How I got over? (How I got over)
How I got over? (How I got over)
You know my soul look back and wonder
How I made it over? (Oh yes)
-Mahalia Jackson
When an artist of the past creates music, it is not for the current time at-hand but a message built for the future. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mahalia Jackson was more than just a singer whose voice could shake the world. In Robin Roberts Lifetime biopic, viewers will witness a businesswoman who loved the Lord and didn’t allow others to dictate her vision, and she walked in authenticity.
The film stars an impressive list of Broadway veterans, including Tony® nominee Joaquina Kalukango (Slave Play), Jason Dirden (Fences), Olivia Washington (The Butler), and Rob Demery (Lovecraft Country) join the film which is directed by Tony® Award-winner Kenny Leon and stars Tony Award nominee, SAG and Grammy® Award winning actress Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black) as the gospel legend and civil rights trailblazer.
Danielle Brooks is phenomenal, and every character cast played a critical role in the development of Mahalia as a human being. While viewing the film, Brooks encapsulated the embodiment of a woman who could shake heaven’s door when she sang from her belly. The life of the first gospel singer to ever sing at Carnegie Hall is treasured in this biopic through impactful storytelling, and you can feel the spirit moving through the television during pivotal scenes.
From beginning to end, viewers will receive intricate details of what it was like to be Black, a Christian, and a woman with a dream who refused to allow the blues genre to be the soundtrack for her life story. A new generation of leaders should appreciate the historical context of how no one can stop you from reaching greatness regardless of the color of your skin.
Watch Lifetime’s highly anticipated gospel biopic Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia premieres on Saturday, April 3 at 8/7 C on Lifetime. Don’t miss it.
MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Born in New Orleans, Mahalia Jackson began singing at an early age and went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in U.S. history, melding her music with the civil rights movement. Her recording of the song “Move on Up a Little Higher” sold millions of copies, skyrocketing her to international fame and gave her the opportunity to perform at diverse settings including in front of a racially integrated audience at the prestigious Carnegie Hall and at John F. Kennedy’s inaugural ball. An active supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, Jackson sang at numerous rallies, including the March on Washington in 1963 alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in hopes that her music would encourage and inspire racial equality.
FILM SONG LIST – Soundtrack will be available on ABKCO Music & Records
Come On Children Let’s Sing
Didn’t It Rain
Elijah Rock
His Eyes On The Sparrow
How I Got Over
I’m Going to Live the Life I Sing About in My Song
I’ve Been Buked
Move On Up A Little Higher
My God Is Real
Precious Lord Take My Hand
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
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