Keke Palmeris having a moment.
It’s not a role she takes lightly.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Was there a specific incident that inspired you to start KeyTV?
Keke Palmer.Tasos Katopodis/Getty
KEKE PALMER:Reaching my 20th year in the business, and I was getting ready to filmNope.
It was starting to get overwhelming in that sense.
Were there any examples within the industry that you followed or you were inspired by?
Keke Palmer as Emerald Haywood in ‘Nope’.Universal Pictures
That was really inspiring.
Growing up, somebody likeQueen Latifahwas always inspiring because she was so, again, diverse in her career.
And they’ve been able to give jobs and opportunities to so many.
Keke Palmer and Queen Latifah in 2016 at ‘VH1 Hip Hop Honors: All Hail The Queens’.Johnny Nunez/WireImage
And did you seek out advice from Tyler Perry or Queen Latifah or anyone else?
I always have spoken and gotten advice from Queen Latifah, just from working with her.
And then I definitely did reach out to Brian Robbins and he was very encouraging.
Two shows from KeyTV, ‘Dear Keke’ and ‘Heaux and Tell’.KeyTV (2)
[laughs] But if somebody’s going to do it, it’s going to be me.
I’m going to say, “Who here’s got Tyler Perry’s number?
Can somebody give me Tyler Perry’s number?
Because I just want to ask him some questions.”
Was there any fear in that?
And I don’t like to not do everything perfect.
You know what I’m saying?
I’ve had to learn that, “Hey, you know what?
You’re not going to get it all right, so just push yourself to push through it.”
Was there anything that caught you off guard in creating something like this?
What didn’t you expect or what did you learn in the process?
I think the most difficult thing probably was sometimes the distrust or the discomfort.
And in that, you are met with people that also don’t know anything about the business.
It’s up to you to decide if this is fitting for you.
Ask questions and let’s communicate.
And so it’s a lot of that.
Sometimes people don’t trust you, you know what I mean?
That’s a big thing that any producer anybody working and creating something they all come across.
And so I had to really learn how to navigate that.
I never want to convince someone to do something.
I always want people to feel like they want to be there.
And that’s okay.
And how did it feel stepping into that mentorship role?
Again, I’m learning, too.
I feel definitely capable and able to be a mentor to someone.
Not every relationship is totally smooth.
And that’s okay.
Because at the same time, this is real and serious for me.
No, let’s do this because we really believe in what we’re doing.
Let’s talk about a few of KeyTV’s shows.
How hands-on were you in developing these shows?
It depends on which level.
Some shows I wrote.
Some shows I wrote and directed.
And then other projects, I was a little bit more pulled back.
And again, I meet my collaborators where they are.
But not everybody has a team.
So then that’s when we also can step in and give a team.
I’m also writing and creating material.
Can you tell me a bit aboutDear Keke, your advice show?
I’m just answering them all as it pertains to just what was happening with life.
So it’s my own advice column.
Do you remember any specific questions people had?
Questions like: How do I know if this person is the one?
How do I know if I should let go of this love or move on?
Or how should I know when is the right time to leave my current job and follow my dreams?
How do you get people to really rock with you?
Or how to make a name for yourself in the industry?
Or how do I make time for myself?
I don’t know how to give myself more self-care, et cetera.
The list goes on.
Unlabeledtracks your own journey in the music industry.
What was your journey?
And what does this show say about the music industry and your journey specifically?
Unlabeledis a series that really just follows artists and how they become “unlabeled.”
We always assume that the best way in the industry is to be signed to a label.
But for many artists, it actually is the reverse.
And so I think my career is indicative of that.
But then I ultimately overcame those demons.
And can you tell me aboutHeaux and Tell?
Heaux and Tellis a really fun series.
It’s the granddaughter toGirlfriends, toSex and the City.
It wasn’t overly trying to prove itself, and the characters felt very real.
What are your hopes for KeyTV?Where do you hope to take it in the coming years?
I hope to really have an aspect to it where we can do training programs.
And then it became that."
Like, “Oh, I worked at KeyTV,” or “I did a training at KeyTV.
I was able to learn.”
Really be able to work within itself to grow and support the next generations of talent.
Don’t give up.
Really, truly hone into your own voice, what makes you unique.
Be confident in your journey.
