Tamela Mann’s teaching people to ‘Live Breathe Fight’ through life’s challenges

The last year and a half of Tamela Mann‘s life was difficult for the gospel singer, so she channeled her emotions into her new album. The result — Live Breathe Fight — serves as a reminder that people can get through life’s hard times.     

“Live Breathe Fight is … a testimony of what I’ve been dealing with,” says Tamela, noting she’s had “ups and downs,” including changes in business and releasing some people from her life.

“I know that I’m living like heaven is my destiny. I’m breathing every breath with purpose and I’m fighting for the victory,” she adds. “I felt like [it] will be a good [message for] all walks of life to just live and breathe and fight through whatever situations that we’re … going through.”

Live Breathe Fight was written at a time when Tamela felt “broken.” It is filled with spiritual affirmations, including “You deserve to win.” But the process of creating the album, which Tamela was heavily involved in, wasn’t all tears.

Tamela says she enjoyed “gathering with all the writers in the band.” “I was cooking for them. It became a family thing for us. So it was like some enjoyment,” she adds. 

The album features a little Motown, traditional gospel and country, as heard on her #1 hit “Working for Me.” 

Though it’s being released at a time when Black country artists are in the mainstream, Tamela chose country simply because it’s part of her roots, and a genre she and her husband, David Mann, enjoy. 

“I did a song called ‘Mason Jar,’ which was country. … [We] listen to a lot of country music. And people would never think that,” she says. “I know about slopping hogs and feeding chickens … I’m really a country girl.” 

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