Earlier this week Sister Act 2 fans received a little piece of nostalgia when some of the film’s original cast members reunited with fellow cast member and co-star of The View, Whoopi Goldberg. The cast reunited on The View for a touching performance of the song “Oh Happy Day” which easily is classified as one of the most iconic scenes of the movie. Many cast members were present for the reunion including Monica Calhoun, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ryan Toby, and Morgan State alumna Tanya Trotter.

Trotter formerly known as Tanya Blount when the film premiered 30 years ago starred as Tanya, a St. Francis Academy student and best friend of Rita Watson played by the legendary Lauryn Hill. Trotter and Hill shared a duet of “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” which is also a pivotal moment in the film.

Trotter is a native of Washington, D. C. After graduating from high school Trotter attended Morgan State University where she majored in psychology and sang in the university choir. Following her role in Sister Act 2, Trotter officially launched her singing career in 1994.

She released her first studio album, Natural Thing, which peaked at number 58 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Album charts. She even landed a Top 40 R&B single and was signed to P-Diddy’s Bad Boy Entertainment.

As her momentum began to slow down during the early 2000s, Trotter eventually gave up on her dreams of being a singer. While working as a worship leader Trotter met her husband, Michael Trotter Jr., an Army veteran who had aspirations of a solo singing career.

Between their love of music and their love of God, they married a year after meeting and would go on to form the country music duo, The War and Treaty.  Although she was initially hesitant, joining forces with her husband was the push Trotter needed to fall back in love with music.

Although they have been working together musically since 2014, The War and Treaty released their debut studio album Healing Tide in 2018 and their sophomore album, Hearts Town, soon after in 2020. The duo has collaborated with other well-known artists such as Zach Bryan and Emmylou Harris. In 2022, they were signed by Universal Music Group Nashville.

Their success as a duo earned them two nominations at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards including Best New Artist. They also became the first Black duo to be nominated for a Country Music Association Award for Duo of the Year as well as the Academy of Country Music Award for Duo of the Year.

While on The View Trotter and other cast members were able to share the significance of the film and how their roles changed their lives. Trotter goes on to say that she credits a lot of her success to Whoopi Goldberg.

“I remember auditioning so many times. It had to be about nine or ten times. And we ended up flying to LA, Lauryn and I, and Whoopi heard me sing. I didn’t end up getting the role, but she pulled me to the side, and she said I’m going to make sure that the world hears your voice. And she took us over to her house. Bill Duke, one of the writers, was there and they wrote that scene in the movie. So, it wasn’t even in the script. And Whoopi — it changed the trajectory of my life.”

Following the interview the cast performed the song “Joyful, Joyful” which is the movie’s closing number with students from New York City’s LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Cast members missing from the reunion included 9-1-1 star Jennifer Love Hewitt who played Margaret and Lauryn Hill who played Rita Watson.

Many wondered where Hill was during this joyous reunion. She is currently preparing for her upcoming South American and European performances later this month. I guess we can say that her mother was wrong. Singing in fact does pay the bills.