The Legacy Of Brandy & Whitney's Black 'Cinderella'
Decades before Black Girl Magic became a phrase and a way for Black women and girls across the world to conjure our inner alchemy, in 1997 ABC aired Cinderella the musical starring two of the biggest acts in music at the time: R&B princess Brandy Norwood and the late great Whitney Houston.
Tonight, in celebration of the musical’s 25th anniversary, ABC is airing a reunion special featuring cast members Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and Veanne Cox. (Natalie Desselle, who starred as Cinderella's step-sister Minerva, passed away from cancer in 2020.)
We’re all familiar with the story of Cinderella: a girl who is orphaned after her father passes away and is left in the custody of her cruel and wicked evil stepmother and step sisters. The story has been given countless reimaginings and retellings, but according to the film’s producers the 1997’s Roger and Hammerstein's version came to life after Whitney had expressed interest in doing a musical.
“We’d had a call from Nicole David, Whitney’s longtime agent at WME, who’d said, "Whitney watched ‘Gypsy’ and she wants to do one. What ideas do you have?" For whatever reason, I pitched her "Cinderella,” executive producer Neil Meron said in an interview with Shondaland.
Once she got on board with the film, Whitney knew she wanted Brandy to play the titular princess. “Brandy was definitely handpicked by me,” she says in an old behind the scenes interview. “I definitely wanted her to be Cinderella.”
Despite tepid reviews at the time, Cinderella’s legacy continues to grow stronger over time. From the colorblind casting to the lavish costumes and the music that could only be brought to life by the voices of Whitney, Brandy, and the other talented performers like Broadway legend Bernadette Peters, Cinderella was an event unlike anything that had been seen on broadcast television.
I couldn’t have been more than ten years old when I first came across a VHS tape of the film at a flea market years after the film’s original release. I had already long been enamored by Brandy thanks to the many reruns of her hit sitcom Moesha that I would watch over and over again to the point of near exhaustion. I would similarly exhaust my copy of Cinderella, with my incessant rewatches, singing along to the iconic song Brandy and Whitney sang together "Impossible," as the Fairy Godmother magically transformed Cinderella's rags into a beautiful gown and mice into horses and a pumpkin into a carriage.
As time goes on, my appreciation for Cinderella grows. At the height of her fame when she had the opportunity to take any role she wanted, Whitney decided she wanted to gift Black girls everywhere the chance to see themselves as magical princesses.
There’s something particularly beautiful about allowing a young Black woman to assume the role of one of the most iconic figures in fairy tales; to assume the role of a character that is lured by a loving maternal figure out her life of misery and abuse, into a life of love and extravagance, allowing little Black girls to see that we could not only be royalty but that there could also be a beautiful life on the other side of trauma.
Twenty five years after Cinderella’s release, there’s a reason why we believe that truly nothing is impossible.
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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Rihanna Talks Shedding Expectations And Finding Balance As A Mother
Since becoming a mother in 2022, Rihanna has defined parenthood by her terms and hopes to pass that sense of autonomy on to her children.
For Vogue China’s April cover story, Rihanna shared her perspective on raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, and how she hopes to preserve her children’s uniqueness, devoid of societal expectations.
"The most beautiful thing...is that [children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity,” she told the publication. “Which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group."
The “Work” artist, known for her trendsetting style and captivating persona, expressed her desire to support children in fully embracing their individuality and encouraging them to be whoever they want to be. "It's really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be,” she says.
She continues, “They should embrace it completely, because it's beautiful, and it's unique. I love them just that way."
From shattering music charts to shaking up the beauty industry, Rihanna has forged a path that has since created the “dream” life we see today. One that she says has made her parents proud of.
“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”
Rihanna, who shares sons, RZA, 23 months, and Riot, 8 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky, recently shared her vision for expanding her family in the future in Interview Magazine.
When stylist Mel Ottenberg asked about the number of additional children she hoped to have, Rihanna replied, "As many as God wants me to have.”
"I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl,” she adds. “But of course, if it's another boy, it's another boy."
Featured image by Neil MockfordWireImage