Lovely Hoffman is an American recording artist, musical theater performer, record producer, musician, actress and educator. She is best known for her 2017 breakout single "My Black Is Beautiful", a song she wrote to address low self-esteem among young girls of color.[1] In 2010, Lovely established herself in the theatre arts world when she was cast to co-star alongside Broadway star Marissa Perry in a production of Hairspray the musical, which was directed by Todd Michel Smith and Judine Somerville both cast members of the original Broadway production.[2] She received notable recognition in 2007 when her debut single, "Can't Wait" peaked #10 on the urban college radio charts.[3] Lovely has also performed and shared the stage with other notable R&B artists including Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Ne-Yo and multi-platinum recording artist and producer T-Pain.
Lovely Hoffman | |
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Born | |
Alma mater | Boston College |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musical theatre performer, music producer, stage actress |
Musical career | |
Genres | contemporary R&B, gospel music, dance |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano |
Years active | 2003–present |
Labels | 100 Decibels Music Group |
Website | www |
Early life and education
editHoffman was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, a neighborhood of Boston. Her father is a pastor and she grew up singing in her father’s church.[4] Growing up, she struggled with self-esteem and credits Brandy Norwood as one of her influences and inspiration for helping overcome some of her insecurities.[5][4] Hoffman attended Boston College for both her undergraduate and graduate studies. She majored in Political Science, Communications, and minored in Music. She received her Masters in Education.[4][6]
Theatre
editIn September 2013, Hoffman was cast in the lead role of Celie for a New England production of The Color Purple, a role which Whoopi Goldberg originally portrayed in the Steven Spielberg directed film based on the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. Produced by Speakeasy Stage Company, the show opened January 10, 2014 as a Boston premiere.[4] Lovely received an IRNE Award for best actress in a musical for her performance.[7] In October 2019, Lovely starred as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who is often referred to as the "Godmother of Rock & Roll," in the Greater Boston Stage Company production of Marie and Rosetta, a play with music written by George Brant, that chronicles the legendary American gospel singer and guitarist’s time with her protegee, Marie Knight, who together, rose to become a great gospel duo.[8][9][10]
Music
editAs a former middle-school history teacher, Hoffman noticed that young black girls were self-conscious about their appearance and as a result lacked confidence, which correlated to their academic achievement. She wrote a song "My Black Is Beautiful," to address low self-esteem issues among teenage girls of color.[11] The song achieved wide popularity and gained significant public media attention for challenging beauty standards and empowering young school-aged girls of color with confidence in order to improve their performance in school.[11][5] Hoffman explained why she wrote the song and its cultural significance with CNN on National Teacher Day on May 9, 2017.[12] The single was released in February, 2017, and rose to #45 on the Urban Adult Contemporary radio charts, making it Hoffman’s first release to gain mainstream success.[1] The music video went viral after being featured and shared online by several publications and media outlets.[13][14][15]
Theatre performance
editYear | Title | Role | Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Marie and Rosetta | Rosetta Tharpe | Greater Boston Stage Company[8] | Cast in lead role |
2019 | Caroline, or Change | Radio 3 | Moonbox Productions[16] | |
2019 | Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal | Lyric Stage Company of Boston[17] | Version: Broadway Revival |
2013 | The Color Purple | Celie | SpeakEasy Stage Company | Cast in lead role – Celie; New England regional premiere |
2012 | Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal | New Repertory Theatre[18] | Played the role of Crystal; one third of the Street Urchins girl trio |
2011 | Ain't Misbehavin | Nell Carter | Lyric Stage Company of Boston[19][20][21] | Played the role "Nell Carter" played in the Original Broadway Cast |
2011 | Ragtime | Sara's Friend | Emerson Umbrella | |
2011 | Sunfish | Storyteller | Stoneham Theatre[22] | |
2010 | Hairspray | Dynamite | Reagle Music Theatre[23] | Understudy: Motormouth Maybelle |
2010 | Ain't Misbehavin | Armelia McQueen | Lexington Players[24] | |
2009 | Hair | Dionne | Winthrop Players | |
2009 | Our Story | Various Characters | Origination | |
2007 | Ntune | Ensemble | Quannapowitt Players |
Singles
editYear | Single | Chart positions | Radio | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | ||||
2007 | "Can't Wait"[25] | 10[3] | Urban Radio Mixshow | iTunes, CD single |
2009 | "Light Switch"[26] | — | Urban & Dance Radio Mixshow | iTunes, CD single |
2010 | "Twista "Wetter" Remix" | — | Urban Radio Mixshow | mixtape |
2017 | "My Black is Beautiful"[1] | 45 | Urban AC | iTunes, streaming |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Digital and Radio Facts Talks to Lovely Hoffman – Her Black is Absolutely Beautiful - Digital and Radio Facts". Radiofacts.com. September 15, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ "Marissa Perry Stars in Reagle Music Theatre's HAIRSPRAY". Boston.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ a b "Rap Attacks College Charts Top 30 May 28, 2007". Archived from the original on November 19, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Lovely development in 'Color Purple' - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ a b Hickman, Janelle M (April 12, 2017). "Lovely Hoffman Creates "My Black is Beautiful" to Teach Students About Beauty Standards". Teen Vogue. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ Mosley, Tonya (April 6, 2017). "How One Boston Teacher Is Building Self-Esteem With A Song". Wbur. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ "Lovely Hoffman and Sam Yin to be Honored at SpeakEasy's 2017 Spring Gala". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ a b "Weighing the balance of song, story, and history in 'Cambodian Rock Band,' 'Marie and Rosetta' - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ "Arts This Week: 'J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors From Tate' And 'Marie And Rosetta'". Wgbh.org. October 24, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ Lu, Diana (October 11, 2019). "Front Porch And GBSC Tell The Untold Story Of The Mother Of Rock 'N' Roll Rosetta Tharpe". Wbur. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ a b Johnson, Akillah (March 28, 2017). "These black students struggled with beauty standards, so their teacher wrote a song". Boston Globe. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
- ^ Hoffman, Lovely (May 9, 2017). "Teacher: I wrote a song to help my students build confidence". Cnn.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ King, Brittany (February 17, 2017). "This Musician is Changing the Way Black Girls See Themselves". Huffpost. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
- ^ Willis, Kiersten (February 15, 2017). "Boston Educator Saw Too Many Young Black Girls with Low Self-Esteem and Did Something About It". Atlantablackstar.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ "How One Boston Teacher Reminds Her Girl Students That Their Black Is Beautiful In Viral Video". Essence.com. October 26, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ "'Caroline, or Change:' Musical production examines race, workers' rights in the 1960s". Baystatebanner.com. May 9, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ Grossman, Nancy. "BWW Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS: This Plant's No Shrinking Violet". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ "Little Shop of Horrors is Serious Fun". Boston.com. May 3, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ CLAY, CAROLYN (November 29, 2011). "Ain't Misbehavin at Lyric Stage". Thephoenix.com. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ Gillian Daniels (November 22, 2011). "Ain't Misbehavin': Tribute to a Lost Harlem". Netheatregeek.com. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Women in charge of Lyric Stage's 'Ain't Misbehavin". Articles.boston.com. November 18, 2011. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "World Premiere Musical..." Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ "Announced Marissa Perry to Return to Hairspray". Playbill.com. July 21, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Players Bring 'Ain't Misbehavin" to three stages, three towns". Dailynewstranscript.com. March 3, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Can't Wait – Lovely Hoffman | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. July 18, 2006. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Allmusic.com". Allmusic.com. August 7, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2014.