Coco Jones Thinks Entertainment Industry Is Doing ‘Better’ By Dark-Skinned Black Women

Jones is a younger face leading the way for Hollywood to be more inclusive, especially for women of a darker hue.

Coco Jones has seen the highs and lows of Hollywood, yet the Grammy-nominated songstress thinks things are moving in the right direction for dark-skinned Black women.

The actress spoke with People about her skyrocketing career, having her breakthrough EP “What I Didn’t Tell You,” featuring the hit song “ICU,” garner multiple Grammy nominations. Of her sharp rise to music prominence, the Bel-Air actress detailed her gratitude for fans’ positive response.

“When I made ‘ICU,’ I didn’t know if it would work in this time, in this generation. I didn’t know if it was too slow or too soulful. I didn’t know how the world would respond. I was just creatively experimenting,” explained Jones. “But I’m really grateful when I perform ‘ICU’ because the audience is screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs. The last time that I had that type of reaction was when I was 14 or 15, and I was doing Disney Channel stuff.”

Jones has been trying to find her footing in Hollywood since her Disney days, starring in the Disney Channel Film Let It Shine in 2012, having found it hard to solidify her career. However, since lightning struck when her soulful hit made the radio waves, Jones believes that the entertainment industry is more open to diverse representation than before.

“I definitely feel like the industry for dark-skinned Black women has gotten better and better, especially since I was a young girl,” says Jones. “And I think the more storylines and the more positions of power that are told from a woman of color’s perspective, the more opportunities [there are] for women to play those roles and to hire women that would understand those storylines.”

Jones is a younger face leading the way for Hollywood to be more inclusive, especially for women of a darker hue. With five nominations at this upcoming Grammy Awards, Jones is part of a cohort of Black women with the most nods, following Sza and Victoria Monet for their projects.