Beauty
British Singer-Songwriter Arlissa Shares How She Keeps Her Curls Healthy
The musician details her curly hair secrets, from rice water masks to her favorite hair smoothie….
Texture Diaries is a space for Black women across industries to reflect on their journeys to self-love, and how accepting their hair, in all its glory, played a pivotal role in this process. Each week, these women share their favorite hair rituals, products, and the biggest lessons they’ve learned when it comes to affirming their beauty and owning their unique hair texture.
British singer-songwriter Arlissa’s rich voice and vulnerable lyrics offer a sense of warmth in an otherwise difficult time. (Let the opening strings on her single, “Healing,” take you on a ride.) But she’s quick to admit that her musical journey, which began at age 15, has been one of self-actualization. “It’s just been this wacky journey of being in the industry, working with a bunch of people who didn’t get me and then finding myself through all of that,” she tells Vogue on a Zoom call. “My musical journey mirrors the journey of life; people will take you further and further away from who you are. And then it’s your job to try and find out who you are again.”
Her hair journey has a similar theme. “I realized for the first time, only about four years ago, that I have some beautiful hair,” the 28-year-old says, adding that growing up in a predominantly white school had a detrimental effect when it came to her self-confidence. Bad experiences in the hair salon didn’t help either. “I once went to get my split end cut and this woman cut my hair into a bob. And I cried,” Arlissa recalls. She started to feel compelled to straighten it all the time. “I wanted it to be as long as possible. And it wasn’t long anymore and all that stuff. It was my pride and joy,” she says. “I just didn’t realize how much I was conforming to eurocentric beauty standards.” She finally decided to chop her hair into a pixie cut at the beginning of the decade, and let it grow from there.
Today the rising star looks up to Solange for hair inspiration, because “she constantly celebrates Black hair.” When it comes to braided looks, Zoe Kravitz is another star on her moodboard. “But I tried the braids thing, and it didn’t work for me,” Arlissa says with a laugh. To keep her curls healthy, Arlissa is loving Shea Moisture’s Curl Smoothie and Ouidad’s Curl Shaper Shampoo. Her biggest hair secret? “Rice water masks. It makes your hair shiny and grow faster,” she shares.
Arlissa’s debut EP, The Lovers, is due out in February 2021. “The Lovers is my birth tarot card. And I very much liken it to the reason why I’ve done everything in life the way I’ve done it,” she says. “The songs really reflect what I’ve been going through in quarantine,” she details of her upcoming project.
As for any upcoming hair moves? “I feel like one day I’m going to have a buzz cut or something,” she says. “Because, why not? Our hair can do so many magical things. I just can’t even believe that we ever believed otherwise. Our hair is beautiful. It’s so unique. It’s so powerful. You need to celebrate it.”
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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.
Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.
The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.
Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?
While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.
As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.
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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims
In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.
Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.
The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.
Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.
The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.