Not long after Trey Songz and Toni Braxton finished getting it on in their rehearsal, Eryah Badu showed up. Had no idea she was scheduled to perform.  She wasn’t on any of the rehearsal schedules I had. (Just wrong how they do me!) When I saw her, I got a little excited because it wasn’t difficult to put 2 and 2 together.  Chaka Khan tribute, Erykah Badu at rehearsal.  BOOM, she’s gonna sing in the Chaka Khan tribute and probably sing “Stay,” which she covered on her “Live” album!

But wait a minute, that was almost 10 years ago and ummm, can she hit those notes still? There was always a lot of debate between singers and regular folks I knew as to whether the high notes Erykah hit on the CD were “real.”  Nobody denies Erykah’s a good singer, but those notes were pretty up there. Well, she put all that back and forth to rest in her less than 10 minute rehearsal.  She walked on stage and went straight for the high part without flinching.  Didn’t scrunch of her face, lean back or anything. She just hollered like her life depended a few times to help the band get their cues, then grabbed her children and walked out the room. Just like that. No fuss, no thing. 

As for me, I sat there with my  mouth open for probably about an extra 10 minutes!

Torrence

It’s the first day of rehearsals for the 2009 Soul Train Awards, so I pick up my credentials (All Access baby!) and rush to the theater so i can watch rehearsals and see what the show is going to be about.  I walk in with my fancy badge and see Toni Braxton jumping on stage to start rehearsing and think “this will be a good day!”  Then the stage manager begins to let everyone know that this is a closed rehearsal and regardless of what credential you have, if you’re not directly connecte to Toni’s entourage, you had to leave.  What do I do? I stand quietly next to a friend of mine from her record label and stay quiet. Let’s see if I get kicked out…

Turns out, she’s performing her single “Yesterday” with Trey Songz and ummm, let’s just say they’re getting a little close on it.  Keep in mind, Toni’s husband Kerry Lewis is ALWAYS around.  Everybody in the room was thinking the same thing, “Do they realize her husband is in here?” Later Fatima Robinson, the show’s choreographer, walked in and went on stage to try to tone them down.  Let’s see if they stick with it, because as soon as she walked off they were at it again! ha!

A little bit more from rehearsals later…

Torrence