Amber Riley Talks Glee, Mercedes Jones Storylines, Dreamgirls & Dancing with the Stars
Zach Sang Show
Sangasong, LLC
4.6 • 687 Ratings
🗓️ 27 February 2026
⏱️ 59 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The iconic singer/actor/advocate Amber Riley joins us in the studio to discuss her work with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS foundation, raising awareness for the HIV Is Not A Crime (https://elizabethtayloraidsfoundation.org/hiv-is-not-a-crime/) initiative which advocates for the modernization of laws because in 30 states HIV remains criminalized! Truly a shocking fact in this day and age. To date, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation has successfully changed 33 laws across 12 states, but there’s still more to be done.
While this is definitely a topic of discussion, of course we can’t have the newly 40-year-old talent (happy 40th!) in the hot seat without discussing her time on ‘Glee’ as Mercedes Jones and where Mercedes might be today. We find out about that pre-‘Glee’ Ryan Murphy pilot that was never green lit, and the bright and brilliant talent Naya Rivera. There’s plenty of questions that go deep thanks to our resident Gleek Kelsey (the tater tot storyline anyone?!).
Plus we chat about her pal Jazmine Sullivan (casual), being a ghost singer (and what that is!), her time spent in the UK on West End performing in ‘Dream Girls,’ her game-changing stint on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘The Masked Singer’ (in both the US and UK) — all hail the singing harp. We also find out what’s up with her solo singing career as RILEY.
She’s in her YES era and we love to see it!
We’re dropping this interview today, the day before HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day on February 28th — a significant date as it ties a symbolic bow to the closing of National Black History Month and the beginning of National Women’s History Month – two demographics that are disproportionately impacted by both the HIV epidemic & HIV criminalization. The date is also a symbolic nod to the legacy of ETAF Founder, Elizabeth Taylor, following the day of her birthday.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, beautiful human. |
| 0:07.0 | I'm Zach that's Stan and we welcome genuinely an icon. |
| 0:11.0 | She deserves a standing ovation. |
| 0:13.0 | I will give you one. |
| 0:15.0 | She deserves it. |
| 0:18.0 | And for Riley's here, everybody. |
| 0:19.0 | Thank you. |
| 0:20.0 | Thank you. Happy belated birthday. |
| 0:21.6 | Thank you so much. |
| 0:22.6 | Oh my, you are, you are amazing. |
| 0:26.6 | I have, there's so much going on in my head because you have produced so much in culture. |
| 0:32.6 | You have contributed the most to our screens and to our lives, |
| 0:38.7 | I thank you very, very much for everything you've done. |
| 0:41.8 | And can you explain to me your desire to continue doing things? |
| 0:47.3 | Like, I don't know, the mass singer, |
| 0:49.2 | but then to go to the UK to do the mass singer. |
| 0:51.6 | And then while you're there, you do a bunch of other competition shows where I'm hearing |
| 0:55.2 | you sing a freaking TLC as essentially Dolly Parton's cousin. |
| 1:01.5 | I mean, you just, but is that because your gift? |
| 1:06.9 | Does it come effortlessly to you? |
| 1:09.3 | There's definitely effort behind it, but the effortless part that has become effortless is to say yes. |
| 1:17.7 | Really? |
... |
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