No walk down R&B memory lane is complete without a rundown of Regina Belle’s discography. From “Baby Come To Me” to “Make It Like It Was,” we’ve kept the Academy Award-winning and Grammy-winning singer’s music on heavy rotation. In the aughts, Belle took a break from R&B to record both jazz and gospel albums. This week she returns with her first R&B album in 15 years. Ahead of the release of The Day Life Began, Belle shared lessons learned from over two decades in the business.
The biggest risk I have ever taken is… There are actually two: leaving Rutgers University in 85′ to go on the road with The Manhattans to pursue my dream, and doing a Gospel album after having had a career in R&B for over 25 years. Neither of which I’m sorry to have done.
I’m glad that I never had to figure out what I was going to do with my life. It was decided for me inside my mom’s belly. Glad that I was eavesdropping.
The moment I knew I made it was when I first heard my voice on the radio. I was in a car on the way to the gig and heard a song that I recorded with The Manhattans called “Where Did We Go Wrong?” I still lose it when I hear myself. I even lose it on the elevator with the muzak versions of my music. Now that’s having made it big! Lol!
My greatest joy in life right now is making a positive difference in people’s lives.
My everyday mantra is “God will keep the feet of His saints” (1 Samuel 2:9). This helps me everyday, especially on days when I feel overwhelmed.
I could never have predicted that I’d have five children and now they’re all grown-up! Awwww, I miss them all.
The hardest lesson I’ve learned was that I had to only plant those things in life that I’d like to see come up again.
The key to my happiness is family, music, and ministry.
I get all my strength from knowing that God is keeping me.
Being in the public eye has taught me not to buy into my own press.
Today’s young singers will never know what an 8-track, album cover (artwork you’ll have forever), or LP record is.
Making music for a living has been the door opening experience that I’m forever grateful to have walked through.
My biggest regret is…I don’t have any! The biggest hurts and mistakes that I’ve made in my life have helped to shape me into the not-so-bad person that I am today. So I kinda need all of me. The good and the bad to be who I am. I wouldn’t trade my life with anyone. I can handle me!
Regina’s new album, The Day Life Began, it out tomorrow.
Listen in to a stream of the album below: