Tinashe Opens Up In About Her 'Hair Struggles' in a Personal Essay
Tinashe made headlines a couple of months ago when she came under fire for saying that "colorism" had contributed to her career struggles. “There’s colorism involved in the Black community, which is very apparent. It’s about trying to find a balance where I’m a mixed woman, and sometimes I feel like I don’t fully fit into the Black community; they don’t fully accept me, even though I see myself as a Black woman. That disconnect is confusing sometimes. I am what I am," she was quoted as saying in an interview with The Guardian.
The singer, who is of mixed descent, recently opened up in a Marie Claire essay regarding a different type of struggle — this time, she spoke about her hair struggles.
"My hair is also a big part of my self-expression. It represents who I am and where I come from," she wrote. "I have a naturally tight curl pattern that allows me to have a wide range of hairstyles. When I get out of the shower, I can enhance the curls, make the hair loose and wavy or style it sleek and straight. It's a way to channel my moods day to day."
Tinashe notes that figuring out how to style her hair has been a "learning process," affirming that the power of the internet has made tips and tricks available to her that she previously felt she didn't have access to, as no one in her family had the same type of hair as her.
She implores readers to lean into their natural hair, due to the current uptick of enthusiasm in the movement to embrace curly hair. "I love it when girls embrace the things about their hair that makes it unique," she said. "That's what I'm trying to do." Amen, sister!