K. Michelle Checks Interviewer About Her Country Music Roots: ‘I Didn't Fly Here — I Grew Here'
More Black artists are embracing country music than ever before, as many have finally felt that the time is right to pursue a genre of music where Black musicians have traditionally been overlooked.
In a recent interview, K. Michelle, known for her R&B music, corrected an interviewer about her country music roots during an appearance at the 2025 CMA Fest.
When the interviewer told K. Michelle that she 'didn't grow up with country music,' the former Love & Hip Hop star offered a reply that cleared up any misconceptions.
'I did grow up in country music. You do this all the time. I'm from Memphis, Tennessee. I got a scholarship for yodeling — that's how I paid for college,' she fired back. 'My start, to you, has been when the Judd [family] reached out to me to go pay Naomi Judd tribute.'
'It's always been a thing for me. I was told I could not sing country music because I was Black, but it was something I had always been doing and will continue to do. I'm born and raised in Tennessee. I grew here, I didn't fly here,' K. Michelle added.
'I am so happy to be able to sing the songs of who I am and what it is I want to. So, I'm happy that people like you are just discovering me though' she said.
When the interviewer pointed out that K. Michelle was an unknown to contemporary country music radio, she replied 'Well, you don't hear a lot of women in contemporary radio, period, right now. And you really don't hear Black ones, but you will.'
In 2024, K. Michelle officially signed to BMG Nashville and released her first country single, 'Tennessee,' which was released earlier this year. Her debut country album Puddin's Outla Music is set to be released in 2025.
SEE ALSO
K. Michelle Checks Interviewer About Her Country Music Roots: 'I Didn't Fly Here — I Grew Here' was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
24 Of The Funniest Tweets From Couples This Week (July 15-21)
Relationships are full of highs, lows and a whole bunch of ordinary, mundane moments in between. Somehow, couples on X, Bluesky and Threads continue to find humor in the minutiae of being in love. Every week, we round up the funniest posts from couples on those platforms. Scroll down to read the latest batch: @ My husband accidentally got me a burger with a gluten free bun and vegan cheese. We had a good run.— sixfootcandy (@sixfootcandy) July 21, 2025 "> My husband accidentally got me a burger with a gluten free bun and vegan cheese. We had a good run. @ Wedding vows should be updated to include, 'Do you promise to love & cherish him when he continues to watch loud videos on his phone after you've asked him to turn it down?'— Sarcastic Mommy (@sarcasticmommy4) July 20, 2025 "> Wedding vows should be updated to include, 'Do you promise to love & cherish him when he continues to watch loud videos on his phone after you've asked him to turn it down?' @ husband: do you know where the thing is me: I would like to buy a noun— meghan (@deloisivete) July 18, 2025 "> husband: do you know where the thing is me: I would like to buy a noun @ The key to a successful marriage is letting things go. I've started with myself.— Henpecked Hal (@HenpeckedHal) July 16, 2025 "> The key to a successful marriage is letting things go. I've started with myself. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My husband came home from golfing & said we'd go out to dinner after he takes a quick nap. The 'quick nap' is entering hour 3. I think I'm cooking.— Sarcastic Mommy (@sarcasticmommy4) July 20, 2025 "> My husband came home from golfing & said we'd go out to dinner after he takes a quick nap. The 'quick nap' is entering hour 3. I think I'm cooking. @ Today my husband bought a 42-count box of Skittles fruit snacks from Costco. I should probably set up a diabetes screening for later this week.— Jennifer Parker (@Mrs_JParker) July 21, 2025 "> Today my husband bought a 42-count box of Skittles fruit snacks from Costco. I should probably set up a diabetes screening for later this week. @ @billmorrow/Threads @katieboue/Threads Welcome to marriage. Here's the new way you fold towels.— Henpecked Hal (@HenpeckedHal) July 19, 2025 "> Welcome to marriage. Here's the new way you fold towels. @tonyyounmd/Threads new bit: calling my wife 'the ol' balloon'instead of 'the ol' ball and chain' because she lifts me up instead of weighing me down— lesbian wife guy 🇵🇸 (@verysmallriver) July 16, 2025 "> new bit: calling my wife 'the ol' balloon'instead of 'the ol' ball and chain' because she lifts me up instead of weighing me down Solve the daily Crossword
an hour ago
Bill Cosby mourns late co-star Malcolm-Jamal Warner after Costa Rica drowning
Bill Cosby shared heartfelt memories of his on-screen son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who died Monday after drowning in Costa Rica at age 54. Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," was caught in a strong current while swimming during a family vacation on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. Despite rescue attempts by beachgoers, first responders were unable to save him. In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Cosby remembered Warner, who played his son for eight seasons on their hit show, as an ultimate professional. "He was always a great studier, and I enjoyed working with him very much," Cosby said. The role of Theo was loosely based on Cosby's own son, Ennis, who passed away in 1997. Cosby revealed that he and Warner maintained a close relationship long after the show ended. "Malcolm calls here regularly," Cosby said, describing their relationship as one where he acted as a mentor, similar to his own grandfather. "He was very professional," Cosby recalled. "He always knew his part... He always knew his lines, and he always knew where to go." Warner's career flourished beyond his role as Theo Huxtable. He appeared in numerous TV shows, including "Sons of Anarchy" and "The Resident" and even won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance in 2015. His most recent work included a podcast exploring Black experiences and identities in America. Tributes poured in from entertainment industry colleagues, including actress Tracee Ellis Ross, who said Warner "made the world a brighter place" and Jamie Foxx, who wrote he was "speechless," adding "Rest in power, my brother."
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
As Theo Huxtable in ‘The Cosby Show,' Malcolm-Jamal Warner was integral to ‘America's family'
When Bill Cosby revolutionized television during the mid-1980s with 'The Cosby Show,' the fictional Huxtables, the wealthy Black family at the center of the sitcom, were often referred to as 'America's family,' and riding the wave of that pop culture phenomenon was Malcolm-Jamal Warner. The actor, who died Sunday at 54 in Costa Rica, charmed viewers of the NBC sitcom with his portrayal of Theodore 'Theo' Huxtable, the middle child and only son of Cosby's Cliff Huxtable. Theo was based on Bill Cosby's son, Ennis William Cosby, who was a constant source of material in his comedy routines and the inspiration for many of the storylines involving Theo on the show. (And like Theo, Ennis, who died in 1997, was Cosby's only son.) The series would be the most notable highlight of his career, earning him an Emmy nomination in 1986 for supporting comedy actor. After 'The Cosby Show,' Warner continued to work on various television series, including 'The Resident' and '9-1-1.' He also dabbled in music and hosted a podcast exploring positives in Black culture titled 'Not All Hood.' But none of those endeavors matched the success of his 'Cosby Show' profile. The Huxtable children, played by Warner, Sabrina LeBeauf, Lisa Bonet, Tempestt Bledsoe and Keshia Knight Pulliam, were a key element of the series. As played by Warner, Theo was an engaging, fun-loving teen who also got into a variety of scrapes in the Huxtable household. He also struggled as a student. And while he would often frustrate his parents, the affection they had for him was palpable. The Huxtables were a family bonded by humor and love, as Dr. Huxtable and his wife, Clair (Phylicia Rashad), a lawyer, counseled their children how to be better people. Their interactions attracted millions of viewers each week. In a 1992 New York Times interview, Cosby spoke of Ennis' problems at school: 'It bothered me that Ennis was not doing his schoolwork. I sat him down and said, 'We're going to talk, and I want you to say whatever is on your mind.'' The dialogue became the basis for an episode in which Theo comes home with lackluster grades, explaining to his father that he was overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed. Cosby's family later learned when Ennis graduated from college that he was dyslexic. The discovery inspired the final episode of the series, in which Theo overcomes dyslexia and graduates from college. (Cliff Huxtable can't get enough seats for the graduation ceremony.) When 'The Cosby Show' ended in 1992, some of the actors playing the Huxtable children had varying degrees of success. Bonet starred for one season on the 'Cosby Show' spinoff, 'A Different World,' and co-starred in the film 'Angel Heart.' Bledsoe hosted a daytime talk show. Pulliam currently co-stars on 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne.' Warner continued to work, finding some steady roles and making guest appearances on various shows over the course of his career. He starred in 1992's 'Here and Now' on NBC as a psychology graduate student who helps run an inner-city Manhattan youth center. The comedy was canceled after one season. His most successful venture was 'Malcolm & Eddie,' which featured him and comedian Eddie Griffin as bar owners. That UPN comedy ended in 2000 after four seasons. One of his last leading roles was in BET's short-lived 2011 comedy 'Reed Between the Lines,' in which he played an English teacher married to a psychologist (Tracee Ellis Ross). Warner said in a Times interview that the show reflected his desire to continue the positive family values at the core of 'The Cosby Show.' 'We were clear that there had not been a show like 'Cosby' since 'Cosby,'' Warner said. 'We are in no way looking to re-create that show, but we did want to re-create that universality and positive family values that 'Cosby' represented. Neither Tracee or I were interested in a 'black show.' We are telling family stories as opposed to black stories.'
