Gospel vocalist Yolanda Adams is addressing the criticism she’s received over the years for her sense of style.
Since the early 2000s, Adams, 63, has faced backlash for her fashion choices. Critics argue that because her music genre is all about modesty, her fashion should reflect that.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Adams shared that she never felt restricted by beauty standards or fashion expectations. “Because of the way I was raised in this very free-thinking family where everybody had their own voice and everybody had their own talents, I didn’t feel any need to be anybody other than Yolanda,” says Adams. “And it was very evident, not just in the music, but in the fashions as well.”
On the heels of releasing her 12th studio album after a 13-year-hiatus, “Sunny Days,” on Sept. 13, Adams reflects on her style and the criticism it has garnered throughout her career with the outlet.
“Because I do not have the typical gospel singer body, I think that it was easy for me to just pick out what I wanted and then just wear what I wanted,” Adams continued. “I didn’t grow up in a household where we had stipulations on what we could wear, what we couldn’t wear, what we could listen to, what we couldn’t listen to in my family.”
“I didn’t know there was a thing of ‘you can’t wear this’ and ‘you shouldn’t wear that’ and ‘you need to cover your head’ and stuff like that,” Adams said. “So when people started saying, ‘I don’t know about that [dress],’ well…okay. And now all of a sudden, these are the same people who are now fans. And they’ll say ‘I’ve been with her since day one.’ No, you didn’t. Cut it out. Because I remember!”
Believe album cover
In 2001, the faith-based community was not pleased with Adams’ seventh studio album cover. The vocalist received backlash for wearing a blue knit dress by the GiGi Hunter Collection, which showed her figure and décolletage.
Naysayers aren’t the only ones who have taken notice of Adams’ beauty and style. She’s fondly known as “Thee Gospel Stallion” (a play on the also statuesque Megan Thee Stallion) by fans online.
In 2014, Adams came out to defend Erica Campbell when backlash ensued from the Christian community with many deeming her dress ‘too sexy’. “I know for a fact that Mary Mary-because I’ve known them for years-they don’t try to be sexual,” Adams told Think Positive Magazine recently. “Some of the things that they want to wear, they’re in style.”
When Adams wore a cleavage-baring gown to the 2016 Stellar Awards, Erica Campbell took to X to support Adams amid backlash, writing, “Did the saints really have a problem with Yolanda Adams dress at the Stellars.” She added, “we have to focus on our souls and not get caught up in the exterior of a person.”
Steve Harvey also spoke to Adams’ physical beauty, famously quipping, “Yolanda sho’ is sexy” at the 2005 Celebration of Gospel. He chronicled this controversial moment in his 2006 docu-comedy special Don’t Trip, He Ain’t Through with Me Yet.
“For him to say that, I knew he was joking. I knew he was kidding,” Adams said. “But for him to say that, it caught me by surprise, but then I started reading what people were saying too, you know, commenting on it.
“It’s like, ‘yeah, she sho’ is fine. I wish she was my wife.’ No!” she continued. “Those kinds of things. And then, of course, you had the ones that [said], ‘well, I don’t know about her dressing with her shoulders out and stuff.’ Ma’am, it’s the Shrine Auditorium. It is not 3rd Baptist Church on the other side of Ecclesiastes Road.”
Adams remains unapologetic about her choices and encourages others to live freely without judgment.