Peruse of Billboard will show The Clark Sisters have yet another reason to declare victory as their hit reunion single – the first from their 2020 album ‘The Return’ –  reigns as champion of the current Gospel chart.

The win comes just two months after their long-awaited Lifetime biopic, ‘The First Ladies of Gospel,’ ranked #1 on TV ratings and became a critical and commercial homerun in the process.

To still be experiencing this level of success over 50 years into their careers is something they don’t take lightly, as revealed in a recent chat with That Grape Juice correspondent Shar Jossell.

Watch above to see the legendary sister act (sans Twinkie) dish on their enduring impact, latest album, future plans, and so much more as they prepare for the 2020 BET Awards.

************

The 2020 BET Awards airs TONIGHT at 8/7c on both BET and CBS.

Your thoughts?

As we reported here, Lifetime’s Clark Sisters biopic – ‘First Ladies of Gospel’ – was a critical and commercial knockout for the network.

The Christine Swanson-directed film, which chronicled the meteoric highs and lows of Gospel’s most iconic girl group, was greeted with the highest TV movie ratings of the year (and Lifetime’s highest since 2016). After its April 11 premiere, songs featured in the flick – including the quartet’s most memorable hits like ‘You Brought the Sunshine,’ ‘Name It, Claim It,’ and ‘Blessed & Highly Favored’ – shot to the top of real-time Gospel sales tallies.

Accompanied by spurts in streaming, the reawakened interest was just enough to help albums and songs from their prized discography re-enter the most recently printed Billboard charts.

Details inside:

(more…)

‘Ice’ singer Kelly Rowland is bundling up to give fans a wintry treat courtesy of the recently announced Lifetime film, ‘Merry Liddle Christmas.’

After scoring a ratings winner in the past via the star-studded, made-for-TV film ’10th Date,’ Rowland’s reuniting with the women’s network for a holiday flick that’s reportedly based on a real-life incident.

Details inside:

(more…)

Despite critical panning for her contributions to the women’s network, ‘Queen of All Media’ Wendy Williams is no stranger to seeing her ventures with Lifetime reign over TV ratings (see:  Aaliyah biopic, more).

Now, after years of murmurs, they’re joining forces again to bring her own life story to the small screen via an authorized biographical film.

Details inside:

(more…)

Having scored ratings winners with a bevy of biographical films related to top female music artists over the last few years (see:  Aaliyah, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, and more), Lifetime is hoping rub a few more hits out of their magic lamp as it’s been announced they have ordered yet another set of music themed programs.

In addition to the previously announced biopic set to tell the stories of one of Gospel’s most renowned groups, The Clark Sisters (as we reported here), now the women’s network is turning the spotlight on female Rap pioneers Salt-N-Pepa.

Details inside:

(more…)

It’s just not a good time to be R&B legend R. Kelly.

The singer, the subject of Lifetime’s ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ (a scathing documentary highlighting decades of his alleged sexual abuse of minors), has been engulfed in a media and legal firestorm following some of its jaw-dropping accusations.

As we reported here, night one alone of the three-part docuseries rocked social media and was penciled into the network’s history books for its stellar viewership.  Now, with all the showings combined, the entire series is locked as one of Lifetime’s most viewed programs ever!

Details inside:

(more…)

With their respective movie offerings to the Lifetime television network Grammy winners Queen Latifah (‘Flint,’ ‘Steel Magnolias’) and Toni Braxton (‘Unbreak My Heart,’ ‘Faith Under Fire’) have jointly and individually delivered the women’s channel millions in ratings and some of its most viewed programming to date.

For this reason the leading ladies will see their names line the production credits of a number of the its forthcoming films.  During its recent upfront presentation, Lifetime exec Tanya Lopez exclaimed:

“Both Queen Latifah and Toni Braxton have been part of the Lifetime family for many years and its proven that our audiences love them as much as we do and we are excited they will be back on the network for even more,” said Lopez, EVP of movies…

More inside:

(more…)

Our good friends at Lifetime are at it again!

After scoring ratings high notes with their biopics on Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Michel’le, and many more African American entertainment figures, the womens network has turned their pen and lens to the sports arena (as we reported here in July 2017).

Finally unveiling the premiere date for the biographical flick on Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles, the made-for-TV film – titled ‘The Simone Biles Story: Courage to Soar‘  – stars Tisha Campbell-Martin and newcomer Jeanté Godlock as Simone Biles.

See the trailer inside:

(more…)

A highly touted tribute to Whitney Houston, P!nk/Kelly Clarkson duet, and Diana Ross lifetime achievement honors were undoubtedly among the draws that lured viewers into this year’s American Music Awards.

Hosted by ‘Black-ish’ star Tracee Ellis Ross, the showing – which also featured stage-blazing performances from chart-toppers Shawn Mendes, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, and more – saw a notable improvement in ratings compared to last year’s abysmal 8.18 million (the lowest in its nearly 45 year history).

Curious to see just how many tuned in to see their faves slay the AMA stage?  Look inside:

(more…)

Like fellow demo-specific entertainment networks BET and Lifetime, TV One had found success by cutting into the ‘biopic pie,’ namely of musicians.

While BET’s New Edition mini-series and Lifetime’s Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, and Aaliyah made-for-TV biographical films have led the ratings race for the past few years in the particular genre, TV One took home a relative win in 2016 with their take on the life of Grammy-nominated R&B unsung beauty Miki Howard.

Hoping for a redo of that ratings magic, TV One tapped former child star Ty Hodges to direct an unauthorized recount of the life of pop icon Whitney Houston‘s only daughter Bobbi Kristina.  Titled ‘Bobbi Kristina,’ the film depicted her very public life as the child of two well-known (and troubled) celebrities – Houston and husband Bobby Brown – to her own tumultuous teenage years and untimely passing at the age of 22 in 2015.

The movie, despite being preceded by a controversial disapproval from the Houston estate as well as a lawsuit from Bobby Brown (click here to read more about that), still marched onto TV screens Sunday, October 8th at 8p/7p CST.  The problem?  Not many people were waiting for it there…

(more…)

Toni Braxton proved a ratings draw for Lifetime last year when her biopic ‘Unbreak My Heart’ commanded a colossal audience.

It’s little surprise then that the Grammy winning singer has re-teamed with the network for another project.

Head below for details…

(more…)

Despite being “hit or miss” on the critical front, Lifetime’s biographical films – especially those dedicated to some of music’s most noted acts (Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Aaliyah, etc.) – are generally ratings winners. But, after hitting a sour note with viewers thanks to the ill-received Britney Spears biopic from earlier this year, the women’s network is looking to get back on track with a biopic in honor of King of Pop Michael Jackson. 

Titled ‘Searching for Neverland,’ the film comes as an adaptation of the best-seller “Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days.”  Said to be “told through the eyes of Jackson’s trusted bodyguards Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard,” the flick – set to premiere on Memorial Day (May 29) – will chronicle MJ’s last two years of life.

Get into the trailer inside:

(more…)