Keke Palmer, Leo Jackson, and Darius Jackson attended the “Big Boss” Closing Night Screening during the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival on April 29, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Big Boss” is a film based on Palmer’s personal experience in the male-dominated music industry. It tells the story of her journey to self-discovery, self-love, and resilience in the face of misogyny. Palmer not only wrote and produced the film, but also invested 100% of her own money to bring the project to life.

 “It’s my directorial debut because even though it’s come out after those, I filmed it before. So, it’s definitely the first project that I wrote and put together, and filmed. I put this together. I invested a hundred percent of my own money,” Palmer told Blavity in an exclusive interview.

Keke described the experience as “nerve-wracking” but “euphoric”, saying, “I felt like adrenaline [was] going the whole time. Like, I’ve never been on LSD or anything like that, but I felt like what I would imagine that to be.”

She continued, “It kind of felt euphoric…I think is the word. I felt like this strange euphoria because I think it really is a great feeling to know you started something and you’re going through with it and finishing it. That’s really empowering.”

Palmer’s passion for music shines through in “Big Boss,” which she describes as a musical. She believes that music is an integral part of storytelling, and cites classic films like “Soul Food,” “The Wood,” and “Titanic” as inspiration for using music to enhance the movie-watching experience.

“I would definitely consider it kind of like a musical. I think that’s really who I am. I’m a multifaceted performer and entertainer, and I think I do tell my stories with music,” she said.