Editors’ Note: Black history is American history. Reel 360 News’ Reel Black List is a commitment to recognizing the impact of Black voices across film, television, music, media, and culture every single day of the year. In a moment when DEI initiatives have been challenged and hard-won progress feels increasingly fragile, it’s more important than ever to amplify the voices of Black artists, leaders, and innovators who have shaped the industry and continue to move it forward. Today, we spotlight a lovely, talented producer, actress and songstress, Mali Wilson.
Mali Wilson, formerly Malissa “Mali” Hunter, is a Grammy-nominated producer, Emmy-winning actress, and Atlanta-based songstress whose voice has carried her around the world. A Chicago native, she has been based in Atlanta since 2006, after moving from New York City.
She is the founder of StoneWood Music/EarthGirl, the visionary behind the private, world-renowned StoneWood Ranch and Studios, and the leader of Earth Angel Worldwide, her philanthropic initiative supporting women and building community. She also serves as Chief Creative Officer of The Retnuh Agency.
Through The Retnuh Agency, Wilson spent years behind the scenes, making strategic moves, protecting artists, and shaping culture for talents including Missy Elliott, J. Cole, 2 Chainz, Killer Mike, Whitney Houston, Usher, and more.
After years of building, protecting, and elevating others, she now steps forward as a fully realized artist in her own right. In 2025, she released her first single during National Women’s Month and headlined the iconic Billie Holiday Theatre, followed by sold-out shows in New York, Miami, Las Vegas, Detroit, Atlanta, and Chicago. Her forthcoming project, Retro in Real Time, arrives March 20, 2026.
Let’s meet Mali!
What’s the version of your origin story you don’t put on LinkedIn?
What doesn’t always make it to LinkedIn is how much of my foundation was built quietly, behind the scenes, in the advertising world.
I was blessed to be mentored by giants in the jingle and music advertising industry—Cleo Award–winning creators who didn’t just teach me music, they taught me discipline. Integrity. Preparation. Excellence, even when nobody is watching.
That world gave me structure and grit. It also gave me the ability to connect culture, celebrities, and brands in a way that felt authentic—not transactional. If it didn’t match someone’s spirit, I didn’t want to be part of it.
That foundation shaped everything.
Which dream did you outgrow? Which one won’t go away?
I don’t think I outgrew dreams so much as I outgrew certain versions of myself. I’ve been blessed to experience many things I once prayed for. But there was a season when I questioned whether I wanted the spotlight. I had seen what fame did to people I loved—the pressure, the loneliness, the loss.
But one dream never left me: using my voice to heal, uplift, and bring people together. That dream stayed, even when I tried to put it down.
And honestly, the love and support of my husband brought my voice back—because for the first time, I finally felt safe. Safe enough to soften. Safe enough to be seen. Safe enough to share my gift again, not from survival… but from peace.
That dream never went away. It just waited for the right season.
Was your career a choice, an accident, or a survival instinct?
I don’t believe in accidents. I believe everything happens for a reason. But if I’m being honest, my journey was shaped by all three.
There were moments of survival instinct—learning as I went, adapting in real time, finding strength through adversity. Then there were moments where it became a clear choice—to stop playing small and step into what I knew I was called to do.
And in many ways, it also felt like the industry chose me, because opportunities kept finding me even when I wasn’t looking.
Looking back, nothing was wasted. Every chapter shaped me into the woman and artist I am today.
Who were your mentors?
When you ask about my mentors, I have to take a deep breath. It fills me with gratitude… and a little sadness too, because some of them are no longer here in the physical, only in spirit.
My great-grandmother, Malissa Garrett, laid the foundation for my character and strength. I’m her namesake. Carrying her name has always felt like carrying responsibility, to move with integrity, resilience, and grace.
I’ve been blessed to be guided by extraordinary people.
Camille Cook, a self-made promoter and powerhouse, showed me what leadership looks like in real time—fearless and strategic.
Clio Award–winning producer Alan Moore took me in, honed my skills, mentored me intentionally, and brought me to Nashville to sharpen my songwriting. He believed in my ear and in my pen before I fully did.
Through Alan’s guidance, I was introduced to Tony Colton, a Grammy-winning Nashville legend whose musicianship deepened my writing, and to Archie Jordan, who made a profound difference in my creative life and confidence.
The late Radio Bob Monachino gave me my first real shot. He opened doors for me and gave me the opportunity to produce radio ads and sing jingles, experiences that built my professionalism and discipline early on.
Award-winning Craig J. Snider was an early mentor and is now my creative partner—a full-circle blessing that reflects growth turning into collaboration.
Philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus supported me with business guidance and a grant that gave me breathing room in a way most artists never get. That support ensured I didn’t have to struggle the way so many artists do, and I will always be grateful for that belief.
Clarence Avant, the Black Godfather, mentored me for over two decades. Through him, I was introduced to the late great Quincy Jones, with whom I had the privilege of sharing time because of Clarence. Being in Quincy’s presence wasn’t just a meeting, it was witnessing legacy in motion.
And Charlie Feldman is someone I will always give credit to for the impact he has had on my journey.
Each of these individuals shaped me differently, artistically, spiritually, professionally. They corrected me, challenged me, and believed in me.
I’m grateful for the mentors who shaped me, and I’m also open to new mentors now. This next chapter is bigger, and I’m wise enough to know I’ll need support.
That’s how legacy continues.
What’s a risk you took that looked insane to everyone else but felt necessary to you?
I’ve always been a risk-taker.
When record deals were offered, deals most people would have taken, I chose to step behind the scenes and learn the business first. I wanted ownership and longevity.
Before my pivot, my Retnuh Agency maintained decade-long relationships with brands like Coca-Cola, Dove, Constellation Brands, Toyota, and Nike. In an industry where agencies rotate constantly, such loyalty was rare.
Then I pivoted.
I changed my name to Mali Wilson, stepped away from consistent ad-world income, and leaned fully into my music. I also passed on an opportunity from Clive Davis to help revive a struggling studio in Atlanta.
To many, it looked reckless. To me, it was alignment.
Love gave me the courage to step forward. And it was the right move.
Tell us a story that’s 100% true and still sounds like bullshit.
My whole life sounds unbelievable until you meet me.
Managing Carly Simon still surprises people the most.
I worked tirelessly to protect her interests, navigate label conversations, and ensure her memoir was positioned with care, strategy, and respect for her legacy.
With my team and hers aligned, we built an intentional, impactful campaign. Watching her memoir become a New York Times bestseller wasn’t luck. It was focus, execution, and commitment.
People in the pop world would always ask, “How did YOU end up managing Carly Simon?” because they knew me for hip-hop and culture.
But I’ve never been someone who fits in one lane.
I’m a relationship builder. A strategist. A marketing maven. And I protect the people I work with.
It may sound unbelievable to outsiders. To me, it was simply the work—and it was an honor.
What lie do you tell yourself to keep going?
Sometimes I speak to myself as if the breakthrough has already come. Not because I’m blind to what’s in front of me, but because I trust what I cannot yet see.
I don’t know if that’s a lie. It feels like faith.
When something falls apart, I don’t call it the end. I ask what it’s shaping in me. I remind myself that I am here on purpose—that the dreams placed in my heart were placed there deliberately.
If that’s a lie, it is one born of belief.
And I’ve seen what faith can do in my own life.
You wake up in a film universe. What is it? Who do you play?
It’s funny, I feel like I’ve been in a movie my whole life.
But if I woke up in one intentionally, I’d be fighting for the planet—protecting animals, preserving the oceans, and standing up to the kind of greed that destroys what we all depend on.
And I’d be protecting women and children from trafficking. Most people don’t realize how real it is—or how many lives are affected.
I’d be like a female 007 – intelligent, strategic, and fearless. With the resolve of Denzel Washington, the boldness of Angelina Jolie, the charm of Julia Roberts, and the intelligence and class of Viola Davis.
Saving the planet. Protecting our girls.
It would probably need to be a series.
What’s something people assume about you that’s completely wrong?
People often say, “You’re so nice,” like they’re surprised.
Because of my accolades or connections, people sometimes expect me to keep my distance. But my mom raised me to treat everyone with kindness and respect—and that’s truly who I am.
I’ve been through things that could have made me cold or calloused… but I still choose peace and love.
People also assume I came from money.
No sir.
I worked on every step. I took the scenic route. I’ve been blessed with incredible mentors and teams—but nothing was handed to me.
This next flight with my music is the longest flight of my life.
And I’m ready.
What are you chasing next: clarity, chaos, peace, or power?
At this chapter of my life, I’m not chasing anything.
I used to be about seeing, achieving, grabbing, snagging—manifestation boards and making things happen. And it worked.
But now I’m more interested in alignment than control.
I ask God to make it plain. I ask that what’s meant for me open and what’s not meant for me close.
Thankfully, I have no expectations… but I do have high hopes.
I’m not chasing.
I’m floating.
What does success look like when nobody’s watching?
Success, to me, is peace.
It’s waking up with gratitude and moving through the world with integrity, even when no one is clapping. It’s choosing kindness. It’s keeping my word. It’s standing in truth when it would be easier not to.
I’ve been blessed to earn respect in rooms most people will never see. But success isn’t the room. It’s who I am when I leave it.
It’s being able to sit in silence and know I didn’t compromise myself to get where I am.
Because at the end of the day… you can’t fake peace.
That’s success.
What does 2026 look like for you?
2026 feels sacred.
It feels like my 95-year-old grandmother has been waiting my whole life for this moment, like the prayers she whispered over me are blooming in real time.
Every seed I’ve planted is growing into something bigger than I imagined.
I’m sharing music I’ve been crafting quietly for years. It doesn’t feel rushed. It feels ripened.
And 2026 is also about women finding peace, love, and their tribe, through our Earth Angel and Earth Girl communities.
And I’m ready.
For more Reel Black List honorees, click here.
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