‘The High Note’

protests across the country following the death of George Floyd, black artists have dropped meaningful new music, with many sending the profits to a good cause. Kane Brown surprised fans with a track he's been keeping under wraps for months, dropping a soulful country tribute to unity, «Worldwide Beautiful,» Tracee Ellis Ross stepped up to full diva status with soundtrack, and Run the Jewels dropped their fourth album early and for free, following Killer Mike's tearful, impassioned speech to

Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson‘s new movie The High Note is now available to rent at home on demand and the film includes a scene that sheds light on what it’s like to be a black woman in the music industry.

The High Note, now available on premium VOD, sees Tracee Ellis Ross star as fictional diva Gracie Davis alongside Dakota Johnson as her assistant, Maggie. The pair sat down with The Hollywood Reporter remotely to discuss where they turned for inspiration and why viewers will love their movie.

Tracee Ellis Ross was pushed out of her comfort zone with her wardrobe in The High Note.

As social distancing becomes the new norm amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, theater screens remain darkened -- forcing many studios to push back release dates of upcoming films. But some are dropping their newest releases on streaming for at-home quarantine viewing, instead.

Tracee Ellis Ross is following in the legendary footsteps of her mother, Miss Diana Ross, to the tune of a hit single, sold-out tour and award-winning discography. Admittedly, it's for her new music-industry comedy,, but the talent is on display nonetheless.

By Peter Debruge

By Angelique Jackson

The film follows Dakota's character Maggie, who works as an assistant to Tracee Ellis Ross's Grace. Grace is a major musician living in L.A., so as you can imagine, Maggie's life as her personal assistant is...

By Dino-Ray Ramos

«My days are all just slowly descending into darkness,» June Diane Raphael laughs over the phone. «I start out super positive, and then it's just a slow ride down to, like, total despair and depression by 7:00 p.m.»

Forty years ago, Motown legend Diana Ross sang “I’m Coming Out,” which would become one of her signature songs and a gay anthem.

Movies about pursuing dreams are no new thing in Hollywood. Film offers a great platform for these stories to be told as they usually come from people that can reflect on their own experiences; often, they can also inspire audiences to take action in their own lives – movies like The Pursuit of Happyness, La La Land, Good Will Hunting.

The new romantic comedy “The High Note” is kinda like “The Devil Wears Prada,” but here the devil is a supernice lady with whom you want to drink wine.

The High Note: Tracee Ellis Ross — Photo: Glen Wilson / Focus Features

Nisha Ganatra’s “The High Note,” has a Tracee Ellis Ross problem, meaning that there isn’t enough of her in the movie. The script, procured by Flora Greeson, focuses chiefly on Dakota Johnson, which isn’t a bummer trade at all: Her deceptively breezy charm has enough strength to hold up even the hollowest pictures, no matter how many shades of grey they’re brushed with.

There may have been a point — say, oh, a few months ago? — when we’d have demanded a lot more edge from a movie like “The High Note,” and been less forgiving of its more implausible moments.

“The High Note” began life as a screenplay titled “Covers,” and at times the music-themed drama turns into a tribute to the power of a cover song performed by someone other than the person who originated it: Aretha Franklin with Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Share Your Love,” the Staples Singers with the Band’s “The Weight,” P.P Arnold with Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” the Dixie Chicks with Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” …

By Jazz Tangcay