5 Things We Learned From Cynthia Erivo

Friday, we had the pleasure to be in the room with Tony Award Winning actress, Cynthia Erivo. During an interview with the AOL Build series (moderated by Laura Heywood, BroadwayGirlNYC), she talked about everything from the current state of the United States to workouts to Fantasia Barrino being obsessed with her speaking voice. But, there were a few valuable takeaways we got from the conversation we just have to share.

1.) She’s Superhuman

This woman is known for her killer workouts (have you seen her Facebook videos?) She ran a half marathon and went to do a two-show day? Now she’s training for the NYC Marathon, and how does she do it? Just getting up and doing it and listening to her body. Okay Cynthia, way to make the rest of us look bad.

2.) She was a music psychology major.

Amazing. Before enrolling at Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Cynthia was studying music psychology. The study of how music affects the way we feel, think and act. After realizing she didn’t need to attend lectures to learn the material, Cynthia went on to find her true passion the theatre. (We are forever grateful for that!)

3.) It doesn’t matter what she’s singing her voice is always going to be heaven sent and snatch us bald.

Someone once asked Cynthia how she spelled her name and instead of spelling it, she sang it. Seriously, HOW?

4.) Humility goes a long way.

When asked how she remains humble with everything going on around her she had the most honest and sincere response. “People should lead by example, just be good people. It takes nothing to be a good person, it takes nothing to be grateful for the good things you receive, because you’re opening yourself up to receive more good things because I feel like when you demonstrate you can handle the good things in a graceful way you’re opening yourself up to be ready for more, because you can handle the good things.”

5) The world needs just a little bit more love.

After recent events in the United States, the murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the murders of the cops in Dallas, Cynthia still had a show to put on. How did she prepare? The cast went out and did the show for all the people in the audience. She wanted them all to know they were in this together. “We just love harder,” she says in heartfelt response to what the world needs to do to combat this problem. “ We all have to just make an effort to be understanding towards one another. Just love just a little bit harder, be just a little more hopeful. So that your hope might spread to someone else, your love might spread to someone else. And eventually I believe that’s where we’ll get to, a place of understanding, peace and love.”

Watch and learn a few things for yourself!