Valisia LeKae has left the cast of Motown to focus on her battle against ovarian cancer, but the cast hasn’t left her. Here they sing “I Am Here,”a song written by Julius Thomas III and arranged by Jason Michael Webb specifically to support her.

Felicia Boswell has taken over the role of Diana Ross. Starting January 23, the role will be played by Krystal Joy Brown (Big Fish)

I interviewed Valisia LeKae for Playbill.

Valisia LeKae grew up in Memphis and listened to Motown records in her grandfather’s barbershop from an early age. Like Diana Ross, she began singing in church. As a teenager working at the Tennessee theme park Dollywood, LeKae regularly sang the signature Supremes song “Stop! In the Name of Love.”

“We share the love of entertaining,” LeKae said in her dressing room, filled with flowers, photographs of Audrey Hepburn, and a huge coffee-table book about Diana Ross. She rattles off their other shared interests: “The love of singing, being around people, fashion, hair, makeup. Her spirit—I feel we share that too.”