Many celebrities in Hollywood can sing and act, often choosing to pursue both careers simultaneously. Our favorite stars have so much talent and love to share it with the world. You probably knew that Jennifer Hudson started her acting career after becoming famous for singing and that Donny Glover has an alter ego rapper, Childish Gambino. Did you know, though, that the actress Persia White is also a singer?
The famous star shortly pursued a music career, and we can’t get enough of it!
Persia White’s Illustrious Career
The 48-year-old American actor has been active in the industry for over 25-years now. She has featured in so many television shows but is most famous for her role in the hit series, Girlfriends. It premiered in 2000 and ran for eight years on UPN and The CW. She was nominated in 2008 for an Alma Award for Outstanding Female Performance in a Comedy TV Series.
Many fans also know and love her from favorite shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Vampire Diaries, and Breaker High. She also starred in many films such as Red Letters, Earthlings, and Dysfunctional Friends. Her work in the latter won her the 2011 Best Performance by an Actor in the American Black Film Festival.
The talented actress has also done other film work, co-producing the 2005 award-winning documentary Earthlings. She is a massive human and animal rights activist and narrated the documentary alongside Joaquin Phoenix.
Her Debut Album, Mecca
In 2009, Persia White finally released her debut album Mecca, titled after her daughter. The album features eleven songs in an alternative rock and trap hip-hop style. It runs for 37-minutes, but it’s so good that you wish it were longer.
Persia released it under her record label, HYBRID Music, and had multiple featured artists, including her ex-husband Saul Williams. She divorced the singer-songwriter the year prior, but they still worked together on her album.
As you listen through the tracks, you are taken on a journey through Persia’s mind as she relates different stories with soft acoustic instrumentals, hard beats, and energetic electric guitars. Her breathy voice is light and inviting but layered over songs with heavy rock bridges and powerful lyrics. You can’t help but nod your head along to the drums and the guitar riffs. The album has a spiritual feel to it, feeling intimate with her crooning and utilization of silence.
Her Musical Style and Lyricism
You can tell that Persia put a lot of thought and effort into every single track in this album, as they seem intimate and personal. Her lyrics take you through her private thoughts and feelings, almost like in a folklore-style. If you enjoy delicate music with an earthy feel, you should definitely listen to the fifth track, Haunt.
It’s aptly named and reminds us of Hozier or Lana Del Ray. “Salvation” is the eighth song in the album and showcases her lovely vocals in haunting lines such as, “You offered me fire, but gave no light.”
One of the qualities that we love best about her music is that she doesn’t adhere to songwriting’s normal rules. Her tracks don’t follow the standard structure of intro, verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, outro/chorus. Instead, she draws out long verses, utilizes silence or quiet instrumentals, and then hits hard with a strong bridge.
Every one of her songs is unique and makes you want to listen to it again. Her breathy vocals are so light against the heavier instrumentals, but it is used as the focal point–the music is always background support to her voice.
The last three songs on her album were all featured on episodes of the show, Girlfriends. Track number nine, “Tricky”, is a faster, upbeat, jazz-like song. It sounds bouncy and fun but has some strong lyrics, almost as if she were up to no good.
“Past Mistakes,” track eleven, also played during an episode while “Choices,” number ten, was used as the season 6 finale song. Her album comes to an end way too soon with a soft song that pierces your soul with its beautiful electric guitar.
Persia White has been happily married to her second husband, The Vampire Diaries star Joseph Morgan, since 2014. They live in Florida, where she is a member of the industrial rock band XE03. They have a few songs and music videos out, so if you can’t get enough of her solo work, you should go check them out! Although she is still a musician, she primarily works in the film industry. She released her album over ten years ago, and we have been patiently waiting for another one ever since. We love her music and can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!
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