00:00Every person I've talked to has said that they're looking forward to seeing your performance tonight.
00:04Yep, every person has said your name. How does that feel?
00:07It feels amazing. I feel pressure.
00:10I just want to have fun. I just want to get on the stage and give everything that I can.
00:16And if people enjoy it, which I predict that they will, because it's literally not by me, it's by God.
00:22You feel me? So they're going to enjoy it. I can't wait. It feels good.
00:26I'm Brandi Victorian, Senior Entertainment Editor at Essence Magazine, and we are here in Harlem for the 2021 BET Soul Train Awards.
00:34We're celebrating 50 years of Soul Train, and what better way to do that than with this year's awards show at the Apollo in Harlem.
00:41Check out the stars we talked to on the red carpet.
00:50You are the lady of the night tonight. How does it feel to be getting your flowers from Soul Train?
00:55It feels amazing. I'm so excited and so humbled. It's such a huge moment for me, so very grateful.
01:02Tell us about this dress quickly.
01:04Christian Seriano? I don't know. It just feels like it was appropriate.
01:10It always feels good to be home, man. There's nothing like this city.
01:13You know, the feeling of it, the vibe of it, you know, especially us being here at the Apollo Theater.
01:19It just feels like the two super titans of black culture are converging. It's amazing.
01:26Well, you know, tonight is the 50th anniversary of Soul Train, which I think means so much to us.
01:31What has Soul Train meant to both of you over the years?
01:33You know, Soul Train, I remember waking up on Saturday mornings watching Soul Train.
01:37It was just so nostalgic, so to be here tonight is super amazing, yeah.
01:42I love to dance, so, you know, this is just, that's all I remember.
01:46Yeah, this is what I do. This is what I do, so I'm excited, but I can't wait.
01:49Who are you looking forward to seeing her perform tonight?
01:52I want to see Summer Walker. Yeah, I want to see her album is on fire.
01:57I think she went through a lot, and I think it's really dope that she's sharing her experience.
02:02So, yeah, I want to see her, yeah.
02:04Lucky day. I've said it over and over and over and over, and I won't take it back.
02:10You see what you like what I did right there?
02:11He's been talking about it all week.
02:13What has Soul Train meant to you over the years?
02:15Well, first of all, I love your essence. Thank you very much.
02:19Soul Train has meant, what do you mean, everything to me over the years.
02:24Thank God for Don Cornelius and his vision, having to barge on Soul Train as many times as he did,
02:29because we didn't have a lot of videos out back then, but Don kept us visual, so thank you Soul Train.
02:34Who are you looking forward to seeing perform tonight?
02:36Well, Maxwell is a top of the list. I have a long history with him.
02:40He doesn't have it with me, but I have it with him.
02:42Ashanti, of course, I love, and I love Anderson Paak and Bruno Mars, what they're doing together.
02:47I'm just really into.
02:49You look amazing in this. First, I could never wear it. I would get it dirty already, so I'm like...
02:54I'm scared. I'm like...
02:55Yes, tell us about this.
02:57This is my guy, Cortez Jackson, in New Orleans, black designer in New Orleans, and he got me fresh.
03:04I told him I wanted to feel godly, I wanted to feel pure, you know what I'm saying?
03:08I'm doing that, guys.
03:10Okay.
03:10Yeah, nah, nah, so shout out to him, yeah.
03:13How are you?
03:15Good.
03:16Tell us about this look, because I'm loving it.
03:18This is a piece by Protest, which is, that's the tennis and display name, so I put this together,
03:25and it's really just about the protests and the riots that's going on. I wanted to stand on that statement.
03:29You know, I've got to have love for my people, you know what I'm saying?
03:31So, just wanted to make a statement, make it proud. I'm proud to be, you know, who I am, for sure, so.
03:37You're the best.
03:38Yeah.
03:45Tell us how you feel in being here tonight.
03:48Good. I can't, you know, it's one of those things that you just kind of like, you work so hard, and you look up, and you're like, oh, wow, I'm doing this.
03:55So, yeah, it's just been an amazing journey, and I'm happy to be here, you know?
04:00Now, you're performing tonight. For people who haven't had the privilege of seeing you perform before, what should they expect?
04:06You know, I just try to bring some melody and some good, you know, soul music.
04:11You know, that's kind of what I felt like would best represent the night.
04:15But, yeah, anybody that knows me, they know I bring on. I'm very versatile. I do it all.
04:20So, yeah, I mean, but tonight it's all about Soul Train Awards, and I really want to bring that soul tonight.
04:26How are you feeling being here tonight for 2021 Soul Train Awards?
04:29I mean, I definitely feel the weight of it, you know? It's a very surreal moment, you know?
04:37I ask the question of, like, what is my life, you know? The fact that I'm here right now.
04:42And so, it's just a beautiful moment to really celebrate, you know, black art.
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