“Erykah Badoula” is what Grammy-award winning neo-soul singer Erykah Badu‘s friends and family call her.
Last December, while promoting her latest project, a mixtape called “But you can’t use my phone“, the platinum-selling songstress gave a telephone interview to Pitchfork magazine where she talked about he plans to open up her own doula practice.
Apparently, the “Window Seat” singer was called to become a doula in 2001 after helping deliver a friend’s baby, according to a 2011 magazine interview she gave PEOPLE magazine’s print edition.
“I’ve always had a mothering nature. But I didn’t plan on becoming a doula. I just wanted to care for my family and friends,” she told the celebrity mag.
“When I saw the baby, I cried. I knew what I was supposed to do with my life.”
She then read up on the job, and began offering her services for free to family and friends. She eventually became the spokeswoman for the International Center for Traditional Childbearing and later got certified with the intention to open up a chain of centers in the inner cities, the Toronto Sun reported back in 2011.
“Nothing gives me more pleasure” than assisting in anesthesia-free births she said.
“We are able to communicate with the baby through music, aroma, crystals, tuning forks… we use all kind of tools to help the mother be at peace,” she added in a video announcing her spokespersonship.
The “Call Tyrone” singer told Pitchfork that she is now training to become a mid-wife and could, if she wanted to, move forward with her old plans to open up her own center.
Bravo! Multi-dimensional and giving. Love it!
Badu has a 18- year-old son, named Seven Sirius Benjamin, with Outkast star Andre 3000, as well as two daughters – 12-year old Puma Sabti Curry and 7-year old Mars Merkaba Thedford, two – from her relationships with rappers The D.O.C. and Jay Electronica, respectively
photo: xonecole.com