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[00:00:02]

UH, THIS IS A CONVERSATION WITH MAJOR WHY I LOVE YOU, HOUSTON.

THAT'S WHEN Y'ALL CLAP.

.

IT IS DEFINITELY A PLEASURE TO BE IN A ROOM FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP FOR SOMETHING WE ALL NEED A LITTLE MORE OF RIGHT NOW.

HOPE.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE REALLY BEING HONEST, WE ARE LIVING IN COMPLICATED TIMES.

IT'S A WORLD THAT CAN FEEL DIVIDED, A NEW CYCLE THAT CAN FEEL RELENTLESS, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CARRYING REAL BURDENS, FAMILIES NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTY AND MOMENTS WHEN IT CAN FEEL EASIER TO RETREAT THAN TO REACH FOR ONE ANOTHER.

AND YET, HERE WE ARE GATHERED IN THE HEART OF HOUSTON FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT LOVE.

NOW, SOME SAY LOVE IS SOFT, SENTIMENTAL, ABSTRACT, BUT I WOULD ARGUE DIFFERENTLY.

LOVE IS COURAGEOUS.

LOVE IS WHAT CALLS US TO CARE ABOUT PEOPLE WE MAY NEVER MEET.

LOVE IS WHAT MAKES US SHOW UP AFTER DISASTERS.

LOVE IS WHAT DRIVES SERVICE.

LOVE IS WHAT HELPS COMMUNITIES TO HEAL.

LOVE IS WHAT REMINDS US OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY WHEN DIVISION TRIES TO CONVINCE US OTHERWISE.

AND TODAY WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING FROM SOMEONE WHOSE MUSIC HAS TOUCHED HEARTS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT WHOSE ROOTS ARE RIGHT HERE FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS.

A GRAMMY NOMINATED ARTIST, A SOUL FOR STORYTELLER, A MAN WHOSE ANTHEM, WHY I LOVE YOU, HAS BECOME THE SOUNDTRACK FOR WEDDINGS, CELEBRATIONS, HEALING MOMENTS, AND PERSONAL REFLECTION FOR SO MANY.

BUT BEYOND THE MUSIC TODAY IS ABOUT SOMETHING DEEPER.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO LOVE YOUR CITY, TO RETURN HOME WITH PURPOSE, TO USE YOUR PLATFORM TO AMPLIFY HOPE, AND TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT EVEN IN OVERWHELMING TIMES, LIGHT EXISTS.

SO HOUSTON, LET'S LEAN INTO THIS MOMENT.

WOULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME WARMLY WELCOME HOME.

ONE OF OUR OWN MAJOR.

HIT THE ROLL.

IT DON'T MATTER.

MAKES YOU MAD.

THAT WAS GOOD, .

YOU SHOULD DO THIS MORE OFTEN.

GOOD.

I WILL.

HAPPY TO DO SO.

HEY EVERYBODY.

HELLO.

Y'ALL GOOD? YES.

I FEEL THE LOVE IN THIS ROOM.

I FEEL THE HOPE IN THIS ROOM.

ABSOLUTELY.

THE, THE CLASS, THE, THE, THE, UM, THE PURPOSE IN REAL TIME.

I'M LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOU AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME FOR COMMITTING TO THE MISSION AND THE CALL ON YOUR LIFE.

YES.

SO WE ARE HERE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MAJOR AH, AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

LET'S GO.

THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK TO YOU SO THAT THE AUDIENCE CAN GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER.

ABSOLUTELY.

UH, WE WANNA SPREAD HOPE AND LOVE TODAY.

YES.

LET'S DO IT.

AND SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN.

HOUSTON HAS ALWAYS CLAIMED YOU AS ONE OF ITS OWN.

YEAH.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO RETURN HOME CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF WHY I LOVE YOU? IT'S, AH, MAN.

WHY I LOVE YOU IS A SONG THAT LITERALLY SHIFTED EVERYTHING FOR ME.

HOUSTON WAS THE LAND AND THE GROUND THAT CULTIVATED MY GIFT, THAT HELPED ME TO SEE MYSELF, THAT HELPED ME TO REALIZE THAT THERE WAS ROOM FOR ME IN ALL OF ME.

AND SO TO RETURN HOME AND TO CELEBRATE A SONG THAT LITERALLY CHANGED MY ENTIRE LIFE IS, IS SURREAL.

I SPENT SOME TIME WITH MY MAMA LAST NIGHT, AND, UH, WE CELEBRATED INTO, UM, THE DAY THAT THIS SONG WAS RELEASED.

TODAY IS THE DAY, 10 YEARS AGO TO THIS DAY.

UM, YEAH.

YEAH.

AND TO BE IN MY HOMETOWN, IT JUST MEANS EVERYTHING.

HOUSTON IS THE MELTING POT.

YES.

PROBABLY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT STILL BOASTS, UH, TO BE THE MOST DIVERSE CITY ABSOLUTELY.

IN, IN THE COUNTRY.

UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT I, THIS IS THE STOCK THAT I COME FROM.

YES.

THE, WE THE COLLECTIVE THE POWER OF TOGETHER.

YEAH.

TELL US, WHAT WAS THE GENESIS FOR WHY I LOVE YOU? HOW DID YOU COME TO THOSE

[00:05:01]

LYRICS? WHAT MADE YOU SING THAT SONG? THE WAY YOU DO A SONG THAT WE ALL LOVE YOU, YOU NEED THE FUNNY FIRST OR THE SERIOUS, THE FUNNY.

WE'LL START WITH THE FUNNY, AND IT MAY, IT MAY RUIN IT FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT Y'ALL CAN, YOU'LL RECOVER.

I'M ON SET OF A WEB SERIES CALLED FLAWED.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF A, UH, A PERSONALITY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY THE NAME OF KEVIN ON STAGE.

HIS BROTHER JASON FREDERICKS, WHO, UH, RECENTLY PASSED AWAY, UH, FROM HIS BATTLE WITH CANCER, UH, WAS A PLAYWRIGHT, A AND SUPER INCREDIBLE.

BUT IT WAS HIS PROJECT AND IT WAS LOW BUDGET UHHUH.

AND THEY SAID, WHAT WE'RE HAVING FOR LUNCH IS SANDWICHES.

AND IT WAS, IT WAS JUST SANDWICHES.

NOTHING SPECIAL TO IT.

I DIDN'T SAY QUIZNOS OR SCHLOSS SCH, I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SAY IT.

RIGHT.

UM, IT WAS, IT WAS SANDWICHES.

AND THEY SAID, HAM OR TURKEY.

AND THEY'RE LIKE, MAJOR, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU WANT? AND I SAID, I DON'T WANT THAT.

THEY SAID, WELL, WHAT KIND WOULD YOU LIKE? AND MY BUDDY JOEL L QUINN, ONE OF THE OTHER ACTORS, WAS PLAYING THIS MELODY ON THE PIANO IN THE ROOM THAT WE WERE BEING HELD IN.

AND I SAID, CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH, .

I WANT A CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH BECAUSE I'M HUNGRY.

I'M HUNGRY.

THEY'RE FILMING IT.

THEY'RE LIKE, DO IT AGAIN, MATE.

DO IT AGAIN.

I'M LIKE, CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH.

AND IT GO, WE POST IT ON INSTAGRAM, IT GOES VIRAL.

AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS ABOUT A THOUSAND LIKES.

SO I THOUGHT I WAS KILLING IT.

I WAS LIKE, YO, TAKE THAT.

AND UM, AND UH, MY PRODUCER AT THE TIME HAD JUST FINISHED WITH MY, MY DEBUT PROJECT.

AND HE SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, WHERE'D YOU GET THAT FROM? AND I SAID, IT JUST CAME TO ME, DOC.

YEAH.

AND HE SAID, WELL, TAKE IT DOWN.

AND I SAID, I'M A GROWN MAN.

DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT .

AND HE SAID, NO, NO, NO, FOR REAL.

THAT'S A HIT.

THERE'S A LOVE SONG IN THAT.

MM.

AND I SAID, YOU THINK? AND HE SAYS, 'CAUSE I WAS THINKING, I, I WAS LIKE, WELL, I WAS THINKING WE COULD PITCH IT TO MAYBE CHICK-FIL-A OR SOMETHING , YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.

AND HE SAYS, NO, NO, NO.

TAKE IT DOWN.

COME TO THE STUDIO.

THERE'S A LOVE SONG IN THAT.

HE SAYS, YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE, THE SOUND OF THE HOOK.

SO WE JUST NEED TO WRITE VERSES AND, AND EVERYTHING.

SO I GET TO THE STUDIO AND HE SAYS, NOW, SO THAT'S THE FUNNY, THAT'S OVER.

OKAY.

THE FUNNY'S OVER.

NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO GET SERIOUS.

HE SAYS, I NEED YOU TO SING ABOUT LOVE.

YEAH.

AND I SAID, OKAY.

HE SAYS, SING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT LET LOVE WAS THE STRONGEST.

AND I'M LIKE, WELL, I AIN'T GOT NOBODY RIGHT NOW.

I, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I HAVEN'T, I'VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH MY MUSIC AND MY CAREER PURSUING MY ART.

AND HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, LOVE.

AND I SAID, OUTSIDE OF MY MAMA AND GOD, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT CONSISTENTLY.

AND HE SAID, WELL, SING ABOUT THAT.

AND I SAID, YEAH.

'CAUSE I'VE DONE ENOUGH STUDY ON THIS THING.

GOD IS LOVE.

YEAH.

LOVE IS GOD.

AND SO THE WORDS JUST STARTED FLOWING BECAUSE WHY I LOVE YOU IS A LOVE LETTER.

I WROTE TO GOD AND LOVE WROTE ME BACK TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW TO REALLY DO THIS LOVE THING ON EARTH.

YEAH.

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

AND SO I HAD LANGUAGE FOR DAYS FOR THAT, AND IT JUST CAME TO ME.

AND NOW WE HAVE, THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

WOO.

YEAH.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

I WILL TELL YOU THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE OFFERS ME A TURKEY OR A HAM SANDWICH, I'M GONNA BE SAY, I'M GONNA BE LOOKING FOR MY BIG BREAK.

YOU GONNA SAY CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING IT.

I MEAN, IT GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE SONG.

IT REALLY DOES.

IT REALLY, YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY SONGS START VERY GOOFY.

LIKE THE MOST SERIOUS ONES.

THERE'S SOME GOOFY BEGINNINGS.

YEAH.

BUT GOD ALWAYS FINDS A WAY TO BRING YOU RIGHT BACK TO WHERE IT'S GOING TO REACH THE HEART.

YEAH.

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD CHICKEN SALAD TODAY.

YOU SHOULD HAVE WHO, WHO'S OVER THE RIOT.

BEFORE THE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS, THE PLATINUM RECORDS AND AUDIENCES AROUND THE WORLD.

WHO WAS YOUNG, MAJOR.

TELL US ABOUT GROWING UP HERE IN HOUSTON AND HOW DID THIS CITY SHAPE YOU? ANYBODY THAT KNOWS MAJOR NOW AND KNEW HIM THEN KNOWS THAT MAJOR HAS BEEN THE SAME MAJOR THE WHOLE TIME.

MY MOTHER IN LOVE, MY SISTER-IN LOVE, ALEXIS JONES, SHOUT OUT TO ALEXIS JONES OF GREAT LINE.

THANK YOU.

ALEXIS.

PR WE WENT TO, UH, HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TOGETHER.

AND UM, AND SHE'S NOW DOING IT BIG.

BUT SHE SAID, SO YOU'RE COMING TO THE CITY.

I'M GONNA TAKE CARE OF YOUR PR WHEN YOU GET TO THE CITY.

I SAID, I GOT SOMEBODY, BUT I THINK YOU COULD DO A BIGGER JOB IN THE CITY.

[00:10:01]

'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THE CITY ALEXIS GOT ME ROLLED OUT.

SHE GOT ME IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

I, I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD MAN THEM, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? MAN, BROUGHT THEM, INTRODUCED ME, YOU KNOW.

BUT, UM, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN MAJOR UNAPOLOGETICALLY BOLDLY ME.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN MAJOR, BUT I HAVEN'T ALWAYS LOVED MY NAME.

MM.

I HATED IT GROWING UP BECAUSE IT WAS SO DIFFERENT.

RIGHT.

EVERYONE HAD MORE COMMON NAMES.

AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THERE WASN'T MEANING THERE, BUT IT WAS LIKE, IMAGINE JOHNNY, CHRIS, AMBER, MAJOR, JOSH, JEFFREY MAJOR, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND SO I HAD TO DEAL WITH ALL THE JOKES AND ALL THE STUFF.

AND IT, AND MY MOM WOULD TELL ME, MAJOR MEANS GREATNESS.

IT MEANS GREAT.

AND IMAGINE TELLING KIDS MY NAME MEANS GREATNESS.

.

THEY'RE LIKE, LIKE, TAKE YOUR GREAT TELEPHONE.

AND, BUT SHE THEN TOLD ME ONCE I GOT TO COLLEGE THAT THE REASON SHE NAMED ME MAJOR WAS BECAUSE SHE PRAYED THAT I'D MAKE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE WORLD.

MM.

SO I'VE BEEN LEANING IN ON IT AND HOPE HAS BEEN THE THEME OF IT ALL.

MM.

ALL RIGHT.

MY FIRST GRANDBABY'S NAME GOING TO BE MATE .

YOU'RE WELCOME.

I GOT KIDS NAMED AFTER ME NOW.

REALLY? IT'S LIKE, IT'S WILD NOW.

NOW THEY NEED TO CALM DOWN BECAUSE, 'CAUSE ME AND MY WIFE, DR.

WIFE, HAVEN'T HAD A KID YET.

WE WORKING ON THAT.

OKAY.

AND YOU NEED A MJ.

BUT I CAN'T STAND WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY COME TO ME AND SAY, THIS IS YOUR, THIS IS YOURS.

THIS IS YOURS.

I'M LIKE, NO, NO.

THAT AIN'T MINE.

THAT AIN'T MINE.

THEY DONE MADE BABIES TO IT.

THE SONG.

BUT THAT AIN'T MINE.

OKAY.

WELL, WHY I LOVE YOU HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE LOVE OF SONGS OF THIS GENERATION.

DID YOU EVER IMAGINE A SONG WRITTEN FROM SUCH A GENUINE PLACE WOULD TOUCH PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD THE WAY IT HAS? I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAID, I DID NOT DREAM OF THIS.

I DREAM BIG.

WE DIDN'T ALWAYS COME FROM AFFLUENCE.

ACTUALLY, WE HAD A VERY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE GROWING UP WHERE WE HAD MONEY.

NO MONEY, SOME MONEY, KIND OF MONEY WHERE THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UM, FUNNY STORY, I REMEMBER ASKING MY MOM COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL AND I SAID, ARE WE, ARE WE RICH? AND SHE SAYS, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

AND I SAID, WHAT ABOUT MIDDLE CLASS? SHE SAYS, SAY THE WORDS.

POOR .

I SAID, I DON'T LIKE THAT.

WE GONNA BE LOWER MIDDLE CLASS FOR NOW, BUT WE WON'T ALWAYS BE.

YEAH.

AND SO, BUT I, I JUST, I'M IN A SPACE OF GRATITUDE.

DEEP GRATITUDE.

BECAUSE I LITERALLY DREAMT OF THIS.

AND MY MOM SAID, THE CURRENCY IS FAITH.

YES.

YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE WITH FAITH AND THE WORKS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

DISCIPLINE OF EXCELLENCE.

ONLY IF YOU STEP INTO THE RING BRING THE BEST OF YOU.

AND I HAVE DONE THAT IN EVERY SPACE.

AND SO IT'S AFFORDED ME TO SEE THINGS THAT I I I PUT OUT THERE.

I I SAID, I'M GONNA DO ALL THIS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR.

YEAH.

AT FIVE IS WHAT I SAID THREE.

I SAID FAMOUS SINGER.

AND I GOT LANGUAGE.

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR AT FIVE.

RIGHT.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST LIKE I USED TO TELL MY SON THAT, UH, WE WERE RICH IN SPIRIT.

IN SPIRIT.

YES.

YES.

THAT'S WHAT SHE THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD ME.

SHE SAID, WE IN SPIRIT, RICH IN SPIRIT.

I THINK EVERY MOTHER GOD TOLD THEIR CHILD, WE ARE RICH IN SPIRIT.

YES.

AND THEN THE MY SON WOULD SAY, MAMA, IS THAT REAL OR IS THAT IN THE SUPERNATURAL ? IT'S IN THE SUPERNATURAL.

IT IT STARTS IN THE SUPERNATURAL AND THEN IT, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WORK THAT THING, IT MANIFESTS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S THE REAL, THAT'S .

SO YOU OFTEN CALL YOURSELF A HOPE DEALER THAT'S BIGGER THAN MUSIC.

WHAT DOES THAT RESPONSIBILITY MEAN TO YOU? ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S WORLD? IT WAS A NICKNAME THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME, UM, BY BILLY JOHNSON, A MUSIC JOURNALIST FOR WHAT WE USED TO CALL YAHOO MUSIC AND YAHOO MUSIC.

THEY DID AN ARTICLE ON MY STORY AND THEY SAID HE'S BRINGING HOPE BACK TO THE WORLD.

HOW YOU DOING MAYOR ? IT'S AN HONOR MAN.

AH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

PLEASURE.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.

YOU'RE GONNA LIKE SOME OF THIS.

YOU'RE GONNA LIKE SOME OF THIS.

I'M TALKING YOUR LANGUAGE.

UM, SO WHERE WAS I? I JUST TURNED 40 YAHOO MUSIC.

HOPE.

OKAY.

HOPE DEALER.

OKAY.

SO, SO , I'VE ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD THAT HOPE IS NOT THE DENIAL OF REALITY.

IT'S THE COMMITMENT TO BELIEVE GREATER IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, HOPE CHANGED MY LIFE.

HOPE WAS MY CURRENCY

[00:15:01]

TO NAVIGATE THE REALITY OF SOCIETY AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS AND THE EVOLUTION OF ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, WHATEVER IT IS, HOPE GOT ME TO EVERY DESTINATION AND HOPE AIN'T EVER CANCELED.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND SO I'VE LEANED INTO THAT AND HOPE DEALER IS WHAT THEY'VE CALLED ME.

BILLY JOHNSON SAID, MAJOR'S BRINGING HOPE BACK TO THE CONVERSATION OF MAINSTREAM MUSIC.

YEAH.

AND I SAID, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO, GOD, I'LL DO IT.

I'LL DO IT.

I'LL DO IT.

I LOVE THAT.

ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT ABOUT THIS MOMENT IS THAT YOU'RE INTENTIONALLY POURING BACK INTO A CITY THAT RAISED YOU.

WOO.

LOVE HOUSTON .

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR THIS HOUSTON STOP TO BE MORE ABOUT MORE THAN JUST A CONCERT? IT'S A RETURN TO HOME.

LIKE I SAID BEFORE THIS, THESE WERE THE GROUNDS THAT CULTIVATED AND NURTURED ME AND GAVE ME ROOM AND SPACE TO FULLY BE.

HOUSTON BOASTS IN DIVERSITY.

IT BOASTS IN THE COLLECTIVE, IN THE BIGNESS OF SHOWING UP UNAPOLOGETICALLY.

WHY NOT CELEBRATE ON THE DAY THE BIGGEST SONG OF MY CAREER CHANGED MY LIFE.

WHY NOT DO IT AT HOME? AND WHEN YOU ALL OPENED UP YOUR ARMS AND SAID, WELCOME, WE GOT YOU.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU HOUSTON .

YEAH.

WELL THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE IN HOUSTON RIGHT NOW WITH BIG DREAMS. YES.

LIKE YOU WERE A YOUNG BOY WITH BIG DREAMS. ABSOLUTELY.

BUT ALSO REAL FEARS AND OBSTACLES.

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO HEAR FROM YOU FOR THEIR JOURNEY? HOPE ANYWAY.

DREAM ANYWAY.

FAR TOO BIG IS THE SKY.

FOR ONLY ONE BIRD TO FLY AND KNOW HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THE NIGHT WHEN MORE THAN ONE STAR SHINES, THERE IS ROOM FOR ALL OF US.

THERE IS ROOM FOR YOUR GREATNESS ALONGSIDE MINE, ALONGSIDE THE MAYORS, ALONGSIDE MAYOR PRO TEM.

THERE IS ROOM BE GREAT AND APOLOGIZE.

NOT SO LONG AS YOU'RE NOT HURTING YOURSELF OR SOMEBODY ELSE.

WE NEED EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

EACH OF US WERE CREATED TO BE AN ANSWER TO A SPECIFIC NEED IN THE EARTH.

IF YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE CHASING DOWN THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE, TRENDS OF, I WANNA DO IT LIKE THEM, OR I WANNA DO IT LIKE THEM, YOU CAN DRAW INSPIRATION.

BUT COPYING IS, IS LIVING A LIFE THAT'S DOESN'T HAVE MUCH MEANING.

BUT WHEN YOU DO IT, LIKE ONLY YOU CAN, YOU SHOW UP TO YOUR NEED AND YOU ANSWER IT AND YOU ANSWER IT WELL.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE UP IN THIS PLACE.

RIGHT UP IN THE SKY.

'CAUSE THERE'S ROOM FOR ALL OF US TO FLY AND TO FLY.

ALL RIGHT.

I LOVE THAT.

SO MAJOR WE WOULD NOT HAVE YOU COME BACK AFTER 10 YEARS OF LISTENING TO THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU WITHOUT GIVING YOU A PROCLAMATION.

STOP PLAYING.

WHAT? SO TODAY I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER IF HE'LL JOIN AT THE STAGE WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO CELEBRATE 10.

CAN I KEEP THAT FRAME? YEAH, YOU CAN KEEP THE FRAME , BECAUSE I LOVE GOLD.

I'M AN ALPHA MAN.

YES, YES.

YOU KNOW YOU CAN KEEP THE FRAME.

YES.

THIS PROCLAMATION IS TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF WHY I LOVE YOU.

WOO.

OKAY.

THAT FRAME IS NICE.

, THE MAYOR BOUGHT IT.

COME ON MAYOR.

.

.

OKAY.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO SAY SOMETHING THOUGH.

YOU GOTTA SAY SOMETHING, HUH? I, LET ME JUST START OUT BY SAYING, UH, TODAY WHEN THE MAYOR CAME IN, I SAID, MAYOR WHITMEYER, DID YOU KNOW TODAY WAS LOVE DAY? AND HE SAID, EVERY DAY IS LOVE DAY.

AND I TOLD HIM THAT REALLY MEANT A LOT FOR HIM TO SAY THAT.

TODAY, UH, WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION AND IT SAYS WHY I LOVE YOU HOUSTON.

IN CELEBRATION OF THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF WHY I LOVE YOU, HOUSTON HAS PRODUCED OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE GONE ON TO REPRESENT THE CITY GLOBALLY IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS.

MAJOR JOHNSON FINLEY IS ONE SUCH INDIVIDUAL, A HOUSTON RAISED ARTIST

[00:20:01]

WHO IS PROFESSIONALLY LOANED HIS STAGE NAME AS MAJOR, A GRAMMY NOMINATED AMERICAN SOUL SINGER AND ACTOR, AND AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN BY MANY AS HIS MAMA'S FAVORITE HOPE DEALER.

MAJOR, MAJOR GREW UP IN A BLENDED FAMILY HOUSEHOLD WITH 13 SIBLINGS.

HE BEGAN MAKING MUSIC AT A YOUNG AGE AND PERFORMED AT VARIOUS MUSICAL VENUES.

MAJOR HAS SINCE BECOME KNOWN FOR HIS POWERFUL LIVE PERFORMANCES AND SOLD OUT SHOWS AND IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED FOR HIS GLOBAL VIRAL IMPACT.

NOTABLE COLLABORATIONS AND MORE A STANDOUT IN HIS DISCO HIS HITS.

DISCOGRAPHY.

DISCOGRAPHY.

YEAH.

YOU JUST RESERVE A MUSIC DISCO DISCOGRAPHY IN HIS DISC.

DISCOGRAPHY HIS DISCOGRAPHY.

DISCOGRAPHY.

CUT THAT OVER.

CUT THAT.

.

YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE LISTEN, LET ME READ THAT AGAIN.

DISCOGRAPHY A STANDOUT IN HIS DISCOGRAPHY.

YES.

HIS HIT SONG, WHY I LOVE YOU EXEMPLIFIES HIS ARTISTRY, ACHIEVING MILLIONS OF VIEWS ON YOUTUBE, REACHING THE TOP FIVE ON THE BILLBOARD, ADULT R AND B CHART AND EARNING PLATINUM CERTIFICATION SINCE ITS RELEASE IN 2015, WHILE ALSO GARNERING PRAISE AND MUSIC LEGEND AND MENTOR STEVIE WONDER ON MAY 20TH, 2026 IN CELEBRATION OF THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF WHY I LOVE YOU AND COINCIDING WITH ITS ORIGINAL RELEASE DATE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON EXTENDS ITS CONGRATULATIONS TO MAJOR ON HIS SUCCESS AND A MULTIFACETED ENTERTAINER AND EXPRESSES GRATITUDE FOR HIS ROLE IN AMPLIFYING HOPE AND LOVE LIFE AND COMMUNITY.

THROUGH HIS MUSIC AND WORK.

THE CITY OF HOUSTON FURTHER RECOGNIZES HIS HOMETOWN PRIDE, HIS ARTISTIC INFLUENCE ON HOUSTON'S DISTINCT AND DIVERSE ARTS AND CULTURE AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO HIS BELOVED CITY.

AND ITS PEOPLE, MAYOR, THEREFORE I, JOHN WHITMEYER, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 20TH, 2026 IS MAJOR WHY I LOVE YOU HOUSTON DAY ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY, WOO .

OH MAN, THIS IS GREAT.

AH, I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE TODAY.

WE ARE SO PLEASED TO HAVE GRAMMY NOMINATED MAJOR HERE ON HIS 10TH ANNIVERSARY TO GRACE US WITH WHY I LOVE YOU AND A SPECIAL GIFT FOR EVERYONE IN THE ROOM.

A RED ROSE.

YES.

YES INDEED.

THIS IS FOR YOU.

FIRST TAKE YOUR ROSE GIRL .

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ONE MORE TIME.

ONE MORE TIME FOR HER.

YES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO I'M GONNA SING A VERSION OF THIS SONG THAT IS ACOUSTIC AND IT FEELS GOOD FOR THE MOMENT.

TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE XO LOUNGE, THE NEW XO LOUNGE, I WILL BE IN CONCERT CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF WHY I LOVE YOU.

10 LOVE SONGS FOR 10 YEARS.

IT WILL BE INCREDIBLE.

IF YOU WANT TO BE THERE, GET YOUR TICKETS , BECAUSE WE GONNA HAVE A TIME.

I PROMISE YOU THAT.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO A SONG I WROTE TO GOD AS A LOVE LETTER AND LOVE WROTE ME BACK HOUSTON.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

CAN WE TURN THE MUSIC UP? YOU, I FOUND LOVE IN YOU.

AND I'VE LEARNED TO LOVE ME TOO.

NEVER HAVE I FELT THAT I COULD BE ALL THAT YOU.

IT'S LIKE OUR HEART.

SEVEN INTER INTO THE PERFECT HARMONY.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE, THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

LOVE

[00:25:01]

ME.

I FOUND LOVE AND I FOUND IT IN YOU.

AND NO OTHER LOVE.

NO OTHER LOVE WOULD DO.

NO, NO, NO, NO.

EVERY MOMENT THAT YOU SMILE CHASES ARE ON THE PAIN AWAY FOREVER.

AND WHILE IN MY HEART, IT'S WHERE YOU'LL STAY.

CAN YOU HELP ME SING? THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME.

YOU DO.

THE STARS HAVE ALL ALIGNED.

AND RIGHT NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO SAY I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU, YOU LOVE ME.

THIS IS WHY I LOVE YOU.

I LOVE, LOVE YOU HOUSTON.

I LOVE YOU.

PLAY THAT TRACK AGAIN.

HOUSTON, I LOVE YOU.

I SAID HOUSTON, I LOVE YOU.

UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY THAT WE GET TO RESOLVE, THE WAY THAT WE GET TO HEALING, THE WAY THAT WE GET TO BETTER IS BY WAY OF LOVE.

DON'T EVER LET GO OF IT.

DON'T EVER LET GO OF IT.

AND EVEN MORE THAN THAT, HOPE, HOPE AND LOVE, HOPE AND LIFE, HOPE AND FUTURE.

SO AS I STAND HERE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, MAKE YOUR WAY UP HERE AND I'M GONNA GIVE EVERYONE A ROSE.

ALRIGHT?