Some people don’t like what they see,” said five-time Grammy winning Erica Campbell about the title and meaning of her biographically based book“More Than Pretty”(Atria Books). “I’m more than what you see.”
Erica takes the reader with her doing her life experiences as a global Contemporary Gospel icon, who has added syndicated radio host (GetUpErica.com/6-10am ET) and reality show star (“We’re the Campbells”/TV One) to her credits, and now she adds author. The book is entitled “More Than Pretty: Doing the soul work that uncovers your true beauty” and it focuses on her relationship with the word “pretty” throughout her life. How it molded her into what she is today – an iconic Contemporary Gospel phenomenon.
“The book was birth out of different things I encountered…with the word pretty,” Campbell pointed out.
Erica recounts her introduction into the word pretty as a child and the harsh comments her followers make about her looks on Social Media, while over looking her skills as a vocalist (Mary Mary/Columbia Records, Erica Campbell/Entertainment One), songwriter (“A Little More Jesus”), mother (Krista, Warren Jr. and Zaya) and wife (Warryn Campbell).
“Sometimes its envy, ‘I wish I was that,’” she said when I mentioned the negative comments were out of jealousy, which is a form of envy and desire. “It’s low self-esteem. Be encouraged because God made you.”
In “More Than Pretty” Erica wants the reader to be proud of their individuality and not focus so much on want others, that they don’t have or on what they look like, because they can’t look like that. She is candid in the book. Erica shows her family to the reader in a deeply honest way. She talks of the not-so-nice interactions between her and children so we all can relate- being as real as her reality show, “We’re the Campbells” on TV One. Her storytelling also includes her rise to stardom in the Contemporary Gospel duo Mary Mary with her sister Tina, and the very personal interactions she has with her husband nine-time Grammy winning Gospel/Hip-Hop/R&B music producer Warryn Campbell.
Erica recently released her newest single “Praying & Believing” from the compilation album titled “Warryn Campbell Presents My Block Inc.”, which also features a range of artists from The Walls Group to MC Lyte.
“We are wonderfully made,” Erica stresses. About the concept for a book she continued. “The ‘More Than Pretty’ event was in 2015. We thought about a book a few years before that. We had to come up with a title (subject). It took four years to start it.”