Oprah Winfrey Calls Singing Her Talk Show Theme Song a Career Mistake

Oprah Winfrey says singing the theme song for The Oprah Winfrey Show remains one of the biggest mistakes of her career.

Speaking on Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, host Keke Palmer began singing the show's former theme, prompting Winfrey to laugh and quickly dismiss it.

"That is one of the mistakes of my career," Winfrey said.

She explained that she chose the old spiritual after deciding to continue her talk show following what she described as a personal conversation with Jesus. The song became the show's theme for a brief period in the late 1990s.

Winfrey said the idea was to create a church choir atmosphere, but admitted it did not work because, despite taking singing lessons, she "can't sing."

Palmer defended the performance, saying it "wasn't bad," but Winfrey disagreed, insisting viewers knew it had fallen flat.

Although Winfrey regrets the decision, the theme song became a memorable part of the show's history. One notable moment came in 1999, when guest Whitney Houston sang its opening line during an interview.

The Oprah Winfrey Show aired nationally from 1986 to 2011, ending after 25 seasons.