Spotlight on: Vanessa Williams
Published on 11 November 2025
Who is Vanessa Williams?
From her groundbreaking coronation as the first Black woman to be crowned Miss America in 1984, to her acclaimed career as a Grammy-nominated singer, actress, and acclaimed theatre performer, Vanessa Williams has spent four decades proving that true artistry outlasts any headline. Her effortless blend of sophistication, strength, and warmth has made her a mainstay of American culture - a performer who can move seamlessly from recording studio to screen to centre stage.
Career Beginnings
In 1983, Williams entered the Miss America pageant, and history followed. Though her reign was cut short by controversy, she emerged from that moment with remarkable poise, turning adversity into the foundation for a second act that would define her career. Her debut album The Right Stuff arrived in 1988, marking the beginning of her transformation from beauty queen to bona fide recording artist. By the early ’90s, she was topping the charts with her rich, emotive voice and timeless ballads, proving that her artistry ran far deeper than her public image.
Breakthrough and Notable Work
Williams’ 1991 album The Comfort Zone cemented her place in pop and R&B history, thanks to its signature single Save the Best for Last - a soulful, elegant anthem that became an instant classic. Her follow-up albums continued to showcase her versatility, blending pop, jazz, and gospel influences.
Her acting career blossomed just as brightly. On television, Williams delivered unforgettable performances as the fiercely stylish and iconic Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty and the poised yet formidable Renee Perry in Desperate Housewives.
On stage, she dazzled Broadway audiences with her Tony-nominated turn as the Witch in Into the Woods and later as a luminous Sally Adams in One Touch of Venus.
The Devil Wears Prada and Beyond
In the West End, Vanessa Williams has taken on one of pop culture’s most iconic figures: Miranda Priestly. Starring in The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical, with music by Elton John, she brings her trademark authority and glamour to the West End stage. The role seems tailor-made for her - a commanding presence with impeccable timing and style to spare. It’s a full-circle moment for a performer who has long embodied poise under pressure, power with polish.
Few artists move as effortlessly between mediums as Vanessa Williams. Her strength lies not just in her versatility, but in her authenticity - an ability to make every role, every note, feel entirely her own. Whether she’s commanding a Broadway spotlight, delivering a powerhouse television performance, or bringing an audience to tears with a ballad, she does it with integrity and elegance.
