Coco Jones is settling into her role as a duel threat by reprising the role of Hilary Banks on Peacock’s dramatic Fresh Prince reboot “Bel-Air.” In addition to the Hilary Banks acting role, the 25-year-old Jones has also revived her career as a musical artist.
During her teen years, Jones released music as both a signed and independent artist. Present-day Coco Jones is signed to Def Jam/High Standardz, and she recently hit the stage as she headlined her first concert at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C.
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, Coco Jones was raised in Lebanon, Tennessee, which is located about 30 minutes outside of Nashville. Her father, Mike Jones, played in the NFL for ten years, and his success instilled the drive in her in regard to living out her dreams.
Back in 2010, Jones competed in Season 3 of Radio Disney’s “The Next Big Thing” singing competition. Once she solidified a position within the Disney Channel pipeline, she was able to earn multiple opportunities for movie and TV show roles, such as “Let It Shine” and the TV series “So Random.”
During her time with Disney, Coco Jones learned how to be resilient, and she also developed a solid work ethic. With her acting career trending in the right direction, Jones decided to devote time to her passion.
In addition to being a talented actress, Jones is also a phenomenal singer, and back in 2012, she signed a record deal with Hollywood Records. Everything appeared to be falling into place, but then a few years later, Jones was dropped from her label, and the acting opportunities became non-existent.
She would go on to experience an extended period in which she vanished from the limelight. With her career savings gradually diminishing, Jones became inspired when she read a viral tweet in which a fan asked, “Whatever happened to Coco Jones?”
The former Disney star decided to respond to the tweet, and she proceeded to go on YouTube live to tell her story. Jone participated in the TikTok challenge “If I Was On This Song,” and she performed SZA’s “Hit Different.”
Her portrayal of the song blew up to the point that SZA and music executives contacted her. All of a sudden, Coco Jones had meetings set up with music labels, and she received the opportunity to audition for the show Bel-Air.
On February 13, 2022, the television series Bel-Air premiered on Peacock, and nine months later, Coco Jones released her seven-track debut EP, “What I Didn’t Tell You.” Her recent performance at the sold-out Howard Theater marked her first time being a concert headliner.
The night began with the opening act Liesl Michelle, who performed her song ‘Wither Away.’ She also delivered a crowd-pleasing rendition of Lauryn Hill’s ‘Killing Me Softly.’
When it was time for the featured attraction, the crowd chanted Coco’s name. The star of the show graced the stage with her presence, and she kicked things off by singing her hit song “Double Back.”
As her soulful voice projected through the Howard Theater, Coco Jones displayed a commanding stage presence, and she was very engaging with her energetic audience. She performed a total of twelve songs that included fan favorites such as “Put You On,” “No Chaser,” and “Caliber,” and she concluded the thirty-nine-minute performance with “ICU.”
Coco Jones is a multi-talented entertainer who is starting to settle into her role as a dual threat. Recently her television series Bel-Air was renewed for a third season, she was added to the lineup for Mary J Blige’s Strength of A Woman Festival on May 12th in Atlanta, she’s scheduled to perform at the 2023 Essence Festival in New Orleans, and she is targeting a summer release for her debut album.
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