Author Archives: Sonya's Spotlight
← Older posts Newer posts →ASHANTI TO HEADLINE THE RETURN OF HELLOBEAUTIFUL’S INTERLUDES LIVE SESSIONS
June 15, 2022TV One with iOne Digital announced that Ashanti will be the talent to re-introduce fans to its HelloBeautiful Interludes Live digital series, a cross-platform, original programming collaboration that brings the audience closer to talent, entertainment icons and influencers through intimate performances and candid conversations. Ashanti will also grace the cover of the June edition of the HelloBeautiful digital cover. The show will air on Sunday, July 17 at 9:00pm ET on TV One and Sunday, July 24 at 10:00pm ET on CLEO TV. Ashanti is a world-renowned Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, actor and author who burst onto the music scene with her self-titled debut album Ashanti. It landed the #1 spot on both the Billboard Top 200 and R&B album charts, selling a whopping 504,593 units in its first week and set a SoundScan record as the most albums sold by any debut female artist in the chart’s history. Holding this record put Ashanti in Guinness Book of World Records, which she still holds today. Ashanti has released six studio albums, received eight Billboard Awards, a Grammy, two American Music Awards, two Soul Train Awards, six ASCAP Awards, and many more awards and illustrious honors. She reigns as one of Billboard’s “Top Females of the Decade from 2000-2010” and continues to break Billboard records, having a Hot 100 entry in the 2000’s, 2010’s and 2020’s. 2022 will hail as Ashanti’s greatest year yet as she is publishing her first book of poetry through Hyperion titled Foolish/Unfoolish: Reflections on Love which will be distributed through Harper Collins. Ashanti is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of her self-titled debut album with an internal tour, festival appearances, and several media appearances. HelloBeautiful.com is where Black women go to talk about themselves shamelessly. Women share, confess, indulge, encourage and celebrate each other — while indulging their guilty pleasures. HelloBeautiful embraces the diversity of today’s woman and allows her to be perfectly flawed and fabulous. At HelloBeautiful, it is believed that women are diverse and dynamic. For …
Posted in Highlight, In The Spotlight | Leave a commentThe 2nd Annual Ben Crump Equal Justice Now Awards Returns June 10, 2022, at the LAX Marriott
June 5, 2022MARIO VAN PEEBLES, GILBERT CEDILLO, BRANDON “STIX” SALAAM-BAILEY, BAKARI SELLERS, AND CHARLIE ROCKET ADDED AS HONOREES FOR THE 2ND ANNUAL BENJAMIN CRUMP EQUAL JUSTICE NOW AWARDS The Late Melvin Van Peebles Will Also be Honored Posthumously. The non-profit social welfare organization Equal Justice Now (EJN) is announcing additional honorees for The 2nd Annual Benjamin Crump Equal Justice Now Awards, taking place on Friday, June 10, 2022, at the LAX Marriott in Los Angeles, CA. Included in this year’s notable list of honorees will be Mario Van Peebles (actor & director), whose late father Melvin Van Peebles (actor, filmmaker, playwright, novelist, & composer) will also be honored posthumously for his activism through his work. Additionally, EJN will honor Brandon “Stix” Salaam-Bailey (rapper, producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and founder of Think Watts Foundation), Gilbert Cedillo (Los Angeles City Councilmember and Chairman of the Committee on Immigrant Affairs, Civil Rights and Equity), Bakari Sellers (attorney, activist, author, and CNN political analyst), and Charlie Rocket (social media personality & founder Of Dream Machine Foundation). The honorees announced today will be joining Kiesha Nix (vice-president of charitable affairs and first Black female vice president of the Los Angeles Lakers organization); and former Congresswoman Diane Watson (former state senator, ambassador, former congresswoman, and the first African American woman in the California State Senate). EJN has selected these honorees due to their work in philanthropy and advancing justice and human rights. Daytime Emmy Award and two-time NAACP Image Award winner and comedian Loni Love will host this year’s awards ceremony. Houston musician, artist, and activist Mi$fit will open the show with a song and music video entitled “Better Days,” written especially for the organization. DJ Carisma (Real 92.3’s Music Director/ Mixshow Coordinator and “Female DJ of the Year” at the 2015 & 2016 Global Spin Awards) will be …
Posted in Highlight, In The Spotlight | Leave a commentChaka Khan Signs With SRG/ILS Group Ahead of New Music This Summer
May 19, 2022The SRG/ILS group is honored to announce a new collaboration with one of the most iconic and recognizable voices in American music, Chaka Khan! A singer, songwriter, actor, and activist, Chaka Khan is one of the world’s most gifted and celebrated musicians the world has ever known. Impacting almost every popular musical genre and having sold an estimated 70 million records, Chaka Khan has influenced generations of recording artists.“Chaka Khan is a beacon of light in our industry. Her spirit and her vocals soar. It is a pleasure working with her on this next chapter and we got a hot record here.” – Claude Villani, Founder and CEO of The SRG/ILS Group.“I am very proud to be with The SRG/ILS Group, a company that is run by a real musician who understands the needs of artists that have been overlooked for years.” Chaka KhanHer legendary career jump started when Stevie Wonder penned the now classic “Tell Me Something Good” for Chaka when she was lead singer of the R&B, Funk band Rufus in 1974. Both the song and the album, Rags To Rufus, topped the charts, were certified Gold and won the Grammy that year for Best R&B Vocal Performance.After six albums with Rufus nearly all of which went Gold or Platinum, in 1978 Chaka Khan started her solo career releasing the all-time classic “I’m Every Woman” (Ashford and Simpson). Produced by iconic songwriter, arranger, producer, and executive Arif Mardin, the single and the album, Chaka, cemented Chaka Kahn as a force that was about to take over popular music.After incredible success both solo and collaborative, in 1984 Chaka released the iconic album I Feel For You. The title track, a cover of a Prince song, was a gigantic pop hit on the radio and MTV and earned Chaka her …
Posted in Celebrity Profile | Leave a commentThey Call Me Magic – Apple TV+
May 11, 2022The real story of a legend. This four-part documentary event offers an intimate look at the life and legacy of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, streaming now on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_Magic
Posted in Movie News | Leave a commentTop Gun: Maverick in theaters May 27th
May 11, 2022After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.” Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it. Starring Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Miles Teller, Dir. Joseph Kosinski
Posted in Cinema | Leave a commentFIERY CHARM: BOOK-TO-FILM – CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS
May 9, 2022FIERY CHARM By Sonya Jenkins EMAIL – FieryCharm2022@gmail.com CHARACTERS [Tiffany – LEAD ROLE] 30-40 years old, Black female – Beautiful, Smart, Successful, Strong-Willed, Feisty, Shapely, High School Teacher. Attended private schools, but has an urban vibe. Tiffany is the only child of the Mayor of Atlanta and his sassy First Lady. See photo of Fiery Charm Teaser Book for resemblance match. [Nigel Harrington – LEAD ROLE] 30-45 years old, Black male – Handsome, Intelligent, Attorney and Genealogist, Giver, Protector. Nigel is a workaholic who has suppressed his intimate desires because of heartbreak. He becomes open to love again when he meets Tiffany. [Kyle Harrington – LEAD ROLE] 35-45 years old, Black male -Handsome, Former NBA Player, Sportscaster, Tall (over 6 feet), Lanky, Cocky. [Torri Jae – SUPPORTING ROLE] 30-40 years old, Any ethnicity female – Popular Film and Television Actress, Feisty, Energetic, Social Media Influencer. Sister of Terri Kae (twin preferably). [Terri Kae – SUPPORTING ROLE] 30-40 years old, Any ethnicity female – Wardrobe Stylist, Gentle, Soft-spoken, Supportive. Sister of Torri Jae (twin preferably). [Vanessa – SUPPORTING ROLE] 30-40 years old. Black female – Dentist, Quirky, Encourager, Peace-maker. Tiffnay’s best friend since college. [Kiara – SUPPORTING ROLE] 30-40-years old. Any ethnicity – Flight Attendant, Gold-Digger, Socialite, Adventurer. MORE SUPPORTING ROLES [Mayor of Atlanta – Carl Bond] Black Male, 55-65 Domineering political figure, stern, debonair. Loving husband to his wife. Manipulates situations to his advantage. [First Lady of Atlanta – Cicely “Ma” Bond] Black Female, 55-65 Beautiful, Feisty, sassy Mayor’s wife. Classy in pubic, crass in private. [Brandon] Black Male 30-45 Tiffany’s cheating ex boyfriend. Campaign Manager for her Dad’s last campaign. Opportunist, Egotistical, slick, fast-talker. [Jasmine] Female, Any ethnicity 21-35 Tiffany’s roommate, nurse, soft-spoken, gullible. [Roberto] Male, Any ethnicity 30-40 Torri Jae’s Fashion Consultant and Publicist. [Robin] Female Any Ethnicity, …
Posted in ESPYS, In The Spotlight | Leave a comment“BET AWARDS” 2022 RETURNS LIVE FROM THE MICROSOFT THEATER IN LOS ANGELES ON SUNDAY, JUNE 26
May 8, 2022POWERHOUSE ENTERTAINER TARAJI P. HENSONRETURNS TO HOST CULTURE’S BIGGEST NIGHT “BET AWARDS” 2022 Academy Award®-nominated and Golden Globe®-winning actor, writer, director, producer, and philanthropist Taraji P. Henson will return to host the “BET AWARDS” LIVE from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The “BET AWARDS” was the #1 cable award show among all adults 18-49 in 2021. “BET AWARDS” 2022 airs LIVE on BET on Sunday, June 26 at 8 PM ET/PT. “I am honored to return as the host of the BET Awards and share the stage with so many powerful and prolific artists; you can even say it is the ‘empire’ of Black Excellence,” said Taraji P. Henson. “Working with amazing partners like Scott and Connie at BET and Jesse Collins Entertainment is a creative’s dream. I can’t wait to celebrate Black music, entertainment, and culture with our viewers on what will be one unforgettable night.” “Taraji P. Henson is the personification of Black excellence, and we are excited to collaborate with the phenomenal multi-talented stage and screen actress to host the ultimate celebration of Black culture again this year,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET. “For over two decades, the BET Awards has been home to Black brilliance, talent, and creativity, providing unforgettable cultural moments, and we look forward to raising the bar for BET Awards 2022.” Most recently Henson’s TPH Entertainment struck an overall deal with BET Studios, an unprecedented studio venture launched in September 2021 powered by the infrastructure and financing of BET and Paramount to produce original content for an array of internal buyers, including Paramount+, SHOWTIME, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET+, and BET. Additionally, BET Studios places programming on third-party platforms seeking best-in-class content from both leading and rising Black creatives. Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy will oversee the annual show, with Jamal Noisette, VP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy to …
Posted in In The Spotlight, 57th NAACP Image Awards | Leave a comment2022 BLACK MUSIC HONORS
May 8, 2022The 7th Annual Black Music Honors announces its incredible roster of performers for a star-studded celebration of influential music legends with a live studio audience taping at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Ga. on Thursday, May 19 (tickets available at BlackMusicHonors.com and Ticketmaster.com). There will be a special Juneteenth highlight recognizing the national federal holiday.Performers gracing the stage at this year’s power-packed televised show includes popular late 80’s Hip-Hop Duo Kid N’ Play; GRAMMY-award-winning Supergroup 112; Multi-Award-Winning Music Veteran Carl Thomas; Three-Time GRAMMY-Nominated, “The Love King,” Raheem DeVaughn; Compton-Bred Actress and Songbird Amber Riley; Multi-Hyphenate Crooner and Penman Eric Bellinger; Powerhouse Songster and Serenader Avery Wilson; Multi-GRAMMY-Award-Winning Artist PJ Morton; Multifaceted Entertainer and Rising Artist Jade Novah; Viral Vocal Teen Prodigy Keedron Bryant; Gospel Sweethearts Ajah and Rhea Walls from Multi-GRAMMY-Nominated and Stellar-Award-Winning The Walls Group; Multi-Talented Vocalist and Sunday Best Season Six Winner Tasha Page-Lockhart; Gospel Songstress and Sunday Best Season One Winner Crystal Aikin; NAACP-Image-Award-Nominated Singer and Actress Sheléa; Billboard-Chart-Topping Singer-Songwriter Kevin Ross; and Two-Decade-Spanning Independent Artist and GRAMMY Award-nominee Eric Roberson. Kicking off the 2022 BMH Honorees is Award-Winning Singer-Songwriter Keri Hilson who is tapped to receive the Music and Songwriter Icon Award. Multi-Award-Winning Gospel Duo Mary Mary will be presented with the Gospel Icon Award; Five-Time GRAMMY Nominee Tevin Campbell is set to receive the R&B Icon Award; Award-Winning Supergroup Dru Hill is to be recognized with the Urban Music Icon Award and a planned special performance in celebration of their 25th anniversary; NAACP Image Award-Winning Singer Karyn White will be honored with the Soul Music Award, and the Legendary R&B Group The Whispers will take home the Legends Award for their incredible nearly six-decade music career. Two-Time GRAMMY WinnerLeToya Luckett and Comedian DeRay Davis are co-hosting the show.National Broadcast Syndication will air June 4 – July 3 and on Bounce TV on June 25. For live-taping tickets go to www.blackmusichonors.com or you can purchase tickets here. For more information about Black Music Honors, visit www.blackmusichonors.com or connect on social media @blackmusichonors on Facebook and Instagram or @blackmusichonor on Twitter. 112 Jade Novah Kid ‘N Play Tasha …
Posted in Spotlight, In The Spotlight | Leave a commentBridgerton Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix
March 10, 2022What happens when duty is in conflict with the heart’s true desire? There is potential for a considerable scandal, indeed. Bridgerton Season 2 premieres March 25th, only on Netflix.
Posted in Music & Film | Leave a commentJANET JACKSON, NICKI MINAJ, KEVIN HART, NEW EDITION, THE ISLEY BROTHERS AND MORE TO HEADLINE THE 2022 ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURE
March 7, 2022THE 27TH ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURE HOSTED IN NEW ORLEANS WILL BE IN-PERSON AND FEATURE EXTENDED VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES, CELEBRATING “ITS THE BLACK JOY FOR ME” FROM JUNE 30 – JULY 3, 2022 ESSENCE Communications, Inc., the leading media, technology, and commerce company dedicated to serving Black women and their communities deeply, has announced the 100% physical return of the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ to New Orleans with extended virtual experiences and a commitment to creating opportunities that will economically benefit, invest and contribute to Black-owned businesses. The Festival will host a multi-generational experience entrenched in culture, equity, and celebration. “As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture is a staple that celebrates community and empowers equity. We are excited to welcome the family back live to New Orleans and thrilled to connect with more of our diasporic family through new digital experiences,” said ESSENCE CEO Caroline Wanga. “Whether it be those that have three years of outfits reflective of the Festival tradition that was disrupted by the pandemic, or those who will have their inaugural Festival experience in 2022 , all are invited to immerse in the crown jewel of culture known as the ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Our almost three-decade-relationship with the City of New Orleans has been critical to the fiber of the Festival and we fully recognize and appreciate the City and its citizens for all they do to create memorable experiences for all attendees. Lastly, it is critical that we understand that what we deliver with this Festival—live and virtually—also impacts Black economic inclusion. The ability to have those that benefit from this be Black businesses is my favorite manifestation of our 2022 Festival theme, ‘It’s The Black Joy for Me.’ See you in July.” ESSENCE looks forward to physically returning to the City of …
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