Anita Baker reached unprecedented heights during her many years as a successful R&B singer in the music industry. Like many others, her rise to fame wasn’t the result of an easy journey. She faced many obstacles along the way. In fact, the singer has shared details about the family secrets she was plagued with for many years and how she managed to overcome. You won’t believe all Anita’s been through.
The Family Secret Revealed
Many fans probably have no idea Anita Baker’s mother gave her up for adoption when she was just a baby. The daunting realization of her mother’s decision actually made her question her worth and the purpose of her life. During an interview with Essence, she spoke openly about her life:
“It started with the fact that my mother gave me up when I was a baby,” she said. “Not because she was a bad person or because she was some monster or something. She was just a child and could not care for me. It has taken me a long time to find peace within my own heart.”
There’s More To Her Story Apparently…
JRank.org also reported that the woman Anita once believed was her mother, was a woman by the name of Mary Lewis. Although it was never publicly confirmed who Mary actually was, it wasn’t until Anita was 13 years old, when Mary died, that she found out she was actually a foster child and Mary was her foster parent. Her aunt, Lois Landry, was the beautician who Anita reportedly thought was originally her older sister. But after Mary’s passing, Lois reportedly informed Anita that she was her aunt and that she was actually given away by her birth mother, to Mary. Afterwards, Lois and her husband, Walter Landry, officially adopted little Anita and raised her as their own. Anita now refers to Lois as her ‘earth Mother.’
JRRank.org also quoted Anita as having stated this to Essence Magazine about the neglect and pain she felt for a long time after learning she was given away by her 16 year old mother:
“That child believed her mother abandoned her,” [Anita Baker] said (referring to herself), “because there was something bad about her. Something terrible that made her unlovable. And until Walter [Baker’s future husband], that is how I felt about me—that I was not good enough. Not good, period.”
Her ‘Earth Mother’ Became Gravely Ill
So despite her humble beginnings, Anita was blessed to be adopted by a loving family and she managed to prevail. However, for every level of success, there are more problems. Anita also revealed the parental battle she faced after rising to success. Whenever she’d have music obligations, her adopted mother would take sick:
“Every time I would leave to do music, my mother would go into the hospital,” she said. “And eventually I decided, you know what, I’m not leaving, because it’s just not worth it to me to leave her.”
So she came up with what she believed would be a solution to the problem:
“I set up a studio at home. My producer would be flying in, and we’d be in the middle of something, and I would get a call from the hospital, and I’d have to go.”
She Turned 60 & Is Aging Like Fine Wine!
Now, those days are behind the “Sweet Love” singer. For her 60th birthday, Anita made a surprise announcement many fans probably didn’t expect.
“So much to celebrate with you in 2018, she said. “60th birthday in 25 days… farewell concert series beginning in March. We’ll paint pictures together two last a lifetime… let’s party!”
Baker is known for hits such as “Caught Up In The Rapture Of Love,” “Fairytales” and “I Apologize.” She’s also been a muse to many artists, including Andre 3000 who mentioned wanting to do a t-shirt collection with her in a recent GQ article.
“I was going through an Anita Baker phase, and I started trying to buy a T-shirt,” the Outkast rapper said. “So I go on the Internet and I find this site that had shirts with photos of Anita on them. So I bought two or three of them. Then when I got ’em in the mail, they were like—the part of the shirt where the picture was printed on there was so hard.”
We appreciate Anita’s honesty with her story. She has probably just helped someone else out there deal with any feelings of belongingness they may have been questioning about themselves, or their self worth. Now when I listen to her music, the pain I feel in her voice, seems that much more real and relatable. Much respect to Anita for pouring her soul/pain into her work and helping her fans get through tough times, great times, and for helping them make a few babies along the way, LOL. Gotta love the power of REAL R&B soul music!
