Meet the Singing Voice of ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorViola Davis transforms into the Mother of the Blues for her award-winning role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” — and while she delivers a powerhouse performance, former Ikette and soul singer Maxayn Lewis is the unsung hero of the film.It’s her voice that catapults Davis into a new realm. While it is Davis’ voice who belts out “These Dogs of Mine,” Lewis performs the rest of the numbers.In an interview with Variety, Lewis explains how she came to sing in the Oscar-nominated film and got to lip-sync for Viola Davis.I’ve been working in the music industry for a long time and I’ve been recording with different people for years.