Black Talent TV is launching a new talk show called Steph In Chicago.Steph in Chicago is all about the life of an influencer who has recently discovered the amazing city of Chicago. While her and her husband have only recently transitioned, they are ready to hit the ground running and show their large following just how amazing and culture filled Chicago is.From looking at Real Estate to shopping in the local boutiques, Steph is going to take you on the journey of a newly wed brand influencer, taking Chicago by storm.
Here is an exclusive interview with Steph and Chris Blue
BTT: How did you guys meet, especially with Steph being from London?
Steph: This is a funny story, but if Chris tells it, it wont be the truth, it will be his version of it !
Chris: Babe! Me and you both know that’s not true! But go ahead you can tell it!
Steph: Okay, in 2015 I decided to be apart of a project that was taking place at my university, where second year students could go to camp in America, shout out to Camp America. I originally planned to go to camp in Cali, but a very long story short, all the camps that I wanted to attend in Cali were fully staffed. So I tried my second option which was New York, and the same pattern followed, I was told that they were fully staffed. I had one day left to find a camp, and the only camp that was available was in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was totally confused because at the time I had no idea where or what Knoxville Tennessee was,I assumed it would be the same as New York or Cali, so I approached a representative of the camp.
Chris: She was at the Camp America fair, and each camp had a representative.
Steph: Right, so, on the last day of the fair, I approached “Camp Wesley Woods,” (the camp based in Tennessee). Sadly, the representative for the camp told me that they did have place available but it was for a male, between the ages of 18-21.
Chris: Now, clearly, Steph is not male! And she was 22 at the time!
Steph: Right!
Chris: So her opportunity to work at that camp seemed impossible, until God made a way!
Steph: The camp representative, shout out to Whitney Winston, said that she saw something special in me and felt in her spirit that I needed to be at the camp, she didn’t know why but, she said she would call the head of the camp and see what he would say. Long story short, 4 months later I ended up in Tennessee at the camp!
Chris: Okay, Steph is at the camp now but remember she’s expecting to be somewhere like California or New York, and well… Knoxville wasn’t exactly that…
Steph: Knoxville was the complete opposite and I hated it! So much so, that after a month of doing it, I called home and told my parents and school there was NO WAY I would be able to complete 5 or however many months it was. So they booked my flight for the following week to go home.
Chris: Long story short y’all, the week before Steph was about to go home we met at church, went on our first date, she ended up staying the full duration planned and we decided to take a shot at long distance dating. Four years later , here we are, one year into marriage.
BTT: Chris, we know how you met your first love, but tell us about your journey to the platform you have now.
I have been singing for as long as I can remember, from the age of 3 I was a lead singer in a gospel group, with my brother’s, we were called The Blue Brothers, after many years of singing with them, I decided to take my career in a slightly different direction, and I tried out for The Voice, Season 12. I worked extremely hard, consistently rehearsing and preparing, believing and trusting God to take me to the next level.
I got through several stages of the audition and finally, it was time for me to audition for the chair turn on the show. On the last day of the auditions I was getting slightly worried because once the coaches teams get filled you have to come back the following year to audition, but I felt in my heart that this was the year I needed to be on the show. Thankfully, on that last day, my name was called, but there were several people left to audition, and I had no idea, but there was one spot left on the show, but I sang as if that spot was mines! After Alicia Keys turnt her chair, I was so happy but sad, I was a little disappointed that only one person turnt their chair, and I started to question if I really did my best. And that was when I found out that Alicia felt throughout the show that their was this one voice she was waiting on that would take her to the top, and God chose me as not only the last contestant to be on the show, but the winner. I am now managed by Alicia Keys, Johnny Wright and Hallerin Hilton Hill.
I say all of that to say, the platform i’m on is nothing but God. We started to tour throughout 2018, and that momentum of working to change peoples lives on this tour, is only the beginning!
BTT: Steph, What about you? How has your husbands platform changed your life?
It’s all crazy! We got married in the same year he won the voice, and then I moved to Tennessee with everyone already knowing who I was. Our lives went from going to Walmart in PJ’s , to going to Walmart in normal clothes because someone was bound to recognize us.
Chris: No babe, you use to go Walmart in pajamas, and you still do.
Steph: Okay, true. But still, it’s crazy to go from no one knowing who you are to most people knowing who you are!
What career was you in before moving to the states?
I was on the same career path, I wanted to be an entertainment reporter, heading to red carpet events and asking deeper and slightly more interesting questions from what most reporters ask. My ultimate goal is the same as my husbands, and that’s to change the face of the entertainment industry and help build back celebrities rather than pull them down, because that’s sadly what most reporters do.
Chris: It takes a village to build a star. All the public see is the star but there is an unseen village behind that star that has helped, and keeps helping to push that star in the right direction towards building their legacy!
Steph: Exactly, so to answer your question I was still in the field of journalism.
On that note, tell us a bit about your show, Stage Left.
Steph: The show plans to do exactly what Chris said, bring the celebrities village to the forefront and help discover the village it took to build your favorite entertainers, athletes, directors, producers and many more. The show is going to be so different from what people are use to seeing. We plan to look at the lives of your favorite stars as well as their wives, their husbands and family.
It’s going to be an interesting dynamic. I’m really sassy, but shy, and I probably have the most hard core British accent people has ever heard. Chris is super quick witted, and silly, he brings the silliest side out of me so together, were a ball of silly sass.
Chris: HAHA! That really does summarize our relationship and energy together, it will work so well with the idea of the show! The show is all about relationships and the people behind the scene! We as a married couple plan to unpack in interviews the relationships that take stars to stardom. Everything from the relationships we know about to, the friendships we had no idea of, this will be the place to get the dish.
Steph: There are huge stars like Denzel Washington, who have built a Legacy, and growing stars who are building their legacy. From actors on web series, to stunt doubles of your favorite movies, this will be the show that will look at the legacy that stars have built and the legacy that growing stars are building, with the help of the people behind the scenes.
MEET OUR HOSTS
Steph Blue
Entertainment Journalist, Pop Cultural specialist and lover of all things content creative, Steph Blue is loved and known for being a fun and honest personality with a great on-air presence. From a young age Steph was always known for her great eye to find, and tell a story, as well as her striking ability to ignite and win a debate. As years passed, Stephanie’s ability to a great story grew, and this led her to her first launch into the world of Journalism. She took on her desire to debate and love for media to land her first job as a political radio personality on one of South London’s most love stations, BBC Wandsworth. By 23 and one year at the radio station, Stephanie developed her ability to interview a variety of people from different walks of life. From Politician’s to political science students, she became the voice of reason on South London’s local station.
Upon moving to America, Stephanie’s life as she knew it changed. Her husband became season 12 winner of The Voice USA, and every one grew to love and know their story. However, her heart to give the public the “inside scoop” didn’t change, and that led to Stephanie launching a Youtube Channel on her and her husbands ventures in the entertainment world as well as giving her fans weekly news segments. It wasn’t long after launching the channel that Stephanie was given the opportunity to become Knoxville’s first fashion reporter for Fox43, while also launching her voice over acting career and podcast. From Radio to T.V personality Stephanie was becoming the well-rounded Journalist she dreamed of.
Soon after traveling with her husband to multiple destinations for his tour, Stephanie gained a passion for the entertainment world, and began to network with local L.A based magazines. It was from this that she began to write online content for MXDWN, an entertainment magazine that focused on major stars and events that took place in the Entertainment world.
Having a husband in the industry began to teach Stephanie more than she could imagine. While everyone was able to see Chris (her husband) and all the hard work he put in, no-one saw the work, the struggle and pressure that his team went through in order to perfect every one of his performances. Stephanie’s drive to bring the people behind the scenes to the forefront grew profusely and it was from that desire that she was able to connect her venture of starting her own show, Steph In Chicago, with Black Talent TV.
Chris Blue
In 2016, Chris Blue found himself at a crossroads…
The youngest of seven children born among very humble beginnings in Polk County, Florida, he devoted his entire life to music. He went from the Blue Family at five-years-old to the Blue Brothers and to a burgeoning solo career by the age of twenty, sharing the stage with everyone from Kirk Franklin and Kevin Kyle Walker to Fred Hammond and Mary Mary as well as performing across the U.S., Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and the UK.
In the midst of a promising solo career, the love of his life got extremely ill, and that was when Chris the life-changing promise to God, that if he would heal her, he would not only marry her, but try out for The Voice.
“I remember watching Season 8 thinking there’s no way I could ever be on the show. Fear crept into my mind. Finally, I was like, ‘Ready or not, here I come’.”
As the story goes, Chris not only tried out, but he triumphantly emerged as the Season 12 Victor on Team Alicia Keys. Show after show, he captured the hearts of millions with his combination of raw vocal talent, heartfelt honesty, and brave vulnerability. His rendition of Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic” and “Take Me To The King” proved show-stopping, while a duet with Keys on “Diamonds and Pearls” brought the house down.
Just before performing “Love and Happiness,” the iconic singer shared some invaluable wisdom with her team member.
He recalls, “Alicia looked at me and said, ‘Make sure you focus on being in the moment. Don’t try to do anything; be it. That’s the natural order. We’re human ‘beings’ not ‘do-ings’.’ That stuck with me ever since. Now, when I get out there, I lose myself in that moment.”
Following his victory, Chris inked a deal with Republic Records and immediately entered the studio to commence work on what would become his forthcoming full-length debut for the label. Drawing on influences as diverse as Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Shania Twain, Chris Brown, The Canton Spirituals, and Bishop T.D. Jakes, he artfully unites Motown, pop, and soul into a sound of his own.
“I always want my music to bridge the gap,” he exclaims. “I’m a young guy, but I’m an old soul. I want to reach everyone that I possibly can. It brings the old and the new together. Call it ‘Poptown’ instead of Motown,” he laughs.
Within that collage of styles, his beliefs remain central.
“My faith is not important; it’s essential,” he goes on. “It’s who I am. It’s the foundation of where I come from. The energy you feel, the message you hear, and the light you see comes from my faith regardless of the genre.”
That honesty builds a lasting connection for Chris Blue. “To me, the most important thing is the response,” he leaves off. “In actuality, I’m the hope dealing business. I want to give the world hope. I want people to walk away with hope in their relationships, their loved ones, and themselves. I want them to be inspired.”