Kelly Rowland sat down with vocal powerhouse Jennifer Hudson for Michigan Avenue Magazine. J hud looks absolutely stunning in the Jan 2013 issue and she has lots to chat about! She shares with us how she is maintaining her 100 lb. weight loss, her son David jr., her new QVC clothing line and role as the first black supermodel in t.v. show ‘Smash’. 
KR: You’ve inspired so many women with your transformation through Weight Watchers? What has kept you motivated? JH: Well first of all, I had no idea so many people were watching. I thought I could do this all by myself and nobody was paying attention. So I didn’t have the pressures on me. I also played tricks on myself, like, Hmm, let’s look at myself like a piece of art and sculpt myself the way I want to be. And I knew if each day I did something, it just made that much more of a difference. As long as I was doing something, I was changing every day. And change is progress. Get into more of the interview below!
KR: Let’s talk about your son, David Jr. What’s the most difficult part about being a mother, and what is your greatest joy in your relationship with your son? JH: My greatest joy—let me answer that first. Oh goodness, it’s so overwhelmingly beautiful. He’s got so much personality, I could go on and on about this little boy. He is amazing! I still look at him every day, like, This is my son—wow! I’ve learned that you can never understand how much your parents love you until you become a parent yourself. Because that’s when you see how that love works and how deep it is. KR: What’s the greatest thing you want him to learn from you? JH: I’ve always said the greatest thing my mother ever gave her children was bringing us up in church and giving us to Christ—that is the best thing I can possibly give him. And family—we are huge family people. KR: I love it. Moving to music, you’ve collaborated with artists like Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Ne-Yo, Leona Lewis, and recently Prince. I saw that on YouTube, and the funniest moment was when the lights went away, but I still saw you in the shadow and you freak out completely. How was that moment, and who would you like to collaborate with next? JH: First of all, I love Prince, like I love Whitney, like I love Destiny’s Child. There are very few people who will leave me speechless. Prince is one of those people, so being up there on that stage was so surreal to me. Before I knew it I was hollering; I was up there, like, screaming because I am such a fan… like I love him. And that was such a dream and an honor to be able to do that with him. Who else would I love? Well, you and I have to sing together, first of all. Who else? You know who I want to sing with? One day I want to do a Christmas song with Barbra Streisand. KR: That would be an incredible duo. You bring up Whitney Houston. Watching you the day after her passing when you performed “I Will Always Love You” at the Grammys—how did you get through that? As soon as I heard you say “If I,” it was over for me. JH: That was so hard. I did break down during the rehearsal. But I could hear my mom in my head—she used to always fuss at me, “You’re always crying. Stop crying, stop crying!” So I’m like, Okay, I can’t get up here and start crying. But how could you not? It was so much to take in; I just had to try to remove myself out of it the best I could. I always say if God brings me to it, I have no choice but to be prepared, so I’m going to get through it. KR: Well, you got through it, and it was so beautiful. And I have a note here that you’re getting inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame! How do you seamlessly transition between acting and singing—and how excited are you about that? I want to be there on that day; girl, I would go crazy. JH: The transition from singing to acting… Everything comes from a real place. When I did Dreamgirls, those were real tears. I just found ways to put that in that moment and make it as real to me as possible. And everything is connected to music. Music helps me find any emotion, no matter what scene I’m preparing for. I can’t do anything without it being honest, not a thing. As for the Hollywood Walk of Fame star… I cried like a baby when I heard that. First I thought I was hearing things. It reminded me of when I won my Oscar, and they called my name: I was like, Jennifer, don’t get up out this chair because nobody heard that but you. KR: Speaking of music: Smash. How did you get involved with the show? JH: It’s a great, great show, and there is absolutely nothing like it on TV. I’m portraying Veronica Moore, a Broadway star who is playing the first black supermodel.
