Tracee Ellis Ross Opens Up About Being Too Shy To Follow In Diana Ross’ Footsteps

“The song is about the ritual of hair care, self-care, and that authentic legacy that we come from that when you sit down between the legs of your mother and get your hair done–,” she said before breaking into song. She then stopped herself when Jimmy and the audience began applauding noting that singing makes her feel “nervous and sweaty.”

She added, “I come from a legacy of quite a powerhouse singer lady,” referring to her mom Diana.

After sharing the story of the time she was a child and shied away from singing with her mom during one of her performances, she recalled another story when she was in high school.

“I was so shy and then I finally sang at a talent show in high school and I started too high and my voice cracked and the entire school was like (chanting) ‘Tracee, Tracee,’” she said.

“My friend had to come on stage and hug me and I tried again and then I took a break for 35 years,” she joked.

But this isn’t the first time that Tracee took another stab at singing. In 2020, the Girlfriends star made her singing debut in the film The High Note. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Tracee shared how terrified she was to play a singer in the film.

“I’ve always wanted to sing,” she said. “It was a childhood dream that I don’t know when or why I put aside. I mean, I understand why it was scary for me with my mom being Diana Ross, those are very big shoes to fill. I think I was worried about the comparison.”

Watch The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon interview below: