Keke Palmer Channels Rockstar Glam in Fiery Orange Dress on ‘The Tonight Show’

The actress and singer took to the stage for an incredible performance this week.

Keke Palmer out in New York City in June 2025. / XNY/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images

Simply put, there’s no stopping Keke Palmer when she’s on a roll! The talented triple threat has just entered a new era in her career, and she took to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to introduce the world to her latest venture.

Palmer visited the talk show this week wearing a dress that looked perfect on her, down to the very last inch of fabric. In a bright orange dress with shimmery dark orange lines that come together to form a fabulous outline, the ensemble was indeed a show-stopper. The bottom of the piece included a flowy skirt designed with ruffles in layers to give the garment some extra dimension, and she topped off her look with a pair of sparkly, lace-up gold strap heels with stars placed on each strap.

And who could forget the best part? Her copper hair! She left her tresses down and styled in light waves for this look. In short, Palmer looked like an absolute rockstar.

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As heard in the three singles off her latest album Just Keke, this project is very personal to Palmer. Amid the climactic rock guitars and the R&B vibes, the 31-year-old let the world into her mind and heart with her lyrics. This was intentional, as she wanted to ensure this project allowed her to own her past and prove to the world that she came out on the other side even more powerful.

“You can’t stop people from thinking what they want to think from the headlines. Owning it is already a moment of reclamation within itself,” the One of Them Days actress told Cosmopolitan. “It has more power when it becomes a narrative of others to say about you than the narrative you create for yourself. This is my storyline. You don’t get to author my story for me—I author it myself.”

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Palmer was privy to what the public had to say following her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Darius Jackson, with whom she shares a child. But rather than hide away from these outside opinions, she chose to rise above it all. The singer credits her longtime friend Tayla Parx, who helped her navigate difficult topics on the album.

“Going to that place with her was very emotional and triggering because we went through a lot, trying to make it in this industry so young. It was tough,” she expressed. “I then experienced something very difficult after having my son, with the public fallout and all that drama, which made me not just confront what that meant to me, but the other parts of myself that were fragmented in my life through my trauma.”

Musical guest Keke Palmer performs on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in June 2025. / Todd Owyoung/NBC/Getty Images

Above all, Palmer’s latest album stands as a testament to how she has returned to herself, and—because of her resilience—she not only made herself proud but also her son.

“When you know that someone is watching you, it pushes you to show up for yourself the way you would want them to show up for themselves,” Palmer stated. “I’m thinking sharper, trying harder, investing greater, and following through more than I even thought I could follow through. I already thought I was at the highest level, but he showed me places where I could grow from, and I owe all of it to him.”

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