22 year old Keke Palmer's schedule is dizzying to say the least. Movies, TV and music are keeping her more than busy. With her second album with Island Records on the way, Industry vets Mia Swier and Jim Swaffield produced the black-and-white video for her first single "I Don't Belong To You." The single, also co-written by Palmer, is for anyone who is or has been fed up with their lover and is putting their happiness first. In the video, which she also directed, she is moving on from one relationship to an unexpected one. 

 

“The person I am right now is not even close to the person I thought that I was," Keke continued as the video closes out, "and that’s not in a bad way. I like to be surprised like that. I like to learn new things about myself. That’s also going to be expressed in my art.”

 

Palmer is most recognized as an actress. She made her acting debut in the 2004 filmBarbershop 2: Back in Business and rose to prominence in 2006 for her breakthrough role in Akeelah and the Bee as well as starring in Madea's Family Reunion. Palmer has also starred in films such as The Longshots (2008) and Shrink(2009). In 2012, Palmer starred in four films Joyful Noise, Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom, Ice Age: Continental Drift, and Virgin Mary. Besides films, Palmer has also starred in the television films Knights of the South Bronx (2005), Jump In! (2007), and Rags (2012) amongst others. Palmer has also had numerous television roles including the lead role in Nickelodeon sitcom True Jackson, VP.

 

If you've been watching Fox TV's "Scream Queens," which Keke stars as Zayday, the only black girl in her sorority, you know about the show's heavy use of racial stereotypes. Yes, it can be offensive at times, but that's sort of what makes the show interesting. It' so over exaggerated and ridiculous, it's kind of hard to take it seriously.

 

"Being the only African-American female that’s part of the sorority, I think as an actor, it’s up to me to be honest about what I am comfortable with and what I’m not comfortable with. I get to work with people every day that respect my opinion just as much as they respect everybody else’s. That plays a big part in why I was not offended by any of that," she noted. 

 

Palmer goes on to explain that she collaborated with Ryan Murphy on the character (who's inspired by Moesha), which helped her develop Zayday into a complex individual. If she ever felt a line was "a little bit one-note," she'd bring it up and try to figure out how to present it differently. Of course, as the only black pledge in Kappa house, Zayday is often at the receiving end of some of the harshest jokes. But Palmer doesn't take any of it personally. 

 

In 2013 Palmer portrayed Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas in the TLC VH1-biopic CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story.The film was completed in April 2013 and aired in October on the VH1 network, as well as being released in select theaters soon after. On May 16, Palmer released a video showing her recording and performing a cover of Alicia Keys song "If I Ain't Got You" She recently took part in a cover of "The Other Side" with Max Schneider. The video was released onYouTube in late June 2013 and is on iTunes without Derulo's part In 2013, she also portrayed Elizabeth Royce Harwood in four episodes of 90210. Palmer starred in the horror film Animal. Produced by Drew Barrymore, the film co-stars Elizabeth Gilles, Jeremy Sumpter, and Eve and is scheduled for a limited release on June 17, 2014 in theatres and VOD. In addition to being in the film, Palmer also performed and wrote a song entitled "Animal", which is the main theme of the movie of the same name. Palmer was cast in a recurring role in the second season of Showtime's Masters of Sex.

 

Palmer works with the Boys' and Girls' Clubs of the American charity Cool To Be Smart program, speaking to children about the importance of learning. She is also a supporter of Urban Farming and the Girl Scouts. She has worked with such charities as the YWCA and with Saving Our Daughters. Palmer spoke on the charity saying “We are so excited about having such an extraordinary singer & actress as Keke Palmer, to address these issues of bullying & abuse worldwide with the YWCA USA and with both our missions” stated CEO of Saving Our Daughters, Curtis Benjamin. In 2009, she attended the Stars and Strikes benefit for A Place Called Home. As of late 2010, Palmer, along with many other widely known celebrities, has been an avid representative for the "Saving Our Daughters" oath project, an anti-bullying campaign that allows people all over the world to take an oath to stop bullying​.

 

Following the release of her single I Don't Belong to You on October 25th 2015, Keke took to interviewers to explain the meaning behind her song. “I don’t belong to anyone else but myself. I have to make my own decisions. Happiness is defined by me. My sexuality is defined by me. And that can change and this can change and I can make it what I want to make it because I’m the one who makes that choice. So that’s what ‘I Don’t Belong to You’ is saying. This song feels right. It feels right and it’s telling who I am. And it captures my identity." Following the interview, she shared with the world via social media that she now identifies as no label.