Keke Palmer is ‘looking forward’ to pulling double duty at ‘Billboard’ Women in Music 2026

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Keke Palmer on episode of ‘American Idol’ (Disney/Eric McCandless)

Keke Palmer wears many hats, but on Wednesday she’ll serve as both host and performer for Billboard Women in Music 2026. During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, she said she’s looking forward to the night, where she’ll take the stage with “Text Message Unsent” from the soundtrack of her upcoming movie, I Love Boosters.

“I get to perform one of the songs — ‘Text Message Unsent’ — which is on the soundtrack of the EP for the movie,” she said, explaining that the title is inspired by moments “when you want to say the things to this person that you love but you just know it’s never gonna go anywhere, so it just stays in a text message unsent.”

The film, which also stars Don Cheadle, LaKeith Stainfield, Taylour Paige and Naomi Ackie, is set for a May 22 release.

While speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, Keke said it was hard to recognize Don on set. “It was crazy because he really went into just an extreme character look for the show … it’s fabulous,” she said.

“He’s really cool, too, and I’ve always loved him [since] Fresh Prince of Bel-Air days,” she said.

She added it was “very fun making the movie” and “just being with the girls all day. We were just all gagging, talking and laughing.”