Kelvin Harrison, Jr. has always been influenced by music. As the son of professional musicians, his parents played Jazz most days, and the actor grew to appreciate it. It’s this love for music that drove him to be a part of Nisha Ganatra’s latest film, “The High Note.”
READ MORE: ‘The High Note’ [Review]
Released on VOD last month, the film tells the story of Maggie Sherwoode (Dakota Johnson), the longtime assistant to fading R&B star Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross). After a chance encounter with up-and-coming musician David Cliff (Harrison, Jr.), Maggie is inspired to fulfill her dream of becoming a music producer by encouraging Grace to make one more album and help David get one of his own off the ground.
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Harrison, Jr’s role in “The High Note” comes after an incredible 2019, where he starred in two acclaimed features, “Waves” and “Luce.” He has proven himself to be one of the best up-and-coming actors working today.
We were able to sit down with Harrison to discuss his musical influences and working with Tracee Ellis Ross in his latest film.
What is it about this particular script that drew you to it? Is it the music? Is it the cast?
When I read that script, I was more so excited to be a part of Grace’s journey. Also, the thought of working with Tracee was a selling point for me. I think it checked a lot of boxes of something that I was interested in. I wanted a rom-com. I wanted a movie that was lighthearted. I wanted a movie that had some type of relevance to it. And I also wanted to work with people that I respected.
You’ve appeared in some dark films, so I can see why that drew you to “The High Note.” Was music an important part of your life growing up?
My parents are both musicians, so I grew up with a classically trained saxophonist and a jazz vocalist. They pushed me to be the best musician I could be, but I decided to stop pursuing music as any type of hobby, or career choice, or anything. When I was 21, I wanted to be an actor, so I completely dedicated everything towards that and I abandoned music for a while, so getting this movie was a gift to me because it was like me kind of opening up this box of my childhood. All that time and all those hours that I’ve put into my craft and music at the time, I finally got to utilize what I’ve learned and that felt safe.
Do you have any favorite musicians that inspire you now and then?
I grew up listening to a lot of Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan. Ella Fitzgerald, Coltrane, and a lot of gospel as well. My parents also limited the number of things I got to intake when I was younger, so as an adult I’m reintroducing myself to various artists, and expanding my playlist.
Can you talk a little bit about the musical process specifically in this film – how you got a grasp on the type of sound and the music that your character would create?
When I got cast, I had to display what I was good at. So to create this character, I looked to artists that resembled my upbringing, and make something modern and relatable. Leon Bridges, Daniel Caesar. Anderson Paak, are the guys that I mirrored around. As for the music, there were maybe 20 sample songs on a list, and Tracee and I picked what we wanted. I chose the ones that would have the most commercial response because it is a rom-com, but at the same time still has some soulfulness to it with David and had a consistency in the tone. If that makes sense.
Did you learn anything new about the music business working on this film that you didn’t know before?
A lot of the tracks on the soundtrack in the movie were bare tracks originally, some were samples. We get samples. Samples are interesting because you take a pre-written song, but you can personalize it and make it your own. And that was the biggest challenge.
What was it like working opposite Tracee Ellis Ross, the daughter of a musical diva, Diana Ross? I’m sure she probably brought some stuff to the table that maybe nobody’s seen before.
I think she understood the nuance of it all. There’s the specificity of what Grace would even have in her home, what Grace will talk about, the conviction, the sort of the things that Grace would do. I think Tracee has a sensibility that is very unique to her upbringing and what she was exposed to and the people she knows. She loves her mom so much. I think she proves that all the time. What she did with Grace was make sure we see this woman was likable, and that she also knew how to stand in her work and in her power. Every time she wanted to make a decision, it wasn’t out of fear and insecurity, of losing her way. She was navigating things on her terms, and I think Tracee kind of operates in that same way. She’s a boss. She’s a boss lady.
What do you hope audiences walk away with after seeing “The High Note?“
Understanding the power of taking risks and chances. I think it is undeniable that every time I’ve found myself doing something that I wouldn’t normally do, or that I was afraid of, it turned into an immense amount of growth in my character and my career. I think with risk, that’s also on the track of perseverance. If you’re constantly pursuing something and not giving up, you’re going to come into roadblocks. What’s beautiful about this movie is that we’ve seen so many people have self doubts, and fears of what could happen with a lot of what ifs. Don’t be afraid to cross the road to the other side because you’ll never know what’s over there if you don’t.
“The High Note” is available now on VOD.