After spending months on the road with Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, New York singer and actor Keemar Davis began wondering what might happen if he put the same effort into a show of his own. On November 16, he will find out when he takes the stage at The Green Room 42 for an evening of soul, R&B, pop and gospel.
Davis, whose credits also include Five Guys Named Moe and Annie, has financed the cabaret himself. The show is both a career gamble and a personal undertaking. One of its most meaningful songs is the Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There,” which he associates with his late father. In this email interview with New York Hours, Davis discusses his doubts about taking the stage alone, his Broadway ambitions and what he learned from life on tour.
What drew you to cabaret, and what made this the right moment for your own show at The Green Room 42?
Cabaret has always felt intimate to me. I love the idea of people sitting, dining and enjoying a show in one space. You’re not watching from a distance; you’re sharing a room with the artist and connecting through the music. I wanted to create that experience for an audience.
What made this the right time was pressure. I really didn’t want to do the show at first. I kept talking myself out of it. I wondered whether I was known enough, whether I had enough support, and whether people would actually want to come see me perform. I had to confront those doubts and ask myself whether I was going to let them keep me from doing something I felt in my heart I was meant to do.
I realized that if I waited until I felt completely ready or supported, I might never take the leap. Sometimes you have to step out in faith before you can see what’s waiting for you on the other side. You can’t always wait for the conditions to be perfect. Sometimes you have to move while you’re still afraid and trust that you’ll find your way.
This show is about more than performing songs for me. It’s about believing in the gift I’ve been given, giving it room to grow, and trusting that the right people will find their way into the room. The Green Room 42 is a chance to perform in an intimate setting, but it’s also a personal turning point. I’m choosing to stop talking myself out of the possibilities and start giving them a chance to become real.
How did performing in the North American tour of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical shape you as a singer and storyteller?
Being part of the North American tour of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical helped me understand more clearly where I want to go in my career. I had the opportunity to portray Richard Bullock and perform in the ensemble, and I’m genuinely grateful for that experience. Being part of that production is something I’ll always value.
The experience also taught me what I didn’t want. It was a bus-and-truck tour, which meant we spent a lot of time traveling by bus rather than flying. Touring takes discipline, and I sometimes found myself thinking about how hard I was working day after day. I remember thinking, I’m putting all this work into helping bring this production to life. What would it look like if I put that same energy into building something of my own?
There’s a difference between seeing my name on a Broadway marquee and seeing my name on the side of a tour bus. It’s not that I wouldn’t do another bus-and-truck tour. If my own name were on the side of that bus, I’d be willing to put in that work because I’d be building something of my own. But when it comes to committing to another tour under someone else’s production, the opportunity would have to be truly special—something so compelling that I couldn’t imagine turning it down.
That experience made me more intentional about where I put my energy. I still love musical theatre and I’m grateful for what touring taught me. But I’m also ready to pursue opportunities that allow me to build my own platform, establish greater stability in New York City while expanding my reach around the globe, and continue working toward my goals of performing on Broadway and becoming a successful recording artist.
Your program spans soul, R&B, pop and gospel. How did you choose the songs, and what connects them for you?
Music has always been about more than melody for me. It’s about what a song makes you feel and what you can communicate through it. Soul, R&B, pop, and gospel may have different sounds and traditions, but they all have the ability to move people emotionally.
I wanted the show to reflect different sides of me as a vocalist. I love music that lets you tell a story and really use your voice. What connects these songs is their ability to evoke joy, nostalgia, hope or inspiration.
I also want the evening to feel like an experience rather than simply a collection of songs. My hope is that audiences will hear something familiar, discover something unexpected, and leave feeling connected to the music and to me as an artist.
What have been the biggest challenges and surprises in building a career as a performer in New York?
One of the biggest challenges is believing in yourself when your career doesn’t move as quickly as you imagined. New York is full of extraordinary talent, and building a career here requires persistence, patience, and a willingness to keep showing up even when the next opportunity isn’t immediately clear.
Being a performer involves much more than auditioning and stepping onstage. You have to advocate for yourself, build relationships, create opportunities, and learn how to navigate the business side of your artistry. Sometimes you have to become the person who opens the door for yourself instead of waiting for someone else to open it.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that your gift belongs to you, regardless of who stays in your life or who walks away. Your gift doesn’t disappear when a relationship ends, when management changes, when financial support runs out, or when an opportunity doesn’t work out. Those things may affect your circumstances, but they don’t take away what you were born with.
I’ve had to learn not to measure my worth as an artist by the people who recognize me or the doors that happen to open. You have to keep developing your gift, even when your circumstances change.
One surprise has been how much you can grow during uncertain periods. Those experiences teach you about your priorities and the artist you want to become.
Is there a particular song or moment in the show that feels especially personal to you, and why?
One of the most personal moments in the show for me will be singing “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson 5. I’ve never performed it live, so this will be special.
The Jackson 5 were a huge part of my childhood. Both my parents loved them. As a child, I remember connecting with their music partly because it was something my parents loved. I wanted them to see that I loved it, too. What started as a way of connecting with my parents eventually became something that belonged to me.
As I’ve gotten older, “I’ll Be There” has taken on an even deeper meaning. My father passed away from cancer, and there are moments when I still think about how he was there for me and how much I wish he could be here to witness this chapter of my life. Singing this song allows me to carry that memory with me while also expressing something I want my mother and family to know: I’m still here for them.
To me, the song is about the kind of love that lasts beyond distance, time, and even loss. There’s something reassuring about knowing that when it truly matters, someone will show up for you.
That’s what makes this a full-circle moment for me. A song that once connected me to my parents as a young child has become a way for me to honor my father, celebrate my mother, and reaffirm my love for my family. I’m excited to bring that emotion to the stage. I hope that when audiences hear me sing it, they’ll think about the people in their own lives who have been there for them—and the people they want to promise they’ll always be there for, too.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the evening, and what would you like to explore next in your career?
I hope audiences leave entertained and inspired, with faith in themselves. I want them to walk away with resilience, because that’s one of the most important things you need in this industry.
Sometimes, I think it takes a little delusion, too. You have to be willing to go back time and time again, even when things don’t work out the way you hoped, and believe that something different is possible. Even if the circumstances haven’t changed, you keep growing. Eventually, you see how those attempts moved you forward.
As for my next chapter, I’m looking toward expansion: larger audiences, larger productions, stronger creative partnerships, and the right management to help me continue building a sustainable career. I’ve taken on the responsibility of bringing this show to life myself, including financing it, because I believe in the vision and wanted to give it a chance to exist. I see this as a foundation rather than a finish line.
Ultimately, I want to take my show around the world. I want to share my voice and my story with audiences everywhere. Whether that’s through Broadway, concerts, cabaret, or other creative opportunities, I want to keep expanding what is possible for me as an artist.
I hope people won’t give up just because their first few attempts didn’t turn out as they imagined. Keep going. You may not see progress while you’re in the middle of the journey, but every step counts.
And this time, I do expect a different outcome—not because I believe everything will be perfect, but because I’ve grown, I’ve learned, and I’m still willing to bet on myself.
Keemar Davis performs at The Green Room 42 on November 16, 2026.
