Wynonna Judd and her sister, actress Ashley Judd, have banded together after the loss of their mother, country star and one-half of duo The Judds, Naomi Judd. Wynonna recently appeared on an episode of Today With Hoda and Jenna, in which she delved into her relationship with her sister, which she says has evolved since the death of their mother.
"When I became an orphan, I took a real strong look around me and said, 'Okay. Forgiveness. Forgiveness is key,'" she says. "Ashley and I are closer than we've been in a long time, so get off our backs there, press. We love each other and we show up for each other."
Wynonna adds that although she and her sister "don't agree on much," they will always be there for one another.
"We agree to disagree, and we've had some tough conversations recently about, 'What are we going to do now that we have each other?'" she says.
The singer, who recently added 15 new dates to The Judds Final Tour, says she has gotten close to other members of her family in the wake of tragedy as well. This includes her brother, whom she met two years ago.
"I'm doing it one person at a time, you guys," she says. "I'm just saying, 'Okay, let's have a conversation.'"
After host Hoda Kotb commented on Wynonna's use of the word "orphan" to describe the aftermath of her mother's death, the singer expanded upon how the event has affected her personally.
"I'm an orphan, so I feel a lot more tender than I did," she says. "I was always tenderhearted, but I feel more so now."
"Oftentimes, it's joy and sorrow at the same time," she adds. "Hold space for each one. They both matter and they're both important. If I didn't feel the way I did, I wouldn't sing the way I do."
Wynonna also spoke about her introverted personality, her friendship with other singers such as Brandi Carlile and the extension of The Judds Final Tour.
"I literally was told; I wasn't even asked," she says of the tour news.
"The fans have spoken," she adds. "There's a revival happening. It's bigger than me. I wish I could say, 'Oh, it's because I'm so fabulous.' The music is there, you guys. It's 28 songs. There's a catalog of over 38 years of country music. People are wanting to celebrate the '80s and the '90s again. Yes!"
