“I’ve been fighting for her story to get told”: Lizzo to produce and star as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in new biopic
An upcoming biopic is set to honour Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the ‘Godmother of Rock and Roll’. The project has been bubbling behind the scenes for years, but Amazon MGM Studios has finally given it the green light – and hip-hop superstar Lizzo is set to star.
Tharpe played a pivotal role in rock history, her mixture of bluesy electric riffs and gospel musing throughout the ’40s and ’50s serving as one of the earliest forms of rock ‘n’ roll. And Lizzo, who will play the role of Tharpe, has personally fought for the musician’s story to be told, per Deadline.
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While most will know Lizzo for her glitzy pop music and upbeat rap tunes, she’s also extremely passionate about Black music history. After years of pitching the project around, she is set to produce the project alongside her starring role. “Let me be very clear: there were no auditions for Sister Rosetta Tharpe,” she explains in a new Instagram post. “Because this is a film I’ve been producing for years, fighting for her story to get told.”
“I’ve been honouring her in my music videos & performances, pitching her movie to people who’ve never heard of her,” she continues. “[I’ve been] studying her life and reading every book that exists about her. This is my baby, my passion – because Rosetta deserves [it]. The Godmother of Rock n Roll is in good hands, y’all. Stay tuned.”
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While the clip seems to highlight Lizzo as a more amateur guitarist than Tharpe, she’s putting in the graft to improve her playing. Speaking to radio station 103.5 KTU, she revealed: “I’ve been learning guitar!”
She explains how she’s starting out slowly, playing three to four songs onstage a night. But she also admits that it may take some time to feel fully comfortable playing. “Guitar fucking hurts so bad!” she cries. “My fingers are still soft, but they’re getting there… I have so much respect for guitar players.”
In another Instagram post, Lizzo makes her intention for her Tharpe biopic clear. It’s set to remind people of that the roots of rock ‘n’ roll are undeniably and proudly Black. “Black people made rock n roll, yeah!” she proclaims.
Tharpe’s impact on rock ‘n’ roll is pivotal, with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame even honouring her in 2018. However, her impact is often understated. This can even be seen when people discuss who hosted the first stadium concert. Some argue it was her – but the honour is often attributed to The Beatles’ 1965 Shea Stadium show in New York.
Despite The Beatles’ ‘65 gig, Tharpe hosted a “the most elaborate wedding ever staged” 14 years earlier, playing Griffith Stadium on 3rd July 1951. The event saw Tharpe getting married before 20,000 punters. According to NPR, newspaper adverts invited people to attend the wedding, which would also double as “the world’s greatest spiritual concert”. Fans came in flocks, all keen hear the solo female gospel singer perform.
The biopic is set to recollect the historical concert, as well as how Tharpe carved out her unique sound. There will also be a peek behind the curtain, unravelling Tharpe’s personal navigation of her bisexuality in the heavily conservative ‘50s.
With Lizzo previously starring in crime comedy Hustlers back in 2019, as well as appearing as The Duchess in a 2023 episode of The Mandalorian, Lizzo is a proven thespain. She’s sure to put her utmost effort into perfecting her performance as Tharpe.
Alongisde Lizzo, the project will also be produced by Kevin Beisler, Significant Productions’ Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker. Natalie Chaidez, who worked on The Flight Attendant, and Kwynn Perry of Tigerbelles, will be writing the screenplay.
The post “I’ve been fighting for her story to get told”: Lizzo to produce and star as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in new biopic appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
