
“The Color Purple” broadway actress wants her royalty fee for the lyrics she contributed to the song ‘I’m Here.’
In a Dec. 26 tweet, the Broadway star claimed she had not received deserved compensation as a lyricist on the dynamic ballad that has become emblematic of Celie’s role. As LaChanze expressed: “I am getting a lot of DM’s and posts about why I’ve been left out of the press as the original Celie…I am thrilled for the movie’s success! Happy for all involved. However, I do want my royalty fee for the lyrics I added to ‘I’M HERE.’”
I am getting a lot of DM’s and posts about why I’ve been left out of the press as the original Celie in the @TheColorPurple (musical). I am thrilled for the movie’s success! Happy for all involved. However, I do want my royalty fee for the lyrics I added to “I’M HERE”. 💜— LaChanze (@laChanze) December 26, 2023
The actress feels her intimate involvement with the musical merits acknowledgment publicly and financially.
According to Spotify, LaChanze’s name is indeed absent from the official songwriting credits for “I’m Here,” which include Allee Willis, Brenda Russell, and Stephen Bray.
As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, The Color Purple earned $18 million in ticket sales on Christmas Day. The film ranked in the No. 2 spot for the biggest Christmas Day openings “of all time.” The film raked in higher box office earnings during its opening weekend than other recently adapted Broadway-to-screen musicals.
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Source: Black Enterprise