Jennifer Hudson – And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going – 2006

Every now and then I come across a performance that reminds me why I fell in love with music in the first place.

Not just because somebody can sing.
Not because somebody can hit a high note.
Because they make you feel every single word.

That is exactly what Jennifer Hudson did with And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going in Dreamgirls.

It had been a few years since I last watched Dreamgirls, and talking about it recently reminded me that I need to sit down and watch it again. 🍿
The crazy part is I already know what is going to happen.
I already know every major scene.
It still does not matter.
When Effie starts singing, I stop everything and watch.
Every.
Single.
Time. 🎬🎤❤️

If you know me, then you already know this movie holds a special place in my heart.

Dreamgirls is easily one of my Top Ten favorite musicals of all time.
The soundtrack is also one of my Top Ten favorite movie soundtracks ever made.
That soundtrack never gets old.
I can put it on today and let it play straight through without reaching for the skip button. 🎶💿🔥

The song itself has an incredible history.

And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going was written by Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen for the original (1982) Broadway production of Dreamgirls.
Jennifer Holliday turned it into one of the greatest showstoppers Broadway has ever seen.
It was flawless!

I grew up on Holliday’s version, so that was the standard.
That meant whoever played Effie in the movie was going to be compared to a legend.

Then along came Jennifer Hudson.

Before Hollywood knew her, America knew her from Season 3 of American Idol.
Idol shocked a lot of people when she was eliminated in seventh place. (Me Included)
I 💜 Fantasia, don’t get me wrong, but Jennifer was my favorite to win.
Ironically, that same season was won by Fantasia Barrino, who also auditioned for the role of Effie White.
Both women had the voice, the presence, and the emotion to play the character, but director Bill Condon ultimately chose Jennifer.

Looking back now, that decision feels like destiny. 🙌🏾🏆

One of the things I have always loved learning about this performance is that Bill Condon coached Jennifer through every emotional beat of the song.
He wanted her to stop thinking about delivering a perfect vocal and instead live inside Effie’s heartbreak.
Bill asked Jennifer to reach inside her own personal pain for the performance.
You can see it on her face before she even sings the first note.
By the time the music begins, the tears, the pain, the disbelief, and the desperation are already there.

That is acting.
That is storytelling.
That is why this performance still gives people chills almost twenty years later.

There is one line that hits me differently every time I hear it.
You’re gonna love me.
The older I get, the more I realize those words are not just lyrics.
Inside the movie, Effie is telling Curtis that one day he will understand exactly what he threw away.

Outside the movie, it almost feels like Jennifer Hudson is speaking directly to her doubters.
Think about it.
She finishes seventh on American Idol.
Some people question whether she is leading lady material.
Then she lands her very first feature film.
She delivers one of the greatest musical performances ever captured on film.
Then she wins the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.🏆
Tell me that is not one of the greatest comeback stories in entertainment history. 👏🏾🎭✨

Another reason I love this soundtrack is because it grows with the story.
You hear echoes of classic soul, Motown, pop, funk, and disco as the years pass.
As a DJ, I appreciate that attention to detail.
It sounds authentic to every era while still feeling fresh enough to enjoy today.

Songs like Dreamgirls, Love You I Do, Listen, Patience, It’s All Over, and both versions of One Night Only all deserve their flowers.
They are not just songs from a movie.
They are songs I genuinely enjoy listening to.

Personal Memory:
👬My Husband and I walked down the aisle to When I First Saw You (Jamie’s Solo Version)💍
I chose it intentionally because of Jamie Fox‘s beautiful voice and delivery.
It was perfect for our day!

For me, the greatest singers have always done more than impress me with technique.
They make me believe them.
That is exactly what Jennifer Hudson accomplished.

She was not just singing.
She was fighting for her future.
She was fighting for her place.
She was fighting to be heard.

And judging by the standing ovation she received from audiences around the world, I would say she won that fight.
Some performances deserve applause.
Some performances become history.

This one did both. ❤️🎶🏆

𝓓𝓙𝓩7

PS…
I included both Jennifer’s versions.
Question: So whose version do I like the most, Holliday or Hudson?
Answer: I 💜 both. They both belong on The Soundtrack of My Life.

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