It's been an amazing ride for Erica & Tina Campbell. Going from backup singers for R&B groups to platinum-selling crossover success, the sisterly duo known as Mary Mary has had a whirlwind journey into superstardom.

Fresh on the heels of their latest release Incredible (see album review), Gospelflava.com recently sat down with the chart-topping duo. From their own account, the last two years have resembled their latest album title.

"It really has been incredible," says Erica. "We've been extremely busy. We were putting so much time into making sure that this second record was right. A lot of people know that it was supposed to be coming out last year and it kept getting pushed back but we wanted to make sure that is was right...and at first, it wasn't right.”

“We've been really, really blessed because our music has touched people and that's what the purpose was. Plus we sold some records and won some awards and stuff like that. It's just been amazing," continues Erica.

While the level of whirlwind success that the duo has experienced could be overwhelming for some, Erica and Tina have relied on their industry background to help them cope with being in the forefront. They credit their ability to handle the responsibilities of their success to their previous experiences as backup singers within R&B circles. It is those experiences that brought them a glimpse of opposition that can come from religious arenas close to them.

"When we were doing [R&B background vocals], a lot of times we got opposition from within the church. Sometimes you get opposition from people who don't quite understand," says Tina. "But it's like Erica always tells them, we definitely consulted God before we chose to do that."

Album Review: Incredible

Thematically, Incredible more frequently puts the focus on horizontal relationships, offering encouragment and inspiration to others, dropping phat-beat-wrapped pieces of scripture-inspired wisdom to all who will hear.... See full album review.

"And our pastor too!" chimes in Erica.

"Little did we know we were being prepared [as backing vocalists for R&B singers] to go into those same markets [singing the Gospel]. I think sometimes when you go into those [mainstream areas] and it's done all of a sudden, it can be a bit devastating because your approach does have to change to some degree," continues Tina.

"When you're around people who know God, who love God, who understand the ins and outs of the Bible, who have concept of Who the Holy Ghost is, you can just be frank and just plain. When you're talking to people who don't know God, you have to be a little more tactful. You have to be a little more clever to make sure they understand," states Tina.

"Because you're introducing God to them," says Erica.

"You have to give them something to hold on to so your approach changes a little bit. And because we had previous experience in those markets, it just kind of gave us a heads up on how to come at them,” shares Tina.

“I didn't know, at the time, that that is what was going on but it definitely helped to prepare us. Immediately when our record came out we were thrown into both markets; the gospel and the secular."

The sisters readily admit that in the beginning there was some fear and trepidation as it relates to dealing with their mainstream audience.

"Sometimes we were like 'Oh my God! What are we doing out here? What are we going to say to these people?' Especially after they had just got through grooving to 'The Thong Song' and we went out there with 'Thank You Lord'," admits Tina.

Regardless of their success, the duo is quick to still honor their pastor and look for approval in that area as opposed to relying on their own intellect.

"The one good thing was that we did have the support of our pastor," states Erica. "People had comments and stuff like that. My pastor said, 'It's alright. Go ahead and when you come back, get right back in the choir.'”

“For some reason I didn't understand it then, but now we understand why. It's business, it's behind the scenes that we were able to watch. It's management, agents, and all of these other pieces that fit in the puzzle that we started learning about the business."

And although the duo sang background in R&B circles prior to launching their gospel career, they are quick to point out that that particular path is not a license or an endorsement for Christians to sing anything.

"Not that it's OK to be out there doing any kind of music," declares Tina. "For the most part, the artists that we were with were singing about love in the pure form so it did not contradict [what we believed]. We weren't with those 'drop it like it's hot' kind of people. That would've been an obvious conflict there," comments Tina.

Understanding the outstanding success of Thankful (see album review), Mary Mary realized the pressures that would accompany their follow-up album.

"Everybody wants another 'Shackles', " says Tina. "People only know you from what you did. They know you from the impressions that you made. The impression that they got from us, for the most part, with the last record was 'Shackles'."

"So we've got to make a new impression," states Erica.

"Some people were like, ''Is it like 'Shackles'?' To some degree we were feeling pressured. Then we realized that the same God who blessed us to write the music the first time is the same God that is on our side now. So we're just going to put that and our talents and our prayers together and get in there and do it again," says Tina.

"God gives you things for certain seasons and certain times," Erica says. "I think that God has given us something that people need right now. Something that they want to hear and will encourage, motivate, and uplift all at the same time."

These women of the Gospel are highly focused on reaching more souls for the Kingdom. The debut of Incredible is well on its way to them accomplishing their goal; it debuted on the Billboard 200 at #20 and sold over 42,000 units in its first week. The sisters understand their mission and are ready to do what's necessary to be soul winners.

"We know that the body of Christ, as a whole, knows who God is and that Jesus is coming back. But there are tons of people who don't get it. Tons of people who have been wounded by the church. Tons of people who have never went to church," declares Erica. "Their whole lives have been devastated so in their minds they don't have a reason to believe. For those people, we have a mission to let them know that Jesus is real. He can make you smile too. He can make it alright for you too."

In addition, they see their mission as not limited to the downtrodden, but also to those who are in a better social status.

"It’s also for the people who have and feel they are sufficient of themselves. You know, for them, everything is about their intellect, money, power, and know-how. It's to let them know that God giveth and God taketh away. If you do not get yourself right with Him, you may have pleasures down here, but when you get to the other side, you're going to have devastation and frustration and fire," states Tina.

As the duo travels around the world spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, they admit that it is often challenging to stay charged.

"It's difficult. It's amazing though, how God always gives you just what you need just when you need it," acknowledges Erica. "We can be going through something and me and Tina will say 'Something's about to get cancelled because I got to go to church, bible study, prayer meeting, something!' Somebody will always say 'Come by my church before you go to this particular concert,' and we're always charged and blessed.

We were in London and church there was such a blessing, the pastor's words encouraged us so much. Sometimes you have to encourage yourself. Sometimes I'm on a plane having praise and worship by myself. I'm just trying to connected just letting God know that I really need Him. There's one thing that my parents said that made a whole lot of sense. When you're praying, you're talking to God. But when you're reading His Word, He's talking to you. So make sure that you stay in the Word and make sure that you stay connected. Make sure that you're checking yourself," continues Erica.

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Check out these previous Mary Mary features: Thankful Album Review 2000 Interview with Mary Mary Erica Campbell's Wedding

"Because if you're try to do it in and of your own strength, you're coming down man," interjects Tina. "When there's no anointing, there's no nothing. It's just a bunch of useless entertainment and that's not ever our purpose. Of course, you want people to be feel happy and encouraged and uplifted on the natural side, but if they don't feel any God from us than we're totally defeating our purpose," continues Tina.

Awards and notoriety aren't the only things that Mary Mary have gained over the last two years. The group could now be called "Married Married" —as both are relative newlyweds. These new marriages also offer new areas for adapting as they balance their relationships with their stellar careers.

"It's special and more hectic. It's a lot of interpersonal stress," jokes Tina. "It's crazy because we're totally glad and blessed that we have a career doing music that we enjoy....music that's going to be a part of us even if our careers didn't involve this. At the same time, we totally love being wives. I enjoy being at home, being domestic, being needed by my husband and getting the family thing right. A lot of times we do miss home. Right now it's a BIG sacrifice because for day after day after day after month we're gone. I'm like 'I really miss my husband so can we cancel two days and I go home?' But you know you can't do that."

"Because this is ministry," states Erica. "Growing up in a house where you had a preacher for a father and a pastor for an uncle and every other man is a preacher, you understand the busyness and hectic schedule of ministry.”

“A lot of times people are saying 'How do you feel about being a superstar?'. I feel like I'm more in ministry than anything else because I've got to watch myself and just be ready. Because of the side of the business that we're on as well, luckily we have husbands that understand. You want to make sure that you're physically fit, that you're mentally there, and spiritually where you need to be. Having somebody that's saved and loves God like you love Him, it definitely helps.

“They are both in the [music] business. However, something that can never be substituted is spending time together. The phone and the 2-way is cool but I want to see you! Come hold my hand or something," laughs Erica.

While Mary Mary are decidedly urban, they have consistently acknowledged the traditional side of the gospel industry. On their latest project, Incredible, the duo remakes the traditional "God Has Smiled on Me" as well as the gospel classic "Thank You".

For the two sisters, the powerful sample of Rev. James Moore (see online tribute) at the close of the song only made sense.

"You know, some things can be imitated but never, ever quite duplicated quite right,"says Erica in an extremely playful voice. "So we did our bit and that part with James Moore just always did something special for me and I didn't want to try and do that over.

So Warryn [Campbell] said that at the end we're just going to let him do his part. It's also kind of a tribute. He is very sorely missed in the Gospel music industry so it's kind of a little tribute letting people know that this is where contemporary music comes from...the traditional stuff like 'God Has Smiled on Me'. It can bless you."

Tina interjects, "and we LOVE the songs. 'Thank You Lord'...Oh my God, how many years did we sing that straight? Like fifteen?! How about since the song came out until about three years ago is when we stopped singing it."

"You can't really move forward without acknowledging your past or recognizing where you come from and where the love for music started. It started with a lot of traditional music. Well, stuff that people kind of call 'traditional' music today but like The Winans 'The Question Is' ain't never going to be traditional to me. You know what I'm saying?" says Erica.

Not surprisingly, the duo has received tons of encouragement from some of these "traditional" artists. "You know what? It's crazy," says Tina. "Pastor Shirley Caesar told us 'You keep doing what you're doing just the way you're doing it because God has ordained you all for this time. You guys are going to get to people that I could never get to. Also, in twenty years, this music itself is going to be considered 'traditional'. So people who are resistent to change, don't worry about them. Just do it, because God is with y'all.'”

To me, that was what I needed to hear. Between my pastor and the people that I look up to and respect and know that God is with them, when they put their hand of approval on us and God is saying that 'this is well' then you just go forward and do it. You do it the way that God gives it to you."

In constructing Incredible, Mary Mary connected with amazing talents including super producers Warryn Campbell and Rodney Jerkins. Perhaps the most interesting collaboration for the group was "This Love" where they worked with the legendary Fred Hammond.

The connection was organized during a visit that occured between Campbell and Hammond. Campbell thought it would be a great idea for Hammond to work on the Mary Mary project. Hammond agreed and thought that a tradeoff would be in order. Consequently, Hammond appears on "This Love" and Mary Mary will be on Hammond's upcoming project Speak Those Things to be released in September 2002.

But the ladies found themselves more in fan mode than artist mode during their studio time with one of the Commissioned founders.

"Me and Tina were so geeked. We were like 'Oh my God'," admits Erica.

"I kind of felt like a dork afterwards," confesses Tina. "I was really putting too much on it. I was like 'Fred Hammond, we love you' and I felt like I was acting like a groupie. I mean, how many times was I going to say it, right?”

“Erica was like, 'Tina lay it back a little bit'. But I was like, man....do you understand how long I've been listening to his music? I've been loving his music since I first heard 'I'm Going On' on the radio and thought it was The Winans, called the radio station and found out it was Commissioned and taped everything because I couldn't afford to buy a tape back then.”

“Thank God the Lord delivered us from the dubbing ministries," admits Tina. "I'm buying everything now. If I like one song now, I'm buying the whole album. But we have been enjoying his music forever and I was just like 'Man, this is Fred Hammond and we're doing a song with him'."

"And then his ministry is just so crazy," says Erica. "The songs...like his ballads? Who can sing a ballad like Fred Hammond? NOBODY."

"He caused a many days of tarrying and praise and worship in my car," laughs Tina. "No weapon Lord...no weapon," continues Tina as the duo breaks out into infectious laughter.

The success of Mary Mary has afforded them unique opportunities to perform and travel as well as collaborate with some of music's finest artists over the last few years.

Recently, they appeared on breakout solo projects from Woody Rock (see album review)and Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams (see album review). While some may frown on those partnerships, the ladies look to previous collaborations as precedence and inspiration.

"It's the same as The Winans doing 'It's Time' with Teddy Riley or the song with Anita Baker or some of the other collaborations that have taken place. Collaborations are always going to take place." says Erica.

"Everybody has a right to praise God," says Tina. "And if they're looking to us for music that is going to bring people closer to God and to express their faith and show that they do thank and appreciate God, than I'm for it."

"I don't think God is going to turn over His shoulder and ask the church crew, 'So what do y'all think about this one?'," says Erica.

"We all need to be thanking and giving God some thanks. Even if we're not glorifying Him with our gifts and talents," says Tina. "I'm not saying that that is the case with [Rock and Williams] but everybody has a right to say 'Thank you, Lord'. When it's inspirational and God-inspired and they want us to be involved, then let's do it."

As with all success comes great responsiblity and Mary Mary is quick to own up to theirs. "I think our role in the gospel music industry is to uplift and encourage our comrades, counterparts and co-workers in the ministry, if you will," states Erica. "We have to stand together and represent God well not only in the gospel music industry but in the mainstream. In the gospel music industry, to be that face of gospel to let them know that we're all different in the body of Christ. And it's all good. It's cool to be different. We shouldn't be judging and ostracizing and putting people aside."

"Also, there's a lot of young people who are growing up in the church like we did where you don't have the option of not going to Sunday School or seven services a week and all of that kind of stuff," says Tina. "They're drawn to the world because it seems like it's so much fun and more exciting because everybody is enjoying themselves and they're cool.”

“We need to show those young people that we're those same kids that grew up in the church. Y'all think that we're cool because we're on TV or you might see us in a magazine, but we're church kids. Not that being a church kid makes you saved. We love the Lord and we're proud of it. You don't have to try to go out there and be like [the world]. We're cool too and we have something going on. Young people have to identify with somebody or they'll be gravitating to the people out there."

"It also shows them that this is possible for them as well," says Erica. "There is so much talent in these churches. I mean, every church you go in, there is somebody that could be killin' on somebody's record. It's to encourage other Christians. For the secular world, [our responsibility] is to draw men to God, and squash those stereotypes. The images that they always see on the TV shows is someone with crazy, tore up looking hair whose outfit is just whack. No, no, no. Come to my church."

As a wonderful sign of their playful and jovial relationship, Tina chimes in with, "Now was that nice?"

Erica responds, "I'm talking [about] on TV. They always make [Christians] look crazy. They have us running around ten years behind the times. What we're saying makes no sense. They're hollering and screaming. That is not how real Christians are. This is what real Christians are. We try to please God with our lives. We try to let people know that He is our source of strength and that He can be that source for you too."

Over the last few years, Mary Mary has amassed numerous awards and accolades which can make for a ton of memories. Yet, they cite the most memorable experiences not to be performances or awards but rather the impact that they've made on the lives of their listeners.

"There was a little girl in Alaska who was a parapalegic and she was saying 'My feet don't move but for some reason, when I put 'Shackles' on my computer, I can tap my toe,' says Erica.

"There was a man who was depressed who and was sitting in a closet. He's a friend of the editor of Teen People magazine. He was in the room in the dark for five days and would not come out. He listened to 'Shackles' and he opened the windows, got out, got back into society, and started living again.”

“I remember the first time we met Ananda Lewis [MTV VJ]. She can't talk about 'Can't Give Up Now' without crying now. I was watching MTV one day and saw her hold up a Mary Mary CD and said 'This is what you need to have. This is Mary Mary.' I was like 'Oh my God. I can't believe she just plugged the CD like that on MTV,' after it was like a year and a half old. Those things are the greatest things that we get...the testimonies from the people."

No matter what, Mary Mary love the people that they serve. Following the interview, they were headed to an autograph session and free in-store concert to promote Incredible. Yet they wanted to give a special message to the readers of Gospelflava.com. "We want to thank you for supporting us and checking out our website. It's good to know that you have support. It means something and we need that, " says the duo.

Mary Mary's talent, strength, skills, and humility certifies them and their ministry as simply Incredible.