WOMEN WE LOVE: Cynthia Erivo

Ever since, I have kept my eyes on her, and now, due to her booming successful film career, so is the rest of the world.

Erivo, whose full name is Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo (say that ten times fast), is an English actress, singer, and songwriter. She was born to Nigerian parents in Stockwell, South London.

She is best known for The Color Purple, which won her a Tony in 2016 and also a Grammy and a Daytime Emmy. Then in 2018, she started to star in big box office films such as Widows and Bad Times at the El Royale.

Recently, she starred in Harriet in a biopic of Harriet Tubman, which garnered her an Oscar nomination for her portrayal. She also received another Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for her song “Stand Up,” which is featured in the film.

If she had won either, she would have become only the 16th person in history to achieve the coveted EGOT -- someone who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. We're sure she'll complete the task someday soon!

But Erivo wasn’t always focused on being a performer.

Initially, she began studying musical psychology at the University of East London. Yet, after a year, she applied and trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Now, there is nothing that can stop her. 

Currently, you can catch Erivo every Sunday night in the chilling HBO miniseries "The Outsider", based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, in a role unlike any others we've seen her in before.

Within the next year, Erivo will star in the third season of the National Geographic series "Genius" playing another African-American icon, Aretha Franklin, plus you can catch her in Doug Liman's long-awaited post-apocalyptic thriller Chaos Walking.

This barely scratches the surface of what this multi-talented woman will do, and if you haven’t already, go listen to her music. Her voice will leave you breathless, and if you’re like me, you’ll have it on repeat belting at the top of your lungs.