LISA TADDEO MISTY COPELAND

“‘I AM DONE WITH BELONGING.’ I COMPLETELY RELATE TO THIS QUOTE BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I DON’T BELONG FOR MOST OF MY CAREER. DO YOU HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM YOU RELY ON THAT MAKES BELONGING FEEL LESS IMPORTANT TO YOU?”

My life has always been very complicated around this question of belonging. I lost my mom, and the great lesson of this grief is that I have all this love for someone who is invisible now. I know I sound like a very lonely boy, but that knowledge gives me strength every day. I also started touring again, so I’m starting a relationship with my tour family. I give so much onstage, and they become a strong support system. The only thing that brings me true acceptance and relief is praying to my mother, and praying to Jesus. I’m interested to see what that’s going to do to my dancing on this tour.

“WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU FELT TRULY PROUD OF YOURSELF?”

This morning, when I was sweating on my gym bike. I was like, Another day, Redcar, another day. You’ve got to show up for yourself every day. Mood.

“YOU HAVE THIS GRAND PASSION AND SENSITIVITY, AND YOU CREATE SUCH POWERFUL ART EVEN IN THE THROES OF EMOTIONAL UPHEAVAL. DO YOU FEEL MORE PEACE WHEN YOU HAVE UNITY, COMFORT, AND PROGRESS IN YOUR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION, OR WHEN YOU HAVE UNITY, COMFORT, AND PROGRESS IN YOUR ROMANTIC LIFE?”

Thank you for noticing that I open my heart. I think of true love as this all-encompassing empathy, and I’m still searching for that. So far, I’ve only experienced groundbreaking passion through friction. It’s been a great source of pain, but also a source of enlightenment in my music—which became the cathedral, the shelter where I went to make sense of things. This new record is a true heart-opener—I love music that feels like the listener and artist are processing together. I see that as my discipline now. But I think that kind of relationship is in my future. I’m looking for the kind of love that illuminates my personal life and my practice—for me the two are so intertwined.