I just jumped off the line with Amber Bullock, whose new album, So In Love, hit stores this Tuesday, July 10th. The response has already been incredibly favorable and she’s got a good project on her hands!
I wanted to find out how Amber’s feeling about the response to her new music, how she’s juggling motherhood and artistry, and what she thinks about the public’s opinions about Sunday Best, especially now that the new season has started.
I also wondered how she felt about performing on the BET Awards after voicing frustrations that she hadn’t been invited to perform on theCelebration of Gospel.
We chat about all of that and more. No delays– let’s get right to it…
EJ: Your new album, So In Love, hit stores this Tuesday. How are you feeling about the response to the album, in general, at this point?
Amber: I’m just very grateful for the response that everybody is giving. Not to sound arrogant or anything, but I’m not surprised because I love good music and I love this project. They say you’ve gotta love your music before anyone else will, so I’m just very grateful that everybody’s feeling what I’m feeling!
EJ: You’ve referred to this as your “first album,” though we got an EP from you at the end of the year. With Sunday Best, you kinda became an overnight success– you went from a “hopeful,” to everyone knowing your name. Are there times that you have to fight feelings that you’re not a “real artist,” because you didn’t get to do it the “traditional way”? Or are you grateful that you didn’t have to?
Amber: Oh, I’m grateful. I’m not gonna lie to you– I’m very lazy. *laughs* If I would’ve had to work really hard to get this platform, I probably wouldn’t have it. I tell people that all the time. Don’t get me wrong– it’s not a walk in the park. Even having the platform, it’s a lot of hard work. But I would probably have lost my mind by now if I had to do the work to even get to the platform, then have so much work to do once I got it.
I’m very grateful for the opportunity and I respect any artist that is out there grinding, on the underground level, and they’re just working to be heard. I have so much respect for them.
EJ: Do you feel like you have to work harder, because of Sunday Best, to prove that you deserve to be here, or that you’re not just a one-hit wonder riding your 15 minutes of fame?
Amber: Not necessarily. I think everybody believes that all Sunday Best winners can sing, but I don’t think they believe that Sunday Bestwinners put out quality music. That’s where my fight begins.
That’s not to say that people haven’t done good music, but I’ve seen the responses to other records and I just don’t want that to be the response to my music. I’m on a totally different thing. I’m trying to put out some out-of-the-box music because God isn’t in a box. I find myself having to fight to put out my music. Now, I didn’t have to fight too hard, because we had some great songs to choose from, but that’s where my fight would be– just to let everyone know that we’re not putting out bad music. This is quality stuff.
EJ: Yeah. I’m sure this has all been a whirlwind for you– you win Sunday Best, you launch out on this Fearless Tour with Kirk Franklin, now your album is out… what has this journey been like as it relates to your relationship with your daughter, and your role as a single mom?
Amber: Oh… *sighs* It’s been very difficult. She’s only 3. Although I believe that she has some type of understanding about what I’m doing– that I’m going out to sing– lately, she’s been saying that she wants to go. That is very, very hard. If I’m battling anything, I’m battling my label and my management, saying “you have to send me home because I have to go see my daughter.” And I just have to put my foot down sometimes.
I find myself feeling guilty a lot of times. I know that I’m out here trying to make a better life for us. It’s difficult because before, I couldn’t take care of us. I didn’t have the money to do it. Now, I’m making the money to do it, and I still can’t be with her. It’s kinda whack, but I know that this is the beginning, so I’m looking forward to the time where I can say “I ain’t coming unless she comes.”
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article courtesy of GospelPundit.com
