'Walking paradox': Wynonna Judd opens up about grief after mother Naomi Judd's suicide, says 'in death, there is life'
Singer Wynonna Judd has opened up about living her life after losing her mother Naomi Judd. The 'I Saw The Light' fame spilled the beans on the difficulties she faces without her mom, who died by suicide in April at age 76.
In an interview with PEOPLE, the 58-year-old said, "I'll tell you what I know about death. In death, there is life. I feel both at the same time simultaneously," adding, "I feel joy and sorrow. I'm walking in a paradox. I'm literally a walking contradiction. I feel joy. I feel pain. I feel light. I feel dark."
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Wynonna said that though she considers herself to be "pretty tough," she also has a "tender" side. She said that she shared a "really wicked sense of humor," courtesy of her mom, Naomi while adding that the layers of grief remain unpredictable.
The 58-year-old said, "How am I coping? It depends on the [situation]. I'm on the phone talking and all of a sudden I'll just begin to weep. Then 10 minutes later, I'm making a dinner and I'm talking to my husband about our date night. Then my granddaughter comes and I cry some more. I cry a lot. That's okay… It doesn't mean it's a sign of weakness."
The 'Love Can Build a Bridge' singer is set to start 'The Judds: The Final Tour' starting September 30, which was supposed to be a reunion for the mother-daughter duo, but after Naomi's passing, Wynonna will do it alone. Wynonna said, "when you lose someone you love, it's like, 'Holy crap, this is really happening. Is this really happening?' Your brain goes, 'No, this isn't really happening.'" She said, "then you go home and I realize, yeah, my mom's not here anymore."
On her journey ahead, the singer said, "this is my opportunity to step into a situation that I don't know that I am ready to do what I'm about to do, but I think it's going to heal me." Wynonna added, "I'm teaching what I want to learn, which is how to have peace and joy in a really negative [space]. I want people to know that they're loved. I want people to know that there is hope."
As per the outlet, Wynonna will initiate the tour in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She will be joined onstage by special guests like Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Brandi Carlile, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, and Trisha Yearwood. After which, she will head to Mexico for five days to play Brandi Carlile's 'Girls Just Wanna Weekend' at the Hard Rock Hotel and Barceló Maya Riviera.
Naomi was suffering from depression and was open about her mental health struggles including the depression that left her inert for two years. She died a day before she and her daughter Wynonna, of the Grammy-winning duo The Judds, were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.