Tonight, we meet a woman who built a career many would do whatever it takes to hold onto, but she chose to start over.

After nearly seven years as a television journalist, Ruby Durham took a leap of faith and bet on herself.

As we wrap up Black History Month, "Carolina Impact"'s Dara Khaalid and videographer John Branscum share her story.

(upbeat music) ♪ Say it's not you - [Dara] Her energy is electric.

♪ If it's not you, then who - [Dara] Her confidence is as bold as the gold sequin dress she's wearing.

♪ Let's get happening ♪ With all of your sadness - [Dara] Singing lyrics that embody her life, Ruby Durham gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes for her as a singer-songwriter to get show-ready.

♪ Get up, it's your time to shine ♪ - [Dara] The time and effort she spends doing this in an empty room helps perfect this: ♪ Be unstoppable, it's impossible ♪ - [Dara] The final product, which has the potential for global impact.

(upbeat music) For Ruby, those long hours rehearsing songs like "If Not You, Who" is worth it because of the encouraging message she wants to resonate with listeners.

- Girl, if not you, who gonna do it?

And you have that confidence to where it's like, you know what, let me just take one step.

And once I take that one step, put on this music, come on girl, we gotta win the day, you know?

- [Dara] If seeing Ruby's face on TV right now seems familiar: - Let me introduce Ruby Durham.

- [Dara] That's because before launching her music career in 2022, she was an Emmy-nominated journalist for nearly seven years, spending almost five of those years at WCNC-TV in Charlotte.

- [Ruby] I really just fought my way all the way up to being on the streets and in the middle of the night working in the wee hours of the morning to finally getting on the desk.

- [Dara] Ruby also earned coveted opportunities to host her own segments and her own show, "Reasons to Smile".

- [Announcer] Time now for "Reasons to Smile".

- [Ruby] People needed it.

People needed reasons to smile.

It was born in the pandemic.

We need some positivity, and we need to tell stories in the community outside of COVID right now to maybe lift spirits up.

And it ended up being something people look forward to.

- [Dara] Working in a large television market like Charlotte, repeatedly being promoted, and establishing herself as a trusted voice for communities, Ruby was living out what many journalists dream of, so it was shocking when she walked away from it in 2022.

- When I put in my resignation, it was definitely a surprise, but I had to put me first in that moment and be okay with where I was ending the chapter in journalism, but also be thankful for the tools and tricks that I was able to receive.

♪ Mama raised me to be determined to walk in every room ♪ - [Dara] Those tools and tricks played a role in empowering her to be courageous enough to start a new career in music.

But what people didn't know from watching Ruby on the news is that music was a passion of hers since she was little, a talent her late mother, LaSonya, always supported.

- I just remember I could be singing on stage, and she'd be back there standing up like, you better not mess up.

You better do good.

- [Dara] Ruby still feels the strength her mother had when raising her as a single mom, especially when times got hard, leaving them homeless, and during her mother's battle with breast cancer that claimed her life in 2010.

- She had it so hard, but she told me I was phenomenal.

We had nothing, but she was like, go out there, go out there and be the best.

♪ I'm still trying to say I love you ♪ ♪ Still trying to say I trust you ♪ - [Dara] Words Ruby uses as motivation on days when it's tough and she questions her leap into a new career.

- When I cry, when I have moments to where it's like, why are you making this hard?

I just think about her in these hard predicaments of life.

Like, how can I give up when she didn't it?

(lively music) - [Dara] That same spirit of tenacity carries over to Ruby's fashion company, Suited by Red, started in 2022.

- [Ruby] I always wanted to start a women's clothing line while I was on the news because not only did I always get compliments on my outfits, but I'm like, people are complimenting outfits that I'm literally rehashing.

- [Dara] Suited by Red sells different statement pieces like crop jackets and pants that come in a vibrant red, a color that Ruby is deeply connected to.

- Red is relentless.

Red is rebellious.

Red is, I'm here.

I wanted to start off with red because if you gonna put yourself out there, then you know you gonna have to do it.

You gonna have to really start strong, and come on now, you notice red if anything else.

- [Dara] As Ruby continues to grow as a fashion designer, so do her connections.

- I designed this piece for Fashion Week in New York.

- [Dara] She met her mentor, Daisy Malone, a few years ago at a Charlotte fashion show, and shortly after, Daisy took her under her wing, teaching her valuable lessons.

- She's an Energizer Bunny, and that's what I love about her.

She does have fire in her soul, and that's what I enjoy working with her.

She's a lover of fashion, and I appreciated that as well.

- When was it that we met?

- [Dara] Ruby even invited Daisy on her podcast, "Ruby's Roundtable", where they spoke about how Daisy helped Ruby build her fashion line from sketches to where it is today.

- The support that you've given me to really take my ideas to life, it's like how in the world did God put us next to each other?

Like who would've thought?

- It was destined.

- It was.

It had to be.

♪ This part seems fun for me - [Dara] For Ruby, this journey is about more than just reinvention.

It's about legacy.

Every note she sings and every design she creates reflects the dreams her mother urged her to chase, a reminder that courage can outlive loss.

For "Carolina Impact", I'm Dara Khaalid.