From My Heart To Yours

After a rough breakup she didn’t see coming, Power star and single mom Naturi Naughton shares her truth and lessons learned in an open letter to Black women

- Naturi Naughton

Being a celebrity woman in the entertainment business doesn’t exempt me from heartbreak or the ups and downs of love. And my life sometimes imitates my art. Playing Tasha on the hit TV series Power gives me a chance to bring raw emotions to the screen, just as pouring my heart into my music brings me joy. I’m currently writing my own songs and working on an extremely vulnerable album that I can’t wait for you all to hear. You’ll discover that at my core I’m still the girl next door—the girl from East Orange, New Jersey, who had a dream. But I can use my voice to empower other women, so I’m sharing my story with you.

As a woman and a young mother, I’ve learned that we should never compromise our happiness for anyone, especially in a relationship. Women are used to sacrificing for others, and sometimes that selflessness becomes dysfunctional. You know in your heart when you’re not happy and when you’re feeling undervalued. As soon as you realize that you are settling or conceding your worth, you have to make a move. Check in with yourself and say, Wait a minute. Is this what I want? Is this who I really am?

My ex and I broke up three months after our daughter, Zuri, was born. I was devastated. I didn’t tell anybody about our breakup for two years, because I was embarrassed and ashamed. I recently wrote a song about it (“Stay Too Long”) because I’m not afraid to share what happened anymore.

Breaking up with someone you love is real, and you might still have to put on your lipstick and your heels, walk into work and be able to deliver. And that’s hard. I went back to work shortly after having my baby girl, and I was trying to find my footing every day. Since then, I’ve learned to be unafraid and not compromise my happiness for anyone, particularly a man.