1039. IJLMI: Into Something Major

[00:00:00] What's up everybody? My name is Lish Speaks and welcome to another episode of my podcast, I'll Just Let Myself In. This is the podcast where we don't wait for an imaginary permission slip or some seat at an imaginary table. We let ourselves into our God-given doors. Now, if this is your first time here, I want you to know that at this podcast, we are big on inspiration. We want you to feel

[00:00:24] inspired, but we want you to feel inspired to action. I often tell my viewers, my listeners, I would rather you turn this podcast off right now and go do the thing you're thinking about than to sit through another podcast, another sermon, another reel, another TikTok of mere inspiration. And a lot of times I come to you solo. I'll give you the things I'm learning, what's going on in my

[00:00:49] world, what I'm studying. But every now and then I have a guest. And when I do bring you all a guest, I try to do all the due diligence that I can to make sure that it is someone who is in line with what we do here at I'll Just Let Myself In. I try to make sure it's a guest who will help you guys feel that same inspiration that I desire to help you feel. I try to make sure it's a guest

[00:01:17] guest who will give you the hope to go after your dreams. And today, I think I've got you the best one. I think I got you the best guest to give you the hope that you need. He calls himself a hope dealer, but he is so much more than that. He is a Grammy nominated artist, a NAACP award winning artist,

[00:01:47] a platinum selling artist. He is commonly known as Mr. Why I Love You. But more than any of those things, he is someone who deeply believes that we can live our greatest life if we have the hope of our faith. We're going to talk about all the other things he does as well. But without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Major is here with us today.

[00:02:18] Woo-wee! The introduction alone that Emmy goes to. Thank you. Golly! Thank you. There ain't no telepopped either. Telepeople. Listen, listen, you are something special. You are a force. Lish, thank you so much for having me. Thank you so much for this time. Yes, I am Major to those that had no clue who this dapper

[00:02:44] young gentleman is. But we're going to have a good time, my sister. I am honored by the moment. Before we get into anything about me, I have to say this off the rip. You're necessary. I absolutely am impressed by you. You're consistently impressive on carpets and interviews. I've watched clips and I'm like,

[00:03:12] oh my gosh, she gets it. She is gifted for this work. It's a lot of people that pull up microphones that God didn't say to speak on. But you absolutely are qualified to do this and do it well. And I want you to know that the expectation and anticipation that you have for what's to come is rightfully to be believed for and hoped for. Thank you.

[00:03:40] It will be yours and then so. Thank you. God has established some good stuff concerning you. So be not weary in your well-doing. Be not dismayed by how long it takes for in due season you will reap a harvest. Just you wait. Amen.

[00:04:03] Those are words of the Lord, but also lyrics of a song that I got with my sister Nia Allen, which is now top 10 on Billboard. Shout out to Louis Cortez group. But listen, those are affirming words that just they matter and absolutely match the right now moment. Listen, the song is doing very well. Two million views on YouTube.

[00:04:31] Yeah. Yeah. God be Godded. Yeah. Y'all are doing good things. Y'all are doing good things. I love that because first of all, I receive everything that you share. Thank you. I receive it. Listen, you get it. Even the fact that you took a moment to receive that. Yes. Because so many people move past these moments, but that being present is the biggest gift. Yes, absolutely. Please receive that.

[00:04:58] Receive it. And you have been such an encourager of mine from the moment we met. Wow. So I met Major on a red carpet, on a red carpet for BMI, Trailblazer of Gospels, honoring John P. Key. Yes. And I had just seen him a couple of weeks, maybe months prior, live for the first time at a Stevie Wonder show. Oh, in Atlanta. So I was at the Stevie Wonder show in Atlanta.

[00:05:27] Man, that power. Came out and you sang, I prayed for you. And you came out like guns a blazing. Yeah. You came on that stage and I was like, whoa. Like, and I knew who you were because obviously we all know why I love you, but you also had a song, um, Love Me O with my friend Cass. Love Me O lay with Cass. Yeah. So we kind of grew up together. We're from Brooklyn. Oh, that's my dude. So yeah. Good, good guy. He's so gifted. So yes. Shout out to him. Congratulations. Just got engaged. Yes. Yes.

[00:05:55] And so I, you know, I always knew your music, but when I heard, I hadn't heard that song before that night. And I was like, I was blown away the power with which you sang that song. Yeah. I prayed for you. Yes. I prayed for you. So the second I saw you come down that carpet, I had to tell you. I was like, brother, before we get into this interview. And from that moment on, you were just like, it's almost like you needed someone to tell you that.

[00:06:20] I needed someone to get it beyond just, you're so talented. Boy, you can sing. It's something that you see beyond surface. And I think that's why you move in the anointing of what it is. Like that's, that's evidence of your anointing because you go beyond the, the, the, the cushion. Like, it's like, no, let me let you know.

[00:06:50] I see you and I hear you. Yeah. And that's actually operating in love because to be loved is to be seen, to be heard and to be understood. Yeah. And that's how you move. And when you move that way, trust me, prospering is a done deal. Thank you. Yeah. I appreciate it. Yeah. Listen, you are not only celebrating the 10th anniversary of Why I Love You. Sing a little bit of it. You don't want to hear me do that. Try it. Try it. And I think I can't sing until I try. Try it. Try it.

[00:07:19] This is why I love you. Hey. Oh. You actually can't. Ain't no, ain't no. No, knock it off. Knock it off. I just heard your ear. Ain't no, no. Knock it off. All right. Let me find out. You are celebrating the 10th anniversary of that platinum selling song. Yes. But you also have a new stepper. Ooh. A new smooth thing. Yeah. That the people are going to be stepping to for years to come. May this moment never end. Produced by D'Lo. Yeah. Who's awesome.

[00:07:48] Who I also met recently on the red carpet. Just a great guy. Funny guy. David David D'Lo outing is a good dude. That's my brother. I got to salute Jonathan McReynolds for the introduction to that brotherhood. Two years ago, we started a group chat. Yes. I've heard about this group chat because I had Enrique on the podcast a couple months ago. You had Enrique? I had Enrique. Nice. And he told me about the game. Yeah. I want the world to know Enrique Holmes. Yes.

[00:08:16] He's got a new one that is coming to radio called God Did That. Come on now. He also has a song called Manifestation. He's so good. Yes. But he's on tour right now with our sister Tasha Cobbs Leonard for the Unscripted Nights. And I'm just proud of so many people that are leaning into the call. And he's doing it well. Yeah. Enrique's a good guy. And we had a great conversation. Great encourager as well. He really is.

[00:08:46] But he told me about this group chat that you all had. Oh, we crazy. Yeah. He told me that you all hold each other accountable and you encourage each other, but y'all cut up too. We cut up. I love it. And hold up each other accountable for sure. It's brotherhood. I love it. I love it. So Jonathan McReynolds, who I have had the pleasure of interviewing briefly. You need to get him on one of these. I would love that. I'll make a phone call. You know what? We got to make sure. And this is why we need people like you. Yeah. Making phone calls. It's called Village. We all help each other. I love that.

[00:09:15] But yes, you all really do look out for each other. So he introduced you to D-Lo. And how'd you guys come up with the feeling, the vibe? So May This Moment Never End is a new love anthem from Major. Yeah. Think Why I Love You meets Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Barry White. Or Step in the Name of Love by Arna Kelly. Minus the charges. All right? Just so we're clear. You know, because this one is...

[00:09:43] You know, but I got this song and we actually... I remember hearing... I remember hearing... We were on the group chat and D-Lo said, Major, I got your next song. And I'm like, oh, okay. You know, because I'm so used to people telling me they got my next Why I Love You and all that stuff. But something shifted in my Shana Nigh.

[00:10:10] And I was like, let's talk offline. And we talked offline and he said, I had a dream that I was working with you. And it was the song that I worked with you on took you back around the world. And I said, it's kind of interesting because I just had a dream that included you as well. And I thought something very similar. And I was saying... I was saying... Wait.

[00:10:42] Wait. Cut off the phones in the studio. Mama, cut off that phone. Lord help her. I love... I love us because we gonna be us everywhere. And I'm trying to be professional. I'm like, okay. Is everything all right? Mama, press vibrate. That phone done tweeted 20 left times. And I love the fact that she's laughing in the background. Yeah, she's not wearing it. But I... I love it. But it's good. It's good.

[00:11:12] My mom is here, guys. She's in the background. Mama is here. And she cut off. She's laughing. Her phone going off. Wait. And don't cut all that out because we love mama and we're going to celebrate all the thing. Baby, I will see. Unless you might cut off. She's so... We might cut off for the radio. She moves so excellent. She's like... No, we're not keeping that. You don't have to cut stuff out when you're literious in there. Gather them. I don't have to cut stuff out. I'm trying to get there. Okay? Listen. Listen. So... Okay. So...

[00:11:41] I get the text message and I'm talking with D-Lo and I'm telling him, I also had this dream as well. And we're supposed to work together. And he's like, yeah, I think it's your next... You know, why I love you. And I'm like, okay, maybe it is a version of why I love you. I don't know. Fast forward, Easter weekend, I'm in Atlanta because I had to sing at a church. And...

[00:12:12] I had to sing at a church. And we were like, we can work, you know, while I'm here. I go in, we write a song together, a really great one that I think is going to be pretty special. It was me, D, Wilson, and David D'Lo. But then right before I was about to leave, we were like, there's something more.

[00:12:35] And D-Lo had this conversation with me about how I'm revered in industry and also the audience that gravitates to me. The story that I'm telling as a gospel singer, as an R&B soul singer. And he was like, I just think you should just lean unapologetically into what comes naturally and let people sort out their stuff.

[00:13:03] And I let him hear Love's Symphony, Love's Theme or Love's Symphony, golly, I wish I remembered, by Barry White. And I think it's Love's Theme. And it was super, super special. It was just instrumental. And I said, I want a song like this. I want to make a feel like this. And in seconds, it was like this download on Easter Sunday. And the words just started flowing. The music just came together.

[00:13:32] It was the fastest song that I've written since. Why I Love You, actually. And I literally, I was just, we were like, this is special. Yeah. Fast forward to now, and the song has already impacted in a way that is, you know, generally with a song that's been out for a few months. And it's only been a couple weeks. And so I'm just grateful. I'm excited to see what's coming.

[00:14:02] I feel something. Yeah. Both legends that I consider mentors, Stevie Wonder and also Mama Patty, as in LaBelle, you know, told me how they feel about it. They feel it's a hit. I just, I just know God's about to use something in it. What a litmus test. My Lord. It's pretty special. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. It's helping to inspire hope and love again. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have a theory about you.

[00:14:33] You don't have a musical sound. The sound is good. You just sound good. Right? Because when I think about the different types of music that you have made over the last decade or so. Yeah. You got stuff with rappers. You got stuff with gospel artists. Yes. You got stuff with the vocal Bible, Brandy. Brandy. And they all sound different. They all sound good.

[00:15:03] Mm-hmm. Right? Some of them got a little country twang. Yeah. You and Dietrich went country soul. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ooh, yeah, yeah. You and Brandy, to me, went country R&B a little bit, right? Yeah. Because you got the acoustic on even more. The song that you guys got out right now, the one we were just talking about. Just You Wait with me in the island. Just You Wait, right? Right? It's given, obviously, gospel, but also a little bit, to me, contemporary. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. They all sound different. Mm-hmm. They all sound good. Thank you. Right?

[00:15:33] I think years and years ago, you were known as the crooner. Yeah, yeah. And before that, choir boy. Right. And you still have, but you feel all of that. Yeah. So, if someone wants to say, what is major sound? I would just say, good. It's good. He sounds good. You know, and for me, firstly, thank you for that. Yeah. Yeah. I think good is synonymous with truth. Mm-hmm. When we move in it, it is good. Yeah.

[00:16:02] When it's honest, when it's pure. A lot of people may see it as, I'm just trying to find something, but I'm literally just leaning into major. I am major. I'm a soul singer. I think soul is probably the best descriptor if we had to pick a genre title. Yeah. Because soul is literally the expression of one's truth. Mm-hmm. And so, for me, I move from that.

[00:16:29] And I've studied almost every genre from classical to jazz to, you know, contemporary stylings and, you know, folk. I just lean into it. And if that's the expression, that's the expression. It does present challenges. Yeah. I can imagine. But because, you know, we live in a society that operates by boxes and categories. And it's like, where do you fit?

[00:16:57] For me to understand you, you need to fit in something. And it's like, we've got to start making space just for whatever life brings us. Yeah. For the expression that the spirit gives. Yeah. You're always smiling. Yeah. Joking. Yeah. Encouraging. Right? I go on Instagram, you're on everybody's comments. You're in everybody's comments showing love. Showing so much love. I try to make sure I lean into the love push. No. Because we have enough of everything. Yes.

[00:17:26] You do that with excellence. It seems like you do it with ease. Yeah. But I'm sure you get sad. I'm sure there are hard days. Oh, yeah. Who is the you for you? Who is the encourager? Who's major for major? My mama. Hmm. My mama. My wife has become more of that. My mama's always been that. Yeah.

[00:17:46] Um, uh, but I, my mom has this way of seeing possibility beyond a real time difficulty. Like, it's just like, oh, you, you, you gonna get there. Yeah. Well, okay. Catch your breath. You're gonna get, you're gonna get it. It's coming. Yeah. And, um, I've, I've adapted that.

[00:18:13] I adapted that mindset and, and, and mantra early on in my life. Mm-hmm. She was my first hope dealer. Mm-hmm. Um, then my pastor sent pastors. And, but I draw inspiration from people that live in purpose and on purpose. Yeah. Like when I see you moving in what you do and we barely know each other, like from a, Yeah. A time spent with each other. But I'm inspired by that. And it, I draw inspiration.

[00:18:43] I'm like, okay. Ah. You always reach out. You're like, that was good. Go ahead. And I'm like, and I'm like, I don't know, whatever it's worth, let me encourage you. It's worth a lot. Yeah. Let me let you know. It's worth a lot. I see you and I receive. Yeah. Yeah. It's worth a lot. Um, I want to talk about you as a hope dealer really quickly because we live in a time where pessimism, negativity, doubt, hopelessness, frustration, anger is, is running rampant. Right.

[00:19:13] And you seem to be able to keep your hope. You seem to be able to keep your joy. Right. What is it that gives you the ability, not just to have hope for yourself, but to have so much of it that it is overflowing onto other people? Um, it's, it's my understanding and definition of hope that, um, gives me the push that I need.

[00:19:40] And that is hope is not the denial of reality. It's the commitment to believe greater is on the other side of it. Yeah. Hope is not pretending that struggle, circumstance, difficulty, trifling, aggravating, all of the things is not real. Yeah. But hope has a way of anchoring you in not only the promise, but the promise keeper. Mm-hmm.

[00:20:09] It keeps you locked with, it's like it locked in hand. Yeah. With the promise keeper. Yeah. That if he did it before, he can do it again. Yes. And as Ty Tribbett says, same God right now, same God back then. Come on. And so, um, I've, I've, I've come to realize the power of hope. Yeah. I have a tag that I say often that hope ain't ever canceled. Mm-hmm.

[00:20:35] Um, I've lived life enough to know that there's more beyond the right now. Yeah. There's more beyond yesterday. We're in it. Yeah. We're literally existing in the more when we didn't think we'd get through. Look at us. Yeah. Getting through. Yeah. When you wondered how you'd be able to fund the next moment or opportunity, look at us. Yeah. In the funded opportunity.

[00:21:04] In the opportunity, however it came together. Yes. Hope keeps you locked in spirit and mind. And it also reminds you that life is going to come with life. Because that's what life is going to do. It's going to lie. Yeah. With or without our permission. Yeah. And every storm I've learned, my sister runs out of rain. And there's not one that we can talk about that didn't run out. Mm-hmm. That's why we can talk about it now. Talk about it. Yeah. Yeah. That's good.

[00:21:35] Yeah. So it's, it's a real deal for me. Yeah. Yeah. It's a real deal for me. Yeah. I can feel it in the music. I can feel it in the conversation. Yeah. There's a song that you had out several years ago now that really helped me through some times for the win. And it's, uh, ooh. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That one gets me. That's based off of Romans 828. Yeah. I know. Yeah. I know. Yeah. I know you know. That's one of my favorite scriptures.

[00:22:05] Yeah. And I love that song. I love a lot about that song, but there's a line where you say, um, I ain't gonna rush my storyline. I ain't gonna rush my storyline. I learned that. Learn that the good things all take time. Yeah. I'll just keep steady. Yeah. And I'm gonna stay ready for that great day. Absolutely. That song helped me in a difficult time. I don't know if you know this. I used to be an artist. I believe that.

[00:22:31] Because I know when I just, when I did Why I Love You, I heard where your ear went. Yeah. So you tried to play it. And I was like, I don't know if I can sing it. I wasn't a singer. I was a rapper. But rappers also, rappers, the dopest, have an ear melodically. Stop playing with me. And I was a writer as well. All the things, right? See, okay. Stop playing.

[00:22:52] So that was a difficult time for me because I think in every artist who is not egotistical, you realize when there's a different gift the Lord is blowing on. Woo! Yeah, right there. And I love music and I will probably always do some version of music, even if it's just for me and my mom. Absolutely. Absolutely.

[00:23:18] But it was very clear that this is what I was supposed to start doing. Yeah. Right? And I wanted to, I wanted to rush the storyline in some way. I wanted to figure it out because I'm like, is this going to work? Everybody has a podcast. Everybody's, you know, and everybody doesn't have a podcast. That's the thing. That's the thing I had to talk about. Everybody doesn't. You know, but the enemy. Oh yeah, the enemy love every. The enemy loves the generalizations.

[00:23:44] The enemy loves the generalizations, but I only want you to see what's in front of you and assume that that's all of it. Correct. When God is like, can you sit for a while so that I can show you the more? Yes. Can I show you around this? Can I, can I, can I, can I show you above it? Can I be God? Yeah. Can I be God? My therapist, shout out to my therapist. He always says, uh, he wants to be your God and he wants you to be his people. That's it. Him be God, you be his people. That's it. You're trying to be God right now, you know?

[00:24:12] And, uh, that song really helped me because I knew that the wind would come. I had to be okay that the wind wasn't in music, that there was a pivot. Yes. Right. And there's power. And that pivots aren't a bad thing. They're not. Pivots are not an escape or a, uh, uh, uh, a defeat or a, uh, a miss of the promise of God. Yeah. Because I've had to pivot. Yes.

[00:24:41] My story was supposed to be, I was a gospel singer. That was the story. They called me choir boy. Yeah. I literally hated that my name was major before, but they called me choir boy, which I thought was cooler for some reason. But my, uh, shout out to the cousin on my, on my dad's side, uh, um, who called me choir boy after the five heartbeats. And so, but I, I leaned into choir boy, but I thought gospel was it. Yeah.

[00:25:09] But a pivot led me to the intention of God all along. And now I'm able to be gospel, to be soul and to be all of these things because I was willing to go in the different direction other than what I thought was the only way. Yeah. And it's so funny because I was talking to an A&R recently, uh, who works heavily in CHH and I got a whole bunch of Christian hip hop friends and artists and all that. And he said to me, you know what?

[00:25:39] You're probably in the best position you've ever been in to have an amazing Christian hip hop album with features and all of that because you did this. And he was like, if you ever wanted to do it, you good now. That's why I was, that's why I was going, that's, I wanted to speak into that because when you spoke about the pivot and you're realizing, oh, this is what he wants. We don't know the finish of his story. We just know that the finish will be a win. Yeah. We don't know what the full script is.

[00:26:08] If it's a desire of your heart that has not left as you grow in him, you know, that it's meant to be realized. Don't abandon the honest feeling of, oh, I would love this simply because it hasn't happened yet. As 11, 11 hits that screen. And I always say a prayer because I believe God is moving always.

[00:26:32] And these are just moments to remind us that he has not taken his hand, heart or concern off of us. Yeah. But there's a way that he gets you to the destination. Why I Love You was my first platinum record. That's crazy for me to even say because I'm an independent artist. Platinum and growing. And growing because it's going to most likely be double platinum. 81 million views on YouTube right now.

[00:27:00] But my journey, my pivot, which is not an abandonment of purpose. Yeah. A pivot. It's not an abandoning of your purpose. Especially when you're growing in God. Yeah. Just go where he leads.

[00:27:26] Trust him as he walks with you and he talks with you and he tells you he's your, you're his own. Yeah. Hear me on this. So I end up leading myself into a space where I prayed for you becomes my first ever number one, period. Yeah. And that's in gospel music. The soul singer. The platinum soul singer. The crooner.

[00:27:56] Yeah. The one that gospel labels said he's, you're too big for gospel. Nah, we already have our gimmick. The one who thought that I missed it. God said, no, no, no. I just had a scenic route for you. And it's been good. Yeah. And the scenic route is nice. Yeah. Because let me tell you, everything you see on that route starts to contribute to what you create when you get to that destination.

[00:28:25] I'm telling you. And it hits different. I'm learning. It hits different. I sing different. I have stories to tell. I have information, new information. That's what the pivot provides, new information to inform what purpose is meant to fully realize. And it's a good thing. Collect the information as you go. Yeah, yeah. Don't just see it as, oh, this is a detour. No. If you see that there is construction on the road and it says exit here and you think it's

[00:28:53] just going to take you too far out, take the detour. Yeah. Yeah. That's good. Trust a minute. A lot of entrepreneurs, artists, you know, independent artists. Yeah. Watch this podcast. Listen to this podcast for inspiration. You know, I may or may not be asking this question selfishly. But for those of us who feel like it's taking a while and we are diligent, we're hard workers,

[00:29:20] we're getting up, we're doing the things, we're sending the emails, we're pitching the store, we're doing all the things, right? And it just feels like it's taking a while. What is something that you hold on to for staying power in the times where it just feels a little slow? My major key is catching my breath.

[00:29:51] Every time I do it, it provides me a little more fuel to endure. Busy and productive are not the same. This is for every entrepreneur that is watching, anybody building a thing, anybody trying to

[00:30:15] nurture a thing, whether you're an entrepreneur, a new parent, a newlywed, you're just creating something new. Busy is not the same as productive. Having a bunch of tasks is not the same as being productive.

[00:30:37] You don't want to be scattered trying to tend to a bunch of stuff, so much so that you miss enjoying what the right now moment is giving. Catch your breath. Because what happens when we catch our breath is it commands the reality of life, and that's

[00:31:01] the good, the bad, the frustrating, all of it, to surrender to the new pace that you set. Catching your breath disrupts the rush. Yeah. Did you hear me? Yeah. Catching your breath, Lish, disrupts the rush of life. Yeah. It disrupts the effects of turbulence.

[00:31:32] That's why they just say breathe. Yeah. In labor, breathe. Mm. In panic, breathe. Yeah. In depression, breathe. In the breathing, you clear your channels. You make room for clarity. Yeah. To enter.

[00:32:04] You are the deepest, silliest, funniest. I'm all in that. Yo. Most spiritual. And I'll be, I'll literally go, I'll literally go from the craziest to, but God said. Yes. And they'll be like, yo, what's happening right now? And I'm like, just stay with me. Major Luther King. Major Luther King. We know it. We know it. All day. All day. Major Luther King. All day. That's been my hero for the, for the, for the longest. But I'm moving this because I am a reflection of life. Yeah.

[00:32:33] Life is full of the hope and healing, the, the pain and purpose, the joy and justice. Yeah. The, the glad and sad. It's, it's full of the good and the bad. It's all of it. And I'm the expression of that. Yeah. And I know that when I exist, I then open people's eyes to the permission they have to fully live. Yeah. Like so. Yeah. Like so like that. Like so like that. Like Tabitha said. Come on, Tab. Come on. Like so like that.

[00:33:02] Listen, you keep some good people around you. Yeah. I'm, I'm blessed to have some amazing people around you. Off camera, we were talking about friend of the pod, Kev on stage. A good guy. A good guy who's been on our podcast. If you haven't watched that episode, please go back and watch it. Just a really good person. That Kev on stage. That Kev on. Yeah. Right. Is, is, is. Kevin Frederick. Right. Yeah. He's special. But really behind the scenes when no one's watching. Yeah. Doing the good thing.

[00:33:32] Having the good thoughts. Giving the good advice. Yeah. We talked about Keita. Yeah. Ooh. Who is your PR manager. Yeah. Yeah. Your friend. Your sister. That's all of them. All the things. Keita Williams. Yes. Eva on, on social media. She's special. Let me just say. Yeah. Keita and I hopped on a call. We were emailing back and forth. All of us trying to get this together. Keita and I hopped on a call. I thought the call was going to be about major and logistics. Yeah.

[00:34:02] When I tell you Keita encouraged me down. She's a hope dealer. She encouraged me. She told me a little bit of her story. She remembered at the time that we met. Because we met almost a year. We met over a year ago. Wow. At the Stellars. And even that was crazy. That was a crazy day for me. She actually asked me. She said, were you? Was she at the Stellars? I said, yeah, last year. Yeah, last year. Yeah, yeah. This year I wasn't there. We believe in God for next year. Yeah.

[00:34:32] But we met and that day I had gone through some disappointment because I was supposed to be on the carpet. Got there. They wouldn't let me on the carpet. You know, I'm growing. Yeah. Right? So they had us all in the radio room. I'll put this on camera. When there are carpets that you are trying to get on and you're having a difficult time, reach out and say, Major, do you have any inroad to this? And if I do, I will help. I appreciate that. Yes. I appreciate that. Yes, because I understand how sometimes it gets difficult. It's work.

[00:35:02] It's work. And I have no ego about anything. They put us in that room and they were like, when the artist come in after they win, you can ask the court. I got up and asked every artist. I have no ego. You're special. I don't have a problem. You're special. I'm going to work. I've gotten there. I'm going to work it out. So I made sure that I went and spoke with Keita Williams because you and I had had our conversation. And she was like, okay, great. We'll make it happen. And when we got on that call, I was happy that we worked everything out for you. But my soul was happy. That's right.

[00:35:29] That I had spoken to Kida because as a black woman, I needed another black woman to tell me, keep going. Yes. Keep going. Don't stop. Yeah. Don't worry about all the ups and that. Call me. You know, I needed that. And I don't know if she knew I needed that. Holy Spirit probably told her. Oh, absolutely. But two minutes in. Yeah. She was always in. She's a force.

[00:35:55] And so I'm like, if this is who you have around you, it makes sense why you show up the way that you do. Oh, absolutely. Even, you know, from Why I Love You, Harmony Samuels was another brother that when labels were like, yeah, this song is too slow for radio. It's not going to work. And he's like, no, we know what God said. But when I remember when one exec said, Major got to get hot first. Major ain't hot. Major ain't hot. He got to get hot first.

[00:36:24] And who says that? Like, if your job is to help to do the work to help people get on and to impact. Well, you wouldn't be surprised. But Harmony says, say less. Yeah. And he told me. And we put in work. Then we got hot. That record exec said, I always knew Major was it. Major was it. And I'm just, and I don't live life to try to prove anybody wrong. Yeah. I live life to prove the faith right. Yeah. To prove the hope was worth it.

[00:36:52] Because it has literally been proven every single time. You can't talk faith unless you talk hope. Yeah. Because faith is a substance of things hoped for. Hoped for. You forgot that one. You were like, you're like. I'm in another two. Go ahead. I'm in another two. Go ahead. Go ahead. You are. No. But the thing is, you're literally all in the space. It's just. The word. Faith is a substance of things hoped for.

[00:37:23] Hope begins. It initiates. It establishes the frequency. Hope is a golden cord connected to the heart and intention of heaven. And so long as we move in it, we will always find our win in due time. Yeah. And I'm just trying to make sure the world gets it. I love it.

[00:37:50] So if he uses me in country music, hope. Yeah. If he uses me in R&B, hope. Yeah. If he uses me in Americana, hope, folk, classical. Yeah. Because I can do all of it. Yeah. Jazz. Hope. Big band. Gospel. Hope. Big band. All of it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hope. Don't forget nothing. Children's music. Hope. You can probably rap too. I'm telling you. I'll rap like that, like that. I'll write you something. But I got a few. I got a little cadence, you know, here and there.

[00:38:19] I love it. I love it. So you spoke about heaven and it made me think about your reasoning for writing Why I Love You. Yes. Which you always say, I wrote a love letter, love wrote me back. Yeah. So that people could experience love on earth as it is in heaven, right? Yes. And you wrote that song. Listen, I don't play. Yo, yo. I don't play. Yeah. You wrote that song as a virgin.

[00:38:48] Ah, yeah. I, my audience knows this is no thing to them. I got married at 35 as a virgin. Wow. To a virgin. Wow. And my husband and I laugh all the time because we were nervous like, are we going to know what to do? We knew. We figured it out. You find out. The only thing. We find out. And then we be like, God, did you put this in the room for me? Yes. Well, thank you. Yes.

[00:39:17] My husband is four and a half years younger than me. Oh, wow. I didn't even know he was a virgin until way, well after we started dating. Because who, we're not talking about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We dated like real good Christian people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we didn't even talk about sexual things. Oh, wow. That's impressive. I can't remember exactly what he said, but something happened and he said something. Because I was a virgin, but I was a little horny. I mean, my mom was in the room, so I ain't going to talk about it. But she has heard me say this before.

[00:39:44] I was a virgin, but I don't let people put me on a pedestal because of it. Because I certainly struggle with my purity. And all the ways you can struggle with purity, all the things you can watch, all of it. But I did not do the do until I got married. And that's what people... Any of the do's. I love that you are having this conversation because a lot of times people are quick to assume that virginity means you just have... Or purity in thought. Yeah.

[00:40:12] Because sometimes we wrestle with our thinking before we move into the doing. And that's something that is not easy to endure. Yeah. Sometimes we're like, yo, I would like to do that. And sometimes we come really close to what we're not supposed to do. So let's just have grace for everybody. I started to hate my virginity after a while. When I was younger, it was cute. By the time I ain't like 28, 29, I was like, this is stupid. This is dumb.

[00:40:41] I never... I never... And then I just had to stick with it because now I'm too smart. I'm too smart now to just go sleep with somebody. Yeah, because you'd be crazy. And I was just about to say, for me, it was after a while, you know better and you know why. So it's like, I'm not just going to throw myself in silly. Because I done watched too many friends and family members end up in circumstances and consequences that are like... Avoidable.

[00:41:09] They are avoidable just with one choice. Yeah, exactly. Nah, not right now. We ain't going to do that. So... But we did learn. We did find out. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord somebody. Marriage bed. Hallelujah. Okay. So I want to say this because so many people conflate sex and love, right? That they wouldn't even think you'd be able to write about love so strongly and so deeply having not had that experience.

[00:41:35] When you were writing that song and you were making it about the love of God, right? Did you know that it would impact love, carnal love, physical love so heavily? Yes, actually.

[00:41:55] I knew that if given an opportunity to be platformed, that this song would do what it did and what it's doing in all of its facets. Because I literally said it's going to be romantic love. It's going to be platonic love. It's going to be people between, you know, family, familial love. It's going to be friendship. It's going to be for baby showers.

[00:42:25] It's going to be funerals. It's going to be people for self-love, divorce parties. It's going to be all of it because it's going to help people center what true love is. All of the other things are outcomes of it being rightly centered. And I don't want anybody to think that love is ever to be experienced without love itself, which is God. If God ain't in it, it ain't love.

[00:42:55] Period. Period. It's good. My mentor, Uncle Stevie. Yeah, come on. As in wonder. He said, Major, I know who you're singing about. Continue to write and sing about love because God is love. God will always be there. Yeah. In that moment, I said, oh, he's giving me the key to his formula. He started off an iconic album with Love's in Need of Love. So he understands. 50 years he celebrates songs in the key of life. Yeah.

[00:43:25] And I am so honored to know that a Master of Love song's formula is to move from the perspective, the God perspective of love. The perspective of the creator. Yeah. When you move and operate and build from there, it has no other choice but to reach the heart of creation. Yeah. That's for entrepreneurs. That's for anyone doing a new thing. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

[00:43:55] Make sure that the root is anchored and locked in with the intention of love. Yeah. And it will prosper. Yeah. Speaking of intention. Yeah. Yeah. I think that you are someone who really wants not just yourself, but the artist at large. Not Prince. The artist. The artist. The artist. The artist to win.

[00:44:25] Right? And in that vein and that heart posture. You wrote an open letter. You wrote an open letter to the Grammys. Mm-hmm. And I want you to be able to talk to your audience about the heart of that letter and your desire for that letter, not just to impact your career, but the careers of people like you. Can I firstly, real quick, hear your takeaway from it? Yeah. Before I say what my intention was. That's good.

[00:44:52] I think my takeaway from it was, hey, as artists, particularly independent ones, we have to campaign. We have to speak to the people who are going to be voting in the Academy about our projects. And we would like to be able to do that in a way that makes sense for the project we created. Yeah.

[00:45:13] I think that, and I want to speak for you, I think the notice with which artists are given the information that their songs may have changed categories is not long enough or not adequate. And it seemed like you just wanted to be able to have a conversation about what we can do to ensure that the music that is being entered is getting a fair shake. Yeah. Right?

[00:45:40] Is in the right place for it to be voted on properly. That's what I got. That's exactly it. Okay. And I am relieved and fulfilled to know that you got it. I do have reading comprehension, though. Not everybody, but go ahead. But we live in a society where people enjoy controversy first. And it's frustrating because I am very thorough with my words and how I speak.

[00:46:09] So I try my best to clarify as thoroughly as possible to help people get it the first time they hear it. Yeah. Unfortunately, we live in a society that wants to run to the mess first. Yeah. So when I did the open letter, it was after efforts of trying to rectify my dilemma of being moved out of my category.

[00:46:38] It was scary for me. It was frustrating. I was more fully independent than I ever been before. But it was also my most successful year outside of why I love you in gospel music. Yeah. So it was like dreams coming true. Please, God, don't let this be the thing to yank, yank, you know, the dream away from me. Yeah.

[00:47:03] When I found out that I was moved out of my categories, it flustered me. And I'm trying to get help. But unfortunately, the system did not allow for a switching back because it just was not made to do that. It wasn't possible. It was a low blow, but I had to deal with the reality. And when other artists started calling me and saying they were dealing with the same thing, I was like, okay.

[00:47:33] So it's not just me in this circumstance. So let me figure out a way to advocate for the voice of the unheard. I'm forever rallying for justice. I'm a drum major for justice. And sometimes I do it loudly and I could possibly consider other ways to do it. But just know that my intention was from the purest place. I love the Recording Academy.

[00:48:01] I've been in the rooms doing the work with my fellow members. Because I care about advocating for a more fair reality in this industry that does not hold much accountability. So when I did that letter, it was literally to just challenge, hey, can we fix this part of the system? That actually was put in place to help us. But it's actually also hurting some people.

[00:48:30] I happen to be a casualty of that amongst a number of others that are mostly independent artists. And we don't have the dollars to rectify it in real time and to change course and get our fan base to campaign and move in a way that they say, okay, let's celebrate major this way. Let's vote for him here. Let's vote for him.

[00:49:23] Let's vote for him.

[00:49:51] And so I'm moving into this next season with hope still. Because hope ain't ever canceled. To believe that I can have a fair shot at being considered. And consider this a campaign request for your consideration. May this moment never end. We'll be up for R&B, traditional R&B consideration.

[00:50:14] And also, Just You Wait, featuring myself and Nia Allen for gospel. Wherever you see major, consider it. That's all I'm asking. I love it. And to those that are hoping they get a fair shot, I'm praying for you too. We're going to be all right. Yeah, absolutely. Listen, man. Thank you for giving me that moment to do that. Absolutely. Absolutely. I think it takes incredible courage to do what you did.

[00:50:41] And I'm just grateful that you're in a space where you don't have regrets. But that you are moving forward with the conversation. And sometimes we don't get to see the fruits of our labor. Right. But I have a feeling inside of me that artists in 10 or 15 years will be benefiting from the work that you did. And just saying, hey, let's have a conversation about this. Yeah. Yeah. I believe that. I believe it. I believe it with my whole heart.

[00:51:11] And I'm seeing it slowly but surely. So in short, major has no beef or frustration right now with the Recording Academy. I had frustration with a system that has since been adjusted to accommodate folks in my same struggle. Yeah. We're in this thing together. Yeah. I believe in the Recording Academy. Absolutely.

[00:51:40] It believes in its artists. And we going to be all right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Listen, switching gears a little bit, I want to give you some flowers. Okay. Your falsetto. It's up there. Yeah, yeah. With the greats of the greats. Oh, man. Philip Bailey's. You know what I'm saying? The Maxwell's. The Ushers. The Rance Allen's of the game. The Rance Allen's of the Game. Let's sprinkle a little vanilla in there. Justin Timberlake maybe. I don't know. Wow.

[00:52:08] But it's up there with the people who do the falsetto. And it's not number three. It's up there. Appreciate you. And I'm always curious for people who have an amazing falsetto. When did you realize? When did you open your mouth and that come out? It's wild because before the world got to experience it, I was experiencing it by myself. I would sing to myself and I'd be.

[00:52:42] And it was just, it would come, but it would flow like worship. It was almost, because my falsetto has literally, it literally operates like a heaven frequency. It's a moment where an unction says now. Release. Speak. It's my prayer language. And you'll hear it and you'll feel it.

[00:53:09] People listen to Why I Love You and they're like, I don't know why this song makes me feel this way. And I'm just like. The tears flow. It's sacred. It is a sacred frequency that flows through me. Yeah. Listen. This is why I love you. You. This is why I love you.

[00:53:36] Because you love me this moment. Major. The frequency is here. Like you feel Holy Spirit and I'm not joking. I'm not. I'm just like. It's real. Woo. It's real. And it didn't start.

[00:54:06] I didn't start leaning into it until I got to L.A. Yeah. Because Berkeley folk will tell you. I used to, I used to reside on the, I used to lean on my tone because I got a tone. Yes. My tone's sweet. Yeah. I got a tone. You know, I got a tone. I got a tone. And it's something in Houston that, it's something about our tones in Houston. Zacardi. Yeah. Kimberwell. You know. Beyonce. Beyonce. Yeah. Yolanda. Auntie Yo.

[00:54:35] But it's, our tone. It's, it's in our, it's something in it. Daryl Walls. Like our tone is there. Oh, I was just at the. Daryl's tough, ain't he? That boy. That boy. My Lord. I was at the Kiara. Aja. All of them. Uh, Raya. The Walls group. Like. Yeah. Literally. Um. It's art. It's a tone that we have. Yeah. And, um. It's beautiful. And, but that falsetto. Yeah. I was, it, it activated and it just does something. I love it. Listen.

[00:55:04] Put me in a worship shirt. Put me in a worship shirt. I heard that you were the worship leader at one. Yeah. I used to be the worship leader at one shirt. That's incredible. Yeah. I used to watch one. Yeah. I used to watch one online. Yeah. I remember the first time he bought Sarah to speak. Yes. Yes. Yes. On like a mother's day or something like that. Yeah. We were like. Yeah. And so. Tough. She used to speak like a spoken word. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:55:46] So many people famous and unknown. Auditorium with the art on the wall and all that. Yeah. It was the deer. Yeah. People riding on deer and all that stuff and leaves on, on the ground. But even before that, we were in a little building right next to Starbucks, a little church. It was, I think it was a seven day, a Korean church that they used. That's it. But it was, it would be packed out.

[00:56:12] Like just special, just a special movement. So I'm, I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to be a part of, of that story. Absolutely. Listen, Major, before I let you go, I just want to let you know this. Because you've been someone in my very short media career. Yeah. Only been two and a half, three years that I've been doing. Oh, really? That I pivoted. Yeah. I'm telling you, when the song, that song came out 2019 or 2018. Yeah.

[00:56:42] I was in the midst of figuring out music or media or what? For the Win. For the Win. No, For the Win was during the pandemic. So, yeah. All right. So during the pandemic. Literally. Yeah. Wow. I started this podcast. I got married 2023. I started this podcast 2024. 2024. My first red carpet, my first real red carpet was the day I met you. My first red carpet before that, which was for BCI, the Black Christian Influencers. Shout out to BCI. Shout out to Jackie. Shout out to BCI. I want to, I want to deal with them somehow. They are incredible.

[00:57:10] If you can help initiate that, I would love that. I think they're. Yeah. Yeah. And she gave me my first real shot on the red carpet. Well, you're cold. You're cold. Like, you, like you, I love how that's, that's also the gift of the pivot. You discover what you are gifted for as well. But I want you to know this. You were probably maybe like the fourth person I spoke to that day on the red carpet. You gave me so much confidence. Yeah.

[00:57:41] You blew me away with your question. I forgot what it was. It was like a. We were talking about John P. Key. Yeah. Yeah. We were talking about John P. Key and I, I think what really blew you away is me talking to you about your song. Yeah. Yeah. I was. Oh, I think so. Yeah. I was like, wait, what's happening? You were like, wait, what? You weren't expecting that. I wasn't expecting. You just came from an angle that was different. Well, I was just, I was happy to see you. Yeah. Well, I. I love that song. I was happy I met you. Like, I was like, yo.

[00:58:09] You, you're one of those people for me. That moment informs how I do red carpet. Yeah. How I do interviews. It informs the way that I, I've now branded myself as Lish. I ask great questions. Yes. You. Yeah. Are a big part of why I confidently feel that way. Yes. And so I just want you to know when you're up under the pictures and you're commenting and you're DMing people, I know some people think that's corny, think you might be doing too much, whatever. Don't ever stop that. Yeah.

[00:58:39] Because people, you have caught me in moments that I needed someone to tell me, someone other than my mom and my aunts and my uncles, cause I have a great encouragement. Great. Yeah. Great village. But someone to tell me, someone who I look up to in the industry to say, what you're doing is good. Yes. Keep going. Yes. And I just want to encourage you to keep doing that. Keep telling people what God puts on your heart for you to tell them because your voice is different than the voices that are around us.

[00:59:07] We see major say something and it feels major. And you know, it's funny. You said that firstly, thank you. And yes, I will. It's funny. You said that because I every now and then wrestle with where I land.

[00:59:34] And how effective where I land is, where I start to second guess, like, what did I do to manipulate me being here? Although I know that I heard God say, I'm going to use you this way and it will be good.

[00:59:57] And I just, I hope that my audacity to hope and to show up fully encourages every single person I encounter to do the same.

[01:00:20] Because when we do it, we agree with the intentions of God and the plan he had for us all along. Show up fully. Get back to it. Get back in it. Get back up. Yeah. The three stays in my Hope Diller sessions mixtape is to stay excellent, to stay consistent,

[01:00:51] to stay ready. Because when opportunity knocks, it's not going to wait around for you to get your stuff together. Opportunity is embracing the person ready to go. Yeah. So if you pray for it, prepare for it. Absolutely. I love that. I ask a question to end the podcast. That question is in the grand scheme of things. Yeah. What would you like your legacy to be? I've said it before.

[01:01:18] Major, he was the one who committed to live the hope he gives. He lives the hope he gives. And you have the permission to live the hope you give. That's what I want.

[01:01:45] I want my legacy to be an encouragement for you to live the hope you give. Yeah. Your pouring is not just for you. It's your pouring. Let me clarify that. Because that could be a clip that the enemy will want to confuse somebody. So let me make it very clear. What you have is not just meant for them. It's also for you.

[01:02:15] Love your neighbor as you love yourself. The operative word is as you establish the measure. If in your giving you neglect yourself, you missed what God intended all along. He will never have you operating in purpose to only benefit them and not you. You deserve as well. This, you deserve as well. Yeah.

[01:02:43] Well, Major, you are well on your way to leaving that amazing legacy. Guys, I want y'all to go ahead and purchase. Go ahead and purchase. Spend your 99 cent. May this moment never end. Go ahead and stream it. Now, it takes 1,500 times of you streaming it for there to be one person. Yeah, yeah. You just learned that. If you're going to stream it. Yeah, he taught me that. If you're going to stream it, please go ahead and stream it 1,500 times. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[01:03:11] But more importantly than all of that, use it. Use it in your celebratory moment. Oh, it's going to be from cookouts to first dances to just remember when family used to. All the things. Yeah. May this moment never end. At any time you have a moment where joy can be experienced, play the record. Play the record. Play the record. Play the record with your pets. Play the record with yourself. Play the record. Yeah. I'm excited.

[01:03:41] I'm declaring your next platinum hit right here. Ooh, I made this moment never end on this speech. That's a good way to end our podcast. Listen, thank you so much for watching. If you are listening on Holy Culture, Sirius XM, channel 168 at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a Monday night, we thank you for listening there. If you're watching on their YouTube, we thank you so much for watching there. And if you are watching on my YouTube, we thank you for watching here.

[01:04:11] Please go ahead and subscribe. Listen, our analytics tell us that many of you who watch are not subscribed. Now, I'm going to charge it to your head and not your heart. I think I might be showing up when you're for you or you'll continue watching and you're just so locked in that you don't even realize you're not subscribed. Go ahead and make sure you click subscribe and hit the notification bell so that you don't miss any of our upcoming content. And we'll be back here, same time, same place next week. Please. Wait, can I tell?

[01:04:41] I'm going to make a call for you to subscribe. Please. Please. If my music has touched you in any way, this is why I do what I do. Subscribe. Please. Subscribe. It's simple. It's free. Do it. Lock in. It'll make the difference. What we do for others will come back for us. I'm trying to told you. I'm trying to told you. Amen.

[01:05:10] Ladies and gentlemen, Major. Thank you so much. That was awesome. Yes, yes, yes. That was great.