Soul Sister opened at the Hackney Empire where it played a limited run from 14 April - 5 May 2012.
[2] Emi Wokoma starred as Tina Turner, for which she was nominated for the Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Henry Hitchings in his review for The Evening Standard wrote, "The words "a star is born" can be hazardous, but Emi Wokoma, who plays Tina Turner in this 'bio-musical', is blessed with star quality and a voice that's rawly emotional yet also regal...As jukebox musicals go, Soul Sister is meaty.
"[6] Laura Thompson for The Daily Telegraph highlighted the central performance, stating: "Wokoma is amazing, a strong-bodied yet vulnerable goddess.
Singing fearlessly, and almost continually, she does a fine imitation of Tina Turner – that teetering sideways lean, those sexy washer-woman arms – but her performance goes way beyond the 'Tonight, Matthew, I will be...' of Stars in Their Eyes.