The Philadelphia Orchestra’s HearTOGETHER series is generously supported by lead corporate sponsor Accordant Advisors. Additional major support has been provided by the Otto Haas Charitable Trust.
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s HearTOGETHER series is generously supported by lead corporate sponsor Accordant Advisors. Additional major support has been provided by the Otto Haas Charitable Trust.
VOICEOVER KHADIJA MBOWE:
Hello and hi. This is your host Khadija Mbowe, and you're listening to the special bonus segment we'll be doing from here on out-- A little game I like to call “In-Depth Lightning Round”. It's pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Each and every one of our guests will be asked the same set of questions in the hopes that they'll reveal a bit more about what they value and how they think. Also, it's honestly just really fun. So without further ado, here's our “In-Depth Lightning Round” with Karen Slack.
KHADIJA MBOWE:
Who makes you laugh?
KAREN SLACK:
Ugh, my friend Kenny Overton <laugh> who makes me, Kenny makes me laugh. Um, yeah, most of the people, my crazy friends, oh,
KHADIJA MBOWE:
If the world, all the humans were to be were to disappear because of some huge cataclysmic event and there was a new batch of humans that were getting ready to come up, what piece of advice would you give them?
KAREN SLACK:
Always trust yourself. And listen to yourself. Self, self, self. And not in a way of, of ego, but just in a way of that inner, inner voice. Take the beat to listen to the inner voice.
KHADIJA MBOWE:
So we've talked about a lot of the things that you're able to do. What's a skill you wish you had that you don't think you do?
KAREN SLACK:
<laugh> I always say the, the, the ability to ask for the things that I need, that I want and that I need without second. Uh, yeah, I wish I had that kind of, that level of fearlessness to be able to demand the things that I, that I know that I need or want. I know some people can go in, but I know too much and I'm too, sometimes I'm a little on my Virgo side, I guess my little bit too, or my Libra side, whatever. Cuz I'm cuspy. But I just, I overthink things, but that's the only way I know. Like, I gotta play him out a lot, a lot, a lot. I gotta work through it and then come to it? I don't stumble in anywhere. Everything is very intentional. So, but I wish I had a little bit of like a, just, ugh,
KHADIJA MBOWE:
It's like delegating and stuff too. Just like, give me this, give me that. I need this cuz I know what I want to do. But yeah,
KAREN SLACK:
I don't have that. I don't have that. And I think that, and some people may say that I have that.
KHADIJA MBOWE:
What's a song you wish you wrote?
KAREN SLACK:
Ooh. Any, any um, Stevie Wonder song?
KHADIJA MBOWE:
<laugh> Good answer. <laugh>.
KAREN SLACK:
Any Stevie Wonder song? Any um, Marvin Gaye song? I mean, Stevie Wonder what a what a what a masterful.
KHADIJA MBOWE:
My sister and I used to just call each other and sing. I just called to say I love you and hang up and then call each other back and actually talk. <laugh>.
KAREN SLACK:
Yes, I, right, right <laugh> and also “All I Want for Christmas”, because you'll never not make a coin <laugh>.
KHADIJA MBOWE:
Okay. Cuz that's the thing, when we were discussing this question, I was like, some people will answer it monetarily-wise and other people will say, because it's a song they like. Yes. It every November 1st Mariah Carey, she's set for life. <laugh>,
KAREN SLACK:
Literally. So artistically, Steve, uh, Stevie Wonder, monetarily, definitely Mariah is all I want for
KHADIJA MBOWE:
Last one. What is the worst advice you've ever gotten?
KAREN SLACK:
Oh my gosh. <laugh> as a younger singer, I got offered a fest contract in Vienna, in Munich. And I, and I, the advice I got was not to take it because of the racism in Vienna that I would experience. Um, and because I was already sort of like working in the states a little bit. And so, and then also cuz cuz, well also Vienna was like, we don't know what to do with you, but if you wanna come and sit in the house, you know, whatever, fine, you can do that. And then in Munich it was like, I can't promise you anything to sing on the stage, but we can offer you a position. And so it was sort of the same thing but for two different reasons. And I was got the advice, no, just don't even bother with that and I should have.
(44:44):
And I, I really think that I should have just endured through some of that and kind of sat there. Um, and it, you know, who knows. Other bad advice, worse advice? I've been lucky. I've had really, really have been lucky. Um, and people have sort of left me alone and not necessarily, cause you know, again, it's that black woman, like she'll figure it out. She's so strong. She always makes good decisions. Like I don't feel like I have had enough hands on and enough people kind of giving me advice. I think people have sort of left me alone and it's words, but I wish I had had some of the support that some other singers have had.
KHADIJA MBOWE:
I get it. And I also appreciate that, too. Cuz I, I felt that way a lot in school apart from like my teacher and my coach. I just like wasn't sure that I was getting as much. Like, I don't know, like it's a very much, ‘Oh, we don't need to worry about you, you'll be fine’. And it's like, ‘I want someone to worry about me’ <laugh>. Like, I had teachers say to me, ‘Oh, I don't worry about you’. And I'm like, ‘No, no, no. I want someone to worry about me because I need help and I can't do this all on my own’. Absolutely. And that to me can also be a method of self-care. Going back to what you're talking about, like not just you taking care of yourself, but being able to ask someone to help take care of you. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And like, I know you were talking about wanting to make sure, Sorry, this is gonna be the final question I, I promise. But I know you were talking about wanting to make sure that like you were able to give younger singers or the folks that you mentor, the same stuff that you weren't able to get. But then you were also talking about how you struggled with saying no sometimes because you've seen so much and I just wanted to kind of ask a bit for a bit more like expansion or clarification on that mm-hmm. <affirmative>, if that makes sense.
KAREN SLACK:
Yes, it does. Um, I, yes, I struggle with that, with the saying no and feeling guilty for saying no. And then also being really supportive. Listen, what I, what I've, what I've learned and that it's to put the ball in someone else's court. It is not just about helping everybody and being, and being accessible to everyone because I, people need to bring their level of seriousness. I know how serious I am. I know, I know that I'm giving out quality information. I know the level in which I come into the space Now when someone comes to me, I need to, now I need to not be able to say yes to everybody, but to have them come with a certain level of seriousness and what are you bringing to this table? So instead of expecting to give, give, give, give, give, no, no, no, no, no. Somebody else needs, they need to come with a certain level of giving, of showing that they are, I hate this word, but worthy of, or you know, or I don't know, another word you could, um, to, to use, but to, to be in that space and not just because I'm, I'm this and I'm that and all those things. No, no, no. Because my time is limited.
KHADIJA MBOWE:
Thank you. Because you're showing us that you are still very much in process. You are still learning, even if you are, whatever people will call, ‘established’. And I just wanna thank you for being so open and of course honest, because what are these conversations, if they aren't those two things, at the very least,
KAREN SLACK:
Waste of time.