Keke Palmer Talks Work Ethic, Motherhood & How 2023 Changed Her

Keke Palmer is the latest star to grace the cover of Teen Vogue.

Source: Andy Jackson / Teen Vogue

In her cover story with the mag, Palmer opens up about just how many changes she went through in 2023. Those transformations include becoming CEO of KeyTV and the record label Big Bosses Entertainment, turning 30, and becoming a mom to her son, Leodis.

“When I was younger, I used to have so much anxiety. I love to perform, but is that something that can last forever?” Keke asked. “I think I always would wonder, Is it something that times out? Obviously, you have people that have been acting their entire careers…. but I just never knew how I could scale myself.”

That thought process is how KeyTV became the next step in her career evolution.

“If you were a lawyer, you want to get to be a partner,” she continued. “I didn’t understand what the version of that was for me. Some people become directors or they become a producer or they become the head of Paramount.”

Because Palmer has been in the entertainment industry for nearly her entire life, she wants to take that knowledge and use it to teach and empower the next generation.

“When you create generational wealth within underserved communities, you create wealth within our entire economy,” Keke explained. “My hope and my desire is to teach people the skills that I have, to teach them how to brand themselves, how to be entrepreneurs, how to work within a system, but also use that system to create something that’s unique to them. In doing that… I’m not behind the eight ball. And now my son, he can start at stage 10 instead of having to start at stage one like I did. I want other people to have that [too].”

While talking about her son, Palmer also revealed that the sacrifices she was forced to make so young have allowed her to be a mother in a way she’s always dreamed of.

“I 100% feel like money doesn’t buy you happiness. I’m not always happy because of my money. But the [financial] security I have with my son is a stress reliever,” she admits. “I’m not saying that a mom that is struggling isn’t patient, because I know that they are. But if they’re not, it’s like, ‘I get it, Miss Lady….’ So when I look at the position that I’m in and the kind of parent that I am or that I’m becoming, I think it’s remiss [not] to say that I have a lot of help.”

The new mother goes on to explain that it truly does take a village, noting that she and her home village share a few principles: Positive head spaces, respect, no judgment, and unconditional support.

“It’s more about keeping Leo insulated with the people that I know and trust, that don’t just love him, but love themselves,” Keke explained. “That’s really big. It’s important that he has good examples. He observes everything. It’s about giving him the proper role models and making sure my family is around.”

You can read more from Keke Palmer’s cover story with Teen Vogue here.