Stephanie Mills is a consummate professional who has worked the stage since the tender age of nine. Mills’ resume dates back to the 1970s. Her career wins include the viral success of Broadway’s original run of The Wiz— which Mills dominated in the lead role of Dorothy, her status as a top reigning R&B songstress throughout the 1980s and 90s, starting her own record label and most recently, being a legendary diva, alongside Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, and Chaka Khan, on the Black Promoter’s Collective’s tour, The Queens! 4 Legends. 1 Stage. The 69-year-old is as spry as ever and is slated to take the stage Saturday, May 23, to perform with Karen White and Take 6, in metro Atlanta at the newly-built VyStar Amphitheater.
Mills shows no signs of slowing down. Due to overwhelming popular demand, the Queens tour is in its third iteration. She gives props to the concert and her “sister” performers, regarding the collective moment as “history.” When asked what the most rewarding part of the tour is, Mills said, “That we’re all still singing in our original keys.”
“I was telling them that we are survivors of this business,” Mills told BLACK ENTERPRISE.
“You know, there’s so many of us that have gone on, but we’ve survived, and that’s important.”
Witnessing Mills perform is magical, as is the way she connects with a multigenerational audience. She credits that to the love she has for her craft. Mills expressed that she gets a sense that concertgoers can feel the love and “appreciation” she has for them.
“As an artist, you never know who’s watching, and if they like your music … and everybody seems to love my music. I’ve reached a lot of people, and I’m grateful for that. That’s everything to me.”
Mills’ gratitude for her fanbase runs deep. So much so that she privileges them when selecting tracks from her vast catalog to include in the show’s playlists. The songbird tends to keep an ear out for what they respond to or scream out.
“I usually go after the hits, but then there’s some album songs that people like and I’ll try to put those on as well,” Mills said.
Among the plethora of songs in her catalog, Mills’ favorite songs to perform are “Power of Love” and “Starlight.” The former was originally a gospel song titled “Power of God” and especially resonates with her because it was written by her dear friend, Angela Winbush. Reggie Lucas and James Mtume penned the latter. Mills reminisced on the days of recording the song and how she became enchanted with it.
Mills has been performing since her youth. She was 11 years old when she was cast in her first Broadway show. Surprisingly, she didn’t want to audition for the “Wiz.” Her mother made her go. She locked down the lead role in the musical at age 16, and the rest is Black history. Mills’ presence contributed to keeping the door open for other Black women to take the stage on Broadway.
“After the Wiz,” you had “Bubbling Brown Sugar,” “Raisin in the Sun,” “Sophisticated Ladies,” … “ Dreamgirls,” all these Black shows were on Broadway,” Mills recalled. “And it was very interesting … I don’t know if that will ever happen again because of what we’re up against today.”
Mills is referring to the political climate and the feverish push for Black erasure. She’s a fan of what Kandi Burruss has accomplished on Broadway with the revival of the “Wiz,” “Othello,” and “The Piano Lesson.”
“I think we need more of that to get the shows that we want to see on Broadway. I really do think that it’s important that we have our producers, and I think it’s a wonderful thing.”
Motown, 20th Century Fox, and MCA are all major record companies Mills has been signed to over the years. However, she established JM Records, an independent record company, to control her own musical output. The Grammy Award-winning artist has reached the point in her career where grinding as an artist in the music industry takes a backseat to the enjoyment of creating and performing.
“I have my own label, and it’s just me on it,” Mills says. “I wanted to be able to record and release singles that I liked. I didn’t think the executives had their finger on the pulse of what I wanted to sound like. My company is just me, and it’s for me to release whenever I want to.”
Not only is Mills producing her own tunes, but she’s also navigating the new music landscape where digital streaming and promotion are king. She plays an active role in getting her songs to fans. She isn’t hands-off.
“I’m very active,” Mills told BE. “You have to have independent people service your record, and I’ve learned how to do it digitally. I’ve learned how to put things out the way they’re doing it now …. with streaming and everything.”
Mills is all entertainment. To date, her great work is being a mother to her son, Farad, and it’s a role she takes much pride in. Mills is a mom first, adjusting her career around motherhood because she never wanted to be away from her child. Farad spends a lot of time on the road with Mills. He’s even involved in her shows, often introducing her to the stage or coming as she wraps her set and escorting her offstage.
“Farad was born with Down Syndrome, and I hit the ground running with him,” Mills said.
“I immediately got him what he needed, and I did what I had to do as a mother to make sure he grew up and was educated. It was very important for me for my son to be educated.”
She went on to share: “He has written a book. He already has another book in the can …. And that makes me very, very proud.”
Mills is looking forward to the road ahead, one filled with love, bliss, and more music.
If in the Atlanta area during Memorial Day weekend, check out her upcoming show Saturday, May 23, at VyStar Amphitheater, located at 4650 N. Henry Blvd., Stockbridge, Georgia 30281. Doors open at 6 PM. The show begins at 8 PM. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster or at the box office.
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