Last 12 months, singer and actress Crystal Renee Hayslett added one other step under her belt podcast. Through introspective dialogue and thoughtful discussions with celebrities comparable to Will Packer, Pretty Vee, Kirk Franklin and several others, the weekly audio series has turn into popular amongst various demographics. This past weekend, Hayslett got to experience the success of her idea in real time during the show’s first live taping in Atlanta, Georgia.

“I still can’t find the words to describe how amazing it was,” says the star. “It was just the most amazing moment – ​​really.” by specializing in fun topics and having necessary conversations, Haylett created a protected, informative space for everybody in attendance. The evening began with Crystal talking to her therapist, Delena Zimmerman, where they talked about self-love, growth, and finding your purpose. She was then joined by David and Tamela Mann, Eva Marcille and Devon Franklin. The group delved into relationships at different stages and phases, with Eva and Devon talking about the way to navigate life after divorce, while the Mann couple reflected on their thriving 36-year marriage.

Following the roundtable, Hayslett showcased her dynamic artistry in a charming performance with a live band. She began her performance with a piano solo of Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” followed by performances of Muni Long, “SZA and Beyoncé. The medley ended with Cece Winans singing Crystal. To end this unique experience, Hollywood mogul and Sistas creator Tyler Perry took the stage to wish for Crystal and express his pride in her recent and future success.

With a guest list that included Skyh Black, KJ Smith, Todd Galberth, Dharius and Shameka Daniels, Kimberly Blackwell, Isaac Carree, Nzinga Imani and Chido Nwokocha, the live podcast taping created the perfect atmosphere for the sold-out audience. To have fun this momentous occasion, Hayslett spoke to ESSENCE about the impetus behind her popular show, its impact, vision for the future and more.

ESSENCE: Since you are so busy with your profession straight away, what influenced your decision to create podcast last 12 months?

Crystal: It was actually my manager, Dinorah Peña. She actually gave me the idea. And at first I didn’t need to do it. I asked, “What do I have to say that is different from all the other podcasts? There are tons of podcasts.” And she said, “I think it’s time for you to tell your story.” So I thought of it and in the Black community, in the case of being open about numerous things, sometimes there are particular topics which can be really hard to discuss. Because we’re taught, “Hey, you shouldn’t really talk about this or what’s going on, just leave it in the past.” Through therapy, I gained the courage to actually open up and be more transparent with the public, so we decided to just do that.

Tname actually comes from a lady who was negative on my Instagram page. And I often don’t even reply to people. But I had time that day. Sometimes you’re thinking that, “I have time today.” But that day I said, “Instead of being negative, you should see that I’m supporting another young woman’s business.” Then I added #keepitpositivesweetie and my fans just ran with it. When we were fascinated by the name, I believed, “We should do a little episode called Keep It Positive, Baby.” And they said, “No, that’s the name of the show!” So that is how we got here up with it. But it was my manager who said, “It’s time, Crystal.” I wish to be more reserved, but it surely definitely forced me to be more open and perform in front of individuals. Because even while you’re on TV, you are hiding behind a personality. You really do not have to disclose who you’re.

What do you’re thinking that it was about your story that intrigued Dinorah enough to push you to start out the podcast?

Lots of things – my journey, just attending to where I’m today from a really small town. I talk over with these young girls who may come from cities that will not have as much to supply as your larger cities. My upbringing; There were things I experienced as a toddler that I didn’t really discuss. Even to the point that he desired to commit suicide as an adolescent. Things that we have really swept under the rug and you only keep going and parsing it forward, which I believe is something that, from generation to generation, leads all the way back to slavery. We just had to maintain pushing, pushing. Nobody has time to take a seat and cry. Life goes on, keep it moving. And as I began opening as much as things, I believed, “These are the things I want to talk about.”

And at that time I shot an episode called “Get to Know Me” where I took off all my makeup and stripped down so people could actually see me. I opened up and didn’t go into details. But this episode opened me as much as numerous things. And then I noticed how many individuals really suffer and how much we’d like healing. But greater than that, I noticed that individuals have to see someone like me who has all of it together to appreciate that I’m identical to them.

The The podcast will not be even a 12 months old, but it surely is already so popular. So how do you are feeling about his incredible success in such a short while?

It was absolutely amazing to see how the audience truly moved and resonated with each episode. I usher in so many individuals who feel protected enough to share their stories with me and the audience. And I say we heal, we laugh, we grow together and we love one another. You see people week after week. They will write and say, “You modified my life. You saved my life.” When I get letters like that, I say, “Oh my God, we’re really making an impact with this.” It’s greater than just standing in front of a microphone and a camera and just talking about hot topics. What we’re really specializing in is the things that they’re real to people and we share what we actually undergo every day and what we have now undergone to get to where we’re in our lives. Just seeing how quickly it has grown and how popular it has turn into is just amazing.

How was the reception for the live podcast on March 30, and how does the energy differ from the normal recordings you do?

From the moment I woke up that day, I felt completely different than some other day. I get there and the energy is great, but then I start hearing people chatting saying, “The line is around the constructing. Crystal, you will not consider this. Some of my team would exit into the lobby and record videos, and you can just get energized. But when the DJ announced me and I heard the screams, screams and tears from the crowd, it was incredibly electrifying. I’ve been to live shows and done it for other people, but hearing it and feeling it for me was just… It was an out-of-body experience. I’ve never felt anything like this. And I tell people all the time that I’m still getting used to this thing called fame, coming out and people recognizing you.

To sell out a spot like this for the first live show and hear everyone screaming like that was just crazy. When I shoot at home, it’s just me, my cameraman, my manager and the guests I bring over. So it’s super chill. My house is amazingly calm and quiet. Sometimes I’m very drained. But there was a lot energy that day that I believe it was only yesterday that I felt drained. I used to be literally on a natural high for 2 days.

Now we have now accomplished the successful recording of your live podcast – and you’ll be able to actually talk not only about future live performances, but about the way forward for your show basically – what’s your vision Is the podcast moving forward?

You know what? Ultimately, my vision is to have my very own daytime TV show. I’m going to maintain posting it there. I would like to have my very own daytime TV show. I see myself creating, continuing to create space not only for girls, but in addition for men. When I have a look at the audience, the core of my fan base is women. But I also saw men there. I would like to open it up and really bring us all together so we are able to truly heal together.