Erica Campbell is taking the high road against critics who say she dresses too scandalously for a curvy gospel singer.
“There is always pressure for any woman, especially in the public eye,” Campbell told Page Six, adding, “I am a woman with curves that sings gospel.
“When you get to a certain level of life things get uncomfortable so — to whom much is given, much is acquired.”
But she says being in the public eye, you have to learn to ignore what people say about you, “You can’t say, ‘watch my show, support me on social media, buy my music,’ and then say, ‘but don’t bother me any other time.’ You do want your privacy at certain times. I want the liberty to be my full self.”
When Campbell posted a photo of herself in 2020, few could have predicted the firestorm it would spark in the Christian community.Erica CampbellIn October 2020, Campbell — who is in the group Mary Mary — posted a photo of herself on her Instagram page to announce her Grammy nomination for “A Little More Jesus,”wearing a form fitting white dress.
However the curve-hugging image caused a backlash in the Christian community.
The Atlanta Black Star wrote that one minster responded, “THIS IS NOT OKAY. Yes, you are a beautiful, curvy woman…but NO MA’AM YOU ARE SINGING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. Saints…smh COME ON.”
A gospel site also wrote, “The sexy attire takes any man or woman’s mind off God and onto other things that aren’t godly.”
Campbell previously said she’d been called “hoe” and “harlot.”Getty ImagesCampbell later admitted she’d also been called a “hoe” and a “harlot” after the dress incident, and on the Frequently Asked Questions podcast Campbell called out gospel music as a genre for being overly conservative, “Had any R&B singer had [wore] that [white dress], they would’ve been like ‘Oh my God! She’s so covered up.’”
She added, “Christianity has a problem with sexuality.”
The Grammy winning singer continued that, because of that, extra judgement has heaped female gospel artists and their personal lives.
She explained to Page Six, “I don’t feel so embarrassed, like what if people know this? … Nobody’s opinion matters because there is a scandal.
“You buy the music because it is good because there’s something of value … especially if you’re working on your mission and purpose to uplift and have courage.”
The gospel singer also told us she likes to listen to her own music on “dark” days.Getty Images for TV OneCampbell — who appeared in the WeTV reality series “Mary Mary” from 2012 to 2017 — also admitted that when she’s going through “dark” days, she listens to her own music.
“I play my music when I need to be encouraged because my words are more powerful than other peoples words,” the “More Than Pretty” author told us. “Far too many times we learn to depend on the words of others.
“Not that I want to invalidate great speakers and great preachers that are in my life, but the fact that I can say to myself… ‘Come on Erica, what are you doing?’”
