LPS: I do have to ask you: What was your experience at the inauguration this past week?
Heather: it was pretty amazing; I am not versed or eloquent enough to give you, to kind of capture that moment – the emotion of it. I believe that, for me personally, I know that we were there to celebrate Obama and what was happening – how great that moment was, but, truthfully, there was a side of me that I found it also to be just a celebration of just America. You know - just how great this country is, how amazing it is; that the moment kind of transcended all of us, you know what I mean?

 

I kept thinking, “On these stairs that I am standing right now, 40 -something years ago, Martin Luther King was standing here; and the feeling (I’m sure) was fear and apprehension and maybe anger, and bewilderment as to what we are going to do, not knowing what the future is” And yet here we are, more than 40 years later, and it’s a celebration; people are screaming and I was like, “Look at America!” We live in the greatest country on earth, and I was blown over by that. And just how great Americans are: everybody’s standing out there from 5 in the morning, in the freezing cold to be a part of this moment, celebrating who we are as a country, more so than just for one person?

 

LPS: Were you involved in the primaries also?
Heather: No. I try to stay out of the whole political thing. I have my views about things, but especially with this election … you could get in a good fight over this bad boy, so I was like, “I’ll sit back on this” But they just called me like a week-and-a-half ago and asked if I would do it.. they actually asked my manager and my manager called me and said, “I just accepted, on your behalf, that you will be singing at the Inauguration” I was sick like a dog; I had laryngitis and I literally sounded like a man. But I said I would figure it out, there was a lot of prayer involved. I would not trade the moment for the world. I was so honored….

 

I think I felt I needed to be a preacher actually; I didn’t know what the expectations are. But obviously He thought this was the time, and He thought I was ready.

LPS: Was it your first time singing with Josh Groban?
Heather: Yes it was my very first time singing with him; It was such an honor to be there and to meet [the Obamas] and tell them “I’m going to pray for you” and seeing the little kids and thinking, “What a big weight on these shoulders” but knowing, hey, I think they can handle it. It was great, it was wonderful!

 

LPS: So what does this project mean to you and how did it come about? It certainly is a great surprise for those of us who are fans of your previous CDs which, though not gospel, was wonderful music, and now it’s like all gospel?
Heather: This is something that has always been at the back of my mind; it’s always been in the mind of my husband and my mom – they’ve always said “You are going to do a gospel CD” and I kind of made a little promise with God that “When You think I am ready, I will do it” And so, when the opportunity came together, I kind of went back to the drawing board with God and was like, “I’m not sure I’m ready; it seems You think I’m ready but I’m not sure I’m ready” So there was a lot of praying and talking to confidants and then I was like, “I guess You think I’m ready!”

 

LPS: What did you think you needed to be ready?
Heather: You know, that is a great question because I don’t know what we think we need to be ready. Do I need to be able to speak in tongues? Do I need to be able to heal people and turn water into wine? Do I need to be better in my heart? Or for my devotion time to be better? Yeah, we need these things. I think I felt I needed to be a preacher actually; I didn’t know what the expectations are. But obviously He thought this was the time, and He thought I was ready. So I had to be like, “Okay, I’m going, I’m going with You”

 

LPS: I like how you started it with “Simply Redeemed” saying, “I’m a Christian and I’m not perfect”. How did you learn the difference between what being redeemed is, versus being perfect?
Heather: It’s a process – something I’m still figuring out. I think growing up as a pastor’s kid, that was the toughest thing for me; people always thought you were perfect, that you dropped from heaven and you could do no wrong. You were supposed to be on your best behavior at all time.

 

People kind of look at Christians and think, “You supposed to be great and perfect – what’s wrong with you?” But I’m not perfect, but what I am is redeemed and, in that, there is a perfection one day. We will be perfect, but I am redeemed and I am okay. The beauty of it is, every morning I can wake up and say, “Lord, I didn’t do real well yesterday – can you help me out?”

 

I was telling someone the other day that this year, my verse was going to be, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. Then the Scripture says, “Your works are perfect, this I know very well” It
was not because of the whole “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” part that we sometimes focus on more.

 

I focus on the part of my being good – that when I was made, I was made good, and this is how I am supposed to be made! No matter how I feel about myself, I know I can go to Him and ask forgiveness because I know that His works are good – that much I know! It’s dwelling on His perfection, not whether we are perfect or not.

 

LPS: It’s great that you have been very vocal about your relationship with God; how did you figure out the balance between the secular world and the spiritual with your career?
Heather: Well I think it was always a part of my life; I have always been like, “You cannot be ashamed of Him, or He is not going to be too happy with you” So God has always been part of life. For instance, last week with my laryngitis, I sent out an email to my people saying “I am a mess, I cannot sing, I need you to pray” Before we go on stage, we pray. It’s a natural part of me, I’m not preachy but if you speak to me, you will know I am Christian. For moms, at some point, you know they are moms because they speak about their children, you know what I am saying? You just find out.

 

LPS: What is your favorite song on the album?
Heather: Ahhh … everyday it’s a different one. I try not to listen to the album everyday because I don’t want to like it. If I start liking it, then I start believing the hype. So I listen to my album with a critical ear. I don’t want to be like, “Isn’t that awesome?” (laughs)

 

LPS: So did you write any of the songs on there?
Heather: I did write “Ordinary me”, which is a song that I think I like; it is one of my favorites. I also wrote and love “Simply Redeemed”. I wrote “I wish”; I love “Running back to you”, “Zion” is a great favorite of mine – I wrote that as well.

 

LPS: What was working with Smokey like?
Heather: Smokey was great. Smokey zoomed into the room that day; they brought “Jesus’ Love” to me and I wasn’t going to do it because I was scared – it’s a huge hit, the Commodores! Then I called back and said I would do it only if it was a duet. We started looking for guys and the first one to come to mind was Smokey, and we just stopped right there. When he came in to record, I thought, “Okay I get it, he’s a great singer, let’s get that out of the way” But on top of that, He loves God and his choir and musicians were with him, and they so respected him (because he is a pastor now). It was a lot of fun to work with him. I love to work with singers that push me, so I can push back; if he sings that note that high, I’m going to try and sing it higher!

 

LPS: You were somewhat recently a spokesperson for March of Dimes? Are there any other organizations that you are currently an advocate for?
Heather: When March of Dimes came to me, all my friends and family were starting to have babies; I was thinking of having babies. With March of Dimes I started finding out about women – black women – and how high the risk of premature birth is for us. I wanted to know more, so it was a great cause to hook up with. We are involved in several projects that aren’t all that publicized: there is a great school in downtown Chicago for which I am board member. It is a public school for gifted inner city children. It’s run through the Catholic Foundation. There is Circle of Bread Ministries, an after-school program, making sure the school children have all that they need. Breakthrough Ministries is a homeless ministry, run by this amazing woman Aloa, who is doing amazing things in downtown Chicago. Their aim is to get the homeless back on their feet, in jobs and in houses, not just feed them. My husband is also involved with a ministry down in Honduras, the Hugard House, for orphan girls. For my husband and I, it’s about kids, trying to show them a different way and making sure they have everything they need for school and to excel. So those are a few of the things we are involved in.

 

LPS: You have been on Broadway and you have great success as an artist. Is there anything else you aspire to do?
Heather: Oh yes, there is more, there is always more. There are other things professionally that I would like to do. I’m going to go back to Broadway, do movies, and maybe do a Broadway CD. I’m getting ready to start a pop CD right now. There are also things in my personal life that I’m like, as I get older, I got to get that done, you know? Motherhood is looming over me, and I think it’s going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I’m looking forward to it with trepidation because I think that is one of the hardest things I will have to do, but from what I hear from friends, the most gratifying.

 

LPS: Why do you think motherhood will be hard?
Heather: I think it’s going to be difficult because I want to be able to raise good Christian kids; children that will go into the world and be good kids, who will raise their own good Christian children and keep on, you know? I want to be a good mom. I want my kids to speak highly of me – like the Proverbs 31 woman, and I understand that that is not done by buying shoes and being cute and letting them have their way. It’s about making decisions, you’ve got to strategize! It’s going to be a hard job, but very gratifying.