DARA RENEE
One would think that with an ensemble of twelve it would be hard to stand out, but that isn’t a problem for singer Dara Renee. Appearing now on “High School Musical the Musical the Series”, the show has brought about other great acts in- cluding Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett and our vote goes to Dara Renee to be a third force to be recon with. Being part of HSMTMTS, the show naturally displays Reneé’s strengths of both acting and sing- ing and as she puts it, “the sky’s the limit”.
Describe to us a moment in your life which set you on your part as a multi-hyphenated star?
When I was younger, I used to always sing songs from the Broadway production of “Dreamgirls.” I would sing them to myself until one day I sang “And I Am Telling You” in front of my family and their reaction showed me that I might have something special!
Who played a big part in helping make your dreams come true?
My mom played a huge part in making my dreams come true. She taught me valuable lessons that I continue to hold to this day. She’s my hero and I would not be here without her! Shout out to my Mom!
What attracted you to the role “Kourtney” in “High school Musical: The musical : The series?”
I actually auditioned for every female character in “High School Musical the Musical the Series” except for Kourtney and Nini originally. Kourt- ney didn’t have a real character analysis yet, so, in the room during the audition, the producers gave me a quick description of Kourtney and I fell madly in love with her. I put my own little spin on her during the audition, and the rest is history.
Tell us about your process to prepare for this role?
To prepare for Kourtney, I of course listened to Beyonce’s “Homecoming,” read some Oprah Daily affirmation books, and went shopping! LOL just kidding on the shopping part. I mainly try to deeply understand the reasons for my characters’ actions, whether that be talking to the writers or coming up with a backstory of my own.
We are talking about Zodiac signs in this issue, What is your zodiac sign and what’s the pro and con of being this sign.
My Zodiac sign is a Scorpio. The pros are that we are deeply passionate, we are determined, brave, ambitious, and loyal. The cons are that people always think that we’re crazy. And granted some of us are, but most of us are not.
If you have to be in someone’s shoe a day who will it be and why?
If I had to be in someone else’s shoes for a day, it would definitely be Beyonce. Not only would I be able to learn from her work ethic, I would also get to hear some of her unreleased music, and still get to sing a little bit.
In which way do you use your platform to inspire the new generation?
I try to use my platform in the best way that I know how. Of course, I am still learning, but I try to create a safe, com- fortable environment for my supporters to finally let their guard down, whether that be laughing at my stories or just chillin with me on Instagram Live. I want to show them that they are loved and wanted on a daily basis!
In short, describe Dara in 2022.
Dara in 2022 is trying to take over the world in the best way I know how! This is only the beginning, and “the sky’s the limit”!