‘Elvis’ star Yola hopes film will help right ‘grotesque wrong’
Yola has been making music for more than a decade, but Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming film ”Elvis” will be the first time fans of this Grammy-nominated performer will see her in a major acting role as godmother of rock ‘n’ roll Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Initially, Yola joined the project early on thinking she would be a part of the soundtrack. But that all changed when Luhrmann (along with star Austin Butler, who plays the title role in the film) got the chance to see Yola work in the studio.
“Baz is in the session, and Austin’s in the session as well and his nose is like up against the glass and he’s directing and just like really in the moment because he sees it all in his head,” Yola recalled, adding that she could tell immediately that the director had “spotted something.” After that day Yola said she felt like a call was coming from the director and when it did, she was so excited she was “running around like a child.”
The role of Sister Rosetta Tharpe was really important to Yola on a personal level because she says “no one’s been more left out of the conversation,” when it comes to the history of rock music. Despite being widely credited with influencing not only Elvis Presley but also Johnny Cash, Little Richard and Chuck Berry, it has taken decades for Tharpe to get her due, only gaining recognition from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018 with an Early Influence award.
“How dare you create a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame based on the thing [Tharpe] invented and then not induct [her] as
inductee number one!” Yola said.
Yola says the erasure of figures like Tharpe has had a direct effect on her career specifically.
“The number of times I’ve been told that no one wanted to hear a Black woman sing rock and roll [from music executives], I’m like you’re in charge of people’s careers and you don’t know anything about music.”
However, Yola is optimistic her role in “Elvis” will finally help bring Tharpe back into the conversation about the birth of rock ‘n’ roll. “I finally get to do this thing where I get to rectify this grotesque wrong.”
Though “Elvis” is Yola’s first foray into acting, she is excited about what her appearance in the film will mean for those who don’t often see themselves represented on screen: “When you’re plus size, you don’t always get like
the best roles. When you’re dark skin, you don’t always get the best roles. And so, me going into this space, I’m really blessed to be ... given this really amazing role. To [have] this loving, uplifting lens on me, I think that’s something that darkskinned plus-size women need to see... more things that look like us.”
So what’s next for Yola? For the first time in many years, she says, she doesn’t have a concrete plan.
“I’m really looking to ... do some collaborations. I think that’s gonna be really fun. And I just want to bring as much playfulness back into my process as possible. Before I get onto the next record.”
“Elvis” is set to hit movie theaters June 24, and tickets are available now through the film’s official website.