By: Kimberley Richards, The Huffington Post
Repost by: BIW Magazine For Women 40 & Over
It’s hard to imagine that the ever-vibrant Tracee Ellis Ross was once shy about anything. But the 43-year-old daughter of music legend Diana Ross just proved she’s overcome a childhood fear of singing onstage — and we love it.
Ross posted video clips to her Instagram account Saturday of her nervously joining her iconic mom onstage last week in Las Vegas to sing Billie Holiday’s “Lady Sings The Blues.”
Last week, in #Vegas, my #mom, out of nowhere, stopped her show and asked me to come onstage and sing. I think the last time my mom asked me to sing I was 5 or 6 years old. I swear at first I thought she said Evan (my brother @RealEvanRoss, a singer, who was also there). But then I realized she said my name, and before I could think, I was walking toward the stage! To see and hear the rest of the story click the link in the bio or go to TraceeEllisRoss.com. #RossFamilyRocks
A video posted by Tracee Ellis Ross (@traceeellisross) on Nov 28, 2015 at 4:30pm PST
On her personal website, the “Black-ish” co-star recounts her mom calling her onstage and feeling like she was “6 years old again.”
“I still get nervous all the time but I never let it stop me and I’m certainly not afraid of performing,” Ross wrote. “But, somehow, by the time I stepped onto the stage it was as if I was 6 years old again! There’s something about singing… It’s no joke trying to do that as the child of DIANA ROSS, let alone while standing by her side onstage.”
The last time Diana Ross called her daughter onstage was when Ross was five or six years old, Ross explained on her site.
There is no way to describe the pressure, the fear of what it feels like to allow my voice to be heard…For the full video and the full story go to the link in the bio or to TraceeEllisRoss.com! My sweet mama quieting the room #ThisIsImportant
A video posted by Tracee Ellis Ross (@traceeellisross) on Nov 29, 2015 at 8:27am PST
At the close of Ross’ performance, Diana Ross encouragingly told the crowd “she can sing and she won’t sing.” But perhaps the most comforting part of the experience for Ross, was “burying” her head on her mom’s shoulder.
“My favorite part was me burying my head into her shoulder,” Ross wrote. “It has been ages since I’ve hidden so deeply in my mother’s embrace and it was awesome.”
Many would agree, there’s nothing like a mother’s embrace to make you feel like a superstar — onstage or not.
Check out the performance uploaded by Fredy Rimando on Youtube below: