Andra Day is a whole artist in these streets. We’ve been following her career for quite some time. So, it is no surprise to see her career skyrocket in the way it has. Her vocal ability is undeniable and her signature timbre makes her unforgettable. That’s why it’s also no shocker to see how Andra Day embodies Billie Holiday in Lee Daniel’s movie, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday’.
Andra is a doppelganger of sorts in appearance to the famed jazz musician. Visually, you are already invested in the thought that this is an accurate depiction of Billie. Add to that, her vocal ability to take you under the same spell that was Billie Holiday and you are now captured. This movie will air on Hulu, February 26, 2021.
In Lee Daniel’s retelling of the life of Holiday, he focuses on her activism through song. “Strange Fruit” is still eerie oral documentation of the horrors that befell Black people in the Jim Crow era. We’re shown the harassment Holiday endured at the hands of the FBI, which saw “Strange Fruit” as problematic. In an effort to take the singer down, the agency zeroed in on her heroin addiction which is the common connotation to her legacy. You know, in the same manner, the legacy of Huey Newton has been attacked.
“She symbolizes freedom. She symbolizes equality. She represents almost every marginalized group of people. She was the original ‘Fuck the police.’ ”
Andra Day
If you’re looking for a great movie to watch that gives you some Black History, great music, and moving performance, this is it! The way Andra Day embodies Billy Holiday along with a new perspective of the jazz legend is reason enough to tune in. Let us know if you’ll be watching by following our conversation on Twitter.
