Erykah Badu is opening up about what’s next in her illustrious career.
Badu discussed new music and her love of touring in an interview with Billboard while attending the Billboard Women in Music event on Saturday. She was asked what it was like to work on a full album for the first time since her 2010 release, New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh).
“I mean, I’ve put out other music but it feels good, it feels natural to me,” she said.
Badu discussed her love of playing music out on the road, calling herself a “touring artist.”
“As a touring artist, we create moments. As a recording artist, I create memories, but those moments are very important to me,” she said, expressing sentiments similar to those in a separate interview with Billboard published March 19.
Badu performed at this year’s Billboard Women in Music event, where Summer Walker presented her with the Icon Award.
On being an icon, Badu told Billboard, “I think that it means that you have managed to surpass your own expectations.”
Also honored at the Women in Music event were Powerhouse Award recipient GloRilla; Tyla, who received the Impact Award; Woman of the Year honoree Doechii; Tina Knowles, who accepted the first-ever Mother of the Year Award; and Muni Long, who received the Rising Star Award.
“First of all, I want to acknowledge Black women,” Muni said during her speech. “The bedrock of not only the music industry but the very heart of the culture itself. Black women have always been the architects of innovation, resilience, and power. From the soulful tones of Patti LaBelle and Aretha Franklin to the boldness of Beyoncé and Miss Lauryn Hill, we have seen our brilliance shape the world in ways that transcend music and art.”
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