(RNS) — When she’s not singing in a concert or at her husband’s church, Erica Campbell is often thinking of where, when and what she’ll be singing next.
The gospel singer, one member of the duo Mary Mary, stepped back from her music for a few days in March when she joined the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision on a trip to Ethiopia. There, accompanied by two of her three kids, she met the two children she sponsors with a monthly donation and discovered the beauty and challenges faced by their community.
“It was a life-changing trip,” she said in a recent interview, describing it as “heartbreaking and wonderful.”
“Unfortunately, in our world today we’re really, really selfish. And I get it, everybody has their problems, but there’s somebody with way different problems,” Campbell said, recalling the difficulty of accessing clean water in Ethiopia. The smallest contribution, she added, “can change their life and their family and their community, and so that stays with you forever.”
Erica Campbell, right, visits Libnesh, a child Campbell sponsors through World Vision, during a trip to Ethiopia, March 12, 2025. (Photo courtesy World Vision)
Campbell participates in World Vision’s “Chosen” program — through which the 75-year-old nonprofit flipped the model of child sponsorship and has children choose their sponsors instead of the other way around. World Vision, which operates in 40 countries and offers humanitarian relief programs ranging from clean water to prenatal services, has some 710,000 children sponsored globally.
Campbell, who grew up singing in the choir of a Church of God in Christ congregation in Inglewood, California, hosts “Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell,” a talk show on urban radio stations that recently expanded from just weekdays to include weekends and is heard in more than 40 cities. She also is first lady of a nondenominational California Worship Center in San Fernando, where record producer Warryn S. Campbell II is the pastor.
Erica Campbell, 52, talked with Religion News Service about her trip to Ethiopia, her next musical plans as Mary Mary marks 25 years of playing together, and her decision to sing a song made popular by Whitney Houston.
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The interview was edited for length and clarity.
Why did you decide to be involved specifically in World Vision’s child sponsorship?
Well, they reached out to me. It was an easy call to be a part of this program. The Chosen program was so wonderful to me because I sing, I’m in a big family, I’m a first lady of a church, so I’m chosen often. I have lots of followers on social media, so people choose me often. But this, to choose me to be a sponsor, which is so wonderful, it made me emotional. I saw the video of the children seeing my picture and then choosing me for simple reasons. They didn’t choose me because of music. They didn’t choose me because of Grammys. They said: “It was your smile.” I believe the Chosen program allows the kids some level of ownership in this whole process.
You made the decision to take your children with you on the trip. Why did you do that and what difference has it made for them?
It was absolutely an intentional decision. I have three very blessed children. My daughter (Krista) my oldest, didn’t go ’cause she’s in college at Spelman in Atlanta. But my two youngest went, and I think that it was life-changing for them as well. I think the most overwhelming part is knowing that young girls have to walk three or four miles, sometimes twice a day, just for water for their family. My younger daughter said, “I’ll never look at taking a bath the same.” She’s like, “I’ll be more respectful to water.” Do we ever look at water as respecting water? But that’s what she said.
Erica Campbell, center, and her daughter Zaya, right, meet a group during a World Vision trip to Ethiopia, March 13, 2025. (Photo courtesy World Vision)
In addition to your work as a solo artist, do you expect to join your sister Tina Campbell from your Mary Mary duo in any kind of future appearance or concert or recording?
Me and Tina performed at my church (April 6). We’re doing (former morning talk show host) Tom Joyner Foundation’s cruise in October, and this is our 25th-year celebration of our first album coming out. So yes, there’s much more to come from Mary Mary. I wouldn’t be here without that wonderful music that I was able to do with my sister. So they kind of intertwine, which makes my life very busy, so be in prayer for me.
You have many hats. Do you have a secret to that?
Oh, yes. I always tell people I wear a lot of hats. I just don’t wear them on the same day at the same time.
I’m not holding a microphone when I’m cooking, and while I’m cooking, I’m not folding clothes. So I have a good team and a great family that helps me strategize and plan family time and work time and learning when to say no, not feeling guilty for saying no. All those things help me do the things that God places on my heart.
On your morning gospel program, you recently highlighted the 50th anniversary of the parents of your husband, Warryn Campbell II — whom you called your parents.
Yep. That’s my mom and dad, too.
Even as you sing so much about love, what have they taught you and your husband, Warryn, on that subject?
They taught us patience and consistency. They taught us laughter and prayer. They taught us: Just keep coming home to one another, keep fighting for one another, keep loving one another through the difficult days — because there will be — have a great community of people around you. And you can also get to 50 years.
Even when we got married, we didn’t have his side, my side. Both of our families sat on one side and the friends sat on the other side. We were becoming family.
You recently won a Grammy for best gospel performance/song for “One Hallelujah,” and you are continuing the “Live Breathe Fight Tour” with other gospel artists. Do you have another musical project or other plans ahead?
My husband literally asked me this morning: “Should, we start working on new music?” And I said yes. We are planning to release some Mary Mary music this year. I don’t know if it’ll be a full album — which is what I want — but yes, there’s always music on the horizon.
You sang “I Love the Lord” on your new “I Love You” gospel album. Did you have any hesitation at all to sing a song that Whitney Houston made popular on “The Preacher’s Wife” soundtrack album?
A little bit, but not that much. It’s Richard Smallwood’s song. I mean, she made it famous for sure. But I think the message is sometimes more powerful than the minstrel. So my agenda was to make sure that people hear what loving the Lord sounds like from me.
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