Erivo hits another career milestone
While the height of the COVID-19 pandemic brought much of the world to a standstill, it also spread a blanket of loneliness in its path by isolating family members and friends. And despite international fame and accolades, Cynthia Erivo was not exempt.
“I did feel really lonely. I remember I was in LA on my own. I had loads of people around me, but I felt like I was doing my life solo, and it was going really fast at that time,” said the Oscar nominee. “I was sort of like in the middle of what felt like a storm. And I felt like I was just by myself, and I just didn’t know how to really handle it completely.”
Erivo retreated to her comfort zone of writing, penning the lyrics, “Where do the lonely hearts go when the silence falls and the storm comes in?” She memorialized those emotions into what would become “A Window,” a song from her debut album of original music, “Ch. 1. Vs. 1.”
“A lot of these songs are really personal. So, I’m ready to share something about me and my life and who I am,” said Erivo, 34. “It’s like another part of my life I get to sort of see come to fruition. I’ve been wanting to do an album for a very long time.”
Released in September, the “Ch. 1 Vs. 1” creation began with nearly 40 potential songs before settling on the final 12 tracks, with the majority recorded across the past two years. It features a compilation of R&B, pop, and inspirational tunes as Erivo delves into heartbreak, love, family and social consciousness.
Assisted by production from creatives like Harold Lilly (Beyonce, Brandy) and Jack Splash (Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar), Erivo co-wrote on every song, delivering a project with no guest artists.
“I think I asked one or two people if they would come on and do features, and they didn’t want to, so I just did it on my own,” said Erivo. “I think this was an experience that I had to go through, making something of my own, for myself.”
Erivo’s debut album is yet another career milestone for the Londoner, fresh off an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of the iconic Queen of Soul in “Genius: Aretha.” Although it’s her debut, she’s no stranger to music: Erivo took home a best musical theater album Grammy for her starring role in “The Color Purple.”
Erivo also recently released her first children’s book, “Remember to Dream, Ebere,” and has a slew of film projects in the works, including the role of the Blue Fairy in Disney’s live-action adaption of “Pinocchio” starring Tom Hanks.
But in this moment, Erivo’s focus is this album, surely with more chapters to be written.
“I think the real success of this would be if people listen to this music and see a little bit of themselves in it and are able to have a conversation they haven’t been able to have before,” said Erivo. “If people can keep connecting to the words and the lyrics and the music in this, then I will feel really, really accomplished.”
Oct. 10 birthdays: Actor Peter Coyote is 80. Actor Charles Dance is 75. Actor Ben Vereen is 75. Singer David Lee Roth is 67. Singer Tanya Tucker is 63. Actor Julia Sweeney is 62. Actor Bradley Whitford is 62. Actor Wendi McLendon-Covey is 52. Actor Mario Lopez is 48. Singer Mya is 42. Actor Dan Stevens is 39.