A few months ago, Michelle Williams was gearing up for the release of her fourth studio project, Journey to Freedom, initially due in February. But she had an inkling that something wasn’t quite right.
“We just were not ready, and I kind of already knew,” she admits.
Her hunch was correct, and the album was pushed back.
But Williams didn’t just need more time to work on her music, she needed more time to work on herself, too.
“I think I was at my low point in every way imaginable,” she reveals. “As far as the pressure was concerned, I was going through that and the battle of wanting to do an album. I didn’t want to have to go through the talking about it and the criticism.”
The songstress wanted to get away, and that’s exactly what she did.
“You have to change your environment, so I went out to L.A. for a long time,” she shares “I had to surround myself with amazing family and friends.”
That’s where her healing began, and the spark was finally reignited.
Now, seven months after the original release date, “the time has come” and Williams is more ready than ever before to share her latest inspirational tunes with the world.
With three singles, “If We Had Your Eyes,” “Fire” and “Say Yes” featuring her former Destiny’s Child bandmates, Beyonce and Kelly Rowland, under her belt, she’s sure this album will put listeners in their “happy place.”
“Things are going to happen,” she says. “Somebody is going to get on your nerves at work or your daughter might rub you the wrong way one morning or you might be going through a situation and need help with decisions…I hope this record speaks to every area of your life.”
But Williams isn’t just using her talents to uplift herself and others, she’s also sharing them in a very special way.
By teaming up with Deitrick Haddon for a new reality show titled Fix My Choir, which premieres this fall, the Illinois native is gifting choirs across the country with her wisdom and expertise.
“We work with a choir for five days and really get into every aspect of why they called us,” she explained. “So we try to improve that area, so they can get better…We had so much fun shooting it.”
And Williams isn’t done yet. She’s hoping to do more theater and dabble in some behind-the-scenes ventures, too.
So despite the setbacks throughout the year, the star is flying high and encouraging others to do the same.
“You have to push through, because you can bless and help somebody else through your testimony.”
Pick up Journey to Freedom when it hits stores Sept. 9.
