Grammy-winning musician Brittany Howard, who rose to international fame as the lead singer of Alabama Shakes, released her stunning sophomore solo album What Now back in February and is about to go on tour across North America and Europe. Before that, she can be heard voicing the lead character of directors Jared Hess and Lynn Wang’s beautifully detailed new animated movie Thelma the Unicorn, based on the books by Aaron Blabey.
Thelma is a small-time pony who spends her days hauling manure on a farm and her evenings rehearsing with her band and dreaming of performing at the ultimate festival, Sparklepalooza. No one will take her talents seriously until an accidental glow-up leaves her covered in pink paint and glitter, with a carrot stuck to head, looking to all the world like a unicorn. The result is instant global stardom, but that success—while hiding her authentic self—comes at a cost.
With Thelma the Unicorn launching globally on Netflix, and opening in select theaters, on Friday, May 17th, Brittany Howard speaks exclusively with The Queer Review’s editor James Kleinmann about what it was like to inhabit the character and perform the film’s songs, and which icons have inspired her to be her authentic self in her music career.
James Kleinmann, The Queer Review: What were some of the themes that resonated with you in Thelma the Unicorn that made you want to be part of the film?
Brittany Howard: “Some of the things that resonated with me was feeling like you have to fit in with everyone else to be seen or to be heard or to be worthwhile, which is completely untrue. I love that this film is teaching children—and also the children inside us—that we need everybody to be individuals for the world to go around. It’s the most important thing: to come from an authentic place.”
I love that when Thelma is honest about who she is that inspires others to be their authentic selves. Was there someone in music who had that influence on you, who inspired you to just go out there and be yourself with your career?
“Oh, there are so many icons that do that for us, that’s why they’re iconic, right? Like, David Bowie and Nina Simone and Bette Davis. People who do things their way have always inspired me.”
When it came to Thelma , what was she like to inhabit as a character?
“Thelma is basically me, except she has more energy, so everything I do, I just do it bigger! She’s very playful, she’s very hard-headed, and she’s kind of spunky. She’s got a little attitude to her, just like a real pony.”
You had a pony as a child didn’t you? What was the pony’s name and did you think about that pony as you were coming to play Thelma?
“Yeah, I did have a pony. Her name was Sugar and I feel like we didn’t get along because we were too much alike!”
That’s so funny. So this feels like a great role for you!
“Yeah, I get to relive that whole situation over again!”
Were there things about Thelma that you could identify with? She works on a farm and I love the way she clocks in and clocks out with her timecard, that’s ia really sweet detail.
“Definitely. I grew up on a farm so I know what it’s like like shoveling manure! Also, when I was a mail lady I had a timecard that I had to use when I clocked in and out, so that made it into the movie and I look at that and I remember those days.”
There are some great songs in the movie, like “Fire Inside” which I’ve been listening to a lot. Tell me about those songs and what they were like to perform.
“It was cool. There are a lot of great writers doing these songs and I had some writing credits on a couple of them. These songs are different to something that I would write and that made it more fun because I had to figure out how I was going to approach them. I realized that some of them took a little bit more vulnerability and some of them took a larger-than-life approach. It was really cool getting to work with the writers and producer Mike Elizondo to flesh this whole world out. I had a really good time making the soundtrack.”
In the movie it is Thelma’s dream to perform at Sparklepalooza. Did you have a venue or a festival that you dreamed of performing at when you were starting out and what was it like when you finally got to that stage?”
“I’ve always been really excited to play with musicians who I look up to and so that’s definitely happened. I got to perform with Prince and I’ve gotten to perform with Paul McCartney and Herbie Hancock. Meeting people like that is really the dream for me. I’ve even gotten to sing with Stevie Wonder which is surreal because I’m a huge fan. So, for me, rather than venues it’s more musicians.”
As part of your tour you’ll be going to Glastonbury this summer. I grew up in the UK so that was one of my favourite festivals from my teens.
“Oh yeah, Glastonbury is a huge stage in the world so I’m excited to be there and to do our thing.”
By James Kleinmann
Thelma the Unicorn launches globally on Netflix, and opens in select theaters, on Friday, May 17th, 2024. For more on Brittany Howard, her music and tour dates, head to BrittanyHoward.com.
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