‘What Matters With Liz’ Episode 8: Deborah Cox Says Trusting Yourself Is the Key to Reinvention
The 'Titanique' star gets real about risk, reinvention and why trusting your instincts changes everything
Key Takeaways
- Deborah Cox spent decades avoiding being boxed in by building a career on her own terms.
- Cox once toured as Céline Dion's backup singer before starring in a musical about her.
- Her advice for anyone navigating change: get comfortable with the uncomfortable and leap.
Multi-platinum recording artist Deborah Cox has spent over 30 years redefining what longevity looks like in entertainment. From chart-topping hits like “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” to starring roles on Broadway in The Wiz, Aida and now Titanique, her career is a masterclass in reinvention.
In a powerful full-circle moment, Cox now stars in a musical built around the songs of Céline Dion—decades after touring as her backup singer. It’s just one example of what can happen when you trust your instincts and take the leap.
In this episode of What Matters with Liz, Cox shares the pivotal decisions that shaped her career, how she learned to stop overthinking, embrace the unknown, and why getting “comfortable with the uncomfortable” is the key to growth.
Beyond the spotlight, she opens up about motherhood, the surprising grief that comes with launching your children into adulthood, and how personal loss deepened her commitment to advocating for human rights and equality.
Watch What Matters With Liz Episode 8 here or listen on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts.
Watch Episode 8 right here! ‘What Matters with Deborah Cox: Self Love, Reinvention & Trusting Your Instincts’
In this episode Deborah Cox’s reveals:
- How staying curious, taking risks and trusting herself led to success
- What she learned working alongside Céline Dion—and the discipline behind vocal longevity
- The moment she took a leap of faith and stepped out on her own
- How her role as the Unsinkable Molly Brown in Broadway’s Titanique is challenging her in new ways
- Which song in her catalog resonates most—her answer may surprise you
- How Angela Bassett convinced her to lend her voice to the Whitney Houston biopic
- How she avoided being boxed in and built a career on her own terms
- Why her philosophy is to be “in the industry, but not of it”
- How she balances marriage, motherhood, and a decades-long career
- Her advice for anyone navigating change, uncertainty, or reinvention
Deborah Cox’s empowering message every woman needs to hear
After more than 30 years of navigating an ever-changing industry, Cox has found that the most important compass comes from within. Her message is simple but worth sitting with. In her own words:
“A lot of times, we question ourselves. But it’s important to trust that path—it’s unique to you.”
In a world that constantly asks us to measure ourselves against someone else’s timeline, that perspective is a breath of fresh air. Cox isn’t saying ignore feedback or stop being strategic. She’s saying the path that works for you won’t look like anyone else’s—and that’s exactly why it works.
Whether you’re weighing a new direction or simply wondering what comes next, her story is proof that reinvention doesn’t have an expiration date. True success isn’t about staying the same. It’s about staying true to who you are while remaining open to what’s next.
What Matters With Liz airs every Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts, with highlights and behind-the-scenes clips shared on Instagram and Facebook.
Also, be sure to subscribe to the What Matters With Liz free newsletter from Woman’s World Editor-in-Chief Liz Vaccariello. Every week, you’ll get real talk about health, money and entertainment, plus uplifting stories, practical tips and exclusive updates on Vaccariello’s new video podcast.
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