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How Solange Knowles helped this Diggstown star find a seat at the table

For Vinessa Antoine, there's only one way to start the day: listening to Solange.

For Vinessa Antoine, there's only one way to start the day: listening to Solange

Mercedes Grundy, March Mercanti · CBC Arts ·

Vinessa Antoine on Solange Knowles

5 years ago
Duration 2:35
Vinessa Antoine shares the impact musician Solange Knowles has had on her life and work.

For Diggstown star Vinessa Antoine, the artist who changed her life was none other than singer-songwriter and multidisciplinary artist Solange Knowles. Antoine stopped by our CBC Arts studio to share her love for Knowles. For instance, did you know her favourite way to start the day is by listening to a Solange album?

"All of her music videos have a feel to them that's almost like a film," says Antoine. "The dancers, the costumes, everything is just — it all speaks to me."

In addition to playing Marcie Diggs on Diggstown, Antoine is an aspiring writer/director, and is particularly influenced by Knowles's recent album When I Get Home (2019).

"She really talks about a lot of the social issues as a Black woman," explains Antoine, whose role on Diggstown marks the first show about a Black female Canadian lawyer. "She's so specific and intentional with her work that that has made me look at the work that I'm doing [...] to make sure that I'm intentional with what I'm doing and I try not to change or sway from that to suit, say, the more popular vote."

Vinessa Antoine stars in Diggstown. The new legal drama premieres Wednesday, March 6 on CBC. (CBC)

Diggstown airs on CBC TV Wednesday at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT) and streams on CBC Gem.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mercedes Grundy

Mercedes Grundy is a producer for CBC's Unscripted division. She has played an integral role in the creation of series like Exhibitionists, The Filmmakers and Canada's a Drag as well as special projects like Superqueeroes and The 2010s: The Decade Canadian Artists Stopped Saying Sorry. Collectively, these projects have won Grundy 5 Canadian Screen Awards. She has an educational background in photography, and produces film and theatre when not busy here at the CBC.