Erica Campbell on Going Solo and How She Makes It Through Challenges

There is no denying that the Mary Mary sisters have had a rough year — from infidelity issues to being chastised by the church for being too sexual. But is there anything that music can’t get you through? Erica Campbell takes us through her journey while creating her debut solo album, the challenges she faced and how she made it through. Also, she shares what she aspires to do outside of music.

Why did you decide to name your new album Help?

It was appropriate for what I needed and the year that I had. 2013 was crazy. In writing the music, everything that came from me was in that vain. Needing help. It felt unfair. It felt like I was being picked on. But things happen in life. I understand that bad things do happen to good people. You get your heart broken. You lose people. But if you are a soldier you have to toughen up a little bit. You have to fight at some point. So Help didn’t represent weakness. It represented realizing there was someone that I can call on. I said “help” because I knew there was someone that would answer, and that’s God. You see the tear on my face, but you see the strength in my eyes.

Outside of Tina not being there, how is this solo project different from a Mary Mary album?

Musically, it’s different. Even the instruments. It’s ukuleles and harmonicas and stuff that isn’t really identified with Mary Mary music. Mary Mary is a little more funky. My record is more churchy and rock and roll. Even folky with certain songs. I felt really free to be me. I felt so comfortable being able to sing my own words and think my own thoughts and make my own decisions because everything has been with Tina. Now it’s all on me and I’m finding out so much about myself that I’m stronger then I thought I was. So much stuff I just let Tina do because that’s her personality. So it’s fun and exciting and I feel like I’m growing. It’s crazy because I always wanted to be singer. Tina didn’t get into music until her late teens, but when Mary Mary happened I thought okay maybe this was God’s plan. I thought he had forgot about my dream, but he never forgets. It might not come when you want, but it comes.

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SOURCE: ESSENCE