- DEFINITELY MUSIC HAS FUELED MY FILM CAREER AND ULTIMATELY LED TO THE BIGGEST THING I'VE DONE TO DATE, WHICH IS THE "RESPECT" MOVIE.

(BRENDA LAUGHS) I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT HAPPENED, HONESTLY.

JUST BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF FOREST WHITAKER, JENNIFER HUDSON, AUDRA MCDONALD.

I MEAN, INSANE.

(UPBEAT MUSIC) - I THINK THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT MUSIC IS THAT IT'S ABOUT THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

- STING STANDS UP, AND I'M JUST LIKE, THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.

- THERE'S BEEN SO MANY AMAZING SONGWRITERS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THE ATLANTA SCENE.

- I SAY ATLANTA ARTISTICALLY RAISED ME.

- WE GREW UP IN THE APPALACHIAN FOLK TRADITION IN ATLANTA'S 90S HIP HOP REVOLUTION.

- THIS IS "SOUNDS LIKE ATL", AND EVERYTHING IS ATLANTA.

(CROWD CHEERS) - ATLANTA!

HOW ARE YOU?

(CROWD CHEERS) I AM ALGEBRA BLESSETT, AND I AM YOUR HOST FOR THIS EVENING.

(CROWD CHEERS) ATLANTA MAKES SOME NOISE.

(CROWD CHEERS) COMING TO THE STAGE, I GET A OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE ONE OF MY DEAR FRIENDS.

I'VE KNOWN HER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, MANY MOONS.

I'VE SEEN HER LIFE TRANSFORM FROM GREAT TO GREATEST TO GREATEST-TEST.

ALL OF THESE THINGS.

MULTI-TALENTED JAZZ VOCALIST, COMPOSER, ACTRESS.

YOU'VE SEEN HER IN THE BIOPIC OF ARETHA FRANKLIN, "RESPECT".

OKAY.

Y'ALL KNOW WHO I'M BRINGING TO THE STAGE.

I WANT YOU TO MAKE A WHOLE, WHOLE LOT OF NOISE FOR MY FRIEND AND YOURS, MISS BRENDA NICOLE MOORER.

MAKE SOME NOISE.

(CROWD CHEERS) - HI, I'M BRENDA NICOLE MOORER.

I AM A SINGER, SONGWRITER, ACTOR, MAMA, CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHER.

I DO A LOT OF STUFF.

(BRENDA LAUGHS) MOSTLY SINGER, SONGWRITER, ACTOR.

I'VE JUST GROWN UP IN MUSIC MY WHOLE LIFE.

BUT IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I DIDN'T ACTUALLY START SINGING UNTIL I WAS 12.

I GREW UP IN A MUSICAL FAMILY WHERE EVERYBODY SANG OR DID SOMETHING, PLAYED AN INSTRUMENT.

MY GRANDFATHER AND HIS BROTHERS WERE IN A GROUP CALLED THE ESQUIRES IN THE 60S, AND THEY WON SOME GOLD RECORDS, HAD SOME HIT SONGS.

SO I GREW UP WITH THEM, LIKE, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH MY DAD'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY, SO THEY DEFINITELY NURTURED ME EARLY ON FOR MUSIC.

BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL I GOT THE CONFIDENCE WHEN I WAS AROUND 12 TO ACTUALLY SING.

WE MOVED TO ATLANTA AROUND THAT TIME.

WHEN WE GOT HERE IS WHEN I FOUND A FRIEND IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT WAS ALREADY IN A GIRL GROUP.

AND WE'RE AT HER HOUSE, WE'RE HANGING OUT, AND SHE'S LIKE, "OH WAIT, WE GOT REHEARSAL COMING UP."

AND I WAS LIKE, "A REHEARSAL FOR WHAT?"

AND SHE'S LIKE, "OH, WE SING IN A GIRL GROUP, ME AND MY SISTER AND SOME OF MY FRIENDS."

AND I WAS LIKE, "OKAY, CAN I STAY FOR REHEARSAL?"

AND I STAYED FOR REHEARSAL, AND IT HAPPENED TO BE THAT THIS REHEARSAL WASN'T JUST A REHEARSAL.

THEY HAD LIKE, A MUSIC EXEC THERE.

AND THEY DID THE REHEARSAL FOR THIS LADY THERE, AND THEN AFTERWARDS, THE LADY ASKED ME IF I COULD SING TOO JUST 'CAUSE I WAS THERE.

(BRENDA LAUGHS) AND I WAS LIKE, YEAH, I THINK SO.

AND SO I SANG A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN FROM THERE, THEY WERE LIKE, OH MY GOD.

YOU NEED TO PUT HER IN THE GROUP.

AND SO WE WERE, DAVE HOLLISTER FROM BLACKSTREET, WE WERE HIS GIRL GROUP FOR, I DID THAT FROM 12, 13, 14, AROUND 14, 15 IS WHEN I LEFT THAT GROUP, AND I STARTED DOING MY SOLO ARTIST CAREER, I GUESS.

(JAZZ MUSIC) (CROWD CHEERS) (JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ WHY WOULD TRY TO HIDE THE WAY I FEEL ♪ ♪ YOU ARE THE ONE THAT MAKES IT ALL SO REAL ♪ ♪ RIGHT WHEN I OPEN THE GATES ♪ ♪ I CAN'T FIND THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY I LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ YES, I DO ♪ ♪ I'M IN LOVE, LOVE, YES ♪ ♪ I'M IN LOVE, LOVE ♪ ♪ CATCH ME FALLING ♪ ♪ I'M IN LOVE ♪ ♪ SO IN LOVE ♪ ♪ FLYING AROUND IN CIRCLES ♪ ♪ CAN'T FIND THE WAY ♪ ♪ TO SAY I LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ CAN'T FIND THE WAY TO SAY THAT I CARE ♪ ♪ TIME... ♪ ♪ WAKE UP AND WE SEE THE SUNRISE ♪ ♪ JUST WIPE THE SUNLIGHT FROM YOUR EYES ♪ ♪ I SWEAR I LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ RIGHT WHEN WE OPEN THE GATES ♪ ♪ I CAN'T FIND THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY I LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ YES, I DO ♪ ♪ I LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ YES, I DO ♪ (JAZZ MUSIC) (JAZZ MUSIC) COME ON, PATRICK.

(JAZZ MUSIC) (JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ RIGHT WHEN I OPEN THE GATES ♪ ♪ I CAN'T FIND THE RIGHT WAY TO SAY I LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ YES, I DO ♪ ♪ I LOVE YOU ♪ ♪ YES, I DO ♪ ♪ I'M IN LOVE, LOVE, YES ♪ ♪ I'M IN LOVE, LOVE ♪ ♪ CATCH ME FALLING ♪ ♪ I'M IN LOVE, LOVE, YES ♪ ♪ I'M IN LOVE ♪ ♪ SO IN LOVE ♪ (CROWD CHEERS) MY PARENTS REALLY WANT, THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF NOT PUSHING ME, BUT THEY REALLY WANTED ME TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH MUSIC.

BUT I THINK I WAS AT A POINT WHERE I WAS LIKE, I REALLY NEED TO JUST LIKE, LEARN.

I DON'T WANNA BE ON STAGE.

SO I ENDED UP GOING TO DEKALB SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, AND I SPENT A COUPLE YEARS THERE JUST LEARNING AND REALLY GOT INTO ACTING AT THAT POINT.

DONALD GLOVER WAS IN MY SAME CLASS.

WELL, HE WAS TWO YEARS OLDER THAN ME BUT IN THE SAME DRAMA CLASS, SO MY FIRST PLAY, ACTUALLY, HE WROTE.

IT WAS REALLY WEIRD.

(BRENDA LAUGHS) BUT IN A GOOD WAY, LIKE THE WAY ATLANTA IS.

IT WAS NOT SURPRISING TO ME AT ALL 'CAUSE HE'S ALWAYS WROTE LIKE THAT.

BUT THAT'S HOW I STARTED ACTING.

WE HAD THE SAME ACTING TEACHER.

THEN I STARTED PLAYING GUITAR AND STARTED DOING LIKE, MY SOLO THING.

AND I'M REALLY INTO INDIE FOLK.

I'M REALLY INTO JAZZ.

WHEN I'M IN MY ROOM, I WAS LIKE LISTENING, TO SARAH VAUGHAN AND BILLIE HOLIDAY.

AND SO I ACTUALLY RENAMED MYSELF AT ONE POINT.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT NAMES.

ASHANTI WAS A NAME AT ONE POINT.

NICO WAS A NAME THAT I PUT, THAT WAS, AT THE UK RECORD LABEL I WAS NICO.

THEN IT WAS JUST NICOLE.

THEN WHEN I WAS LIKE, I WANNA BE A JAZZ SINGER, I CHANGED IT TO BILLIE VAUGHAN.

I'VE GONE THROUGH SO MANY DIFFERENT NAMES.

BUT BY THE END OF HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD THIS COLLECTION OF SONGS THAT MY FRIENDS AND I HAD JUST RECORDED.

THAT FRIEND HAPPENED TO BE PRODUCER FOR INDIA ARIE EVEN THOUGH WE WERE LIKE, IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SO HE HELPED ME PRODUCE MY FIRST RECORD, WHICH WAS CALLED "SONGBIRD," AND IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, SONGS WE HAD RECORDED.

AND WHEN IT CAME FOR ME TO HAVE TO PICK A NAME, I JUST ENDED UP GOING WITH MY NAME, MY GIVEN NAME, BRENDA NICOLE MOORER.

AND SO IT STUCK, AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE KEPT ALL THIS TIME.

MY MUSICAL IDENTITY HAS DEFINITELY BEEN SHAPED BY MY EXPERIENCE IN ATLANTA AS AN ARTIST.

I SAY ATLANTA ARTISTICALLY RAISED ME BECAUSE IT REALLY DID.

ALL OF MY FORMATIVE YEARS IN BECOMING THE ARTIST THAT I AM NOW HAS TAKEN PLACE IN ATLANTA THROUGH, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS DIFFERENT PLACES AND PEOPLE THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SING WITH AND WORK WITH.

I THINK I'M STILL FINDING MY SOUND.

I THINK MY SOUND SO FAR HAS JUST BEEN A COLLECTION OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN AROUND AND INFLUENCED BY.

I THINK BECAUSE I AM INFLUENCED BY SO MANY WIDE GENRES OF MUSIC, IT ALLOWS ME TO FLOW COMFORTABLY BETWEEN JAZZ, AND THEN I CAN DO POP AND THEN FOLK AND THEN DEFINITELY SINGING AS A SINGER FOR HIRE IN OTHER PEOPLE'S BANDS.

I THINK THAT HELPED FORM SOMETHING THAT WAS UNIQUE OUTSIDE OF ME JUST SINGING MY OWN MUSIC AND NEVER HAVING TO PUT MYSELF IN SOMEONE ELSE'S MUSIC.

I THINK THAT I GAINED SOMETHING FROM DOING THAT THAT INFLUENCED MY MUSIC IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

THIS SONG, "FIND YOUR WAY", IT IS ABOUT QUESTIONING YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE, QUESTIONING IF YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.

BUT I REALLY TRULY BELIEVE THAT NO MATTER WHICH PATH YOU TAKE, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA END UP WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AS LONG AS THAT IS YOUR FOCUS AND YOUR GOAL.

(SOFT PIANO MUSIC) (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) ♪ SHOW ME THE WAY TO FIND YOU ♪ ♪ PLEASE SHOW ME THE WAY RIGHT AWAY ♪ ♪ SHOW ME, YOU WILL BE MY GUIDE ♪ ♪ HELP ME FIND THE WAY RIGHT AWAY ♪ ♪ HELP ME FIND THE WAY ♪ ♪ HELP ME FIND THE WAY ♪ ♪ FIND THE WAY ♪ ♪ SHOW ME THE WAY ♪ ♪ PLEASE SHOW ME THE WAY RIGHT AWAY, WAY, WAY ♪ ♪ EVERY DAY IS A MIRACLE ♪ ♪ LIFE IS SOMETIMES SO SHORT ♪ ♪ TAKE SOME TIME TO FIND WHAT LIFE IS SHOWING YOU ♪ ♪ TOMORROW BRINGS A BRAND NEW DAY ♪ ♪ NOTHING BAD LASTS ALWAYS ♪ ♪ REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL FIND YOUR WAY ♪ ♪ REST ASSURED YOU'LL FIND YOUR WAY... ♪ ♪ REST ASSURED YOU'LL FIND YOUR WAY ♪ (JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ CHOICES THAT WE OFTEN MAKE ♪ ♪ SOMETIMES THEY MAY BE MISTAKES ♪ ♪ BUT IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LESSON IF WE LISTEN ♪ ♪ BLESSINGS COME TO OPEN MINDS ♪ ♪ LISTEN TO THE VOICE INSIDE ♪ ♪ REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL FIND YOUR WAY ♪ ♪ REST ASSURED YOU'LL FIND YOUR WAY ♪ ♪ REST ASSURED YOU'LL FIND YOUR WAY ♪ MY BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCES, IT COMES FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

I MEAN, GROWING UP IN THE HOUSE, THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF MUSIC PLAYING, EVERYTHING FROM JOURNEY TO EARTH, WIND AND FIRE TO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY.

JUST A ECLECTIC MIX OF THINGS.

BUT I THINK WHAT REALLY JUST STUCK, I MAY HAVE BEEN REINCARNATED FROM ANOTHER LIFETIME WHERE JAZZ WAS WHAT I DID.

EVEN WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I USED TO THINK THAT, I KNOW THIS SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT I'VE JUST ALWAYS, IT'S WHAT MAKES ME FEEL THAT TINGLY FEELING INSIDE.

♪ AND JUST BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE ♪ ♪ DOESN'T MEAN I'M READY ♪ (SOFT GUITAR MUSIC) ♪ TAKE IT EASY ♪ I'VE BEEN INFLUENCED BY ANI DIFRANCO, ALL THE JAZZ ARTISTS, DEFINITELY NANCY WILSON.

ESPECIALLY AS I'VE GOTTEN OLDER, I REALLY LOVE NANCY WILSON.

AND EVEN SOUL ARTISTS HERE, INDIA ARIE, ALGEBRA, WHO'S, YOU KNOW, HOSTING, SO MANY DIFFERENT ARTISTS.

I WOULD SAY THAT MY MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS ARE WIDE AND ECLECTIC BECAUSE I JUST LIKE ALL MUSIC.

(SOFT PIANO MUSIC) (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) ♪ SOMETIMES WE FIND ♪ ♪ BURIED INSIDE ♪ ♪ WHAT'S BEHIND ♪ ♪ OUR MINDS ♪ ♪ SOME TYPE OF DREAM ♪ ♪ DON'T TRY TO HIDE ♪ ♪ WHAT'S INSIDE ♪ ♪ YOUR MIND ♪ ♪ FIND YOUR MARROW ♪ ♪ YEAH-YEAH, YEAH-YEAH, YEAH-YEAH ♪ ♪ SOMEWHERE INSIDE ♪ ♪ THERE IS A LIGHT ♪ ♪ THAT SHINES FOR YOU ♪ ♪ SO TRUE ♪ ♪ DON'T LET THE DARK ♪ ♪ COVER YOUR LIGHT ♪ ♪ TRUST YOUR HEART ♪ ♪ FIND YOU ♪ ♪ FIND YOUR MARROW ♪ ♪ YEAH-YEAH, YEAH-YEAH, YEAH-YEAH ♪ ♪ FIND YOUR MARROW ♪ ♪ YEAH-YEAH, YEAH-YEAH, YEAH-YEAH, YEAH-YEAH ♪ ♪ FIND YOUR MARROW... ♪ WHAT MOTIVATES MY CREATIVITY?

I THINK IT'S THE NEED TO JUST EXPRESS EMOTIONS.

THINGS THAT YOU WANNA SAY THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY TO SOMEONE, YOU CAN WRITE IT IN SONG FORM.

I HAVE SONGS ABOUT EVERY RELATIONSHIP I'VE EVER BEEN IN, SO.

LIFE MOTIVATES ME, RIGHT?

I THINK AS ARTISTS, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC, I LEARNED THIS LESSON THAT YOU NEED, AS ARTISTS, WE NEED TO EXPERIENCE LIFE.

WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE GOING OUT AND SEEING PEOPLE TALK IN THE CAFE, THE ART MUSEUMS, THE GOING TO THE CONCERT, THE JUST WALKING IN THE PARK.

IT'S LIVING LIFE THAT IS THE MOTIVATOR TO CREATE.

SO DEFINITELY, AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, I FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO WRITE.

AND IT MAKES ME MAD BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, I GOT ALL THIS TIME.

I SHOULD COME OUT WITH ALL THIS MUSIC, RIGHT?

BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WORKED.

IT WAS LIKE, I'M SO UNMOTIVATED.

I'M SO LIKE, NOT FED, THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO WRITE.

AND I'VE TALKED TO OTHER ARTISTS WHERE IT'S DIFFERENT FOR THEM.

THEY'RE LIKE, OH YEAH, I HAD ALL THIS TIME TO DOWNLOAD EVERYTHING IN MY BRAIN.

BUT I GUESS I'M MORE EXTERNALLY MOTIVATED, SO.

I TEND TO WRITE ABOUT POSITIVE THINGS.

SO I WRITE A LOT ABOUT PERSONAL GROWTH AND SPIRITUALITY IN A WAY THAT'S NOT SPIRITUAL.

(LAUGHS) (UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ MMM ♪ ♪ MMM, YEAH, YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ MMM ♪ ♪ YEAH, HEY ♪ (UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ IF ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ HAD TO GIVE IT UP ♪ ♪ I WOULDN'T DO IT ♪ ♪ AND IF ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ HAD TO LET IT GO ♪ ♪ I WOULDN'T DO IT ♪ ♪ I'D STILL ♪ ♪ KEEP ON DREAMING ALL THESE DREAMS ♪ ♪ UNTIL ♪ ♪ THEY ALL COME TRUE ♪ ♪ AND I BELIEVE ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE ♪ ♪ AND WATCH THEM BLOOM, BLOOM, BLOOM ♪ ♪ IF ♪ ♪ I ♪ ♪ HAD TO FALL DOWN ♪ ♪ TO LEARN HOW TO FLY ♪ ♪ I'D ♪ ♪ KEEP ♪ ♪ FALLING ♪ ♪ UNTIL ♪ ♪ I REACHED THE SKY ♪ ♪ AND I'D STILL ♪ ♪ KEEP ON DREAMING ALL THESE DREAMS ♪ ♪ UNTIL ♪ ♪ THEY ALL COME TRUE ♪ ♪ AND I BELIEVE ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE ♪ ♪ AND WATCH THEM BLOOM, BLOOM, BLOOM ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪ SO THIS SONG IS TALKING ABOUT NOT GIVING UP ON YOUR DREAMS.

WHATEVER YOUR DREAM IS.

EVERYBODY NEEDS TO HAVE A DREAM.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR YOUR DREAM TODAY?

BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT TAKING STEPS AND MAKING PROGRESS AND DOING SOMETHING FOR YOUR DREAM, EVEN IF IT'S A LITTLE, LITTLE, LITTLE BITTY THING, YOU GOTTA DO ONE THING EVERY DAY TO REACH THERE AND GET THERE.

SO THIS SONG IS ABOUT NOT GIVING UP.

SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO REPEAT AFTER ME.

IT'S A LITTLE CHANT.

YOU CAN CHANT IT TO YOURSELF WHEN YOU LEAVE, BUT THE WORDS ARE... ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM ♪ THAT'S WHAT YOU GOTTA SAY.

♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM ♪ Y'ALL SING.

I KNOW YOU CAN SING.

♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM ♪ COME ON, Y'ALL SING.

♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM ♪ ♪ YEAH, HEY ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM ♪ ♪ MMM-HMM, YEAH ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM ♪ YOU GOTTA PLANT BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, THEY CAN'T GROW.

♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM, YEAH ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM, YEAH ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM, YEAH ♪ ♪ PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM ♪ ♪ ALL YOU GOTTA DO ♪ ♪ IS PLANT WITH SEEDS OF HOPE AND WATCH THEM BLOOM ♪ - MUSIC HAS ABSOLUTELY INFLUENCED MY FILM CAREER.

I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY THE THING THAT'S BROUGHT ME BACK TO FILM.

I CAME UP IN THEATER AND THEN I TRIED TO DO FILM RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL WHERE I WAS LIKE A BACKGROUND EXTRA ON "VAMPIRE DIARIES" AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT DIDN'T FULLY GO INTO FILM ONE, BECAUSE THE FILM INDUSTRY WASN'T AS DEVELOPED HERE AT THAT TIME.

AND TWO, I ENDED UP HAVING CHILDREN WHICH KEPT ME BUSY IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

SO HAVING MY MUSIC CAREER, I WAS ABLE TO WORK ON MY OWN SCHEDULE.

I COULD CREATE MUSIC WHEN I WANT.

I CAN SCHEDULE SHOWS WHEN I WANT.

SO HAVING MY MUSIC CAREER WHILE BEING A MOM WAS EASY TO MANAGE.

IT WAS MUSIC THAT ENDED UP BRINGING ME BACK TO FILM BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WORKING THEATER OR FILM THOSE ARE LONG CONTRACTS, ESPECIALLY FOR THEATER.

IT'S LIKE SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AND YOU'RE GONE.

SO THAT WAS NOT FEASIBLE FOR ME TO DO.

BUT THROUGH PERFORMING OUT IN ATLANTA, I ENDED UP MEETING DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AS THE FILM INDUSTRY CONTINUED TO GROW HERE, THAT WOULD BE LIKE, "OH, WE NEED A BAND FOR THIS SCENE.

"OH, I KNOW SOMEONE.

I KNOW THIS GIRL WITH THIS BAND."

AND THEN THEY WOULD CALL ME AND BRING ME IN.

AND THEN THAT THING LED TO ANOTHER THING, LED TO ANOTHER THING.

LAST YEAR I ENDED UP DOING THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT PROJECTS, TV SHOWS, JUST BASED OFF MUSIC WHERE I'M HIRED TO COME SING IN A WEDDING SCENE OR A GALA SCENE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO DEFINITELY MUSIC HAS FUELED MY FILM CAREER AND ULTIMATELY LED TO THE BIGGEST THING I'VE DONE TO DATE WHICH IS THE "RESPECT" MOVIE.

THE "RESPECT" EXPERIENCE WAS SURREAL.

(LAUGHS) I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT HAPPENED HONESTLY.

JUST BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF FOREST WHITAKER, JENNIFER HUDSON, AUDRA MCDONALD, I MEAN INSANE.

AND THAT THERE WERE SUCH BEAUTIFUL, SWEET, KIND PEOPLE.

AT NO POINT DID I EVER FEEL LIKE I DIDN'T BELONG.

THEY ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL INCLUDED AND THAT MEANT A LOT.

IT REALLY DID.

IT WAS VERY INTIMIDATING AT FIRST.

(LAUGHS) TO PORTRAY BRENDA FRANKLIN WAS EXCITING BUT ALSO A LITTLE NERVE-WRACKING CUZ SHE'S STILL ALIVE.

AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY ON SET.

(LAUGHS) SO I REMEMBER THE FIRST DAY THAT WE WERE ON SET THEY ACTUALLY HAD ME IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN HAILEY AND SAYCON OVER HERE AND BRENDA WAS LIKE, "I WAS NEVER IN THE MIDDLE."

(LAUGHS) IT'S LIKE...

SO WE HAD TO REDO THAT WHOLE SCENE.

SO IT WAS THOSE KIND OF MOMENTS THAT MADE IT REALLY FUN.

SHE WAS SO SWEET, SO SWEET.

SHE GAVE A LOT OF COOL STORIES AND CONTEXT TO THE PERFORMANCES THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY RECREATING.

AND YEAH, IT WAS JUST AN HONOR.

I WOULD WOULD SAY MY BIGGEST CAREER MEMORY TO DATE OUTSIDE OF THE "RESPECT" MOVIE WOULD BE OPENING FOR INCOGNITO.

I MEAN CUZ I GREW UP LISTENING TO THEM AND IT WAS A PROUD MOMENT FOR MY PARENTS BECAUSE MY PARENTS GOT TO COME.

IT WAS AT THIS BIG, AT COBB ENERGY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND IT'S THIS HUGE PLACE.

AND MY DAD WAS LITERALLY BACKSTAGE CRYING LIKE... (LAUGHS) SO THAT WAS A HAPPY MOMENT FOR ME CUZ I KNOW THAT THEY WERE PROUD OF ME AND I FELT LIKE FULL CIRCLE MOMENT LIKE HERE I AM BEING ABLE TO DO MY DREAM WITH PEOPLE THAT I HAVE BEEN WATCHING FOR A LONG TIME.

♪ I LET THE CHILD INSIDE MY BODY GROW INSIDE ♪ ♪ AND I WATCHED YOU WALK AWAY ♪ ♪ I TOUCHED THE FIRE OF THE STONE ♪ ♪ THAT HELD MY BODY BY DEFAULT ♪ ♪ NOW I'M CRYING ♪ ♪ SCREAMING MOMMA DON'T LEAVE ♪ ♪ THERE'S MONSTERS OUTSIDE ♪ ♪ TRYING TO HOLD ME AT NIGHT ♪ ♪ TRYING TO GIVE ME A FRIGHT ♪ ♪ HE WAS A GOOD TALKER AFTER JOHNNY WALKER ♪ ♪ HE MADE ME BELIEVE IN AMERICAN DREAMS ♪ ♪ WITH A FAMILY CREST AND A PRETTY NEST ♪ ♪ TO TAKE SHELTER FROM THE OBSCENE ♪ ♪ AND AS MY BELLY GREW INTO A FULL MOON ♪ ♪ SO GREW ITS DARKEST PARTS ♪ ♪ I GREW HUNGRY FOR AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ♪ ♪ IS THERE A GOD FOR THIS BROKEN HEART?

♪ ♪ SCREAMING MOMMA DON'T LEAVE ♪ ♪ THERE'S MONSTERS OUTSIDE ♪ ♪ TRYING TO HOLD ME AT NIGHT ♪ ♪ TRYING TO GIVE ME A FRIGHT ♪ ♪ SCREAMING MOMMA DON'T LEAVE ♪ ♪ THERE'S MONSTERS OUTSIDE ♪ ♪ TRYING TO HOLD ME AT NIGHT ♪ ♪ TRYING TO GIVE ME A FRIGHT ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ HERE TAKE MY HAND ♪ ♪ DON'T YOU WORRY NO MORE ♪ ♪ FOLLOW THE SOUND OF MY VOICE ♪ ♪ HERE TAKE MY HAND ♪ ♪ DON'T YOU WORRY NO MORE ♪ ♪ FOLLOW THE SOUND OF MY VOICE ♪ ♪ JUST PUT YOUR TRUST IN MINE ♪ ♪ ALL WILL BE FINE IN TIME ♪ ♪ SCREAMING MOMMA DON'T LEAVE ♪ ♪ THERE'S MONSTERS OUTSIDE ♪ ♪ TRYING TO HOLD ME AT NIGHT ♪ ♪ TRYING TO GIVE ME A FRIGHT ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) THANK YOU.

ATLANTA SOUND IS, IT'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE'VE GOT POCKETS OF ALL KINDS OF STUFF.

WE HAVE A INCREDIBLE JAZZ SCENE THAT I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT.

BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I AM IN NEW YORK AND PLAYING MUSIC THAT I'VE MADE HERE, THEY'RE LIKE, "OH THAT SOUNDS SO ATLANTA."

AND I'M LIKE, WELL WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHAT DOES ATLANTA SOUND LIKE?

AND I GUESS THERE'S JUST SOMETHING CHILL AND GROUNDED AND ROOTED ABOUT IT.

I THINK THAT COMES ACROSS IN MY MUSIC A LITTLE BIT, I THINK.

BUT I THINK, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT MAKES ATLANTA SOUND.

IT'S JUST LIKE THIS ROOTED THING.

IT'S HONEST, IT'S AUTHENTIC, AND IT'S REAL.

I THINK THE REST OF THE WORLD IS FINALLY CATCHING UP WITH ATLANTA.

I THINK ATLANTA HAS ALWAYS BEEN WHAT IT IS.

(LAUGHS) I THINK THAT EVERYBODY'S JUST SEEING IT NOW.

I COULD SAY IT'S THE NEW HOLLYWOOD.

I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.

I MEAN JUST IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT ARE FILMED HERE.

SURE, YEAH.

I THINK THE AMOUNT OF SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS HERE, THE OPENNESS OF IT ALL, THE OPENNESS FOR OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK ATLANTA IS ONE OF THE PLACES YOU CAN COME.

IF YOU WANNA START A BUSINESS, YOU CAN DO IT.

YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT HERE.

SO I THINK BRANDING IT AS NEW HOLLYWOOD IS A GOOD THING AND I CAN AGREE WITH THAT.

♪ I'LL LEAVE THESE HERE ♪ ♪ ALL THE MEMORIES WE MADE ♪ ♪ THERE'S NO MORE SPACE ♪ ♪ NOTHING LEFT TO EXPLAIN ♪ ♪ QUIETLY READING ♪ ♪ WORDS YOU WERE FEELING ♪ ♪ BUT THERE'S NOTHING LEFT TO SAY ♪ ♪ 'CAUSE NOW THAT WE'RE ENDING ♪ ♪ I WON'T BE RECEIVING ♪ ♪ YOU INSIDE MY SPACE ♪ ♪ SO CAN I RETURN TO SENDER ♪ ♪ I WON'T BE HERE RECEIVING NO MORE ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ WHEN WILL THIS END ♪ ♪ ALL THE BEGGING FOR THE GAIN ♪ ♪ I THOUGHT I MADE IT CLEAR ♪ ♪ THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR YOU HERE ♪ ♪ SO CAN I RETURN TO SENDER ♪ ♪ I WON'T BE HERE RECEIVING NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ BYE BYE BYE BYE ♪ ♪ BYE BYE BYE BYE ♪ ♪ BYE BYE BYE BYE ♪ ♪ BYE-BYE ♪ ♪ BYE-BYE ♪ ♪ BYE-BYE ♪ ♪ MM MM MM MM ♪ (MID TEMPO JAZZ MUSIC) (MID TEMPO JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ I DON'T WANT TO HOLD THIS IN NO MORE ♪ ♪ I DON'T WANT TO HOLD THIS IN NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO NO NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO NO NO MORE NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ OH ♪ ♪ NO NO NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE ♪ ♪ I DON'T WANT TO HOLD THIS IN NO MORE ♪ ♪ NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE ♪ ♪ HMM... AHHH... MMM ♪ (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) ADVICE THAT I WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS A CAREER SIMILAR TO MINE.

WELL, I GUESS I WOULD FIRST SAY, YOU CAN'T HAVE A CAREER SIMILAR TO MINE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE A CAREER SIMILAR TO ANYBODY.

EVERYBODY'S JOURNEY IS THEIR OWN.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE BLUEPRINT FOR ONE PERSON THAT MAY COMPLETELY NOT WORK FOR YOU.

LIKE, I GOT INTO YALE AND SOMETIMES I'M THINKING, WOW, WHAT IF I REALLY WENT?

WHAT WOULD MY LIFE WOULD'VE LOOKED LIKE?

IT WOULD BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT IS NOW.

AND THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE IN A WORSE WAY BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE WHO WENT TO YALE SCHOOL OF DRAMA AND STILL HAVEN'T REACHED THE SUCCESS THAT THEY WANT TO REACH.

SO, EVERYBODY'S JOURNEY IS DIFFERENT.

SO THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS, STRIVE TO KEEP FINDING WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP AND WHAT'S MAKING YOU HAVE DESIRE TO KEEP DOING IT.

THAT SEARCHING FOR WHATEVER THAT THING IS I THINK IS WHAT CREATES LONGEVITY IN THIS CAREER.

BECAUSE IT'S DEFINITELY WHAT IT TAKES.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAS, EVEN THE OVERNIGHT SUCCESS STORIES I DON'T THINK THEY'RE REALLY OVERNIGHT SUCCESS STORIES.

YOU HAVE TO BE COMMITTED TO IT LONG TERM.

AND I THINK BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

BUT WITH LONGEVITY YOU END UP BUILDING LOTS OF RELATIONSHIPS.

ONE ARTIST TOLD ME BEFORE, "THE WAY TO WIN THE GAME IS TO STAY IN IT."

YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP GOING.

A FIVE YEAR CAREER VERSUS A 20 YEAR CAREER, YOU'RE BOUND TO HAVE SOME WINS IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

SO YEAH, KEEP FINDING YOU AND KEEP GOING.

♪ HERE'S HOW THE STORY GOES ♪ ♪ YOU'RE GONNA FALL BEFORE YOU MAKE IT... ♪ ♪ AND LIFE WILL GET HARD SOMETIMES ♪ ♪ BUT LIFE IS ONLY WHAT YOU MAKE IT ♪ ♪ FALLING FAST WITH NO CONTROL ♪ ♪ OPEN UP YOUR EYES SO YOU CAN SEE ♪ ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE ♪ ♪ SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NO CONTROL ♪ ♪ BUT FATE WILL GUIDE YOU IF YOU LET IT ♪ ♪ YEAH ♪ ♪ THINGS WILL GET TOUGH AT TIMES ♪ ♪ BUT LIFE IS ONLY WHAT YOU MAKE IT ♪ ♪ FALLING FAST WITH NO CONTROL ♪ ♪ OPEN UP YOUR EYES SO YOU CAN SEE ♪ ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE YEAH YES ♪ ♪ MM ♪ ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ RECOGNIZE THE LIGHT INSIDE YOURSELF ♪ ♪ OPEN UP YOUR EYES SO YOU CAN SEE ♪ ♪ LET GO OF DOUBT YOU'LL START TO FLY ♪ ♪ RECOGNIZE THE LIGHT INSIDE YOURSELF ♪ ♪ OPEN UP YOUR EYES SO YOU CAN SEE ♪ ♪ LET GO OF DOUBT YOU'LL START TO FLY ♪ ♪ RECOGNIZE THE LIGHT INSIDE YOURSELF ♪ ♪ OPEN UP YOUR EYES ♪ ♪ YOU GOTTA LEARN ♪ ♪ THAT YOU GOT A LIGHT YEAH ♪ ♪ RECOGNIZE THE LIGHT INSIDE YOURSELF ♪ ♪ OPEN UP YOUR EYES SO YOU CAN SEE ♪ ♪ LET GO OF DOUBT YOU'LL START TO FLY ♪ ♪ OOO... OOO... ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ YOU'LL SEE ♪ ♪ YOU'LL SEE ♪ ♪ YOU'LL SEE ♪ ♪ YOU'LL SEE... ♪ (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) (SLOW JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ YOU'LL SEE... YEAH... ♪ ♪ YEAH... ♪ ♪ RECOGNIZE WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE ♪ ♪ OH RECOGNIZE THE LIGHT ♪ ♪ OH OPEN UP YOUR EYES ♪ ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE ♪ ♪ MMM... ♪ ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE ♪ EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAS A PURPOSE ON THIS PLANET.

AND I HOPE IF YOU HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET THAT YOU ARE ON THE PATH TO FIND IT.

I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT I HOPE YOU FIND IT SOON 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA RUSH YOU 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE UNIVERSE'S PLANS ARE FOR YOU.

I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I HOPE THAT YOU FIND IT AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL.

I KNOW THAT YOU WILL.

(MID-TEMPO JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE ♪ I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CREATE THIS MUSIC ON MY OWN.

I WANNA TAKE THIS TIME TO INTRODUCE MY INCREDIBLE BAND.

THEY'RE PHENOMENAL!

RIGHT?

I FEEL SO BLESSED AND LUCKY TO HAVE THEM.

ON KEYS I HAVE KENNY BANKS JR. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) KENNY HAS BEEN WITH ME FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

HE'S HELPED ME WRITE TWO RECORDS.

SO, VERY PROUD OF THAT.

I LOVE YOU.

ON BASS, I HAVE JOEL POWELL.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) PHENOMENAL.

AND ON DRUMS HOLDING IT DOWN WITH ALL THE JOKES, I'M SAD YOU CAN'T HEAR HOW FUNNY HE IS CUZ HE'S HILARIOUS, SHANE MARSHALL.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) AND ON ORGAN AND THE STRINGS BACK THERE AND MAKING ALL THE DIFFERENT SOUNDS HAPPEN, I HAVE MY PARTNER IN LIFE, RHETT HUFFMAN.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) AND I'M SO VERY, VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE PATRICK ON GUITAR WITH US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH PATRICK ISAAC.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) ♪ MMM... ♪ ♪ MMM, YEAH... ♪ ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE YEAH ♪ ♪ WHOA ♪ ♪ OH OH OH, YEAH ♪ ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE YEAH ♪ THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

MY NAME IS BRENDA NICOLE MOORER.

IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE.

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE.

(MID-TEMPO JAZZ MUSIC) ♪ WE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO SEE... ♪ (JAZZ MUSIC ENDING) (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) HOW DO I WANNA BE REMEMBERED?

I THINK I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A PERSON THAT GAVE IT THEIR ALL, THAT DIDN'T GIVE UP, THAT PERSEVERED, THAT CREATED SOME STUFF THAT HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL STILL WANNA LISTEN TO MANY YEARS FROM NOW.

OR GETS REDISCOVERED MANY YEARS FROM NOW.

I WANNA BE REMEMBERED AS A GOOD ARTIST, I GUESS, AND A GOOD PERSON.

♪ SMILE THOUGH YOUR HEART IS ACHING ♪ ♪ SMILE EVEN THOUGH IT'S BREAKING ♪ ♪ WHEN THERE ARE CLOUDS IN THE SKY ♪ ♪ YOU'LL GET BY IF YOU SMILE ♪ ♪ THROUGH ALL FIERCE AND SORROWS ♪ ♪ SMILE AND MAYBE TOMORROW ♪ ♪ YOU'LL SEE THE SUN COME SHINING THROUGH ♪ ♪ IF YOU JUST SMILE ♪ W-A-B-E (MUSIC TONES)