How Karrueche Tran Pivoted From Famous Girlfriend To Decorated Actress
Karrueche Tran, I like her. She minds her business, she makes smart business moves. She has integrity, and most importantly, she loves herself enough to leave situations that no longer serve her. Tran popped on the scene roughly a decade ago as the girlfriend of Chris Brown. They had a whirlwind romance, filled with just as many highs as lows. Eventually, Karrueche ended the relationship after she found out Brown had a daughter on the way, and she moved on to pursue her passions within the entertainment industry.
This led to acting, where she's starred as Vivian Johnson-Garrett in the web series The Bay, and Virginia Loc on the TNT series Claws.
But it is her latest money move that solidified her place in the career pivot hall of fame, because sis is coming off of her first Emmy win!
The Emmy was for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction Program, for her performance as Vivian Johnson-Garrett in Popstar! TV's The Bay. Her win is a mega milestone for the Emmys, as Tran (who is Black and Vietnamese) is the first lead actress of AAPI descent to take home the trophy for either Daytime or Primetime Emmys.
And sis, this is a flex!
Her latest win makes this Tran's fourth Emmy win for The Bay. She won three prior trophies as a producer on the digital series, which won in the Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series category in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
She began her speech with speechless shock saying:
"I can't even talk. I'm so thankful and so blessed and so grateful. Thank you to the Academy and to the other nominees."
She went on to thank her friends and family, 'who have always supported me,' adding that she had to thank The Bay family, "who have believed in me from day one in me when nobody did at all. I just won an Emmy. Oh my God. Thank you so much!" she added. When asked what storyline she was most proud of this year, she said she was proud to "shine a light" on the Black Lives Matter protests.
The Bay is a soap opera, set in the posh seaside town of Bay City, where the privileged residents are entangled in one scandal, betrayal or love affair after the other.
Karrueche later took to Instagram to bask in her win.
"Y'all.. I.. really don't even know where to begin… lol when I got nominated I was soooo surprised and grateful but was like nah there's no way I'm gonna actually win.. the nom was more than enough.. but God had a different plan for me.. I'm still in shock!"
She continued:
"The icing on the cake was finding out I'm the first AAPI lead actress Emmy winner in both Daytime Emmys and Primetime.. excuse me WHATTT??! I fucking made Emmys history.. that is HUGE and makes me extremely emotional.. to be a representation of a community that is so often overlooked and under appreciated brings me to tears.. WOW I am on such a high that I know will last for a long time."
Watch the clip of her discussing the show with co-stars below:
Congratulations on such a historic win!
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Featured image by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET
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Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
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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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy