On Glee, Amber Riley plays the sassy yet sweet Mercedes. In this YRB feature / photoshoot, she plays a glammed up diva ready to head out to a holiday party in style.
Below is an excerpt and photos from her feature in YRB Magazine.
Being rejected by American Idol:
“With so many people in my family singing, it was kind of easy for me to go into clubs and sing background,” she said. “This was my first time out of my comfort zone auditioning. When I did that and they told me no, my world crumbled. I was thinking these people are in the industry and they are telling me no. I’m not good enough to do this. I definitely thought that for a minute.”
On auditioning for Glee:
“A friend of my friend was friends with a casting director and looking for a girl who could sing. I still don’t know who that friend was. She said they need a really great singer. They want a black girl. She has to really sing, really belt it out. I told her, ‘I’m not a belter. I know I have a strong voice, but I’m not a belter by nature.’ I just thought to myself, ‘Forget it. I’ll just go on the audition.’”
Dealing with performance jitters:
“Whenever I sing, I just love music so much, I go to a totally different place,” she said. “The only times I’ve ever gotten nervous – like I want to throw up – is when I sang the National Anthem at the (2009) World Series, when I sang on and when I sang at the White House. Being on camera and singing, though, I’m not nervous. The crew is a great audience. I sing to them.”
How the American Idol rejection helped her:
“I am really glad they told me no, because maybe if they hadn’t, I never would have strived for my full potential or reached my full potential. I might have rested on my laurels,” she says, offering advice to others striving to make their dreams come true. “The best advice I can give is just be focused, be sure about what you want and don’t let anyone tell you no, you can’t do it. Don’t let that deter you.”
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I LOVE the third picture!!! Sexy and confident in her curves!!! That’s what I would want in a woman!! A woman who’s confident and comfortable in her own skin and curves!!
I really love the third picture too, the dress is very flattering and she really does look so confident and beautiful. I love the fact that more and more full figured women are being given the opportunity to shine. I really enjoyed this interview and know how she feels about pushing forward for your dreams even after being rejected….it takes hard work, dedication and a made up mind. God bless her, she reminds me of my niece Ebony, curvy confident & beautiful!!!
On a seperate note, I’d really love to see how a dress like the first one would fit my body, that is really pretty too.
I love her, and love the idea more of her representing for us ‘thick’ girls. She reminds of our Chenese, something about her.
She rocked this photoshoot to its core.
I am wishing her all the best in her career may this show be the one of many more to come.
Thrive in your CURVES..
Curvy hugs,
Olga
I will admit, I don’t watch Glee, nor I’m a big fan of the show, but I would LOVE to see more of her in the future!!!
@ Terry,
Sounds to me like she just got a new fan. She is very lucky our ‘Terry’ is the bomb!!
Curvy hugs,
Olga
hello amber riley and happy to meet u.i have always bn ur long admirer and fan since ur days in the acting world and happy with ur new found project.i saw you in todays sun newspapers and you look stunning.i just wish we can be friends.i am charles,from nigeria,and work with the customs at lagos international airport,nigeria.expect your reply and have a nice day