Beauty
Singer Candice Hoyes on the Joys of Changing Her Hair as Much as She Changes Her Music
Jazz singer Candice Hoyes details how she became confident with both her hair and sound….
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.
If you’re looking to add to your work from home playlist, look no further than Candice Hoyes. With her chill-inducing range, the New York-based jazz singer is branching out from her 2015 EP, On a Turquoise Cloud, and into new territory with her latest song, “Zora’s Moon,” a preview of her new album which will be released at the beginning of next year. The single—which now has a nostalgia-evoking video to go with it (roller skates and all)—is inspired by her childhood self and a young Zora Neale Hurston, who both believed the moon was following them. “It’s this whole idea that Black women are not following the moon but the moon is following us,” she says. “I’m all about this whole empowerment image, that’s not around struggle and suffering and trauma.” Her voice and music—which has been heard at the Public Theatre and Jazz at Lincoln Center—aren’t the only aspects of Hoyes that offer up major inspiration: Her signature teased-out curls are a beauty note worth taking.
Growing up, Hoyes didn’t always understand her hair. “My mother’s hair was straighter and my dad’s hair has always been cut so close that I never fully knew his texture,” Hoyes says during a Zoom call from her apartment. Still, she was supported by the women in her family who spent time doing her hair. “Just the tender affection of parting someone’s hair and oiling my scalp, taking a tail comb and dipping it in hot water and pulling it through my hair, and all the snacks and comics and cartoons that you watched to get through those times,” she remembers. “Just to sit in between your mom’s legs and have her comb your hair, that’s so much affection. It’s a different kind of embrace. It’s so saturated with love.” Hoyes has had her fair share of trial and error, too. “I remember trying to wear bands in the eighth grade and that did not work out,” she says with a laugh. “Seeing it natural helped me love it, though; and now being a singer, I’m able to embrace it even more, while I take up space on the stage.”
Hoyes had a relaxer at 11 years old, all the way through her teenage years, when she began to grow it out. “I think that that was a huge discovery for me, and it happened at a great time, to my mom’s credit, to let me grow the chemical out as I was discovering my body and sexuality,” Hoyes says. “To feel what my hair really feels like was really important.” When she got to college at Harvard, she began experimenting with twist styles, headwraps, and hats. “I like to change my hairstyle, the way I like to change my music and my sets and everything. I wake up one day, I want a different hairstyle,” she says.
Hoyes—who takes inspiration from Naomi Campbell (as a true Gemini would), Minnie Ripperton and Sade—has a simple hair routine she swears by. DevaCurl shampoo is a must, then she reaches for Camille Rose’s Algae Mask for hydration and Shea Moisture’s Hemp Oil for finger detangling. She usually lets her hair air dry. If she wants more defined curls, she opts for a leave-in spray from Taliah Waajid. She loves switching up her looks, from cornrows to ponytails and long braids. “We always talk about how much work our hair is, but I think we have a lot of options as far as a low-maintenance styles go,” she says. “I think that’s one of the beautiful things I’ve learned about having natural hair.”
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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.
