Ericka Nicole Malone drops "I'm Climbin'" Music video
"I'm Climbin'" by the multi-faceted and acclaimed filmmaker and songwriter Ericka Nicole Malone. This powerful track leads Malone's new documentary, The Bucket Wish.
Blending rich R&B and neo-soul influences, "I'm Climbin'" emerges as an empowering anthem. The video, directed by Grammy-winning producer Printz Board, creatively employs chess as a metaphor, portraying Malone's journey as she faces off with different versions of herself at pivotal life stages. Malone adds, "I am playing chess with life,at every stage, from a little girl to a teenager to my 20's to 30’s. I am challenging myself in the game of life. With each challenge I am climbing through life." This deeply personal odyssey resonates on a universal level, inviting viewers to reflect on their own life's journey. As pawns advance and kings fall, we're reminded that every move shapes our future, and every setback is an opportunity for growth.
Ericka Nicole Malone is an NAACP award-winning filmmaker and songwriter who works to elevate female voices and creatives of color. Her new documentary, The Bucket Wish, is about pursuing unexplored passions, reminding viewers that it's never too late to start a new journey. It is an intimate profile on Malone's story, fears, and impending future ahead.
Ericka Nicole Malone is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and businesswoman, who is building her own brand of entertainment in Hollywood, by amplifying female voices and creating films that showcase the Black experience while integrating characters that speak to all. Early in her career she understood the obstacles faced by female filmmakers; particularly those of color, so she chose to bet on herself and create Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment (ENME) with her business partner Phillip Robinson. ENME production sets are a diverse representation of skilled people of color, with over 85% of below and above the line jobs occupied by women of color.
In recent years, Ericka garnered success with the biopic, Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story, a film she wrote and executive produced, including a signature song in the film, “Welcome Home”, produced by Grammy and Emmy Winning Music Producer Paul Wright III (Kirk Whalum, Fred Hammond, Norah Jones). The film boasts an all-star cast including Grammy-award winner Ledisi as the iconic Mahalia Jackson. It also includes Columbus Short, Janet Hubert, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Keith Robinson, and Corbin Bleu. The film was nominated for 3 NAACP Image Awards at the 54th Annual NAACP Image Awards, with Ericka winning "Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)," and has garnered over 50 award wins and nominations during its film festival run including the African Movie Academy Award (AMMA) for "Best Diaspora Feature." Remember Me is currently available on the Hulu streaming service.
At the start of her career, Ericka tapped into her creativity as a storyteller by writing, producing, and directing theatrical musicals featuring her original songs. This was done as a means to pay her undergraduate college tuition. After seeing the success of the plays on her college campus, she began taking them around the country and the result was life changing. Her musical “In Love with Tyrone,” starring Robin Givens and Leon, became a hit and prepared her to expand her creativity to the small screen. Ericka wrote her first television sitcom in 2015, Ward of the State starring Janet Hubert (Fresh Prince of Bel Air), Aloma Wright (Suits) and Vanessa Estelle Williams (Soul Food).
Ericka Nicole Malone continues to challenge the status quo in Hollywood by creating opportunities for female filmmakers through her Power EN-ME Grant, which provides funds, resources, and mentorship to women of color. The grant was given over $70,000 in 2023 and strives to do more in the future. In addition, Ericka funds, produces, and hosts the Ericka Nicole Malone Indie Directors and Creators Spotlight in Park City, UT during the Sundance Film Festival. It is the only fully independently funded event of its kind during the festival. It celebrates the accomplishments of creatives of color, with past participants including award-winning individuals such as Ruth Carter, Robi Reed, Ken Whittingham, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Vanessa Estelle Williams, and Tabitha Brown to name a few.
Ericka has just scratched the surface of what’s to come. Film, television, and more; Ericka is the songwriter behind her new original single, “I’m Climbin’”, produced by Grammy winner Printz Board, co-writer of “Where Is The Love?” with the sensational Grammy-winning music group, Black Eyed Peas. As songwriter for her new documentary, The Bucket Wish and hitting the airwaves nationwide, Ericka is charting a new path for the world to hear her soulful voice with a nod to neo-soul. Ericka shares, “I penned “I’m Climbin’” as a lead song on the soundtrack to “The Bucket Wish” because I want people to remember who they are and to keep climbing up the stairs of life to different levels no matter how hard it gets.” Her multifaceted talent in both writing and songwriting makes Ericka Nicole Malone an emerging artist to watch.
