viral. Listen to Gracias Come Again on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. ...into the church doors and hear this. And so that was our goal. Because technically, church doors can be your heart.

When you let me make it to the church doors, I'll tell them what you've done for me. So you open your heart to give your testimony about how good God has been. And so, again, there are people who will get this on the dance floor and it'll hit them. Oh, God is good. You know, so, yeah. Do you feel like Jermaine Dupree recently uh had some comments we have the audio too if you want to hear but he recently said that because the younger artists aren't walking through those church doors mm-hmm oh no i'm just like this oh yeah do you feel like that is affecting music

the fact that you like like you said people aren't may not ever walk through those church doors but it can still hit them in their heart is Is that possible, or do you feel like these artists need to get back in church? Well, I think what he meant is that the producers who are doing the producing have to have that background to know how to bring in the tenors, how to bring in your altos, you know, to make that full, effective sound. We all know the difference between church musicians and regular musicians who did not get that training because here's the thing about church church trains you because you have a an audience that can't go nowhere for like two three hours and so you get that on-the-job training that

you wouldn't get just you know in, in your basement, you know, mixing and trying to do your thing. So you you learn how to capture an audience. And I think that is what's missing as well, because these kids don't have that type of experience until they get in front of audiences. And most of them don't know what to do. I watched Saturday Night Live, the young lady who had this huge song during the pandemic about, you know, driving down the street and stuff like that. And my daughter's going to get me because I don't remember.

Not Tina Shay, right? Huh? I'm sorry, not Tina Shay, right? that and uh and and my daughter's gonna get me because i don't remember right huh not tonight i'm sorry not to not share right no it was it was a uh another young lady this weekend no no no no i mean during the pandemic white white white white artists she had on some baggy clothes and things like that now she made a song on her computer in her room and it blew up it went viral like a billion times they immediately put her on saturday night live she's not ready for that and it was obvious that she had not had the training and if we go back even to the Motown days and the Stax days,

there was artist development. They don't have that anymore. And that's the thing that I believe Jermaine was talking about as well. They do not have artist development. And artist development for us as people who attended church

and grew up in the church. We grew up in the choir or either the band or something like that. You had that every Sunday, every Thursday when you had rehearsals, you had the chance to, you know, be corrected and, you know, and make it right. And so I definitely know we got to bring that artist development back. And then the other thing that you miss is that that heart and soul. That's right. You can only get that heart and soul when you're miss, you know, you may sound amazing, but there will be this emptiness that is very obvious that, you know,

it's like, uh, maybe you need to, you know, get a little quiet, get some peace or, you know, do some yoga or whatever you do. We talked about that this morning. I said the same thing. Like I agree with everything you said, but that, that, that, that soul. That soul, yeah. I think the church is so. I said the same thing. I agree with everything you said, but that soul. That soul, yeah. I think the church is so rooted, especially the black church, it's just so rooted in community and black people fellowshipping with each other.

It's just a certain soul that comes from that that I think people are just missing nowadays because of the fact we don't fellowship as much. I don't believe social media is real fellowship. No. I don't believe that's real community. No, because, and those, you know, I'm going to get a little technical here. We're in this room. I could have done this on Zoom, but it wouldn't feel the same.

It wouldn't be the same. That's right. It's because all of us have these energy blocks that, you know, we have. It's just amazing how we're fearfully and wonderfully made. But trying to get that same feeling on a Zoom call or on whatever yard it is and stuff like that, it's going to be hard because there's no authenticity there. You know, when you respond to me and you smile, I'm like, yeah, that it's going to be hard because there's no authenticity there. You know, when you respond to me and you smile, I'm like, yeah, I'm on the right track. When you respond to me and you shake your head, I'm like on the right track.

When you respond to me and I see that smile, I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, but, you know, and I can only speak for me, I like the call and response that we've grown up with. I also love being able to see if the message is affecting the person or the congregation or, you know, like we're going to be at the Barclays Center. So that's a whole bunch of people. But you still hone in on those folk that you see are getting it. And then all of a sudden, the whole place just gets electrified. But it starts with me and you and you and you. And then everybody, you know, comes in. So, yeah, I think the other thing that church does as well,

because we didn't have the counselors and the therapists and all this stuff, you know, like you're doing your program it was our therapy growing up because you know you could shout it out you could cry it out you can yes sir it out you know you could sing it out you can usher it out you know but we don't have that like that anymore and we've advanced and I'm glad we've advanced because now we can see, okay, this is one of the problems that we need to work on in our community. What better place to start it than in a place that cares about people? So when you have a counselor or a therapist on staff at your church, it makes it so much better for people who want to come in and just talk and, you know, get stuff out. I believe in God and therapy.

Absolutely. Absolutely. You read the Bible. There are so many times where everyone that did anything huge for God had to go into that place and like, OK, who do I talk to? Who do I counsel with? And I just want people to get back to. the basics of fellowship with God. Because if you get back to the basics, you realize all of the stuff that people are majoring on has nothing to do with the real love of God. So how do you feel about Bedside Baptist and Mount Zion Zoom AME? Well, here's the thing. There's a place for all of that.

And that is why churches have to advance and make sure that they have those things available. Now, as I said before, just like I didn't come, you know, like I didn't Zoom with you guys because I wanted to be physically in the room. There's just something you're going to get inside the building that you cannot get just on Zoom. And I'm going to have to confess because my job takes me out most of the time where I can't get back to my physical church. And so as soon as I am off the road, oh, I'm going to my church. But again, I will say, thank God for the Zoom. That's right.

Thank God for the streaming. But when you can, get in there because it makes a huge difference. I ain't caught the Holy Spirit over Zoom yet. And I watch the Potter's House every Sunday. Yes. But it's different when you're actually in the Potter's House. I've been to the Potter's House and you feel it. Yes, you do.

Yes, you do. But when you're watching the Zoom, I like it, it's good. Yes. But when you dance, it's different. You can feel God. You can. Yeah. I wanted to know, do you look at music

how you look at acting, right? So there's certain music you're not gonna sing cause you don't stand by it. Right. But do you look at that as acting as well? Like is there parts that you say that doesn't fit my quote unquote persona? But it is acting, so you're really taking yourself out of your person

and being somebody else. Like would Yolanda Adams ever be like a drug king queen like Mary J. Blige in Power? Would you play that part? Would you play certain parts that don't necessarily fit your persona? Now I wouldn't be a drug dealer or a queen pin, but I like, I,

I, I like meaty roles. That's why I took on Danita Jordan, because although we're gospel artists and family women, she's, she's cutthroat and I'm the total opposite. You know, I let people live because I, I think God can get you better than I can right you know

so um I but um I would and this is this is gonna sound really crazy I would like to do a role like murder she wrote I'd like to be a detective and see that that involves gore and that's still a positive side would you be on the other side of that would you be the murderer you know what i don't know no one has ever asked me that question what if he was killing people who were possessed by the devil there's this movie called frailty right you haven't seen the movie frailty no i have not frailty is about that where this guy was they thought he was a serial killer but literally god was giving him visions and the people he was killing wow were bad people and oh yes people that killed their mom like terrible people oh wow and it was all rooted in his faith for god he had i'm gonna have to

research that yeah i'm gonna have to research that because I don't know if God just wants you to kill people. People don't even come to you with those separate, like you don't have to turn down that stuff. They don't even come to you with that stuff. No, no, no. Because it is acting. Yeah, I don't have to turn down those. But I did have to turn down a record deal when I was making the transition from one gospel label to, you know a secular label this guy was like uh yeah we have this thing we're gonna turn you into this you know this this mega this and i'm like oh okay so how is

that going to be possible well the first thing you're gonna have to do is you're gonna have to learn how to butterfly and i'm like what wait wait wait wait i'm like, what? Wait, wait, wait, wait. I'm like, oh, you mean that dance? Butterfly is the dance here. Butterfly, yeah. It's like, wait, wait, butterfly. I know how to butterfly. So thank you, Mademoiselle. Can you imagine me doing the butterfly as long as I am? He was serious?

He was serious. We were in London. He was serious. To the praise and worship he wanted you to butterfly? No. It was going to be like, you know, it was going to be crossover. It was, yeah, kind of crossover, infusion, whatever. I'm like, nah.

Was that Jamaican gospel? Was that Caribbean gospel? We never found out. Is there any hip-hop records you ever turned down? Like somebody wanted you to sing a hook or something? Well, you know, I've done the hook with Bone Thugs Harmony. They harmony they did order my steps they redid that um let me see who else you know i've been sampled several times uh nick cannon has uh done a sample should have turned that one down

should have turned that one down that was when he was a Nickelodeon and Disney kid. Oh, okay. This guy's crazy. You are crazy. And so I've done that, but I don't know. It's according to you know,

I've done some stuff with Trailer Truth. I've done some stuff with Trade of Truth done some stuff with Common and who else one more oh I think The Truth from Philly

yeah so yeah so I've done some yeah some out of the box stuff I'm kind of proud of I like what you said earlier you said you feel like

God can handle people better than you can absolutely so can you share a time where like your faith might have been tested oh I mean it's tested all the time I'm kind of proud of. I like what you said earlier. You said you feel like God can handle people better than you can. Absolutely. So can you share a time where like your faith might have been tested? Oh, I mean, it's tested all the time. Well, yeah, because, you know, it's like, bruh, me and God got this. So you don't think God's going to tell me first before you try to do something. And people are really surprised when you don't come at them the way they would come at you.

When you don't match energy. When you don't match energy. Because it's like, nah, I've learned a long time ago. If you want to just sit back and watch God do it, sit back and watch God do it. Because as soon as you put your hand in it and try to fix something, it's gonna mess up and then you gonna mess up your purpose. You gonna mess up your journey. And I would rather God say, you know what?

I'm so proud of you. You, yeah, you held on. Now I may go home and just yell and scream. Be mad as a mother. I'd be mad, but it's like, nah, uh-uh. How are you so tapped in? Cause like you, I referenced Sexy Red, you know who Sexy Red is, you know power. Like, you know, How are you so tapped in? I reference Sexy Red, you know who Sexy Red is, you know Power

How are you so tapped in to everything that's going on? You know Jermaine Dupri's statement about R&B and gospel I've known Jermaine Dupri since he was a little kid You told him to act like you live in a shelter and you never come outside I'm not saying anything How you know who Sexy Red is? How you know what Jermaine Dupri is?

I feel like a lot of gospel, but you're not traditionally you're not the traditional gospel artist a lot of gospel, but you're not traditionally, like you're not the traditional gospel artist. A lot of gospel artists and people in the world of God, they tap out of stuff. They remove it or they act like they don't see it even though it's in front of them. Well, I mean, I get a chance, thankfully, to be in a lot of places like the BET Awards,

the Grammy Awards, places like that. And you have to live in a box not to know current music. I'm a music lover, so I listen to all types of music. You got kids? You listen to Sexy Red? Yeah, I have a daughter, right? You listen to Sexy Red? No, not at all.

I know what I'm saying. I listen to a lot, but I know who she is because she's been on the BET Awards and things like that and for me I listen to beats, I listen to words and I love sincerity in music

you know and so I yeah and my daughter keeps me pretty cool you know. How old's your daughter? She's 23 my daughter keeps me pretty cool you know she's 23 so she keeps me real cool I've got two more questions for you do you feel because of your faith and because you do

gospel music that you get put in the box oh they tried years ago I mean they really tried years ago okay so we're gonna put you in this little comfortable space and blah blah blah and I'm like I think we're bigger than that because God is bigger than that you know and I mean we there's so many things that we could talk about God being bigger than I mean he is

ultimate so if God is everywhere at the same time, blessing everyone and, you know, holding the world together, why would I allow someone who has a small view of God to crush my big view of God? Knowing that I've lived long enough to see the bigness and the hugeness of God. So I'm telling you, it started when I was a teenager because I started singing in a choir. We were going all over the country and stuff. And then I had my first Billboard song at 17. And I realized at that time, wow, this I like doing this and then I would see Tremaine Hawkins and Shirley Caesar and people like that doing it for a living I'm like okay God well however you got to do that let's let's do that and um and I saw the kind of box they tried to put Tremaine in when she started singing solo, aside from the Hawkins family.

She had this amazing song. You guys are probably too young to remember. She had this amazing song called Fall Down on Me. And it was talking about the holy spirit but she had a couple of dancers and uh kevin bond who was amazing was on one of the little uh piano guitar things running around you know and it was a joyful song nothing disrespectful and they gave her grief about that and I'm like wow so I've seen that happen to other people and I refuse to let it happen to me and I love God's timing in my life it's always been about his timing and me wanting his time because years later I'm sitting here with the

Breakfast Club discussing my 14th project, you know. We sitting here with Yolanda Adams discussing her 14th project. But think about it, though. If I had gotten mad at the producer who says, oh, you'll never sell more than this guy or you'll never sell more than this guy. You'll never sell more than that guy. Because there was a whole bunch of chauvinism in gospel music way back then.

And instead of getting upset, fighting back, I just like, I've taken my hands off of it and I've outsold those men some of them are gone home to be with the Lord and I'm still here so I know what that feels like but I also know what it feels like to tell young people like a Leandria, like a Tasha and like Kiki Sheard and all of the young people who I've mentored over the years that you don't have to be anybody but you. And you stand your ground. If you want to sing a song that somebody may not agree with, you sing that song because somebody out there is going to be touched by that song.

I mean, Open My Heart is one of those songs that you guys have played for years. And we just celebrated, what, 25, 26 years of Open My Heart? And I can't go anywhere in the world and not sing that song. Wow. So, yeah. My last question is, what do you see as your legacy in the world of gospel music, but just in the world, period?

Like when Yolanda Adams no longer ceased to exist, what do you want people to say about Miss Adams? Well, I hope that people say that I inspired, encouraged, uplifted and educated them in many aspects, not just gospel God because I don't see God as restricted, you know, and I try to eyes and ears and his body on earth, there are just certain things that we have to make priority. We've got to make love a priority. That's right. Have to. Now, do I agree with everything that someone is doing?

No, I don't agree with everything my family members do. But that doesn't keep me from loving them. It keeps me wanting the best for them. And then, you know, you don't have to respond to everything. You know, sometimes you just got to let go and let God. And I hope that when people say, hey, you know, Yolanda Adams, you know, she's gone. Like, wow, that woman helped me through so and so and so and so. That woman helped my father get through cancer or so and so.

Those are the things that I want said about myself, you know. Amen. We love, value, and appreciate you, Ms. Adams. Oh, I know you do. That's why I love y'all. What song do you want to play? Oh, my gosh. Play On God.

On God. Number one on Sunday. Number one. And before we leave, we just ask, like, you know, can you give us a prayer before we leave? Absolutely. I would love that. Lord, we are just so grateful and thankful that you have allowed us this time to spend together.

It's been so amazing to be with these wonderful young people who are doing your work on a daily basis. They make us laugh. They make us think they make us want to be better people. And so, God, I ask right now that you give them the desires of their heart, whatever those secret desires are that they haven't told anybody. Give them to them and just bless their socks off, God, and give them more years, as many years as they want. But more than anything, make them grateful for this platform that you've given them because it changes the world. Amen. Amen. Yolanda Adams, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us so much.

No problem. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up in the morning. The Breakfast Club. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best and you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay

Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey y'all, Niminy here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Executive produced by Questlove, The Story Pirates, and John Glickman, Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop. Flash, slam, another one gone. Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. The tip of the cap, there's another one gone.

Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history, like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. And it began with me. Did you know, did you know? I wouldn't give up my seat.

Nine months before Rosa, it was Claudette Colvin. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello, my undeadly darlings. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for you. Haunting is crawling out from the shadows, and it's going to be devilishly good. We've got chills, thrills, and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on. So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. This is Courtney Thorne-Smith,

Laura Layton, and Daphne Zuniga. On July 8th, 1992, apartment buildings with pools were never quite the same as Melrose Place was introduced to the world. We are going to be reliving every hookup, every scandal, and every single wig removal together. So listen to Still the Place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.