NEW YORK, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Atlantic Records) - Atlantic Records has announced the release of "SO UNCOOL," the debut album from award-winning singer/actress Keke Palmer. The collection - which includes the single, "Keep It Movin' (Feat. Big Meech)" - arrives in stores and online tomorrow,
September 18.
Best known for her starring role in the acclaimed 2006 film, "Akeelah and the Bee" - for which she received the NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture" - the 14-year-old Palmer is also an accomplished singer and performer. "SO UNCOOL" immediately establishes this multi-talented young artist as one of today's brightest new stars.
The album pairs Palmer with an array of top producers and songwriters, including Rodney Jerkins (Beyonce, Ciara, Keyshia Cole), Jonathan "J.R." Rotem (Ashley Tisdale, Britney Spears, Destiny's Child), Focus (Dr. Dre, Destiny's Child), the Clutch (Usher, Omarion, Chris Brown), Isaac "Ike Dirty" Hayes III (Chamillionaire, Lil Scrappy), Babygirl (Akon, Stacie Orrico), Fingazz (La La, Lunch), Toby Gad (Fergie, Daddy Yankee), and Anthony Dent (Diddy, Jay-Z). In addition, Palmer is joined by two rising rap sensations, Big Meech (on the aforementioned first single, "Keep It Movin'") and Yung Flow (who is featured on one of the album's three bonus tracks, "Just Me").
"Keep It Movin'" is already making waves at radio, having recently impacted at Pop and Rhythmic outlets nationwide. The track is also proving a favorite at Radio Disney, where Keke recently staged a "Celebrity Takeover," playing requests and answering questions from her many fans. What's more, the "Keep It Movin'" companion video has just been added into rotation at MTV Hits.
Keke - who was named as one of AOL Music's "Hottest Young Musical Talents" in its recent "21 Under 21" feature - will celebrate the release of "SO UNCOOL" by headlining Radio Disney's annual Jingle Jam Tour, slated to travel the US from mid-November through New Year's Eve. Full details and a complete itinerary will be announced shortly. Palmer recently partnered with Radio Disney for a number of summer performance dates, primarily at Great Adventure locations across the country, including Atlanta and Detroit.
The summer also found Keke teaming up with WNBA on a 15-city "Footwurkin" Tour, which includes a mix of arena, mall and fair venues in major markets such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Palmer wowed the crowds with her rendition of the National Anthem, as well as with a special halftime show featuring songs from "SO UNCOOL."
Most recently, Atlantic Records has joined forces with the Girl Scouts / Dove Self-Esteem program uniquelyME!, which promotes confidence and inner beauty with girls 14-17 nationwide. Keke, who is a Girl Scout, is encouraging girls to talk about the self-esteem issues addressed in the lyrics of her song, "Skin Deep." As a part of this program, girls are encouraged to log onto the Girl Scouts teen website www.studio2b.org to do a flower activity with Keke taken from uniquelyME!'s latest book, "Mirror, Mirror: Discover Your Inner Beauty." In addition, Keke will spread her message in person as she continues to visit Girl Scout councils around the country.
Keke will be profiled in a number of national publications, including a cover feature slated for the November issue of Black Beat. Other scheduled press includes features and reviews in such high-profile magazines as Vibe, Essence, Teen Vogue, and Cosmo Girl.
The Illinois-born Palmer first captured national attention in 2004 with a string of appearances in such popular TV shows as "Cold Case," "ER," and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Her work alongside William H. Macy in the 2005 TNT film, "The Wool Cap," earned her a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild for "Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series/TV Movie," making her the youngest actor to ever be nominated by SAG in a lead actor category.
In 2006, she made her big screen debut starring as the title character in the much-admired "Akeelah and the Bee" (which had its Showtime television premiere earlier this month). Keke was immediately hailed as a major new star, earning critical praise and a bevy of honors including the Best Actress prize from the NAACP Image Awards, Black Movie Awards, and Black Reel Awards. Further film roles followed, including 2006's "Madea's Family Reunion" and the 2007 Disney Channel Original Movie, "Jump In!" Her next feature film, "The Cleaner," in which she stars alongside Samuel L. Jackson, was just premiered as a Gala presentation at the prestigious 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.
