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Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Meet the Breakout Singer Who Steals the Show in 'Highest 2 Lowest'
A new Spike Lee joint is always a reason to celebrate, and Highest 2 Lowest certainly meets the lofty expectations that accompany it. Marking Lee's fifth collaboration with Denzel Washington, the film is a reinterpretation of the Akira Kurosawa masterpiece High and Low, itself adapted loosely from Evan Hunter's 1959 novel King's Ransom. The movie follows Washington's music executive, David King, whose son gets kidnapped alongside his best friend, sending David on a mission to fight for his family's survival. It's a thrilling ride with an eclectic cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, former NBA player Rick Fox, and rapper A$AP Rocky. Highest 2 Lowest also continues Lee's knack for nurturing new, emerging talent (both in film, like casting Teyonah Parris in 2015's Chi-Raq, and in the classroom, like teaching the next generation of filmmakers at NYU). Here, he casts up-and-coming British singer Aiyana-Lee for a role in the film's unforgettable final scene. In Highest 2 Lowest, Aiyana-Lee, 24, plays Sula, a musician longing for her big break. She shows up at King's apartment for a big audition that could change her life forever. With one shot to show what she's got, she delivers, singing a stunning rendition of the film's title track, 'Highest 2 Lowest,' which Aiyana-Lee wrote for the film. In this pivotal moment, the singer serves up show-stopping vocals and an undeniable charisma. It's so arresting she manages to steal the show, a tall order given that she's sharing the scene with one of the greatest actors of all time. We spoke to Aiyana-Lee about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make her acting debut in a Spike Lee film. She shared her journey with music and the surprising way Lee reached out to her, allowing her to showcase her musical talents and acting chops in Highest 2 Lowest. Aiyana-Lee: There's not a time I can remember when I didn't want to be a singer. I was surrounded by it my whole life. My mom [Daciana-Nicole Anderson] is a 17-time platinum singer-songwriter. She always had music playing in the house. She always had sessions. I'd kind of butt in and try to be the star of the show. When I was 4 or 5, I was hopping on stage trying to be an opening act in her European tours. I did my own shows at 5 and 6 years old, and entered singing and songwriting competitions at 7 and 8. So it's always been part of my life. Michael Jackson. I was obsessed with him. He married what it is to be a performer, an artist, a songwriter, a producer. He had every aspect of it covered. I was so inspired by that and his work ethic, how he created a world with his music. He's so timeless. You could place Michael at any time, and he'd still be relevant. Yo, so he gave me a very long message on Instagram. He was like, 'Hey, this is the real Spike Lee.' I was like, 'Oh my gosh. What is happening?' I saw the verified signs and thought it could be him. He said, 'Are we cousins? You got Lee in your name, too.' He said he'd been listening to my music all night. I believe he stumbled upon 'My idols lied to me,' which is a song I wrote and produced that went viral on Instagram and TikTok. From there, he discovered my entire discography and loved it. It was probably 6 a.m., and I woke my mom. I was like, 'I think Spike Lee DMed me.' She was like, 'What are you talking about? Go back to bed.' I met him that very same day. No, he's very mysterious. So he won't tell you what he has in mind until you're already in the thick of it, which allows you to be in the moment and not overthink anything. He told me he was working on a movie. He sent me the script, just to get my thoughts on it. A few months later, he started asking for details about me, and then he'd send me some sides, and they included all the details I'd shared with him. I memorized them, and I auditioned for him and his casting team. He didn't tell me anything after that. He was just like, 'OK, let's get some Jordans.' I figured my audition wasn't trash, because if it was, I wouldn't be getting these shoes! Months later, he told me I got the part, that I'm flying to New York in a few weeks, and you're gonna be on set with Denzel. I couldn't believe it. I still don't. I'm always the person who's like, 'It's not happening, actually, everyone's gonna change their mind at some point.' I think there's a part of you that just can't comprehend it until later on, when you're looking back. I was super excited and honored, and obviously I'm a huge Spike Lee fan and Denzel fan. My mom and I were just over the moon. I called my grandma, and she was like, 'Oh my God, I know these people!' That's how you know—when the grandma knows what's up? Now I know we're good. It came up that same month. We spent a week going back and forth, talking about writing a song for Highest 2 Lowest. I probably wrote 10 different songs for the movie. I have a whole album of Spike joints! Eventually, we came to one that he felt was accurate to what the movie represents. He was hands-on and very collaborative, and pushed me to just share my story. That was very freeing for me—especially having been through so many situations in my career where I felt muzzled. To have someone at his level believe in me and want me to be heard without a filter was beautiful. We had conversations about the theme. Sometimes he'd give me tidbits of lines that then inspired me to lean into more of my own story. At that point, he already knew who I am as a person—he's like a big brother now. Because he already knew what I've been through, he was able to tap into that and help me navigate how I can portray it in a way that feels cinematic. One note that he did give me was that I don't have the same chorus over and over again. Write a completely new one every time to continue the story. You're taught that the chorus should be repetitive, but I think in this case, it really propelled the story forward. So it did feel like the song was a movie in itself. It represents the journey I've been through. Having people, whether in my personal life or the industry, put me down because of my age. You know, 'I'm older, so I know better,' right? A lot of people trying to make me distrust my intuition and voice. I think we're moving into a time where we're becoming, or should be becoming, artists first, authenticity first. I think this film has a great theme where it tackles [corporate] versus real artistry, numbers versus real artistry. That's something I've always stood for, and at times it's been hard for me. I feel like this film is a culmination of all the struggles and having that moment of a beacon of light and hope. I have always admired actors and actresses. I've always loved filmmaking. I've always tried to incorporate it into my music videos, that cinematic feel. For me, I just tried to know the lines. So then when I do get on set, I can be in the moment, make it as real as possible. Sula to me felt like who I am. I've been through a situation just like in the scene where an executive was sitting right there, and I was just singing for that person and auditioning. I brought that moment that I already had in my experience into that scene. Denzel gave me a note to just listen. It put me more in my body and being present. And Denzel makes such an amazing executive. His just being there, you have no choice but to be part of that world. It's no longer acting, it's just being. For sure, the movie! I was so nervous, but as soon as I was there with everybody, it was so welcoming. Denzel told me I was a natural! It really made me have confidence in myself. No one had an ego, and those are the best environments to work in. It's a crazy contrast with the music industry. You're part of a certain conglomerate, and you're pushed to fit into a certain mold. This was so refreshing. It's the Age of Aquarius, where we're stepping into an era where you have no choice but to lean into yourself and your authenticity! It was over 20 times! I sang it over and over and over again live. It was like a full-day concert happening, I was shocked. No one was fed up. The whole crew was so amazing. They enjoyed it every time. We were doing it with the same mic you use for acting, so the sound is all technically dead. It's completely raw; there is no effect. Spike is so intentional, and he created a very vulnerable moment. We shot it a lot, but I would have been ready to keep going for another few days. I was prepared to do my own concert after that. This was my band camp training. I saw myself because I did some ADR. Honestly, I was completely shook, because it's always been a dream of mine to act. It's a surreal moment to see yourself on a screen with Denzel Washington and all these incredible actors. I can't believe just being authentic got me to this place. The year that Spike discovered me, I was about to be homeless. It just felt like such a hopeful moment. I'm so inspired to continue down this path. Spike sent me this Italian song [Prisencolinensinainciusol] by Adriano Celentano. And technically, the whole song is just gibberish, so he's not saying any lyrics at all, right? Spike saw this kind of folky song that I posted on Instagram, and he called me. He's like, 'I have an idea. I didn't know you could do folk. I'm gonna send you a song. Check it out.' I thought it was really cool, so he asked me to put lyrics to it. The melody and cadence are there, but we needed lyrics. He just wanted to have this song in the end credits that's this celebratory moment. And so I applied that note and added a new layer to it. I hope I get to release a lot more music, and build a community around it that really enjoys and relates to it. I hope my story can be inspiring to people who maybe feel like doing it yourself isn't enough, where you need to wait for somebody, because waiting has never helped me. Something important to me is sharing that you can be your own manager, your own label. We live in a time where you can do a lot by yourself, and there's no excuse not to vouch for yourself. I also hope to do more movies. Something was life-changing about being on set, and the energy there was so incredible that I'd love to continue that journey. I would love to do this forever.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (February 7-9)
Not every movie on Amazon Prime Video is worth your time, but plenty of them are. Unless you're an expert, you might not be sure which movies fall into which bucket. Prime Video is filled with movies, and their recommendation algorithms don't always factor in how good a movie is. Thankfully, that's where we come in. We've pulled together a few underrated titles on Amazon that you may not have heard of and are all well worth watching. We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. The Tender Bar - Official Trailer | Prime Video A coming-of-age story anchored by a deeply magnetic supporting performance from Ben Affleck, The Tender Bar follows a JR (Tye Sheridan), a young man who comes under his bartender uncle's influence and comes to understand the way he sees the world. As he ages, JR tries to make a career for himself as a writer. The movie's real center point is the uncle's bar, a place filled with colorful characters and the kind of life he aspires to lead. George Clooney's career as a director has had its 'high highs' and some 'low lows,' but The Tender Bar is up there with his best movies. You can watch The Tender Bar on Amazon Prime Video. A brilliant documentary that excavates one of the core traumas many current Chinese citizens still live with, One Child Nation tells the story of the policy that forced Chinese citizens to have one child and to take severe action if they had more than one. The movie's brilliance comes in part from the way it chronicles the unthinking nature of many Chinese citizens. If the government tells them they should only have one child, they don't question it, even if it comes with great personal devastation. One Child Nation is searing, honest, and more emotional than you might expect. You can watch One Child Nation on Amazon Prime Video. Leave it to Spike Lee to make a thorny, complicated movie that still resonates a decade after its release. Chi-Raq tells the story of a group of women who organize in the aftermath of violence in the city of Chicago. As they battle the violence on the Southside, they begin to redefine race and gender inside the city with lasting consequences. Featuring a broad ensemble cast that includes Teyonnah Parris, John Cusack, Nick Cannon, and Samuel L. Jackson, Chi-Raq is sometimes considered to be one of Lee's less successful efforts. When you watch it, you'll find that the movie is just as revelatory as much of the director's very best work. You can watch Chi-Raq on Amazon Prime Video.
