The New Great Comet Is Lulu Fall’s “Pretty For A Dark Girl”

We often hear a great deal about the humanitarian efforts, music projects, and performances of the supposed “top tier” leading actors & actresses of Broadway, but the true waves and movements seem to come from those that hold down the ensemble.

Lulu Fall is a D.C. born vocalist, composer, and one ensemble member you can’t miss when you visit the Imperial Theatre to take in Broadway’s  Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. Her bright pink natural hair makes her stand out amongst a cast full of eccentric characters, reflective of her personality which also stands out in her everyday life.

Part of that life is the upcoming release of a music video and music single for “Pretty For A Dark Girl.” from the forthcoming album “The Unpaved Road,” which will be released August 22, 2017. This is a joint project with Count Basie Orchestra arranger, trumpeter, soloist Kris Johnson, who also serves as the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Utah. The video features several women close to Fall including Sumayya Ali (The Great Comet), Anita Welch (FOX’s Black Nativity), Louise Fall (Lulu Fall’s mother), & The 2017 Tony Award Nominee Denée Benton (Leading Actress of The Great Comet.)

“As a child, I was teased because of my skin color and for having African parents. As an adult, I was told my beauty was an exception for my skin tone, because dark-skinned women aren’t considered to be as desirable. This song sheds light on Colorism. This song empowers Black women, and all women who were discriminated against because of their looks. This song is about me.”

 – Lulu Fall

This song is about Colorism. It highlights the harsh prejudices and stereotypes that darkskinned women and girls face interculturally, specifically in the African American community. As a dark-skinned woman, Lulu Fall pulled from her personal experiences, testimonies from female friends and family, and the social media community to shed light on such a taboo subject.

Lyrics by Lulu Fall, music by Lulu Fall and Kris Johnson Performed by Lulu Fall with the Kris Johnson Group Video directed and edited by Christen Cofer