A Journey Through Black History With Keke Palmer Cover shoot

KEKE PALMER | TAKE ME TO THE CHURCH OF FREEDOM

Photographer : Mark Elzey 

Fashion Editor + Producer : Chaunielle Brown

Cinematographer : Sebastien Prudent

Hair : Ann Jones

Makeup : Mimi Kamara

Retoucher: Crystal Retouch

Manicurist : Sarah Ngyuen

Fashion Assistant : Megan Hollis

Location : Conrad New York Downtown

Interview: Miles Holder

Talents such as Keke Palmer don’t come around too often, whether it’s through her music, acting, comedy or just Keke being Keke, her ability to entertain and capture the hearts of audiences worldwide has only grown throughout her career. A legend certainly in the making, it’s not uncommon to hear Keke’s name mentioned alongside the likes of Judy Garland and Sammy Davis Jr.

In celebration of UK Black History Month 2020, we assembled a team of black creatives to bring our Keke Palmer cover shoot to life. We sat down with Keke to discover more about her career, her hardest moments and of course, her FAULTs.

You act, sing, dance, produce, and so much more, did you ever feel the need to pick one lane and stick to it?

Keke Palmer: When it comes to choosing the projects, a lot of times, I let them choose me. It’s not possible to shoot every project at the same time, so I let the material speaks to me, and by doing so, I’m able to work on varied projects.

Virgo Tendencies had so many great dance tracks, is it bittersweet to release the project in a year where there are no dance floors open?

Keke Palmer: That’s what I was looking for and what I needed. Everything that’s happening right now is so heavy so Virgo Tendencies became the place I could creatively seek refuge. I was hoping that it could be that safe refuge for my audience too.

Do you reflect on how far you’ve come or has it passed you by in a blur?

Keke Palmer: I wouldn’t say that it’s passed me by, but I don’t think I take time to sit and think about what I’ve accomplished, only because I don’t want to get too caught up in it all. I want to make sure that I’m keeping it about creating art and allowing my experiences to provide relief for others. I’ve not done a good job of taking time to pat myself on the back, but maybe I should.

What would you say has been the most challenging role you’ve had to play?

Keke Palmer: My most challenging role was the character Wednesday in the movie Pimp. Wednesday had such a hard life, so there was a heaviness that I was carrying throughout the filming process. I really wanted to do a good performance and put my all into it, so I had to keep my mind in this heavy space.

When you’re on a project like Pimp, is it easy to let the characters go at the end of filming?

Keke Palmer: It takes time to rub off. When you get back to your own vibe, it’s important that immerse yourself into your normal life. When you’re shooting, you’re staying in the space of that character simply because you’re going to be right back there tomorrow. Once it’s over, I’ve got to reimmerse myself back into things that make me Keke. If I’m doing a serious role, I’m not going to go to the arcade or amusement park, because it’s going to take me too far out of the mental space that I need to be in for the role.

The shoot is inspired by black icons throughout history who is a black female icon from any moment in history you would love to play on screen?

Keke Palmer: Whitney Houston would be so amazing! I would love to play her or just be a part of bringing a version of her story to life that her family would be proud of. I love Whitney Houston, and I feel the same way about Aaliyah as well.

2020 has been a tough year, especially for black people. What’s something you’ve done to protect your mental health through it all?

Keke Palmer: I’ve stayed close to friends and family and put emphasis on the ones that I love—appreciating them while they’re with me because we’re constantly reminded that life can be gone any second. I think it’s vital that when you are faced with so much negativity, you remind yourself of the polarity of life and appreciating my family and my loved ones is allowing me to keep my sanity. Crazy stuff is going to keep happening in life, but it’s who you have around you that will make a difference.

As someone who has put time and effort into educating those around you in regards to Black Lives Matter, is it hard to balance while also protecting your own mental health from trauma?

Keke Palmer: I think that’s a great question because whenever you see me saying anything about an issue, it’s because I’m doing it honestly and I don’t push myself outside of that space because I always want to make sure that I’m speaking about things that moved me. That doesn’t mean the things I don’t talk about aren’t moving me, but when it comes to opening up publically about personal feelings, I am very sincere with it. I want to make sure that whatever I’m saying and putting out there is worth the sacrifice of, showing my vulnerability. I don’t want to keep re-exposing myself to the traumas of the world – nobody does, everybody’s dealing with it in their own way because that’s the way we can.

What’s been your hardest career hurdle to overcome?

Keke Palmer: Letting go of the things people thought about me and said about me. Stepping into my own space and being brave enough to be experimental because everyone is going through personal evolution. Still, for me, people have gotten to see different versions of me in action. Not letting people deter me from embarking on my journey without the fear of others was a big hurdle.

This year has shown how hard it is for dark-skinned black women to have their abuse taken seriously, we saw this with Megan Thee Stallion, and we also saw it with you when you shared your story in 2017. How do you as a dark-skinned woman cope knowing your right to be vulnerable is never taken seriously?

Keke Palmer: I don’t know. In my mind, I feel like it comes from the stereotype of strong black women. I think people feel whatever we’re saying is not a big deal because we’re strong. Black women are strong because we’ve been forced to be strong because of those types of situations. That doesn’t mean that we want to be, or that we don’t have a vulnerable side or get emotional. Being strong is a characteristic of a marginalized group, but that’s not all that we are. When a black woman is saying something, her being strong shouldn’t undercut her also being a victim.

What helps you heal when life is this way?

Keke Palmer: The people I have around me because none of this stuff outside is going to change. It’s going to change eventually, but there’s always going to be stuff that is unfair and should get better, and we’re always going to be fighting. No matter who you are, there is always going to be stuff to fight for, but it’s the people you have in your life who are going to get you through it. You can’t always expect for the world to be doing everything you want it to do, because you’ll drive yourself crazy that way. Cling to the ones that you love, and the people that care about your feelings and the world won’t seem as harsh.

What’s something you’re looking forward to this year?

Keke Palmer: New year’s eve. I’m ready for it to end.

What is your FAULT?

Keke Palmer: I’m too hard on myself; that’s my biggest FAULT. I’m too hard on myself; I don’t forgive myself. It seems like it’d be a good thing and it can be, but at the end of the day, you need to remember to forgive yourself. I’m always reminding myself that I’m not perfect and I can’t own the things people have done to me.