Jennifer Hudson talks denim, her upcoming album and leaving New York for L.A.
“I guess time flies when you’re having fun,†Jennifer Hudson proclaimed from the second floor of the New York & Co. flagship in New York. The affable actress and singer was celebrating the one-year anniversary of her collaboration with the brand and had come out wearing a white dress with a light denim jacket slung over her shoulders — “JH†patch embroidered onto the back. “I like broaches — to me the patch is a younger version of a broach,†she explained of the accessory. “[They] give you something to play with, add to things. Switch it up.â€
Despite the heat dome surrounding the Northeast as of late, Hudson was adamant that denim is a go-to summertime wardrobe pick. “When it’s summer, that means a lot of air conditioning. Somebody like myself, I get cold a lot. I feel like the denim helps keep you warm at times, but it’s still cool enough to wear in the summer.â€
Hudson has a lot on her plate at the moment: Since leaving her role in “The Color Purple†on Broadway, she signed with Epic Records to work on her fourth studio album, is preparing to star in her first comedy alongside Adam Sandler and will soon start rehearsals for “Hairspray Live!†being broadcast in December.
She’s also one-song deep on her next album. “I’ve been exposed to so much, especially the Broadway experience and being around artists and musicians, in every form. I’m curious to see how it’s going to spill from me and what’s going to come from it,†she said. “I feel like I’m in a new space now creatively. What that is, I don’t know. I’m discovering that.â€
Hudson is playing a very familiar role — an artist — in Sandler’s “Sandy Wexler.†“I’ve always wanted to do a comedy, I never guessed my first comedy movie would be with Adam Sandler, I’m such a fan. I’m super excited,†she exclaimed. “In my fittings I realized, ‘Oh my god, my style is really ’90s.’ I was, like, ‘I have that, I have that, I have that.’â€
Oh — and she’s moving to Los Angeles — today — to tackle it all. “I’ve been [in New York] for a whole year, because I just finished my run on Broadway, so now I get to go coast to coast. I was so inspired here, I just love the culture,†she reflected. “What I love most about New York is that everyone is their own person. And my favorite thing to do here is people watch.â€
How does she juggle all of her projects? “I try to take things one step at a time.†Dressing the part helps as well. “I have a lot of things to do throughout the day, being a mom, going to work. It just varies, I like to make sure my clothes are interchangeable, they’re comfortable and they look good at the same time. I’m a working woman.â€
