Iyanla Vanzant shares her musical inspirations

As part of Tell Me More's occasional series "In Your Ear," author and one-time Oprah Winfrey protege Iyanla Vanzant shares her musical inspirations. Artists include Kem, Mary J. Blige and Yolanda Adams

MICHEL MARTIN, host: Now to a segment we call In Your Ear. That's where we ask some of our guests to tell us what music's been rocking their worlds, motivating them through a power walk or offering the background to some moments of relaxation.

Today, one-time Oprah Winfrey protege, Iyanla Vanzant. She made a name for herself as an author and a regular guest on "Oprah." And she seemed on the fast track toward getting her own show like Dr. Phil's or Nate Berkus's, but there was a falling out, which Ms. Vanzant wrote about in a recent book.

SUZAN JOHNSON COOK: She returned for an appearance in the final season of Oprah and she talked with us about her experiences just last month. And then she stayed for a few more minutes to talk music.

VANZANT: I just absolutely love that song. I don't think about it from the relationship, lover perspective. It was my daughter's favorite song. And when she was diagnosed with colon cancer, she said that the only thing that could heal her, save her, is love. And that whatever love called her to do, she would do. And on December 25th, 2003, she surrendered her life to love.

KEM: (Singing) There's nowhere to hide when the love is calling your name, yeah, from the dark, nowhere to hide, baby. Yeah. There's nowhere to hide, so let love have its way with your heart when love calls. Love calls, love calls your name.

MARY J. BLIGE: (Singing) I've always been curious, meeting someone serious, looking for someone who loves like me. But the day I stopped my search, it seemed that you were put on Earth to show me everything I could not see.

VANZANT: You know, sometimes we have something on our heart or something on our mind and we try to make up words and try to make it sound good, but sometimes all that I can say is, mm, mm, mm. And that's enough.

VANZANT: In my deepest, darkest moments, what really got me through was a prayer. Sometimes my prayer was: help me. Sometimes a prayer was: thank you. What I've discovered is that intimate connection and communication with my creator will always get me through because I know my support, my help is just a prayer away.

MARTIN: That, again, was Iyanla Vanzant, the author and spiritual mentor who was herself a protege of Oprah. To hear our conversation with Ms. Vanzant, please go to NPR.org, choose a Programs menu and click on TEL ME MORE.