Keke Palmer has graced our screens for nearly two decades, so when quarantine happened and Hollywood projects got shut down, the Virgo and self-proclaimed “Millennial Diva” quickly pivoted. “My main work, or my traditional acting, was brought to a stop which made space to be able to dive into music the way that I’m not able to usually because other things are taking up more of my space,” Palmer told ELLE.com of her new album, Virgo Tendencies. “I was just able to dive in and find joy, and being able to have [music] is one thing that I could still access and share with my fans.”
When Palmer isn’t recording new music, hosting the MTV Video Music Awards, or saying “sorry to this man,” the multi-hyphenate is spending the holiday season shopping, thanks to a new partnership with the financial payment plan Affirm.
Palmer is the gift that keeps on giving, which begs the question: What’s Keke giving Keke this holiday? “A Peloton bike,” she says. “Affirm can handle purchases that large. I’m getting myself a Peloton bike, and I’m so excited about it.”
Ahead, Palmer talks about holiday shopping, her new music, and what we’re saying “sorry to” from 2020.
What are you gifting to loved ones this holiday?
Man, many different things. Some are things I know they’d like or if they’re dealing with something, presents for that. For instance, my siblings and I woke up about working out and health being so important, so I thought I could get them an Apple Watch. Affirm helps get your shopping done. Sometimes you can’t do it all at once, and you have to spread it out. You can sign up, do your payment plan, and it doesn’t give you all this extra interest.
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For a lot of young people of color, you were one of the first faces we saw on screen to represent us. What advice do you have for young actors, especially young actors of color, who want to make it in the industry?
To know their worth and to understand their power as a person of representation. To not feel the need to edge for acknowledgment necessarily, but to more so embrace the place that acknowledges them already. It’s a big thing that allowed me to stay somewhat sane within this industry— not letting the lack of representation get to me but focusing on the people I’m touching. I always try to follow the love and not the indifference or the hate.
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One of your more iconic roles in True Jackson, VP. Is there a possible reboot? How would you envision the plot?
If I were ever to do a reboot of True Jackson, it would only be right if I did it as a real adult. I would not want it to be a kids’ show deal. I would wish for a reboot to reflect where the kids who watched the original are now—something in Girlfriends‘ vein. Does [True] now have her own company? How does social media directly influence that? Because it wasn’t around then. Is she still with Robbie [Amell’s character Jimmy]? Does she care about love, or is she career-driven?
True would be President of the company or she would’ve branched off and made her own company.
On Friday, the second part of your album Virgo Tendencies dropped. What can fans expect from your new music?
The first part was more so escapism, fun, dance, and high energy. This one’s a little bit more classic, it’s a little bit more just my R&B group, and I wanted to slow it down. It was a part II simply because I feel like we needed the part I vibe immediately, and now I think we’re maybe in a place where we’re comfortable reflecting. It’s not going to make us too sad. I think a few months ago we needed a lot of escapism. I’m excited for people to get more of these slow vibes now.
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I especially loved the message in the last track, “Grew From You.” There’s a lyric that I loved, “I hate that I had to go through that pain, but I learned one thing, I grew from you.” It seems like that could be a great anthem going into 2021, right?
Absolutely. That’s exactly how I feel about it. This year has been crazy, it’s been insane, but the last thing I would let it do is to kill me. So in that regard, yeah, I did; I grew this year. I know for a fact I did. I grew in more ways than one, and for that, I thank you this year. The part that I’m not happy about is the lives we lost and all that stuff, so it’s a bittersweet feeling because while it’s been good for you, it hasn’t been good for others. It might be a little bit too soon for some people to have that outlook, but for me, it’s that outlook that helps me survive.
One of your most iconic quotes is saying, “Sorry to this, man.” I wanted to do a rapid-fire part of the interview, where we review some things in 2020 that we’re saying sorry to. First up: Bread-making?
Oh, we’re saying bye to that.
Tie-dye sweatsuits?
I’m not saying sorry about that, because I want that to keep going. I like that.
TikTok dances?
We can halfway say sorry to TikTok dances because it just became a really heavy influx. It’s like, I’m halfway “sorry to TikTok” and halfway “it saved my life.”
Did you learn any?
Yeah, I don’t remember the names of them, but I know for sure I did “Savage.” I did my own challenge. I just did one the other night with my girlfriend.
Okay, so TikTok dances can stay. Next, we have Zoom meetings?
Oh, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye! Done with them. It’s just so awkward. You know, if you’re digitally savvy and you’re on with people that aren’t, it’s like scraping a nail down a chalkboard. It is just so hard. People overthink them, and you got to get all this text up. Honestly, I really despise it at this point.
Horoscopes?
I’ve always wanted to say goodbye to the horoscope part of astrology, meaning like the whole telling you how your day’s going to be. Because I mean, they asses could’ve told us 2020 was going to be like this, and they didn’t, so it just gives me more reason to not trust them. I don’t like horoscopes, but I love astrology.
FaceTime dates?
I’m fine with them. You got to do it somehow!
My ex?
Oh, my ex? He was goodbye a year and a half ago. So yeah, definitely goodbye to your ex. Sorry to this man. But not really sorry. I wouldn’t say I was sorry!
Verzuz Battles?
They’re good! I like Verzuz Battles.
Would you ever appear in one?
Sure. I feel like I have some more years to enhance my catalog.
And then lastly we have, Donald Trump?
Oh, definitely not sorry, and goodbye!
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