It’s March, and we all know what that means right? March Madness!
Our March Madness is centered around amazing women in the entertainment industry for Women’s History Month. In this piece, we spotlight women whom have made history in music and has had solid transitions into film.
Crossing industry can often time be a challenge. Singer to actress and vice-versa is never an easy task, but these R&B songstresses have managed the balancing act of diving into the entertainment industry full heartedly. Check out 11 R&B singers who we love on film!
Monica – Reflecting back to once hearing someone say “Monica is always a waitress,” however Monica is a power playing actress regardless if she’s only delivering the infamous line “Sweet or unsweet” while passing your favorite Waffle House Combo. Monica appeared in both television programs such as ‘Living Single’ as well as the big screen in films such as ‘Pastor Brown,’ ‘Almost Christmas,’ the infamous Atlanta classic, ‘ATL’ (waitress), and ‘Monica: Still Standing,’ a reality series centered around her life. It’s safe to say she has made a lasting impression.
Tameka “Tiny” Harris, best known for her longtime success as a member of legendary R&B group Escape, is an R&B Diva we love on camera. Tiny has starred in ‘Family Time,’ ‘Star’ (The TV Series), ‘Meet the Blacks,’ ‘Entourage,’ ‘The Street Corner Kids: The Sequel’ as well as her own reality television series, ‘Tiny & Toya’ and TI & Tiny’s ‘The Family Hustle.’
Alicia Keys – Most recently seen on Fox’s hit drama, ‘Empire,’ this R&B Diva has left fans wanting more of her sensual vibe including us at Singersroom. Not much of an acting career under her belt, which is the main reason Alicia Keys should make more cameos. Playing a character on the show not far off from whom she is in real life gave her edge, but we wonder what she would be like in another role; we can’t help but wonder!
Jill Scott is a soulful singer, and one hell of an actress, who is best known for her debut in Tyler Perry’s ‘Why Did I Get Married’ & ‘Why Did I Get Married Too?,’ ‘Baggage Claim,’ ‘Flint,’ and ‘Sins of A Mother.’ She also wowed the hell out of his in the TV series, ‘The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.’ Jill embodies a completely different persona when she’s in character, delivering a star-studded performance each and every time.
Beyoncé aka Queen B was born a star. First introduced to the scene as a songstress to evolving her career with many opportunities including the ability to be cast in some memorable films such as ‘Fighting Temptation,’ ‘Austin Powers Goldmember,’ ‘Dream Girls’ and ‘Obsessed.’ Beyoncé had the ability to showcase her skillsets as an actress in these various roles all different from one another. What can’t Queen B do?
Solange – It’s safe to assume it runs in the family. Younger sister to Queen B and singer Solange has made a lane for herself. With her raspy yet angelic voice, Solange has used soulful tunes to also land dynamic roles on the big screen. Solange has appeared in ‘Ghost Whisperer,’ ‘One On One,’ ‘Taina,’ ‘Johnson Family Vacation’ and ‘Bring It On: All Or Nothing.’ Having been featured on both television and movies, Solange has pushed the envelope claiming a space for her amongst her fellow Thespians.
Jennifer Hudson, best known for her stellar performance in ‘Dreamgirls,’ has landed her various awards including an Oscar, Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Film Award amongst many others. The singer/actress has developed a dual career merely off of her talent as a singer, which is what initially landed her the Dreamgirls role of Effie.
Serayah, a rising R&B singer, was first introduced to the masses as Tiana on FOX’s hit drama series ‘Empire.’ This role guided her career and developed a platform for Serayah to embark on her craft as an artist.
Keke Palmer was first introduced to many as an actress with her debut in ‘Barbershop 2: Back To Business,’ staring as Queen Latifah’s niece. Her debut role honed KeKe for her debut as a principal character, the lead in ‘Akeelah and The Bee.’ Also featured on the soundtrack, the film began to open doors for her career as a singer and an actress. KeKe later went on to acting in films and television series Scream Queens, Grease, Live!, Crazy Sexy Cool: The TLC Story, Berlin Station, Brotherly Love, 90210, Jump In! and Madea’s Family Reunion. That girl good!
Ciara – Atlanta native and ‘Goodies’ songstress Ciara have built a dynamic career around being an overall entertainer. Her soft-spoken voice yet camera demanding girl next door demeanor has landed her a few big-screen opportunities. Taking a leap at acting, Ciara has been featured in films ‘All You’ve Got,’ ‘Mama, I Want To Sing!,’ and ‘That’s My Boy.’
Mariah Carey – The queen of the true falsetto has not only serenaded the music industry with legendary hits, but she has also graced television screens as well as the big screen on numerous occasions. Mariah Carey has been seen in ‘Precious,’ ‘Empire,’ ‘Glitter,’ and Lee Daniels’ ‘The Butler.’
These women are talented all around, and we would love to see them on camera more often than less. Keep checking back to our sites Singersroom and Rappersroom to see what women we are highlighting during Women’s History Month!
By Ciara Lee
