,
COO continu clu iv in rvie
ordin ti t r r n wly r
Ie album, "Ma Him Do Right," i certain to be
another chart topping t ller. ryn i m ri
r t pr uc r Terry I..ewi , of the hi t- m ing duo
JimmyJ nd Terry Lewi . With aryn's vocal tal
and T rry' producing '11, it' hard f r this h band­
wife duo to mi , Karyn' experienced numerou
chan in her life since the las lbum thr years ago.
In addition to being a ife, he' also mother of a baby
daughter and step mom to Terry' two children. a
wif , mother nd or ing' car r woman, Karyn finds
hers If living up to her previous 1991 hi ingie "Super­
woman,"
THE COOP: What impact did having the baby
durin th· album have on you?
KARYN: It was great. Ashley as in the studio
singing all the time, When we were in the studio, I
definitely wanted her around because Terry and I would
be there for so many long hours. Terry would have her,
itting on his lap 88 he pushed buttons on the board. It
was such a wonderful sight for me to look into the studio
gl s and s them out there.
Sometimes Ashley would be sucking her thumb while
she rocked to the music, My mother called me recently
and said Ashley saw Whitney Houston on TV and she
walked up to the screen and started saying, 'mommie,
momrnie!' It's so funny because everytime she sees a
brown kin woman on 'IV she thinks it's me!
THE SCOOP: What was it like the very /irst time
he called ou mommies
KARYN: That's probably one of the greatest days of
my life. It really made my day, my week, just everything.
I t was such a connection to verbally hear her say it. She
w about 8 months old the first time he aid it. No ,
she actually calls me 'Me Me' for some reason. We were
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he aid mam . And I ju t
tunn h t to y. I
Everyone y babi u ually ay d d fi
hley w different. When Terry got home I
ing him bout her aying mama fi t.· We all
laugh from it. .
THE SCOOP: How did you balance working on
t album and now bei CJ new moth r and wifi ,
KARYN: It a lot. Thi album v ry long .
proj . Just because I working ith superstar
producers didn't ma e it easy. Jimmy and Terry were
also orking on -Janet Jackson' album, 80 that delayed
mine. I really wasn't ready to come out publicly anyway.
I w happy with that because it gave me a chance to
spend more time with my daughter. I wanted to make
sure that she knew who her mother is and not a nanny
or a babysitter. '
When I was doing the album and spending tim with
Ashley plus being a wife, I gained new respect for omen
like Van a Williams. I really have to ki Vanessa's
feet! I don't know how she's managed to balance it all
with three small children. It's been a real challenge for
me with just one child. I need to 88 Van a for some
advice."
THE SCOOP: Will you be taking .A.hley on tour'
KARYN: That's a good question. I feel like when I'm
working, she's also working. I'm trying to keep her in a
stable environment. She goes to a little school and a
gym boree. I have an a.m. and a p.m. nanny. But it's
really expensive. So I must have some good sales on this
album! The nannies travel with us, plus their hotel
rooms and salaries have to be paid. It's expensive but
worth it.
THE SCOOP: So when ,ou're home in innea-
polu, do �u cook CI Iaorue r'
KARYN: Yes. We have a lady who also stays with my
two step children, Chloe (age 9) and Trey (age 13). We
don't have a cook. I do some cooking but it's Ter:ry who's
the real cook in the family. Terry is one of those guys
who can do it all.
When I first met him he was' such an independent
man. He was a single parent who was doing a great job
raising his son and daughter. Terry can comb and plait
hair; dress the kids and knows how to shop for them too.
I've had men say they can't believe Terry can change
diapers. I said, 'Are you kidding? Terry's family comes
first and foremost. I'm really proud of him.
THE SCOOP: When you and Terry were first
married, 1008 there a big a4jUBtment for the kid8
with you?
KARYN: The thought of it made meso nervous. But
it was actually a very smooth transition. I was wonder­
ing how I was going to come in and do this. Because
when we got married I was only 24. I wanted to start off
by letting them know that I was their friend and it grew
from there."
I t was real easy because they could easily see that I
. genuinely cared about them and loved them. I didn't
come trying to take the plsce of their mother, But
eventually they started calling me Mommie Karyn and
they call me Mom, just li e Ashley does. Plus, Chloe had
been a big fan' of mine' and was very excited about
meeting me when we first met." '
THE SCOOP: What are ome of Terry' favorite
dishes to cook'
KARYN: He h several. One of my f v ri i hi
lasagna. He also makes great low fat yam . I've h d
alter his cooking methods to more low fat, which h h
bee a I gained 45 pounds after Ashley was born. I w
. really physically active during most of my pr gn an y bu t
during that last month I gav in and started ati ng
everything. It's been really hard ling thi w right. I
wish somebody had told me it would be this tou h.
THE SCOOP: So how did you lo e it?
KARYN: You mean what am I doing to still Ii?
(laughs) I'm almost there. I'm real1y working out nd
I've changed those eatinghabits. Terry's h Ipin ou, by
, not cooking such rich dishe . H ' told th kids, 'Mom-
mie's got to get bac in shape and we'v all got h 1
, her.'
THE SCOOP: What' a typical evening out (or
the Lewi Family'
KARYN: There's a restaurant in Minneapoli
called Sidney's .. We're always going there to
that we may 18 e the kids to a movie. And wh n w 'r
back home, we have several Los Vegas-style g mes 0
children that we all play togeth r. It's fun and 1 h I
the kids with their counting.
We're always going to Disney 0 lando, too. An wp'r
also regular visitors in Lag Vegas, We tak th 'wh 1
family all the time. Sometim when we'r in L s 11-
geles, we may be the only people in a restaur nt wi h
children, Terry and I are just all about-being to th r '
with our kids as a family. Away from Our mu ic, w 'r.
just plain old family folks just like everybody 1 ).