Kelvin Harrison Jr. knew from the feeling that overcame him and co-star Tracee Ellis Ross when listening to rough cuts of songs from the soundtrack that they had found something special in “The High Note.”
They laughed. They cried. They connected with their respective roles in an indescribable way.
“I think it was that moment dancing with Tracee and doing fake choreography,” Harrison said. “Singing along to songs with our voices on them was kind of the most insane thing that has happened. We both knew we were in it – and we knew it was something special.”
Harrison is confident that the same energy will wash over everyone who watches the film when it lands on demand May 29. Originally set for a theatrical release, COVID-19 had other plans. But he feels that audiences will be thrilled that the release will go on through their screens at home.
“If you are looking for a good laugh, if you are looking for a good cuddle – even if it’s just with your pillow; if you are looking to see Tracee Ellis Ross give nostalgic Diana Ross moments; if you are looking for the feel good movie of quarantine, then ‘The High Note’ is your movie.”
Harrison and Ross seemed destined to play their respective roles.
In the film, Ross is Grace Davis – a pop diva at a crossroads in her career as she faces middle age. Harrison plays David, an aspiring singer who catches the eye of Davis’ assistant as she seeks out talent to hone her craft as a producer.
The relationship dynamics between Davis’ assistant Molly, played by Dakota Johnson, Davis’ manager, played by Ice Cube and David make for music industry insight and a romantic comedy that tugs at heart strings from beyond just the romance.
Harrison has been making a splash on the film scene in the past couple of years, particularly with his role in the film “Waves” – which co-stars St. Louis’ own Sterling K. Brown. He is also a member of the ensemble of the highly anticipated “Chicago Seven.” But “The High Note” presented a new opportunity for him in that he was able to marry his love of acting with his love of singing.
“It is the ultimate when it comes to expressing yourself,” Harrison said. “That’s why I love musicals so much. I remember sitting in ‘Dreamgirls’ when I was a kid and listening to Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson and all those people and watching the audience stand up during the musical. That’s how great they were. The feeling that comes out of song and performance is like nothing else.”
The son of highly regarded musicians in his native New Orleans, Harrison got his start in musicals. He starred in “Hairspray” with his little siter.
“I played Stevie and she played little Inez,” Harrison said. “That was such a magical experience and this movie allowed me to do that through film – which is my new love. It’s been such a rewarding experience and an even greater gift to be able to do it with Tracee.”
It’s no easy feat – especially when it comes to finding the voice of a character as opposed to just singing as he would as a musician.
“David is a little more pop. We were really trying to figure out where his voice sat,” Harrison said. “We did a variety of different sounds. Some were a little more boy band or a little more rock – or a little more traditional pop or soul. I had to keep transforming my voice to see what it would sound like.”
Working with Grammy-winner Rodney Jerkins, who produced the soundtrack, helped him find David’s voice. Through the process, Harrison learned a lot about how you find storytelling in song.
“I think that what I was lacking as an artist was not knowing how to personalize the story within the song,” Harrison said. “I learned how to do that with acting, but I hadn’t figured out how to do it with music yet.”
Being in the studio with Jerkins was critical.
“He has worked with Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson and the list goes on,” Harrison said. “He knew what he had to do to get it out of me. He knew what that young, scared artist looks like. He helped me make those words mine – as if I wrote them. Who am I singing this to? That experience with him really changed the way I looked at music and approach music.”
He felt parallels within the character surrounding his own upbringing and the insecurities regarding his musical talent because of it.
“My parents are wonderful musicians and I was scared,” Harrison said. “I was like, ‘What if I don’t live up to that expectation? I didn’t have that mindset of perseverance. I wanted to run away from it. That’s why I did acting. By doing this film I wanted to perpetuate perseverance – that it does work if you commit.”
He hopes that people find as much inspiration in Ross’ portrayal of Davis as he did.
“I want people to know who they are and what they have to offer,” Harrison said. “That was one of the things I respected about Tracee’s performance of the character of Grace was that this was a woman who knew she had a gift. She knew she had something to share and she knew people needed it and wanted it – and she never allowed the industry to dictate to her what that was going to be.”
He believes the film will lend the opportunity for audiences to remind themselves that they have so much to bring to the table – and to not limit themselves or diminish their light because of other people’s insecurities and their attempt to control their narrative.
“Own your own story,” Harrison said. “And you don’t need to wait for someone to give you license to step into what you feel called, led or gifted to do.”
The High Note will be released on demand on Friday, May 29. The film is rated PG-13 with a running time of 113 minutes. For more information, visit https://www.focusfeatures.com/the-high-note.
