Success and longevity in the music industry require more than just talent, according to award-winning gospel artist CeCe Winans. It takes discipline, she says — especially when it comes to self-care and staying grounded in faith and family.

Winans spoke with Faithfully Magazine just weeks after the release of “The Hymns,” which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, and ahead of her devotional book, Faith for Generations, out July 21.

The veteran artist was candid about the physical and spiritual toll of life in the spotlight. Artists have to tend to their spirit, soul, and body, she said, “and a lot of times artists lose sight of that, and that’s why we lose so many people before their time.”

Winans learned early on in her 44-year career to keep faith and family paramount to pursuing success.

“I’ve gotten wiser over the years, but prioritizing has been a part of my life for a long time,” she explained.

“I’ve been married now for 42 years,” Winans said. “I’m 61. So I had to learn really early on to prioritize my husband and my family over my career — putting God first, and then putting those other things in place…”

Winans also revealed how she keeps herself from simply doing too much to avoid burnout as an artist — which is no small feat, considering the proud grandmother made her public debut (alongside her brother BeBe) as a teen in 1982 as part of the PTL Singers on Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s “The PTL Club.”

Although they were not the first Black gospel artists to draw appeal from White Christian audiences, the duo was certainly influential in breaking down racial divisions in Christian music — a topic we touch on in the interview.

The full audio interview and complete Q&A transcript are available exclusively to Faithfully Magazine Substack subscribers.

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Head to faithfullymag.com to hear Winans’ unedited reflections — including her special message to fans who have helped her maintain success over the years — and join the conversation in the comments.