Brandee Evans Says The 'P-Valley' Finale Brought Her To Tears
Stepping down from the dimmed lights and money-covered stage at The Pynk strip club, Mercedes of P-Valley is ready to write the next chapter of her story. The same is true for Brandee Evans, who plays Mercedes on the hit Starz TV series and is as resilient as the character she portrays on TV. Evans stopped by xoNecole's She Comes First podcast in partnership with European Wax Center to talk about the similarities between her and Mercedes, and what she hopes to inspire in others through this beloved character.
*Spoilers ahead*
She Comes First Podcast | Episode 2: "Self-Care For The Caregiver" featuring Brandee Evansyoutu.be
As we all come to grips with Mercedes's long-awaited retirement in the season 2 finale, we're uncovering Brandee's reaction to her character finally getting her sweet slice of heaven after going through so much hell. "I literally cried [watching the last two episodes], I'm not going to lie," Brandee admits to xoNecole editor-in-chief Brooke Obie. "I sat up and watched episode 9 and I just burst out crying in the middle of it. I was like, 'what is wrong with me?'" After fighting to gain custody of her daughter Terricka, Mercedes is reunited with her daughter while her adoptive mother Shelle goes to rehab. Coincidentally, Evans's late daughter Lyric, who was stillborn, would have turned 14 this year - the same age as Terricka. Brandee says she channels the love she has for her biological daughter into the on-screen bond between Mercedes and Terricka. "It's so crazy how art imitates life," says Evans on the podcast. "In a sense, I get my baby girl on camera."
When she's not filming for P-Valley, Evans has a second job as a caregiver for her mother Diana Harrington, who has Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis. Evans wears the caregiver title with pride, as evidenced by the shirt she is seen wearing during the podcast. But it is forever a balancing act, which is both challenging and rewarding for the Tennessee native. "I've learned to stay strong, but know that it is okay to break," she reveals.
Watch the full interview with Brandee Evans above, and visit the She Comes First podcast page for more episodes!
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: DonYé Taylor Asked Herself This Question When Creating Her Brainchild
"Being an 'ItGirl' is all about being yourself and taking all of the elements that make you who you are and displaying them at your highest capability," creative brainiac DonYé Taylor says in the introduction of the limited video series, "ItGirl In Motion."
In partnership with Hyundai, xoNecole has unveiled the limited series in conjunction with our inaugural ItGirl 100 list. The list boasts 100 Black women who not only innovate and take up space when it comes to putting on for their cities, but also as the driving force behind brands that create impact for the culture. ItGirl DonYé Taylor is one of the 100 featured ladies who put her purpose into action.
ITGIRL IN MOTION with DONYE TAYLORwww.youtube.com
As a marketing consultant, content creator, and CEO, a driving force behind DonYé's ambitions has been to show others how she sees the world by "creating art and doing things that shift perspective." In founding her brainchild, Nüclei, which is coincidentally also home to the ever-so-chic chrome brain piggybank, DonYé briefly touched on the inspiration behind the brand. "I was like, 'What would it look like if I were to be of service to myself?' And that's what made me create Nuclei," she said.
Watch the video above to take a peek into the life of the LA-based ItGirl, the importance of Black women receiving our "flowers" while we're here, and the three things she believes are absolutely essential to any ItGirl.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of DonYé and our partnership with Hyundai.
CREDITS
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production Company: @30inthemorning
AD/Gimbal Op: @jeffreyrattanong
DP: @jucelandrin_
Editor: @30inthemorning
1st AC: Bonnie Delgado @bonniebellevue
2nd AC: Liz Robles @lizfatimarobles
FPV Drone Op: Kai Kevin Goh @kaivertigoh
Gaffer: Nelson Nguyen @nelson_ftw
Key Grip: Ames Hoang @mangothemaker
SLT: Jamon Tolbert @jamon.tolbert
Sound Mixer: Deyo Forteza @introducingdeyo
PA: Breyona Holt @exquisite_eye
PA: Aminah Muhammad @aminahmuhamm
BTS: Marika Belamarich @marikarosegold
Featured image by Marika Belamarich for xoNecole