The Choreographer Behind Lizzo and Janelle Monáe’s Performances

Jemel McWilliams speaks on his journey

Jemel McWilliams attends the Syncopated Ladies LA concert at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on July 28, 2017 in Hollywood, California.

Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesJemel McWilliams is the live-show artistic director responsible for some of your favorite performances, including Janelle Monáe’s “You Make Me Feel” at the 2019 Grammy’s and Lizzo’s “Juice” at the 2019 GLAAD Awards.

To celebrate Black Music Month, ZORA spoke with the extraordinary dancer to learn the story of his career and what it’s like to work over the past decade with iconic Black female artists, including Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Lizzo, and Janelle Monáe.

I feel blessed to have a career where I’ve aligned the majority of my career with strong Black women like Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monáe, Lizzo, and Beyoncé.

How does it feel knowing your choreography was seen by almost 20 million people who watched Janelle Monáe’s “You Make Me Feel” performance at the 2019 Grammys?