Keke Palmer is reshaping her legacy.

      Since last night, Keke Palmer has been busy. It's Tuesday afternoon, and she just returned to Los Angeles after a quick trip to Las Vegas. Arriving in Sin City late Monday, she managed a few hours of sleep before getting into hair and makeup at 4:30 a.m. for her appearance at the Starbucks Leadership Experience, where she energized coffee makers participating in a global barista competition. By 9:00 a.m., she was en route again, this time to the Universal Studios lot in L.A. to film the final episode of season 1 of The 'Burbs, her upcoming Peacock series based on the 1989 cult classic of the same name. Now, nestled in her trailer before filming, she chats via Zoom. Despite her relaxed look—a gray Abercrombie & Fitch Super Bowl LIX sweatshirt, black-rimmed glasses, modest silver hoops, and a flawless no-makeup appearance—Palmer exudes a different energy. She is lively and filled with unwavering determination. "Even though it was a lot for today, I wanted my weekend off," she explains, justifying her decision to push through filming after such an early start. "I said, 'I'll come in on my day off to finish strong.'"

      Palmer is on a mission. She aims to mark her presence in the entertainment industry as a multifaceted pioneer who acts, produces, sings, writes, and manages her own brand. These pursuits require significant effort, and she is ready for it. "Anytime I am labeled as a millennial diva, cultural phenomenon, prodigy, or any of those titles, I accept them with pride," she shares, tucking her sleek, chin-length hair behind her ears. "I hope my legacy serves as a launching pad for others. My goal is to do my part when I can and to represent something positive as best as possible."

      Since first captivating audiences as the titular character in 2006's Akeelah and the Bee, the 31-year-old, born Lauren Keyana Palmer, has grown into one of Hollywood's most versatile talents. After establishing herself as a child star in the Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP, she has starred in hits such as Hustlers, Nope, and One of Them Days. The sequel to the latter is in the works with Palmer set to produce alongside Issa Rae as she reprises her leading role in the buddy comedy alongside SZA. Throughout this successful journey, Palmer has also made history as the first Black woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Host for a Game Show for her work on NBC's Password and released her New York Times best-selling memoir, Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative.

      Driven by her ambition to succeed in show business, Palmer's schedule remains packed. Her podcast, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, is currently in its second season. This summer, she stars in Amazon MGM Studios' heist comedy The Pickup alongside Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson while releasing one of her most intimate projects yet, her album Just Keke.

      As she began working on her third album in early 2024, Palmer felt compelled to share her experiences, but for the first time in her career, she was uncertain about how to express them. "I hadn't fully grasped what my narrative was after everything I'd experienced that past year with my son and son's father," she confesses. To help articulate her story through powerful lyrics, she collaborated with her longtime friend Tayla Parx, known for co-writing songs for Ariana Grande, Khalid and Normani, and Panic! at the Disco. "I knew she could help me express what I needed to convey for this album at this stage in my life," Palmer states.

      In summer 2023, Palmer's relationship with her ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson, the father of her son Leodis, became a public focal point following an incident at an Usher concert. Palmer's outfit—a lace bodysuit—drew criticism from Jackson, which became a hot topic on social media. "It's the outfit tho.. you a mom," he tweeted. Four months later, Palmer filed a restraining order against Jackson, accusing him of domestic violence.

      This legal action was a pivotal moment for Palmer, bringing attention to the intricacies of her personal challenges within the public sphere and compelling her to confront her emotional processing. "I've had public moments that were embarrassing or humiliating, but they weren't like this," she reflects on the emotional burden of exposing her life for the world. "This was a different level of invasion and exposure."

      For years, Palmer crafted an image built upon positivity, striving to see life through an optimistic lens. "I process life through the lens of joy. That’s a choice," she says. However, as her relationship publicly deteriorated, the foundation she had carefully nurtured began to crack. She grappled with how to reconcile her