LaChanze Speaks Up About THE COLOR PURPLE Royalties For 'I'm Here'; Says She 'Was a Huge Part at Writing' the Song

Three-time Tony winner LaChanze is speaking up about the mark she made on The Color Purple musical.

The acclaimed actress and producer, who won a Tony Award for playing the role of Celie in the original Broadway production, states that she contributed more than just her performance to "I'm Here." In a new post, she reveals that she added lyrics to the 11 o'clock number.

"I am getting a lot of DM’s and posts about why I’ve been left out of the press as the original Celie in the [The Color Purple] (musical). I am thrilled for the movie’s success! Happy for all involved. However, I do want my royalty fee for the lyrics I added to "I’M HERE,'" she posted on X.

Amber Iman took to the platform to share her thoughts on the lack of recognition for LaChanze throughout the press run for the new movie musical.

"I’ve been looking for LaChanze. Y’all adapted the Broadway musical… not the movie… and I haven’t seen her anywhere, at all. Please make it right," she posted.

LaChanze responded to the post, thanking Iman and revealing that she "poured [her] heart and soul into that role. And was a huge part at writing 'I’m Here.'"

After workshopping the material, LaChanze played Celie during the 2004 world premiere of the musical in Atlanta. She then starred in the role in the original Broadway production for nearly a year, until November 2006. She recently opened up to Time about how she added to the song as it was being written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.

"I said, ‘I wanna flirt with somebody,  I know I got my sister. She can't be with me. But she's still my sister, and I know she loves me and my children,’" she stated. "I didn’t put it together in the way they did, but my feelings, my emotions, and my thoughts about what I was experiencing as the actor embodying Celie they put in the song. So I like to say I helped write the song."

While LaChanze helped create the character for the musical's first public performances, she is not credited as a songwriter for any of the professional releases of "I'm Here."

LaChanze also responded to a digital feature from People about those who have previously played roles in The Color Purple, which completely shut out the original Broadway cast and only listed those who performed in the 2015 revival.

"You neglected to mention Brandon Victor Dixon, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Felicia P. Fields, Kingsely Leggs, Krisha Marcano, Elizabeth Winters, Zipporah G. Gatling, along with all the hardworking Broadway talent who originated these roles in [The Color Purple] musical," she posted in response.

Aside from The Color Purple, LaChanze has originated roles in musicals like Once On This Island, Dessa Rose, If/Then, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and more. Her other Broadway credits include Dreamgirls, Ragtime, Company, Uptown... It's Hot!, A Christmas Carol, and Trouble in Mind.

In 2023, LaChanze won two more Tony Awards for producing Kimberly Akimbo and the revival of Topdog/Underdog. She has also served as producer on Here Lies Love and Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. 

This season, she will produce the new Broadway production of The Outsiders and will direct Alice Childress’ Wine in the Wilderness at Classic Stage Company.

Listen to LaChanze sing "I'm Here" on the original Broadway cast recording here:

Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas

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