Jill Scott was told at start of her career if she didn't lose weight or straighten her hair, she'd never sell albums
Jill Scott was told at start of her career if she didn't lose weight or straighten her hair, she'd never sell albums
Mekishana PierreFri, March 6, 2026 at 7:20 PM UTC
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Jill ScottCredit: Cindy Ord/Getty
It's been over 20 years since Jill Scott released her debut album, and as the Grammy winner celebrates her first new album in a decade, she's reflecting on the journey that began when she started in the music industry back in her 20s.
"I had somebody tell me in the beginning of my career that if I didn't lose weight, or if I didn't straighten my hair or whatever, that I'd never sell any records," Scott told PEOPLE in an interview published Friday. "That sucked, but luckily I didn't listen to them and decided to just continue to be myself."
Jill Scott in music video for 'A Long Walk'Credit: Hidden Beach Recordings
Being herself was exactly what the North Philly native needed, leading to a double-platinum debut that was ranked No. 70 on Slant Magazine's list of "The 100 Best Albums of the 2000s" in 2010, and 25 million records sold since then.
"My mother and I had a rough go of it in the beginning... We were in a community where you would hear gunshots on a regular basis. There was a summer when I lost a lot of friends, young men that I knew. My mother taught me to keep looking for beauty no matter what. I just kept finding a reason to believe in myself, to have some joy and create joy around me," Scott said of where she built up the self-empowerment and optimism her music is well-known for.
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To Whom This May Concern, Scott's sixth studio album and her first since 2015's Woman, follows a series of romantic splits and several starring roles on both the big and small screen. When not making music to soundtrack her listeners' lives, Scott has been exploring the themes of life via roles in films such as Tyler Perry’s 2007 drama Why Did I Get Married? and its 2010 sequel, as well as shows like Girlfriends, HBO's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Black Lightning, and BET+'s TV reboot of the classic 1996 revenge comedy, The First Wives Club.
Jill Scott performs on stage during the 'Who Is Jill Scott?' tour on June 16, 2023Credit: Marcus Ingram/Getty
"I love the possibility of becoming someone outside myself for a time... I needed time to be with my family, raise my kid to the best of my ability," Scott told the outlet of her musical hiatus. "I'm in the middle of menopause right now. I'm different in ways that I didn't intend on being different, but I'm here, and I love what I do. It's a thrill and a privilege."
To finally have the album out after over a decade and in her fans' hands, leaves Scott "relieved" she admitted. "My baby's outside, and people are responding to it in beautiful ways and actually listening, which gives me the greatest joy," she added.
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
